Since the beginning of our relationship, Chris and I wanted to go camping together. Every time we tried to make it happen, though, something came up or our friends couldn’t come with us.
So, when we experienced an unseasonably warm December weekend, we jumped at the opportunity to head outdoors. Our spontaneous decision to go camping turned out to be the relaxing getaway we needed before the holiday rush.
We virtually had the campgrounds to ourselves, even though the weather was perfect for camping. I encourage anyone who lives in the Knoxville or Asheville area to visit Roan Mountain.
Although it was warm during the day, at night, the temperature dropped drastically. We actually let the dogs sleep with us (which we never do) just for extra warmth.
On Saturday, we took the dogs on a hike to the Round Bald in Carver’s Gap. The 360 degrees view of the mountains was breathtaking. 
If you get tired of cooking over a campfire, there’s an excellent pizza spot called Smoky Mountain Bakers about 10 minutes from the park. We devoured a Gourmet Veggie (with sausage for Chris) after our hike on Saturday. I still dream about the garlic butter we ordered to go with it.
I’m already looking forward to going back with our families this year.
