My trip to Gatlinburg with my Delta Zeta sisters

This past weekend was so much fun! My sorority went to Gatlinburg for a New Member Retreat. This retreat was used for a time for the "baby turtles" to have a chance to get to know the older "turtles." We left on Friday and the trip its self was outstanding. The group I was riding with left later than everyone else because the driver had to work until lunch time. I knew from the moment I got into the car the trip was going to be awesome! We were all excited to get to Gatlinburg! Well on our trip we had to go through Georgia. We stopped at this gas station and there were these biker men. Well, we went inside bought what we wanted and went potty. Then I got the bright idea to go outside and take a picture of the motorcycles because my dad is a big motorcycle guy. One of my DZ sisters, Deem, went with me. Well I took the picture, and the biker guys saw us taking pictures. They told us if we wanted a real picture we should come over there. They seemed nice and we were in broad day light so we walked over there. We got to take pictures with a couple of the biker guys. Deem even got on one of the motorcycles and got a picture. It was hilarious! They asked us where we were heading towards. We told them Gatlinburg, and come to find out that is where they were going too! Then we got back on the road. Finally we made it to Tennessee! Well we stopped again. Another one of my DZ sisters, Jasmine, bought some scratch off tickets. She won five dollars! Man was she excited! Back on the road we went after Jasmine claimed her five dollars. We get to Pigeon Forge, and come to find out there was a car show going on at the same time. Let me tell you, traffic was HELL. There is no other way to describe it! It took us two hours to go five miles. Guys are hollering at us from their cars and trucks. Nondriving people are pulling out in front of cars trying to cause accidents. I mean it was HELL! FINALLY we got out of the traffic. We are driving up to our cabin, and what do we see? A BLACK BEAR! We are SCREAMING and Jasmine was crying. We get to our cabin, grab our stuff, and run in to tell the girl what we saw. Then everyone was freaked out. Well after the bear faze calmed down, we all just sat down and talked for a while. We ate dinner and talked some more. Finally about three in the morning it was time for bed. So I went to the room I was staying in with Rodna. I fell asleep and I had a dream that Rodna slapped the mess out of me! I woke up shaking and freaking out. I fell back asleep. About 10 in the morning another DZ sister, Erin, came in to wake us up so we would be ready for breakfast and white water rafting. At first I thought I was dreaming. According to Erin I looked at her really funny. Then I realized I was not dreaming and I got up. Breakfast was great thanks to Cassie and Jeni (DZ sisters). Then it was time to get ready to go white water rafting! We loaded up in the cars and it was time to go. First we had to go to the office and then get directions to the actual rafting place. After 45 minutes we made it to the Rafting place. We got registered and divided into our groups. Then we got paired up with our guides. My group's guide's name was Parks. He did not talk much. We had to load up on a bus, and ride up to where the white water rafting would start. It started at the North Carolina/Tennesse state line! This had me excited because I had never been to North Carolina. Of course, I walked over to the line and crossed it so I could tell people I had been to North Carolina. Anyway, we got all ready, and it was in the raft we went. White water rafting was SO much fun. We had class 3 and 4 rapids(out of a scale from 1-6). It was crazy! I loved it though! After white water rafting we changed and loaded back up in our cars. We were told we were on our on for lunch. My group went to McDonalds. Then we went back to the cabin. We saw more bears! It was a momma bear and her three cubs. That freaked everyone out. Then we just chilled out at the cabin. Some people went shopping, but I just got in the hot tub with some of the sisters. Then after showers, we started to watch the Auburn game. During the game we heard this screaming. So we run to the door and there was a raccoon! I named it Ricky, and yes people laughed. He was so super cute! Then Erin had the bright idea to feed him a dorito. After that he did not want to leave. Finally after a little while he realized we were not going to feed him again, so he left. Then it was time to eat! Supper was amazing! We had home made spagetti and meat balls. Then it was more football. All you could hear was people hollering at the tv. That was so funny! Then we hear screaming again. We look and on our poarch there are 3 raccoons! Because Erin fed that one raccoon, he decided to bring friends. That was fun for a little while and then we thought if we ignored them they would leave,and they did. Then we decided to watch a movie. Around one in the morning, I decided it was bed time for me. Bright and early sunday morning it was time to load everything up and go home. This time I rode with my DZ sisters Nooner, Erin, Rodna, Kate, and Amy. That was a funny group! We head off to drop the key off. After that the gps system (we named her Lola) told us to turn right. We turned right and started going. We kept going and realized we were going up a mountain. After twenty minutes, we ended up at the North Carolina line! We had to turn around and drive twenty minutes back the other way. Come to find out we were NOT supposed to have turned right. Lola lied to us. Finally we made it to the pancake house we were going to eat at! Let me just say those pancakes were AMAZING! After eating we went into the gift shop. I found a beanie-baby raccoon. It reminded me of Ricky from the cabin! I looked at his name tag and his name was Ricky! Right then I knew, I had to buy him! We loaded back up and headed home! Traffic was HORRIBLE! But all we did was laugh in the car. Then I fell asleep. I woke up when we stopped at a gas station, and got some chips and a drink. We loaded back up. I ate and then fell asleep agian. After I woke up, I just talked to my sisters and really bonded with them. Then we finally made it home at 8 that night. It was an awesome experience! I had the absolute best time!