Cades Cove / Camping / Loop Trail / Bears / Copycat Chili / Tornadoes

[@sherriweber7105]

I wanted to let you know I think it was so cute watching Maggie eat a pup cup for her birthday! Plus getting a bike ride and chicken. It’s well deserved for a dog as good as she is. My dog loves chicken. Hope Maggie enjoyed her birthday!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

I hope Maggie enjoyed her Birthday, we tried to make it special for her. The things you do for your pup 🤣.

[@David-jo4gt]

With the temp reaching 102 today, spring time in the mountains looks like heaven. Your photography paired with music was spot on. Thank you for all the hard work you and Lynn do. Please give Maggie a big Happy Birthday and a belly rub from us. Happy tails and safe travels.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks David, we appreciate your support. Try to stay cool.

[@toddlancaster5298]

That looked like a gray rat snake. Love Cades Cove. One of my favorite places.

[@karinwest919]

yes, the shape of the head and the eyes will give it away!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks for the information. We need to get better at identifing snakes.

[@sherriweber7105]

Happy birthday Maggie!

[@pattyk8594]

Love that you were able to bike cades cove with no cars for a day! Just beautiful! And happy birthday Maggie! You deserve that chicken sweet pea :o)

[@lisabritt4284]

Happy birthday Maggie you lil sweetie 🎉❤

[@skipmason8747]

Cades Cove is my wife’s favorite place. She loves going there. We visit about once a month if we can.

[@angelabennett2941]

Glad the tornados missed you! The bike rides looked really fun. Happy birthday to Maggie!

[@karinwest919]

what a wonderful experience in Cades Cove! oh, the memories you make! This vid is my fave so far!

[@billparks2788]

yes a red rat or corn snake, the under side looks like indian corn

[@lindao1327]

Thought I saw a black bear through the trees around 7.26! Great video guys. Happy Birthday sweet Maggie. ❤

[@lindao1327]

I looked again, but think it was a tree stump!

[@sandrap3047]

I've always heard that Cades Cove was a beautiful place to bike ride when they are closed to cars. Now you have shown me just how beautiful it really is. The other ride was beautiful too. Love the wildlife minus the snake. I have one fear in life and it is snakes! I'll probably dream about that one in your video tonight! Thanks for that! :)

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

I have bad dreams too when I see a snake. So sorry!

[@larryvincent2098]

Another great adventure!! Beautiful scenery, accept for the snake !! lol !!Happy Birthday Maggie 🎉!! Oh yea the bears ! Where the rain lol ….. Sounds of the birds , beautiful … Wow the butterflies!!! Always enjoy your channel!! BS & BK & BC !!!!!!!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you so much for watching and always taking the time to comment.

[@richardburguillos3118]

Ya just keep these amazing adventure videos coming… another beautiful location. Thanks for sharing. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGGIE!!🎉❤🦴🦴🐾

[@karenenglish4900]

It was great you saw so many bear. More often than not, we don't see them. Nice bike days!! Happy Birthday Maggie!

[@timmartin4952]

Love the Smokies and Cades Cove. Thanks for taking us there. Just told my better half, I’d like to bike the loop like you all did. That was great! We have driven it countless times. Belated Happy Birthday to Maggie! Thanks for the great videos and allowing us to come along!

[@Shopsktkolsc]

This video has inspired me to try cades cove again. I was trapped in my car for hours on that loop a few years ago and swore I would never visit again. Cycling seems to be the way to go. Great video and I agree that your music is perfect.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

The loop does get crazy backed up. We’ve tried that before and much prefer the experience with no cars. It’s so worth it.

[@janetfolkerts5827]

Awesome views, yep, I think you hit the motherlode in seeing nature in it's finest ! As always, love your cooking presentations. BTW the chili looked great as well. Happy Tails to Maggie ! THANKS for sharing.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

You are so welcome and thank you for watching.

[@kiwirose4196]

Another amazing video - I just loved the butterfly segment - so beautiful. Happy birthday sweet Maggie, you are just 6 months older than our Maya ❤️

[@barbaracarlson7402]

Happy Birthday Maggie, you sure are a sweet girl. We toured Cade’s Cove some years ago and loved it but it would be awesome on bikes! We were in Texas earlier this spring and experienced some wicked storms.. Sure is scary any time but more so in an RV we feel. Really enjoying your trip in the Smokies, thanks for taking us along!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

I agree it is so much more scary in an RV. Thanks so much for watching.

[@jholcomb9532]

Loved all the wildlife! Amazing butterflies. Many Happy Returns of the Day to Maggie Girl.

[@sloanschwindt9718]

Happy Birthday Maggie! We have the same Blackstone griddle! Love it!

[@nancyskean6425]

Happy birthday sweet pup Maggie! You have awesome parents! Glad you were all safe with the wild weather. Happy tails!

[@sloanschwindt9718]

This was a wonderful video! Enjoyed the bears, butterflies, snakes and Birthday Girl. Scary having that much rain and tornado warnings!

[@clarkcopenhaver1265]

Every time we visit the Smoky's, we spend time in Cades Cove. Beautiful place......"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Maggie.

[@judystreich7333]

Maggie’s so special on a normal day, but her birthday about wore her out. Happy Birthday sweet girl, your fans love you little darling. Beautiful area to relax, hope our crazy weather calms down soon.

[@bevbender3587]

What an adventure: bears and other wildlife, rain, flooding, tornadoes . Happy Birthday Maggie🎂🥳🎉

[@patkincaid8061]

Looks so nice and inviting. Beautiful place. I’ve been there once but looking forward to going again one day.

[@raybetts3795]

Hey y’all, loved the video. Happy Birthday to Maggie. Our Jake Dawg is thirteen and named after John Belushi’s character from the Blues Brothers movie. We’ve been to Cades Cove several times, always a great experience. Especially seeing wildlife. I’m pretty sure your snake was not a Copperhead. A Copperhead has markings that resemble a Hersheys Kiss. This was probably a water snake. But, good to be careful. Take care and travel safe. Don’t know if Owen knew the Carter Brothers but Danny Carter passed away today.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We saw that Daddy Carter passed, we appreciate you letting us know, such a loss. We had a Jake Dawg too, before Maggie. Thanks for the information on the snake, we need to get better at identifying them.

[@koalabear6722]

Happy Birthday Maggie! Bike ride was awesome. We did the hayride, lots of fun and we didn't have to drive, just look. Spring time can be very risky! We love the store in the campground. visit it every year. in the fall! Happy Camping!

[@stanw909]

I tried talking my kids into becoming meteorologists . I told them that they never have to be right and get paid anyway. Especially heer in Socal. BTW , From she to me put in one your songs. Beautiful song. Beautiful vocal and beautiful arrangement. Better hit her up for your royalties 😂..

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Good advice about becoming a meteorologists. I wish we could take credit for the song in Debbie’s video, it was beautiful, but not Owen.

[@ladikmk]

Happy Birthday Maggie! You are one very lucky doggie - here's to many more wonderful Birthdays for a very special little fur-girl.

[@plove523]

Cades Cove is one of my favorite places.

[@michaelbecnel63]

Riding bikes thru Cades Cove looked very relaxing and yall hit the bear lottery....HBD Maggie. Happy Trails 🐕

[@davidstill7684]

Happy Birthday Maggie… Lots of great wildlife. I am jealous you got to ride Cades Cove. Did you stop at the church? Great video…. Love you guys! ❤

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We did not stop at the church this time. It was a great ride. Miss you guys.

[@johnccman9547]

Happy Birthday Maggie and thanks for sharing the sites and adventure. Enjoy watching

[@AndyB718]

Chilli and i can't help but be reminded of the Blazing Saddles scene. 😂

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

I remember that scene… thanks for the memory.

[@michaelcox6559]

A belated birthday wishes to Maggie! Glad you guys are safe from those storms. We are on pei now and settling in. Have the rv here too so gonna look for some boondock spots this summer

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Sounds great. Hope it’s nice and cool there.

[@rdrose61]

Thanks... you did hit the bear lottery. We saw bears in the field as well but not as many as y'all. We encourage everyone we discuss GSMNP with to visit Cades Cove on bike on motorvehicle free Wednesdays. We too recently swapped our Blackstone griddle and our campstove for the Blackstone griddle campstove. A little tight on the griddle surface but 2 bulky items to store for 1 compact is great. Congrats Maggie...

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

The bike ride is so much better without all the cars, we highly recommend it too. Thanks for watching.

[@KimMelanson-i3v]

Love your videos!!! Happy Birthday sweet Maggie. She looks like such a love.

[@ncwomanparker1708]

🎉 Happy Birthday Maggie🎉

[@joeyeubanks5965]

Another beautiful, relaxing video. And such great music too.

[@dennysisk1100]

Texas roadhouse 👍

[@jdmather5755]

Switch bikes or batteries at the halfway point to even out energy use to propel Owen around the loop. 😮

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

You know when we got our Rad’s that was one of the reasons we got the same bike so we could trade out the batteries if this happened. But we could also swap out who rides what. Great idea.

[@leeb6758]

Loved this one! Happy Birthday sweet Maggie!

[@mikemanjo2458]

Belated Happy Birthday to sweet Maggie!!!!! Y'all had a great trip despite the liquid sunshine. I'm thrilled that you saw and shared so many bears! We've never seen that many at one time. I had read about the mama with 4 cubs. I'm glad y'all actually saw them! Have a great week! Much love from SC, Jane ❤🙏

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

This was the most we’ve ever seen at one time, it was such a great time riding and seeing all the wildlife… one of our favorite thing. Thanks so much for watching.

[@maryjones908]

Happy Birthday Maggie!

[@BillandJulia615]

Happy Birthday Maggie! 🎉 Your bike rides look amazing!

[@chrisgriffiths509]

Love cades cove. One of my favorite places. Nice video😊

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

It one of our favorites also.

[@kevinsandells9933]

Enjoyed the video. Happy belated Birthday Maggie

[@grillinandchillinwithdeb]

Happy Birthday Maggie ❤Great video

[@dmhenshaw]

Cades Cove is the best!

[@bigjimslade6250]

Just found your channel this week while in the Smokies & got back from Cades Cove yesterday. It’s a great place. You had better luck with bears than we did. We hope to go back soon & stay at the campground & do the Wednesday bike ride. And like you, we are no longer the 55+ resort campers that we once were.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Glad you found us, thanks for watching.

[@johnthomson5730]

Actually, that looks like a Pine Snake or maybe a Grey Rat Snake. Definitely not a Copper Head. By the way, totally agree about running the generator all hours. We have the two battery/gen delete in our Ekko, and so far we do not need a genny as long as we do not run the AC for too long. Of course, hope our Balmar does not go out (we have the 2024 Ekko). When we go back to the Smoky Mountain NP in October I purposely choose the genny free zones.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Many have said Ret Snake in the comments. Didn't get close enough to ask him though. 😂👍. And generators... don't get me started. 🤣

[@thetravelingkites]

Happy birthday, Maggie! 🎉 Question for you: do you think there’s enough overhead clearance at Cades Cove for a 10’ tall class B?

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Yes. We've been on the Cades Cove Loop in a Travato and a Revel.

[@thetravelingkites]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Thanks guys. Appreciate that.

[@RoadsofLife]

Woo Hoo! Happy Birthday Waggy Maggie Magpie!! You don't look a day over five! And you act like one happy puppy! Stay away from those snakes and bears... we want you around for at least another 11 years! 💗 And you two better keep safe too! Wear little bells and carry pepper spray! You mentioned your generator wouldn't last very long. Is it too small or is something wrong with it? And that brings up a question I've had for a while... Can you run your A/C without the generator in the EKKO or will it not last that long without it? Tried to figure that out from the Winnebago website, but couldn't find an answer. Didn't know about butterflies and... um... well, you know. I do know the best way to tell if it's black bear is if it is small and contains berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear will contain little bells and smells like pepper!🤣 Stay safe and be seeing you!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

No generator was running for an hour and then shutting down with no warning.

[@sandras1524]

❤

[@sherriweber7105]

Lynn and Owen van you send me the recipe for the Roadhouse copycat chili? I would love to try to make it. We have a Roadhouse here too in Vegas but never been there. I love chili. If you don’t mind sending it. Thank you.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

It's in the description of the video. Might be easier to get it from there. Email us if you need us to email to you.

[@sherriweber7105]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Oh ok! Thank you! I would love to have yours too! Owen said in video that yours was better! I love chili!

[@tonyraby1515]

Red rat snake, not a Copperhead 😊

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks for the information.

[@reagan4583]

What bikes are y’all riding now?

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Lynn has and loves her Townie Go! 7D EQ Step-Thru. Link is in the description. Owen was riding Wolff Lyra ST but not really happy with it.

[@infiniti1706]

First

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Yes you were! Thank you.

[@christinaputney659]

Happy Birthday to Maggie!!