I decide to take a short trip up to the Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee for a few days before I have to be back in Atlanta for cataract surgery. I have mixed feelings about the upcoming surgery. Not so much about the surgery itself, but the pre-op and post-op down-time that will keep me from heading west for a few more weeks.More on that next time…
Fast forward 2 weeks… I just returned from a wonderful and relaxing time in the Smoky Mountains. Nothing but peace and quiet. Due to the winter weather, I saw only a couple more campers at a distance. This is certainly my preference; being alone in the quiet in dispersed (free) camping areas as opposed to commercial camp grounds, which typically are crowded and can be somewhat noisy. So, I find a free camp ground hidden way back in the mountains on the Tellico River.
On the second day, a ranger came into my camp to say hello and to warn me to be on the look-out for bears. He told me there had been a lot of bear activity in the area. 
After an awesome time in the mountains and having seen no bears, I head back to the reality of traffic, congestion and noise pollution.
“If you liked this post, please follow me and stay tuned for my trip west. I’ll be bringing you more good quality content in the weeks to come.”
Until next time…
