Smoky Mountain pictures

Ok, I posted all the pics from our hike in the Smoky Mountains!

Smoky Mts - Trillium Gap Trail - Grotto Falls

Trillium Gap Trail

Ok so this is only slightly related to running...I've decided that "running" can refer to anything involved in my staying fit for a marathon. And certainly hiking 2.4 miles up & down a mountain is a workout! Just ask my dad :)

If you've been following this blog, you know that for a while I have been really, really into hiking and other such outdoors adventures. So when I went to visit my dad in Knoxville last week, the first thing I wanted to do was some hiking in the Smoky Mountains. No shopping, no Dollywood, no touristy things. Just put me in the big outdoors. So after we got lost & encountered some less than helpful park rangers, we found the Trillium Gap Trail (click to see a pic which mountain our trail went up). The trail went to Grotto Falls, a 25 foot waterfall that you could walk behind. Beautiful and pretty darn cool!

Here we are in the beginning of the trail, crossing over a small stream/mini waterfall:


These pretty flowers were everywhere!


Approaching Grotto Falls:


We made it! Dad flexes his muscles:


Here I am behind the waterfall:


Close up of Grotto Falls, absolutely beautiful!


On the way back to the trailhead:


The trailhead, dad is plumb tuckered out:


I have so many more pictures of this beautiful trail...I will try to post on Picasa soon and link here.

And I think I may be going back in October...anyone want to come along? The leaves should be changing then :)

my dad for president?

I think my dad is running for President, and forgot to tell me! Or else he must have a twin...

ILLEGAL immigration

I listened to some of Mike Gallagher during my lunch break today. I thought he made a great point. People go around saying these immigrants are just undocumented, and what's the big deal about immigration? Well the big deal is that it's ILLEGAL immigration.

Some of you may wonder, jeez, why are you so upset about it? Well, I'll tell you why. I myself am the daughter of an immigrant. And not just any immigrant. He was a LEGAL immigrant. He waited in line and took the tests. He OBEYED our country's laws. He believed in the American dream and made a name for himself the American way. He worked really hard to get to where he is today, and I am so proud of him.

So do I think it's fair that there are thousands of people who enter our country illegally and get all the benefits of a legal American without having to do anything? I don't think so! If you want to be an American, get in line. Obey our laws. If you don't want to do it this way, and you're here illegally, you should be deported. Because you're ILLEGAL. Hellooooooo has anyone heard of LAW before?

And that is my rant for the day.