We went to Cades Cove in the Smokies yesterday. There were white-tailed deer all over the place. They are protected in the park so they have become very tame. If you have been to the Cove you know that the road is very narrow, often between steep banks, and slow, one way traffic. One doe was standing at the edge of the pavement as we eased past. She stood there on the driver's side of the car, not more than five feet away and looked me in the eye. That's the first time I've ever been close enough to make eye contact with a deer.

We didn't see the usual groundhogs, turkeys and bears, because it was getting dark. There was a bear cub in a tree in another part of the park, but he was busy posing for pictures so we didn't stop.

The streams were very low and some of the waterfalls weren't falling. It was a very dry October in this area.

We also crossed Newfound Gap and drove down into Cherokee, North Carolina. No crowds, plenty of parking space, good hamburgers, great discounts at the tourist traps, weather perfect.
Howard