Olympics in Gatlinburg?

If you're like our family, you're spending some time these days watching the Olympics.  Marcia and I were talking last night about all the Olympic events.  We looked up the list and found there are 30 different events at the London games.  That got us thinking about how many of these sports can be played in and around Gatlinburg.  Here's the list we came up with:

• Archery - we think there's an archery range at the Bass Pro Shop at I-40 and exit 407
• Badminton - bring your set (or buy one locally) - there are plenty of fields in the National Park where you can play - or even in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge parks.
• Basketball - there's a basketball court at Mills Park, behind Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
• Boxing - I don't know about your grandkids, but mine are pretty good at finding places to box!
• Canoe/kayak - yes, plus whitewater rafting
• Cycling - bring your bikes or rent them - and you can even go mountain biking
• Diving - definitely, in the Clubhouse pool, only 500 yards from either Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out
• Equestrian - plenty of places to go horseback riding
• Gymnastics - did you know there is a gymnastics "Winter Blast" at the convention center each February?
• Handball - the Gatlinburg Community Center has handball courts
• Rowing - well, maybe not exactly the same, but you can get boats on a variety of lakes
• Sailing - Douglas lake is big enough for sailing
• Shooting - yes, in season and in certain places, you can go hunting
• Soccer/football - Gatlinburg-Pittman High School has soccer fields
• Swimming - of course, in the Clubhouse pools mentioned above
• Table tennis - yes, at the South Clubhouse, just 5 minutes away.  Get more information at www.ChaletVillageOwnersClub.com.
• Tennis - there are several courts at the Clubhouse, just 500 yards from our cabins.
• Track and field - sure - you can run and jump just about anywhere!
• Volleyball - just like badminton, you can set up your own court.
• Water polo - back to the Clubhouse pools!
• Weightlifting - there's a workout room at the South Clubhouse
• Wrestling - if you're careful and don't break anything, you can do it at our cabins.  Our grandkids do it all the time!

That's 22 of the 30 Olympic sports.  And as soon as they make sightseeing and shopping into Olympic sports, you'll find even more.
The point is pretty simple.  You will never run out of things to do in the Gatlinburg area.  And, if you had made your reservations earlier this year, you could now be sitting in Smoky Mountain Tower or All Decked Out and watching the London 2012 Olympics on any one of our 10 TV sets!