Hiking Rhododendron Creek With Michael

Hiking Rhododendron Creek With Michael

Sunday March 9, 2014

Dana & Kenny Koogler and grandson Michael

1.5 miles round trip.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Photos are here starting with frame 312
Rhododendron Creek Pix 

   We had been wanting to take our little grandson Michael out to visit

Rhododendron Creek in the Smokies.   He had asked Pawpaw after preachin

on Sunday what we were doing? Pawpaw answered "going for a walk". He burst 

into tears saying "I want to go!". He was highly put out that he had not been informed in advance and asked to go.  We got the tears dried up and assured him

he was more than welcome to go along!  We ate a bite of lunch and packed some snacks to take and some toys.  We hit the road.

      The drive for us is 45 minutes to an hour to Pittman Center depending on traffic in Gatlinburg.  We soon arrived at the Greenbrier section of the Smokies.

We hit the trail letting him lead us. He had to check out everything and speak to folks.   We had to stop at the first crossing to sit down and play in the creek.

Michael plays with toys in the creek. There was playing with water, rocks, dirt and sticks!


Teaching Pawpaw how to do it. I was the creek wader in the family as a kid.
Me and Valerie were out in the creek  A LOT as kids. I was in trouble all the time
for wading the creek or stomping around in the mud wearing my good church clothes
and shoes.  To ME patent leather shoes were just as good as the next type shoe for wading in the water. I did not discriminate! See? Now you know there was no way
in this world I was going to be a Tupperware wife.  

I know that posture well. "Just a little bit further out here...." Michael has way more self control than I did.  I'd have been IN the water wallering at that age. It is not too cold.

Cheesing for the camera! One of numerous beautiful cascades along the stream.

    We visited some of the cascades along the trail.  We made it about 3/4 of a mile before he was ready to head back.  He talked about bears and snakes and bats and whats over there and were we lost?    We hiked 1.5 miles total.  We sat on the tailgate and ate snacks.
Watched the evening turn dusky.  We headed home and I could tell he was going to sleep good tonight.  Fresh air and sunshine and beautiful sights make for good dreams and peaceful sleep.  I am thankful for my recovery and my grandson and husband. 


Here is video #1 of Michael playing in the creek



And here is Michael dancing around