Day Six

Today was just packing up the car and leaving Bonnaroo. It was hot like always so we made short work of it. Most other cars full of people seemed to have magically disappeared overnight so it was easy getting out of our parking lot space. Most notable story of our retreat from Bonnaroo was our run in with the most excitable cop ever. We were required to leave our front bike tires locked to a fence outside the festival so we couldn't use our bikes during the fest and now we needed to retrieve them. We spent all morning obnoxiously reminding each other so we didn't run off and leave them. Then we proceeded to do just that. The road wasn't cued to go by where we left them anymore! When we realized we had gone too far, we pulled off the road at the first turn off, by the aforementioned copper. We politely explained the situation and he told us to move along regardless. Robert jumped out of the car with his bike keys to go get the tires and screaming began. Cop threatened to call a tow truck on us as I fumbled for my bike key so Robert could unlock both locks I put on the tires. Thankfully, cop was all bark and no bite (he was far too old it seemed to do much more than yell at us loudly). I drove the car down the road a piece...still being verbally accosted by the cop mind you...and parked to wait and hope that Robert could find both the tires and me! We had no means of communication and had not had time to make a reunification plan. Fifteen minutes later he sauntered up, fully successful.

We made our way to the second closest gas station, desperately on fumes at this point. Next was a grocery stop where, despite being helped by a very cheerful woman, we were unable to procure curry paste. We got plenty other tasties, Robert went to pay and I accidentally took his wallet with me to the restroom...and on my trip around the store to find the last few forgotten items. Sorry, babe! (really, if you must know, it was his fault, I didn't even know he had slipped his wallet into my purse!)

On we drove towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to recoup after our tiring days in the sun at Bonnaroo. We had no idea what we had to cross through two of the most tourist-trappy towns I have ever experienced: Pigeon Forge and Gaitlinburg. It was a horrible experience, but we managed to come out the other side unscathed. I will try to find the excerpt from Bryson describing the towns because he captures the feel of the towns perfectly.

On to our campsite at Balsam Mountain Campgrounds, selected because it had the greatest elevation (5,200 ft) and ostensibly would be the coolest. It was decidedly lovely. We bucket showered for the first time and it was lovely to be clean, mostly. Bugs were everywhere. Grilled eggplant and it was and excellent appetizer to our stir-fry dinner.