I will be there but not staying in Fontana this year. It has really gotten to expensive for what your get, so I am staying with friends in Sylva and relatives in Topton and will make the drive there daily for the festivities.
Might be a little more expensive than some other locations but the ability to stumble back to the room/cabin after imbibing in a few adult beverages is priceless.
Thats true but both wife's sisters, one married to Highway Patrol and the other to Sheriff and I know most of the rest from them chasing me in my 73 GTO back when we were just dating.
Yeah but some of those walks are really steep, all drinking should be done towards the top of the mountain in the future to better facilitate the walk/stumble/roll/crawl back to the room/cabin.
I have my room reserved at the lodge. I will be there, unless I get diverted to one of the many sandboxes I get to play in. Hopefully not. So far, I've been blessed to make the past 4 MOTDs. Normally, I'd camp, but This year, I was miserable down there at the camp ground. Can't wait!!!!!
I'll be there, don't have a space yet but not worried. Last year got a room at the microtel and it was fine. Except for the fact that I couldn't really indulge myself with ETOH.
Camping.... This is our 5th Dragon and will be the second in the camp ground!! Yep... sure rained there last year. This year we are going to sleep in a rubber raft!! LOL If anyone runs out of rooms.. in the campground.. you can have as many as you can fit on your plot..( puddle) So that could be a good back up... Just me........................... Thumper
Or you can borrow a tent and stay cheaply down at the campgrounds. It's a beautiful place across the river from the foot of the dam and was dirt cheap when I shared a site with a couple of nice guys who agreeded to let me set up in '09 when I decided to attend at the last minute. It was a bit rainy and cold, but I had an extension cord and a small cube ceramic heater that kept me quite comfortable. The folks down at the camp site were amazingly friendly and it was a completely different experience than the other 2 MOTDs that I had attended previously (staying in cabins w/ friends). Cooking the group breakfast one morning was an absolute blast and the warmth (both from new friends and the fire) of gathering around a campfire for hot-dogs and Smores for dinner one night was great. When I can make it back to MOTD, I'll be down at the campgrounds again! This pic has absoultely nothing to do with camping, but if you ever wondered why they call 'em the SMOKY mountains, this pic should explain everything (taken at the first stop on my Sunrise Smoky mountain drive at MOTD 2009).
Doh! I was answering a question all the way back from page 1 of the thread! Oh well... it was GREAT memories!
Camping does look like fun, but I already tried that with the wife and no dice. Waited too long for Fontana this year, but at least my room in the Microtel has a jacuzzi tub!