NOC

Yep... that's me on a giant $1000 dollar faux black bear. Good times, right? Today was the Business During Hours (Fancy, right? During instead of after... clever folks!) for the "NOC" (Nantahala Outdoor Center) Great Outpost in downtown Gatlinburg. It opened just a few days ago, and wow is it cool! It's located right at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is a welcoming structure for those coming in to Gatlinburg from the park! Also, it's super cool inside - most of the building is wallpapered with reclaimed tree bark and there is an indoor rock climbing wall. One really cool thing is that they have a shuttle that goes to and from the AT trail for those AT hikers who want a rest. They also have showers for the AT hikers - which I would imagine is a veeery welcome sight. My fam and I had a great time wandering around - just soaking in the atmosphere. I had to really control myself in the shoe department (one word: Chacos) and in the clothing department (for someone who doesn't hike or camp, I certainly love me some outdoor clothing...). All in all it was a great experience!

So, if you're in the G-burg area, I would recommend checking it out!

~ Mari