It IS illegal to chalk side walks in national parks. You ARE responsible for cleaning it off even if it means draining all your water

Ello,

Maryville, Tennessee today. A couple days ago we passed the state line at some 4000 feet and rolled down into Gatlinberg, TN. An interesting town that was. Take Niagra Falls but drier and enhance the tourist notoriety by 10 and add Dolly Parton's amusement park, and that is what you get.

Yesterday we took a short 45 mile ride to Maryville, TN. My bike was acting up again so I had to play with a stuck chain and a couple flats. It made the day a bit longer but had the company of Nick and Cathy the whole day to keep humidity and heat from getting to me. Maryville is a small town with a big heart. We worked on two houses there today with Habitat for Humanity. 2 walls were raised, almost an entire roof shingled, a shed built, windows installed, siding installed, and a deck framed. Productivity under a hot, hot sun. Turns out it was a great night to be at the church that hosted us. Every Tuesday, they host a dinner open to any and everyone. They call it the "Welcome Table." Everyone from the homeless to middle class families show up and share a meal at the same dinner table. It was an incredible experience meeting a number of locals and helping serve the meal. What the churches of the area hope to do is eventually be able to host a dinner somewhere 7 days a week. Right now there are 2 churches doing 2 dinners per week.

We'll continue to cut through the Tennessee mug as we head to Sweet Water tomorrow. With fresh air pumping through my lungs and a smooth chain cranking my bike, Graceland is only a week away.

The clip below is how we start every morning. I couldn't be more excited that we all believe in lessons learned from a comical masterpiece.



peazy