SWANNANOA, NC. On Tuesday, the 25th, we made our way to Bryson City, NC to ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, which is billed as a viewing adventure.  We imagined views like the ones on the Blueridge Parkway.  We made reservations for seats and box lunches a week in advance in anticipation.  

The town is undergoing road construction in the area of the train station, making it difficult to find the parking lot and proceed from there to the train station.  With Betty walking with a boot and cane, we wondered what it would be like just getting on the train.

The parking lot was an unpaved sand lot with no markings.  We had paid in advance, so the attendant waved us to a spot along the street farthest from the station.  There was promised assistance to those who needed it, but we both walked to the train station, dodging the debris of construction work.  Once there, we searched for where to go next.  After asking around, we were directed to the side of the station where we got in line to pick up our lunches, which turned out to be one sandwich and a bag of chips and a bag of cookies.  There was also high priced food on the train after departing, which most people bought.  I later got Betty a Diet Coke for $3.21!

The Long Train.  We Were in the Car Near the Back.

Train Station.  Construction on Right.  Box Lunches on Left.

We waited quite a while on a park bench waiting for a golf cart driver to get us to the train car where we had reserved seats.  Eventually a couple men greeted us and told us our rides would be coming soon. Eventually a railway worker brought us by golf cart to the train car where we had reserved seats.  At our car, another railway worker who looked like he could have been a buddy of Daniel Boone assisted Betty.  I lovingly referred to him as Father Time.

Betty Helped from Golf Cart Once Arrived at Train Car

Betty Coached Along by Father Time

Father Time Walks Betty to the Rail Car

It was a long ride almost to the end of the train.  Our gondola car was third from the back of the train.  Once aboard, we took our seats.  Not long after that a woman with a large family from Charleston came in to claim our seats, saying she had reserved them.  We showed our proof of reservation, and she stewed quite a while about the poor reservations system, etc.  Some time later, they withdrew quickly.  Someone told us they had reserved seats for the prior week.  Peace at last.

When the appointed time for departure arrived, there was no notice.  The train cars jerked into motion, as only train cars can.  We were reminded of how much smoother the ride of an airplane is and why most people avoid trains.  Once in motion, getting to a restroom or the diner car required walking from car to car after car while moving.  And a wild motion it is.  Side to side jerking along.  Stepping between cars that are shifting in opposite directions is a bit worrisome.  

The anticipated adventure was far over-stated.  We were seated on the right side of the car as we traveled toward our destination, which turned out to be no destination at all, only a point for the locomotives to travel a side track to the other end of the train of cars and hitch up.  We were then told to move to the opposite side of the train cars so that we could travel back to the station viewing the other side of the tracks.

Along the way, Father Time shouted out his travelogue lecture about the history of the area and how the train works.  One point he greatly emphasized was the wear and tear on the wheels as they rub against the tracks.  He kept coaching us to look over the side to see the grease boxes that automatically squirt grease onto the wheels as the train passes.  We watched a long time in anticipation, ever coached by Father 
Time.  

Father Time Barking Out His Observations

An Old Telegraph Pole from the Old Days

Appalachian Trail Crossing

Once we saw a grease box, he encouraged us to shoot photos of it.  Turns out it was not much of a photo op, and he laughed and teased us that he had never seen so many people so eager to look at a silly grease box.  Laugh on us!  Perhaps the whole trip was a laugh on us.

Grease Box.  Not Much to Look At.

Most of the trip out on our side of the train car was a view of never-ending kudzu, the vine that ate the Carolinas.  Trees, lamp poles, power lines and poles, telephone poles, signs ... just about anything standing vertical or connected to it was covered with the stuff.  A very monotonous ride and no adventure.  On the left side of the train we could see that we were approaching a gravel quarry and packing company.  There were large piles of various sized gravel.  Lovely sight.

Kudzu: The Plant that Ate the Carolinas

Gravel Quarry

Gravel Quarry

Local Resident With Little To Do With Himself

One surprise along the way was a Big Foot impersonator (I think that was what he was supposed to be) who waved at us as we passed one road.  The Loose Gravel may be in his head.

Close Up of Our New Friend

Once we reached our "destination" and the locomotives moved to what had been the back of the train, we moved to the seats on the other side of the car.  After riding a good ways, passing the gravel quarry once again, we stopped at a park where happy people were entering the Tuckasegee River to float in various rafts that were shaped like kayaks and other craft.  They appeared to be having much more fun that we were.  We ate our lunch and waited to start moving back to the station.  Seemed like a long wait.  Once again, when the time arrived to go, without warning the train jerked violently forward into motion and off we were going.

White Water

Rafter Enjoying the Ride

More White Water Rafting

Calmer Water Toward the End

The scenes were far better now.  The river progressed through various stages of white water.  We got a few pictures of the happy rafters.  As we got closer to the station, the river was calm and we saw several pontoon boats and house boats.  We were surprised to see house boats on the river.

Pontoon Boat

House Boats

House Boat

House Boats

Once the Train Ride "adventure" was over, Betty could not resist some ice cream, and there just so happened to be an ice cream shop in town.  It is the Box Car Cafe & Cones, with Betty Boop out front starring as Boxcar Betty.  I got a shot of the two Bettys together.

The Two Boops