Calling all Adrenaline Junkies!

Do you crave fear and heart-stopping action? Do you revel in conquering death-defying acts? Are you a hard-core adrenaline junkie? Nope, not me! But I have several friends with this particular addiction and they all love to go to Pigeon Forge to feed their need for thrills.

After being cooped up at work and exhausting all local adrenaline thrills to be had, my friends pack their bags and take off for the Great Smoky Mountains. The first order of business is always to secure a pet-friendly rental cabin in Pigeon Forge. (Adrenaline junkies are always animal lovers!) I’m told that the cabin is the most important part of the adventure, as swapping danger stories at the end of the day in a grubby motel takes away from the thrill of reliving the day’s most terrifying moments.

While I do not participate in the festivities, I often tag along and have been assigned the important task of witnessing their feats. This provides credibility during the never-ending story recitations upon returning home. During these thrill weekends, I have experienced (albeit secondhand) some truly amazing sights. Here are some of the highlights:

• The Smoky Mountain Speedpark—My friends all love the 70-foot bungee jump, the ejection seat, which they call “riding a rocket” and of course the SkyScraper, which combines speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour and 360 degree loops.
• Scenic Helicopter Tours—This is the only one that I could actually bring myself to experience firsthand. While the view of the Great Smoky Mountains was indeed breathtaking, being that high up in such a small aircraft was a bit more exhilarating than my cautious spirit could take.
• Zorb Mountain Adventures—One of the most incredible things I have ever seen! I was told this is popular in New Zealand and that Pigeon Forge is the only place in the U.S. to boast the Zorb, which is an 11 feet high and 11 feet wide round, bouncy ball.  It seemed to me like the human equivalent of the hamster ball, only you jump in and roll down a 700 foot long hill!
• Flyaway Indoor Skydiving—While watching my friends “fly,” I learned that this was America’s first vertical wind tunnel and that children as young as 5 and adults as old as 90 have done this!

After a long day of risky business, we retreat to our secluded mountain rental cabin and relive our escapades. Then my friends begin planning their next death-defying stunt vacation!