This was our last day in Newport, Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park region.  We took the day off and visited Big Creek.  No, wait, it was a work day too.  We first stopped in Hartford, Tennessee to pick up our mail and to ship two copies of Big Creek, one to  Ranger Tim and one to friend Stacey Kelly.  I think I forgot to sign them before I sealed the envelopes. Next, we drove to the Big Creek Country Store, just outside the Big Creek entrance to the park.

Kelly was not in the store so the woman at the register called her to ask if she wanted more copies of Big Creek.  Yes, she only had two left and wanted ten more.  She also had an envelope with money for the first ten copies in the office.  Big Creek is displayed prominently at the cash register.

I told Andy I was going back out to the car to get my camera to take a picture of the store for the blog.  The woman said I needed a picture of myself with the book too.  I chose to have that taken inside; it is such a cute little store.

We drove up the Big Creek road without encountering any oncoming cars.  The potholes had grown a bit since June. The maintenance department was holding their safety meeting in the group campsite.  When Spence saw me with my camera, he struck a pose.