Saturday, November 10, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Fall Break 2012 with Ray, Mel, Cadan, and Isaac
This year Ray, Mel, Cadan, and Isaac came to Chattanooga for fall break. We had a great time together. Ray and I played golf at the Bear Trace golf course at Harrison Bay State Park, which is 6 miles across and up stream on Chickamauga Lake from our addition, but since I don't have a boat, we had to drive 20 miles to get there. Mel and Carolyn did some shopping.
On Thursday we packed-up and headed for Cloudland Canyon State Park on the south end of Lookout Mountain east of Trenton, GA. There we hiked to the bottom of the canyon to Cherokee Falls. The fall colors were at their peak. Carolyn and I asked one another why we spent the money to tour the BRP the weekend before.
On Friday, we packed-up again and traveled just south of Chattanooga into GA and visited the Chickamauga Civil War Battlefield. The Battle of Chattanooga, which includes the battle at Chickamauga would be an exciting and interesting study.
After arriving home from the battlefield, Ray, Cadan, and I hurriedly pack-up some camping gear and drove over to Chester Frost County park about 3 miles from our house. Carolyn, Mel, and Isaac followed soon afterwards. We roasted hotdogs, brats, and added baked beans and potato salad for supper around our campfire. Ray told "frightening" ghost stories for Cadan. They were a comedy monolog for the rest of us. Eight year olds are perfect for ghost stories. They believe adults never lie and, therefore, the stories told by Ray were taken as the "gospel."
Fun was had by all and we all regretted that the weekend had to come to a close.
General Isaac of the Indiana Union forces at Chickamauga Battlefield
Ready to explore Cloudland Canyon State Park
On the way to Cherokee Falls
Cadan, The boulder king
Downstream from the falls
All set for ghost stories
On Thursday we packed-up and headed for Cloudland Canyon State Park on the south end of Lookout Mountain east of Trenton, GA. There we hiked to the bottom of the canyon to Cherokee Falls. The fall colors were at their peak. Carolyn and I asked one another why we spent the money to tour the BRP the weekend before.
On Friday, we packed-up again and traveled just south of Chattanooga into GA and visited the Chickamauga Civil War Battlefield. The Battle of Chattanooga, which includes the battle at Chickamauga would be an exciting and interesting study.
After arriving home from the battlefield, Ray, Cadan, and I hurriedly pack-up some camping gear and drove over to Chester Frost County park about 3 miles from our house. Carolyn, Mel, and Isaac followed soon afterwards. We roasted hotdogs, brats, and added baked beans and potato salad for supper around our campfire. Ray told "frightening" ghost stories for Cadan. They were a comedy monolog for the rest of us. Eight year olds are perfect for ghost stories. They believe adults never lie and, therefore, the stories told by Ray were taken as the "gospel."
Fun was had by all and we all regretted that the weekend had to come to a close.
General Isaac of the Indiana Union forces at Chickamauga Battlefield
Chickamauga Battefield
Brothers
Ready to explore Cloudland Canyon State Park
The canyon
The family
On the way to Cherokee Falls
Charles Atlas and family
Further along the way to Cherokee Falls
Cadan, The boulder king
Mother and son
Cherokee Falls
Downstream from the falls
The Campout
All set for supper
All set for ghost stories
The family
Fall along the Blue Ridge Parkway - 2012
Picking the best weekend to see the fall colors at their peak along the Blue Ridge Parkway is a challenge. There are so many factors involved: seasonal rains, temperature (frost), and wind. These seem to be the most influential. Since the colors begin at the highest altitude and move down the slopes as fall temperatures decline in the valleys, the trick is to time your visit when the peak colors occur between 4500 and 5500 feet above sea level. It is this altitude range that contains most of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We had planned to tour the Parkway between Ashville, NC, and the Smoky Mountains on October 6, but it was very rainy that weekend, so we delayed until the following weekend. Guess what! The peak colors were the weekend of October 6.
In 2006, we spent the weekend of October 20 and 21 in the Smoky's on the North Carolina side and saw the most brilliant fall colors we had ever seen. The next year we returned on the same weekend and missed the peak colors by a week.
Nevertheless, a bad day in the western North Carolina mountains and Smoky Mountain National Park is always better that a good weekend sitting at home.
Here are some pictures from our trip. Our favorite spot between the Smoky's and Ashville is Graveyard Fields. If one can hit that spot at the peak of fall colors, it becomes a wide expanse of red. Enjoy:
Craiggy Gardens north of Ashville, NC, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Approximately 15 more miles north on the BRP is Mount Mitchell. It is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. It trumps Clingman's Dome in TN by about 40 feet.
Our touring bike. If you believe that, I have swamp land for sale.
East Fork of the Pigeon River water shed
Read the sign
Yes. I do get into the pictures now and then.
Somewhere between Ashville and Graveyard Fields
Second falls at Graveyard Fields
Somewhere near Waynesville, NC, on the BRP
Approaching the Smoky's at Water Rock Overlook
Just before exiting the BRP to Maggie Valley, NC. Maggie Valley has become one of our most favorite spots. If you ever go there, eat breakfast at Joey's Pancake House. Make sure you get there before 9:00 a.m. and don't go on Thursdays--they're closed.
Labor Day 2012: Visit with Kim, Dan, Gracie and Liana
We spent Labor Day weekend with Kim, Dan, Gracie, and Liana to celebrate 3 birthdays: Kim's (Aug 20), Gracie's (Aug 26), and Liana's (Aug 19).
Kim and her girls. We won't mention Kim's
age.
Gracie: 4 years old
Liana: 2 years old
Mimi and Lia
Gracie: Determined and fearless
Saturday, August 25, 2012
"Unto These Hills"
In early August we made an overnight trip to Maggie Valley, NC. Our main objective was to attend the outdoor drama, "Unto These Hills" presented in Cherokee, NC, depicting the history of the Cherokee Indians just before and during the event in their lives called "The Trail of Tears."
Maggie Valley has become one of our favorite spots in western North Carolina. It's tucked in a beautiful valley surrounded by 5000- to 6000-foot mountains not far from the southeast boundary of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. If you ever find yourself in Maggie Valley in time for breakfast, make sure that you eat at Joey's. Get there before 9:00 a.m. or you'll have a long wait. Their breakfasts are the best!
Our route home from Maggie Valley was 250 miles and took 10 hours. You have heard the expression, "The longest way around is the sweetest way home." Well, that may not apply so aptly to Carolyn and me now as it did 40+ years ago, but with some imagination and the pictures below, I am sure you can adapt the expression to our trip.
From Maggie Valley we traveled the brief 4 miles up the mountain on US 19 and turned southeast on the Blue Ridge Parkway, following it to NC 215. There we followed 215 south to US 64. We followed US 64 through the towns of Cashiers, NC; Highlands, NC; Franklin, NC; to Murphy, NC. From Murphy we continued west through the Ocoee River Canyon to Cleveland, TN, and on home to Chattanooga.
We always look forward to our drives on the Blue Ridge. It truly is a national treasure. The section we traveled includes the highest point on the Blue Ridge, just over 6000 feet. Route 215 is one of the most curve-ridden roads Carolyn and I have ever driven. It's narrow and has many segments canopied with trees.
US 64 from Highlands to Franklin is also laden with many curves, not to mention 4 waterfalls along the way. We stopped at 3 of the 4 falls to take pictures. The parking lot for Dry Falls was closed for repairs so we were unable to stop for pictures.
Be on the lookout for two forthcoming updates: Labor Day with our granddaughters, Gracie and Liana; and the Fedex BMW Golf Tournament when we visit with Ray, Melissa, Cadan, and Issac.
Maggie Valley has become one of our favorite spots in western North Carolina. It's tucked in a beautiful valley surrounded by 5000- to 6000-foot mountains not far from the southeast boundary of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. If you ever find yourself in Maggie Valley in time for breakfast, make sure that you eat at Joey's. Get there before 9:00 a.m. or you'll have a long wait. Their breakfasts are the best!Our route home from Maggie Valley was 250 miles and took 10 hours. You have heard the expression, "The longest way around is the sweetest way home." Well, that may not apply so aptly to Carolyn and me now as it did 40+ years ago, but with some imagination and the pictures below, I am sure you can adapt the expression to our trip.
From Maggie Valley we traveled the brief 4 miles up the mountain on US 19 and turned southeast on the Blue Ridge Parkway, following it to NC 215. There we followed 215 south to US 64. We followed US 64 through the towns of Cashiers, NC; Highlands, NC; Franklin, NC; to Murphy, NC. From Murphy we continued west through the Ocoee River Canyon to Cleveland, TN, and on home to Chattanooga.
We always look forward to our drives on the Blue Ridge. It truly is a national treasure. The section we traveled includes the highest point on the Blue Ridge, just over 6000 feet. Route 215 is one of the most curve-ridden roads Carolyn and I have ever driven. It's narrow and has many segments canopied with trees. 
US 64 from Highlands to Franklin is also laden with many curves, not to mention 4 waterfalls along the way. We stopped at 3 of the 4 falls to take pictures. The parking lot for Dry Falls was closed for repairs so we were unable to stop for pictures.
Be on the lookout for two forthcoming updates: Labor Day with our granddaughters, Gracie and Liana; and the Fedex BMW Golf Tournament when we visit with Ray, Melissa, Cadan, and Issac.
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