My favorite mountains anywhere, the Smokies never cease to amaze or provide new vistas. While on an early morning drive over the Foothills Parkway recently, I was treated to a prime example of why the mountains are referred to as the "Smokies." Prior to this moment, however, I enjoyed the sunrise from the famed Tail of the Dragon. Curvy enough to make the driver car sick, this road is either a joy or pure misery depending on your driving tastes. The occasional good views are beautiful though and quite possibly even worth the effort.
Not much later, I was cruising the Foothills Parkway when the scene spread out before me in such grandeur that I was compelled to stop, even at the risk of being late for my guide trip. Thankfully I was still on time and in the process got to scratch my photography itch a bit. I couldn't decide which picture I like the most so sharing all four became the default action for this post...