Bill and Carolyn: November 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

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.