Vacation Rentals by Owner

A good Thanksgiving stay!

Guest: Southern Gal GA (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 11/23/11 Review Submitted: 12/03/11

Hubby and I stayed at the Little Pine Lodge during Thanksgiving week from Wed. Nov. 23- Sun. Nov. 27th. The first thing we noticed was that Neal's directions to the cabin were spot on. We didn't have any difficulty locating the cabin. Once we entered the cabin I noticed that it is clean and comfy. The interior looks exactly like the online photos do. This cabin has a lovely, relaxing feel to it. We made ourselves at home and had an enjoyable trip. On Thanksgiving Day we hiked to Abrams Falls in Cades Cove, and then located a Thanksgiving Buffet lunch at a local restaurant in Townsend. We then enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub and watching the sun set on the mountain behind the cabin. The hot tub was wonderful and relaxing! We enjoyed soaking in it during our stay. The only problem we had was the fact that the wood for the fireplace would not burn. The log pile is uncovered off of the back porch, and it had rained the previous day, making the wood too wet to burn. We then purchased some dry wood from the IGA grocery store in Townsend but it also did not stay lit. (We have a porch full of wood back home in Georgia and could have brought some along if we could have known that it would be difficult to light the local stuff.) The other issue we had was "people noise" from the surrounding cabins. Since it was a holiday week, I wasn't surprised that the 4 surrounding cabins were booked. On the first night alone we got treated to the constant sound of barking/yapping dogs at the cabin above us for about a solid hour. Then the folks at the cabin immediately beside this one came home at midnight and turned on their back porch lights, which illuminated our backyard as well. The girl in that cabin stood outside talking on her phone so loudly that it sounded like she was downstairs in our cabin!! She finally went inside and turned off the light. About 12:30 AM we were awakened by what sounded like a gunshot. It was folks in the cabin right above us to the right side slamming their doors loudly. These same noise issues were also a factor on the night before we left. However, noisy neighbors are not the Rudnicks' fault and we aren't too upset by it. Overall, we had an enjoyable stay at the Little Pine Lodge. We will stay here again if we decide to visit the area in the future.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Looking for a great place "Look No Farther!"

Guest: shelly d.
Date of Stay: 10/05/11 Review Submitted: 10/12/11

I spent hours trying to find just the right place to stay to celebrate Our 25th Anniversary Thankfully I found it. This cabin is located about 15 minutes from Pigeon Forge and Townsend. Great location to see the Smoky Mountains. Best part of the location is its located away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist area, in an area of very little traffic, its quit and private (it does have a cabin next to it and one above on the road but truly is private). It was very CLEAN!!!! everything was in top notch condition, items in cabin are first class, has excellent taste in decorating and sure to please. Has everything you need except steak knives, but I'm sure they will be there for your visit because the owner is easy to work with so he is sure to get them there. We spent the day traveling in the area and it was great to return to a fantastic place to relax, enjoyed cooking meals in the great kitchen and the hot tub was clean and in good working order. Does have a whirlpool tub which we did not use but it was clean and shinny. This cabin offers so much you do not need to leave. We had a wonderful time and will encourage all our friends and family to consider this cabin.

Owner response:Hi Shelly, Happy 25th anniversary! I'm glad that you liked our cabin and that you found everything clean and in good order. As any owner will tell you, it is not easy to maintain rental properties to excellent standards. I have two edges on most other cabins in the area. First and most important is my cleaning queen, Cheri. She really is the best. Also, this is my only cabin. I live an hour away, so I can usually get up there if there is an emergency. Other rental companies typically handle 100 cabins. Their cleaning crews are in and out of cabins in less than an hour. We will have the steak knives there very soon! Thanks, Neal

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Thank You!

Guest: Laura and Spence W
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/24/11

Neal, Just had to drop you a quick email to let you know how much Spence and I loved Little Pine Lodge. It really is heaven on earth. Everything about it was just right and we relaxed more on this vacation than any other in the 20+ years we’ve been together. Like many in your guest book, it is our plan to come back again. Thank you for providing such a charming and lovely place for our 2011 vacation. Best regards, Laura and Spence W PS on Monday at twilight, we had a bear come by – walked up into the turnaround area and then right past the living room, Spence’s truck and up the hill. It was the only one we saw and absolutely thrilling!

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A home away from home

Guest: Don (Crossville, TN)
Date of Stay: 04/28/11 Review Submitted: 05/06/11

Our stay at the cabin was a real get away from the regular daily grind. We were far enough away from everything to relax but close enough to everything that we needed. The cabin was immaculate as always. This was our third time staying here and it was great. I highly recommend this cabin over others in the general area. It is always clean and in good order. The only thing we had to provide was the food that we prepared. We intend to visit again!!

Owner response:Hi Don, Thanks for visiting our cabin again. Come back and visit anytime! Neal

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Little Pine Lodge

Guest: Ronda K. (Lexington, KY)
Date of Stay: 04/15/11 Review Submitted: 04/19/11

What an awesome cabin! Had everything you needed. The cabin was exceptionally clean. The beds were very comfortable too. Thanks for a great weekend!

Owner response:Hi Ronda, Thanks for the great review and I'm glad that you guys had a good time at our cabin. We try to provide all the extras that guests will need during their stay such as laundry & dishwasher detergents, basic spices, sugar & creamer, popcorn, etc. Neal

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

I love you, Little Pine Lodge!

Guest: Tiffany (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 07/15/10 Review Submitted: 07/20/10

The Little Pine Lodge is an excellent place to stay. I am a fairly picky individual when it comes to where I stay when out of town. This wonderful cabin fulfilled my expectations and then some! Everything was clean and tidy. The decor was wonderful. The bed was extremely comfortable. The hot tub was private and very relaxing. I must have said to my husband a thousand times how much I love the cabin and want one of my own! The pictures do the cabin justice, but you'll be even more impressed when you walk in the front door and see it in person! I highly recommend the Little Pine Lodge!

Owner response:Tiffany, Thank you for your kind words. I'll relay your praise to our "cleaning queen." Neal

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Little Pine Lodge is Awesome!

Guest: Terri/John/Reid (Richland, MS)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 06/08/10

Our trip to the mountains was greatly enhanced by the wonderful accommodations at Little Pine Lodge. The cabin had all the amenities of home, with some extras thrown in for fun. We enjoyed the hot tub, pool table, steam shower, and the serene views of nature from both of our balconies. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville offer so many fun things to do for vacationing families and we enjoyed a lot of them. Knowing we had such a comfortable cabin to return to each night made our trip even better.

Owner response:Terri, John and Reid, Thank you for staying at Little Pine Lodge! Neal

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

What a Dream Vacation!

Guest: riptuck (Jefferson City, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

What a beautiful cabin in every way! Extremely close to Gatlinburg and the Park - where we spent most of our time. And the time we spent at the cabin.....I've never slept so well on vacation, comfortable beds, hot tub - just a luxurious cabin all around. And wildlife watching - could be interesting. Be careful grilling - you never know who or what may show up for dinner!!!!!!

Owner response:Lorrie, Thank you for staying at our cabin and I'm glad you had a great time. Neal

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfection!

Guest: Kristi and Sean (Tyler, Texas)
Date of Stay: 05/09/10 Review Submitted: 05/18/10

This cabin is BETTER than it's made out to be! We were impressed with the beauty of the surroundings, the cleanliness and charm of the cabin and the ease of working with Mr. Rudnick. The steam sauna is dreamy, the whirlpool tub is devine, the king bed and sheets are soft and comfortable. There are two cabins close by, (one shares a driveway), but the back is completely secluded and you feel like you're in a different world. The peace and serenity were exactly what we were looking for! We saw a little wildlife, including a raccoon that joined us on the porch--until he realized his mistake and took off. Our ONLY complaint is that we didn't see any bears on our trip! We definitely recommend this cabin to anyone looking to experience Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg --without the overstimulation of those places. It is a perfect, relaxing retreat! It was definitely worth our 15 hour drive! We can't wait to go back!

Owner response:Kristi and Sean, Thanks for you review. I'm surprised how many people tell me that the cabin looks better than the photos. It is in a great setting and that is difficult to convey on a website. Neal

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Wow!

Guest: contrebabe (Fort Lauderdale Fl)
Date of Stay: 04/07/09 Review Submitted: 04/29/09

This cabin was wonderful. The atmosphere was amazing. We put the kitchen to full use. We loved being so close to the GSMNP and a short distance from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. I recommend the drive through the park if you plan on heading into Gatlinburg. Be prepared to stop several times to take in the views and roadside waterfalls.

Owner response:Thank you Catherine for your positive review. I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay! Neal

Recommended for:Romantic getaway

Relaxing Retreat

Guest: lissythefishy (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 05/04/08 Review Submitted: 05/13/08

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience at Little Pine. It was very clean and tidy, and had nice amenities. The whirlpool tub was a disappointment, as the water came out brown and mucky with material floating around. No matter how long we ran it, it didn't go away. Probably just a norm for the area, but still unappetizing. The hot tub was great and it was very private, as there was only two other cabins within sight of the front porch. The back porch was completely private. The bed was cozy and the pool table a fun addition to the property. Decent selection of movies, but the lending library wasn't all that great. Pretty long drive to get into town...longer than I was expecting, but we stayed in the cabin most of the weekend so it wasn't a big deal. Overall a very enjoyable experience.

Owner response:Two points about the critique: 1) Most of the cabins in the general area have wells. Occasionally, after a heavy rain, the water will temporarily become cloudy. The well that supplies our cabin supplies 18 other cabins and is "treated" like a municipal water source. In addition, I have installed a water filter in our cabin for drinking water and ice. 2) Our hot tub is not on the front porch, as the guest infers. It is on the side porch and is very private. I thank you for your business and I'm glad you had an enjoyable time in our cabin. Neal

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/23/08

We were looking for a relaxing stay in the mountains. When we saw the strip in Pidgeon Forge we were worried that it would be more like a stay in Las Vegas. But the cabin is in the mountains and very private. We loved the peacefulness and our sons loved the pool table and loft. We would go back in a minute!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/21/08

This cabin is exactly like the photos. Beautiful!! We had a great week here. Loved the fireplace.The cabin was so clean and the king sized bed was so comfortable.

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Guest: Dan Henderson
Date of Stay: 12/29/07 Review Submitted: 12/28/07

We had a wonderful time at your cabin. My husband and I were just married 12-23-07 and we came here on our honeymoon. This was a beautiful place to spend our honeymoon. Cades Cove was BEAUTIFUL!! We visited Dollywood and other attractions. We enjoyed playing games when it was raining the other night. We hope to come back and stay again.

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Guest: Jackie and William
Date of Stay: 12/26/07 Review Submitted: 12/25/07

William and I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at your cabin this past weekend. It is absolutely beautiful! It is obvious you put a lot of thought and consideration into details when building/decorating it. It is simply gorgeous. I also wanted to compliment you on your web site, as the cabin is just as we had envisioned it to be after looking at the photos on your site. Also, thanks for being flexible in allowing us to stay the additional day. We loved it so much we didn't want to go home! Thanks again for what is truly one of the most memorable trips we've taken. We are seriously considering making a trip to Little Pine Lodge a Christmas tradition!

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Guest: Don Holt Pest Control
Date of Stay: 12/03/07 Review Submitted: 12/02/07

...I service a lot of cabins in the area and your all's is the most attractive and well-built ones I've seen. I know you must be very proud!

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Guest: The Dare Swinson family
Date of Stay: 11/22/07 Review Submitted: 11/21/07

The little pine lodge provided a great getaway after Thanksgiving for our family. Most of the leaves are gone from the trees but the scenery on the drive up was still beautiful. There was on the top of the mountain Friday morning as the rest of our family arrived! Our children loved the fireplace most of all and the loft! Pigeon Forge provided plenty of night time fun for the kids. The Miracle Theater performance was also wonderful. We look forward to coming back next year.

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Guest: Lucky, Luke and Lily Scherer
Date of Stay: 11/21/07 Review Submitted: 11/20/07

We had an amazing time at your cabin. The pool table, hot tub and surroundings were so fun. The only animal we saw skunk, but God showed his glory beautiful mountains and amazing scenery in the National Park. Thanks for allowing us to stay and providing all the amenities we needed and more. We recommend the dixie stampede for a fun night out with the family. We will be back!

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Guest: The Steffens
Date of Stay: 11/12/07 Review Submitted: 11/11/07

This was our second stay at Little Pine, both to celebrate to celebrate to celebrate our anniversary. The cabin is just as wonderful, beautiful and relaxing as a year ago. We had such a wonderful time this week and will continue telling all our friends in central North Carolina about the Little Pine Lodge!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jim & Donna Annabel (Charlotte,NC)
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/20/07

The owner said we would enjoy this cabin if we wanted to get away from it all...boy was he right. My wife and I just wanted a few days away from it all and this little gem of a cabin fit the bill perfectly. It was fully stocked with all the necessary accessories to make the stay stress free. We were looking forward to visits from the wildlife we heard visited the cabin but only saw the racoon on the upstairs roof one night. The weather was great and we spent some time in Gattlinburg and Pigeon Forge to highlight our TN visit. We definately will come again as this rental was worth every penny and minute.

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Guest: The Grove family
Date of Stay: 06/30/07 Review Submitted: 06/29/07

To quote our 10-year old son, "This is the most awesome place we have ever stayed on vacation!" We did have a wonderful time- very relaxing. It was nice to come back "home" after a busy day. We spent 2 1/2 days in the national park. If anyone reading this has children, we recommend the Junior Ranger Program. We spent 2 great days at Dollywood Splash Country and went rafting on the lower Pigeon River (Smoky Mountain Outfitters Unlimited). We did have an exciting first day at the National Park. When we were driving a branch fell down and scratched the side of our van and took out our driver's side mirror! We even attended the Gatlinburg Midnight July 4 parade. We had a great time. Your cabin is very nice. The Smoky Mountain National Park is amazing. God is an amazing creator! We could see his handywork everywhere.

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Guest: Brad & Elizabeth Wilson
Date of Stay: 06/16/07 Review Submitted: 06/15/07

Thank you for letting us stay. We really had a good time and enjoyed the cabin. The cabin is beautiful!! The cabin is conveniently located to everything! (P.S. If you are leaving here to go to Gatlinburg- Take the parkway- its a lot quicker and less traffic!) We Visited Cades Cove and saw a lot of bears and deer. We also played a lot of miniature golf. Our favorite places are Hillbilly Golf in Gatlinburg and Professor Hackers Lost Treasure in Pigeon Forge. The neighbors saw a bear in the backyard. We've seen turkeys and rabbits around the cabin, but we didn't see the well known raccoon! We enjoyed sitting on the porch playing cards. We look forward to coming back soon. We had an excellent time on our honeymoon! Thank You.

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Guest: The Townleys
Date of Stay: 06/10/07 Review Submitted: 06/09/07

Thank you for sharing your beautiful cabin. We were all tickled at how wonderful everything was. It felt so cozy and it was hard to leave. We do plan to come back. We saw a "big" bear the first day. That was fun!!! We also saw a wild turkey, raccoon, skunk and rabbits in the area and heard a pack of coyotes one night. Thanks again.

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Guest: The Westbrooks
Date of Stay: 05/28/07 Review Submitted: 05/27/07

You'll never know how much fun we had while visiting your cabin. Honestly, we didn't want to go anywhere but stay here. We had everything we could need or want. We're very simple people and what we found here was what we needed: rest and relaxation. Our boys really enjoyed the pool table and the whirlpool. We do plan to come back and believe me, we will tell our friends about this great place. Jeff, Dale, Matthew and Mark

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Guest: Charlie & Amy Thonton
Date of Stay: 05/13/07 Review Submitted: 05/12/07

Your cabin was the perfect destination for our honeymoon. We really enjoyed the park, driving on the curvy mountain roads and getting away from the flat and straight roads of central Illinois. Your cabin feels like home. We can't wait to come back!

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Guest: The Ewings
Date of Stay: 04/20/07 Review Submitted: 04/19/07

I had a wonderful time. Me and my brother loved playing 8-ball. The outdoor jacuzzi was very relaxing. One night a raccoon got onto the roof and we could see it through the window. My, my dad and brother hiked 7.5 miles to Laurel Falls. In the drawer upstairs is the game National Parks Monopoly- thats extremely fun. Hi- I'm the brother. I had an exciting time at the cabin. I saw a mom bear and two cubs. It was amazing! We played soccer outside the cabin in the cold rain then came inside and sat in the bathtub in the hot water with the jets on. One jet sprayed water in my face. It was funny! We had a wonderful vacation here!

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Guest: Amanda -n- Kyle
Date of Stay: 04/06/07 Review Submitted: 04/05/07

We had so much fun on this trip. What I loved most was we didn't have uncomfortable feeling like usual on vacation. We relaxed, played a lot of pool. We laugh now but we took a 3 hour trip to Cades Cove and then that night we found the short cut everyone had wrote about! For anyone who is reading this, if you wanna know the shortcut, read the "trash" on the side of the fridge. Thank you for letting us enjoy your cabin.

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Guest: The Still Family
Date of Stay: 03/07/07 Review Submitted: 03/06/07

We had a wonderful time. The cabin is beautiful and very quiet. Had a little trouble getting to Gatlinburg the first time- ended up in Townsend. We saw some Elk but no bears!

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Guest: Mike and Theresa Perry
Date of Stay: 01/15/07 Review Submitted: 01/14/07

We came here for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and had a wonderful time- loved the cabin. It was hard to leave here to go do the "tourist" things. We had a hard time finding a cabin that wasn't decorated tacky for romance- and finding a real wood fireplace. Thanks for it all!

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Guest: The Shultz Family
Date of Stay: 01/04/07 Review Submitted: 01/03/07

First of all, I would like to thank Neal & Debbie for letting us rent their wonderful cabin. We got the pleasure of meeting them personally and I promise that they will go out of the way to make sure your stay is pleasant. The first couple of days we went to Dollywood and enjoyed the Christmas plays and rode a few rides. Other days were spent at Maggie Valley, North Carolina and Cherokee, North Carolina. Cades Cove has a lot of history and I suggest reading the book in the cabin about the rich history before visiting. Take at least half a day, saving the latter part of the day driving the loop and seeing lots of wildlife. We had a bear visit us at the cabin one night and while playing pool upstairs, a raccoon had a visit on the roof by the windows. Thanks again for the lovely stay and we look forward to a return visit.

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Guest: The Wrights
Date of Stay: 09/15/06 Review Submitted: 09/14/06

The cabin is absolutely beautiful! We enjoyed being away from it all. It is very peaceful and has gorgeous scenery. We had a great time just hanging out and playing pool. We went to Cades Cove while we were her and were lucky enough to see a bear and three cubs. It was so relaxing; we had a wonderful time and plan to come back as soon as possible. Thank you so much for sharing your cabin with us.

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Guest: The Vandentooms
Date of Stay: 08/11/06 Review Submitted: 08/10/06

We LOVED the cabin. It was great not to have to drive through the city in order to get to the park. We were close enough to town to go shopping but far enough away to not hear it or have to deal with the business. We even got to see a bear. It walked right in front of the cabin!!! We recommend the hike at Chimney Tops. Its a bit challenging, but it's definitely worth it. The view is amazing as long as you're not scared of heights. If you go, be sure to pack plenty of H20 (don't forget the camera either). -And yes, we the parents enjoyed it also. We hope to come back again sometime. Wonderful cabin!

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Guest: The Hickmans
Date of Stay: 08/06/06 Review Submitted: 08/05/06

We stumbled across your little cabin on the internet while searching for some affordable honeymoon options. I was a little doubtful however, as pictures can be deceiving. When we drove up to the cabin, I knew it was the real thing. We were elated to walk into the cabin to such a clean smell and interior. Our first full day we shopped at the outlet malls in Pigeon Forge and then went out to Gatlinburg. On our second day, we decided to do a whitewater rafting trip (which was a little disappointing), but we were cautious to get back to the relaxing atmosphere of this little cabin. Our only complaint is that we are unable to stay longer, because we have to get home and prepare for school to start up again. But we will most definitely be back!

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Guest: Steve & Joyce Lavagnino
Date of Stay: 06/25/06 Review Submitted: 06/24/06

The cabin was great. We really enjoyed our vacation week here. It was beautifully decorated and equipped with the items you need. We appreciate the thoughtfulness to include all the extra items (like salt & pepper, etc.) that might be needed. We loved the hot tub. That really spoiled me and I would love to have one at home. We loved the location and would love to return sometime. We will carry with us home many memorable moments from this vacation. Our greatest moment was our hike to Grotto Falls, where a bear and her two cubs came out into the path right in front and we got some really good photos to take home. It was awesome!

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Guest: The Case Family
Date of Stay: 06/17/06 Review Submitted: 06/16/06

We loved the cabin. We are used to the woods and country, but we are not used to having no work or chores to do everyday. We really enjoyed our stay. We relaxed, we toured around, we ate and we had great quality family time. We did have one very exciting night; we had a big black bear pay us a visit on the porch. He was trying to get into the trash can, but he did not succeed. Thanls for your cabin; it a was home away from home (except for the bear).

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