Great photos, skb, just as we've come to expect from your lens. Thanks for allowing me to look from home. Hope the loop traffic wasn't horrible.

The light through the yellow trees and the paint spilled down the mountain were awesome from the West Prong trail today. The hills were red and green and yellow and just gorgeous. It takes off from Tremont and goes up most gradually to Bote Mountain trail which I found out was named for the Cherokees who were allowed to but couldn't say, "vote." It was a fabulous day followed up with pinto beans and cornbread. Life is good in East Tennessee.

The traffic across 441 was horrible yesterday. After my hike I spent at least 2 hours in gridlock hell across the mountain and through the towns. Someone must have seen a bear. You expect that kind of traffic in the big city but not in the park!

The good part is you could not have picked a better day for a hike.

"If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?"