Fall Break

Every year for Fall Break my entire family goes to Gatlinburg, TN for three or four days. Usually we rent a cabin up in the mountains and stay there. No matter where we stay or what happens during the day there are always some things that remain constant. For example, during the drive down to Tennessee it always seems to be cold in the morning so you usually start off with a sweatshirt but as the day goes on around noon, somewhere in Kentucky, the sun begins to shine through the window and you get that really warm feeling; not an uncomfortable one but just that soothing warming feeling. Feeling the pressure in your ears as you drive up the mountain is another common feeling due to the increasing altitude. When we arrive there is always a smell of firewood and trees. Maybe its being at a higher altitude but its like taking fall and turning it into a smell and that's what you have. Somewhat damp leaves on the ground. Each cabin smelling rustic and different from the one you were at before. Usually in the mornings my grandparents have coffee brewing which sends an aroma through the cabin that gently awakens everyone. In the evenings the crackling of burning firewood can be heard. Out on the deck the floor boards vibrate from the nearby hot tube that is circulating. The gentle smell of chlorine resonating from it. And after all of this rest and relaxation we head home. Meeting the local people whose job it is to entertain the tourists, who all seem to be nicer than anyone you've ever met before. Usually the last day is a quite one. First we all stop at the traditional pancake place for breakfast then begin the long drive home.