Headed Down South via the Blue Ridge Parkway

After nearly an entire week of rain, we were rewarded with the most glorious weather. That is precisely why I wanted to make the most of our weekend. I didn't make a fuss about planning anything specifically, but I knew that I wanted to see a waterfall after such heavy rainfall. And even though I knew the beautiful bright blue skies wouldn't be the best for taking waterfall photos, I didn't care.

On a whim, we headed down south. Having no real destination in mind allowed us to take the long and sometimes painfully slow way. The pace barely matters since you get to witness the most breathtaking views while riding along The Blue Ridge Parkway. I felt like it had been too long since we white-knuckled our way down those winding roads.

Our drive ended at the peak of the Blue Ridge Parkway on top of Mount Pisgah. A perfect place to end up since you can find various free camping within the Pisgah National Forest boundaries. However, I didn't wish to forgo the luxury of a bathroom this time, so we set up shop in the national park service campground. It only set us back $16!

Spoiling ourselves even further, we made the tough choice of eating at the Pisgah Inn's restaurant. We almost chose not to have dinner there because of confusion with the menu prices. They only had their pricey specials posted on an LCD screen while the "real" menu was posted on a bulletin board 10 feet away near the bathroom!? We accidentally discovered it while lingering around the waiting area. I was trying to get Cody to talk me into justifying the expense. He's good at that when he wants something :) I was glad we got to eat there. The view was to die for and the food wasn't too bad either. Before making our way back to the campgrounds we took a short drive to find an ideal spot to catch the sunset. It was a splendid way to end the day.

Wanna see the landmarks we visited on Sunday?
If so, I invite you to come back this Friday for a field trip!

Weekend Glance

Linn Cove Viaduct

North Carolina
Linn Cove Viaduct
Blue Ridge Parkway

Milepost 304.6

View Large

Commonly referred to as the "missing link",
the Linn Cove Viaduct spans one of our world's oldest mountains.
The modern marvel was designed with the intention of preserving this precious land.

• It was completed in 1983 at a cost of almost $10 million dollars.
• The viaduct spans 1,243 feet and contains 153 segments weighing 50 tons each.

I have driven this section of road many times, but until a couple weekends ago,
I never took the time to stop and actually admire the structure.
This fall, I wanted to change that.

We decided to take the trail that starts at the end of the parking lot at the visitors center.
This trail gives you the amazing opportunity of walking beneath the behemoth.
As I stood beneath one of the sweeping "S" curves,
I began to realize all that this bridge represented.

Negotiating a compromise for the sake of our environment wasn't easy,
but there were people who were very passionate about its impact,
and they found a way to make it happen.
thank you.

I had this video that illustrated how busy the Blue Ridge Parkway was
when we ventured there a few weekends ago,
but way too much is involved for me to get it up so......
Anyway, it was crowded, jam packed with people crawling everywhere.
We were lucky to find parking spaces.
The above photo was taken between cars whizzing by.
Cody and I worked as a team, he was my lookout!
This is a very common shot taken of the viaduct.

Read more about the viaduct: HERE

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

We Heart Mountains!

I let this go a little longer than I initially intended when I started the campaign.
What can I say, life gets in the way and other things take precedence.
My goal was to raise awareness about mountaintop removal,
and with the participants listed below I think it's safe to
say that my mission was accomplished.

The sign up widget I had on my side bar was acting wacky,
so I gathered the list of cohorts from the I Love Mountains! comments in various posts.
If you are sure that you pledged, but your name and link are not listed below,
please let me know so that I can make the proper adjustments.

My Promise:
For every person who took the pledge to end mountaintop removal,
I would donate $one dollar$ on their behalf to Appalachian Voices' cause.
On top of the one dollar pledge, my plan was to match the pledges & donate one lump sum.
After a super special offering from Liss (thru paypal), the pot rose to $45.93!
Thank you again for your generosity.

And a big thank you to all others who were inspired to take action.

You will find some great blogs in this list below - discover someone new today :o)

Liss @ A Memory Forever
Lydia @ Writerquake
Elizabeth @ Retinal Perspectives
Cathy @ The Clothesline
Kate @ Art Vein Vessel
1218 @ A Girl Interrupted
Dave of KY
Greg @ Greg's General Store
Prin @ Living Life to the Furrest
Meredith @ We Run Like a River
Gillian @ Indigo Blue
Graham @ One Man's Travels
Jacky @ Art4Moi
Robin bird @ Bird Tweets
MaryAnn @ MaryAnn Ashley Bever Photography
Storyteller @ Sacred Ruminations
Lilacspecs @ Lilac Colored Glasses

+ If you missed the post about mountaintop removal,
but would like to know more, click here.

+ To find out more about Appalachian Voices' mission,
visit their website, here. (*the cause I am donating to)

+ Still interested in signing up? Click the logo below to go to website.

"Land of Boardwalks"

North Carolina
Blue Ridge Parkway
Tanawha Trail - From Rough Ridge parking area to Wilson Creek Overlook
2.9 Miles Round-trip

View Large

In order to preserve the delicate environment yet allow access,
a 200-foot-long elevated boardwalk crosses the landscape.



The rest of the trail, however, takes you through narrow corridors over rocky paths.
Due to the recent rain, most of the trail was slick and required you to
pay close attention to footing in order to avoid slipping.



Once you reach the beginning of the boardwalk,
you gain spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains.



And along the way, you pass some very lofty rock
outcroppings as you make your way to the top.



I spotted some bright red-orange Mountain Ash.



As well as, an itty bitty ringneck snake.



Reaching the summit of Wilson Creek Overlook,
you can't help but become filled with an unequaled sense of space.

Which got a little smaller when I stumbled into a powwow of guys I donned the smoke squad.
It was quite unusual to find people smoking cigars after a heart-pumping hike.
But after talking with them for a few moments,
I decided they were a harmless bunch just out to enjoy a beautiful day.



The ropes you see in the above two photos are there to keep
people from trampling the plant-life and accelerating the speed of erosion.
When hiking trails it is always important to stay on the designated trails!



Just another way they work to preserve the natural history of the Appalachian mountains.

If you have yet to do so, please take part in helping to preserve
our land's natural history, by taking a pledge.
Taking a pledge doesn't require much from you.
The widget on the right is where you can join me in the fight to end mountain top removal.

REMEMBER

• I am willing to donate one dollar on your behalf to the cause mentioned in the "I Heart Mountains" post once you have pledged.
  
• At the end of this week, I plan to match the pledges.
• And so I know who joined in, please leave a comment stating, I LOVE MOUNTAINS!

Great way to end the day........

North Carolina
Blue Ridge Parkway
Flat Top Mountain Carriage Trail

On this particular day, I was ever so eager to get outside and bask in the gorgeous weather.
On days like this, I like to hop on over to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We live less than an hour away from some of the most magnificent hikes you'll ever see.

I realized the other day that, I haven't shared a whole lot of them with you.
Know this, I plan to change all that!



This hikes ascends from the Moses H. Cone Manor House to the summit of Flat Top Mountain.
The trail is 2.8 miles one way, but offers one of the most gradual grades.
You make your way to the top using switchbacks which makes it a rather pleasant jaunt.

The beginning of the trail takes you through pastures, and open fields,
you even stop over at Mr. and Mrs. Cones' final resting place.

As I turned the corner, I spotted the 'kite' you see above.
It wasn't the size of a normal kite, so I'm sure there's another name for it.
It did, however, look like a lot of fun.......
The person operating the 'kite' was wearing a harness, I mean, he was fully strapped in.
At one point, I saw his feet lift off the ground.....I thought to myself,
"If I try that, I'm likely to get swept AWAY!"

Continuing through the pastures.....



I followed this trail into the shade of the maple trees,
where wildflowers lined most of the path.

The butterflies were extra flirty with me.
As a result, I was finally able to get my summertime butterfly bokeh flower shot!
They cooperated beautifully......



After spending waaaaaaay too much time with the
butterfly beauties, I kept chugging along.
There wasn't any point of the hike were I was exerting myself, it was a very leisurely walk.

The very end of the trail - which is by far, the coolest part -
brings you to a fire tower that Moses Cone built upon the summit of Flat Top Mountain.



From the top, you are rewarded with expansive
vistas of the surrounding mountain range.
These grandstand views are truly magnificent, honestly,
it brought a tear to my eye I was so captivated.
I really love when that happens, as it reminds me that,
I am exactly where I want to be......



Now, I'm no videographer, but I wanted you to see the 360 degree view live.
To my defense, it was hard enough walking around the
stairwell while looking through the viewfinder,
and the tinge of vertigo didn't really help matters.
But there you have it.....



See that road.....I was all the way down there!
Isn't that a lovely scene.....

I didn't want to leave, but was forced to sit aside while a pack of cross-country training
teenagers commandeered the tower.
Scraping their names in the paint while swearing to let me know that they were cool - it wasn't.
I waited patiently for my turn to go back up.....
I wasn't ready to say goodbye, yet.




I was glad I went back up.....

I took my time making my way back down the mountain,
although my knee was acting up again?!
I think that I may need a brace for those downhills?

The easy 5.6 mile hike took me over 4 hours to do.
Thankfully, Cody wasn't with me or else he would have been doing
a lot of waiting around while I took photos!
It was nice to go as slow as I wanted to......

I even stopped and had a long chat with the fella who keeps the fields perfectly manicured.
He was an interesting guy who had the quirkiest sayings.
I tried to make mental notes, but we talked for so long......
One I remember him saying was,
"I've fallen off a truck before, but it wasn't yesterday!"

Meet Freddy:


His hat says Git -R- Done!
I asked if I could take his photo, and he obliged,
but every time I pointed the lens his way, he froze.....it was funny.
When I turned the camera to take a vertical portrait,
he wanted to know why I was flippin' him upside down?! haha



Going back the way I came, I made it back to my car.
I was so happy that I had just ended my day in such a way.
I was fully decompressed after a rough week........
Nature + Photos, does it to me every time!


How are you decompressing these days?

Quick Getaway : Clingmans Dome

I told you about our stay in Tennessee a few weekends ago. Although I mainly focused on our outings within the city, and left out what we did during the day. Since we only had one day to check out the National Park we wanted to make the best of it. Upon waking up, and having a bagel breakfast at the campsite, we began to make our way to Clingmans Dome.





Along the way we picked up a set of hardcore-outdoor enthusiasts, who were trying to make their way to a place that happened to be along our route. They were very nice fellows who, by 10 or 11 o'clock, had already biked like 14 miles, and were planning to do a loop hike of an equally astonishing number of miles. I mean we were half their age and couldn't imagine keeping up with the likes of them! Despite their best efforts to get us to try another hike, after dropping them off, we continued on our way to Clingmans Dome.




One of the primary reasons the hikers were attempting to deter us from going to Clingmans Dome was due to it's popularity amongst tourists. I didn't really care how many other folks were going to be there, I just wanted to go and see for myself. We dealt with a large amount of tourists in Gatlinburg, it couldn't be that bad!




The "trail" was a very steep 0.5 mile concrete walkway to an observation tower that was constructed in 1959. To be honest, I can't see why it's such a popular destination amongst tourists because that hike was mighty strenuous. I mean, you didn't get any switchbacks, you went straight up! Cody and I were troopers, and left the rest of the tourists to eat our dust as they stopped to take breaks every 20 steps. Cody even reprimanded me when I stopped to snap a quick photo because it messes up our momentum.......he's a slave driver I tell ya'!



At the tip-top of the 54 foot observation tower, you are standing at the highest point (6,643 ft.) in the smokies, and the second highest east of the Mississippi. Thankfully, we went on an especially clear day, and had panoramic views that went for miles.



The serpentine ramp coiled it's way to the top.



Slowly, I made my way to the deck so that I could enjoy the vistas with the other sightseers.
It was magnificent, those views never cease to amaze me.

Making your way back down, believe it or not, is rougher on your body.
Towards the end, I had to walk backwards because my knees were killing me.
Walking backwards did really help.
At the end, we had a picnic on a grassy island at the head of the parking lot.

Though this is a high traffic area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it is definitely not something you want to miss. I highly recommend seeing this modern marvel if you're going to be visiting the park. If not, I hope you enjoyed the photo tour of Clingmans Dome.

Quick Getaway : Gatlinburg, TN

Friday evening we packed up the car and headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Instead of staying in a hotel, like normal tourist, we opted to camp out in the Great Smokey Mountains. This was somewhat of a special little trip for me because I have been to the town once, but that was when I was 12. From what I do recall, the Great Smokey Mountain National Park was not a part of those memories, which was one reason why I wanted to stay there.

I made reservations through the website a few days prior to the trip since I read that July was one of the busiest months of the year. After a few hold ups, mainly traffic related, we made our way to the Elkmont Campground. As late arrivals we skipped checking in and headed toward our campsite. Elkmont is the biggest campground in the park with 220 sites, however, we managed to find our plot of earth.

You would think that after setting up our tent, and a 3 hour drive, we would be ready to relax.......but nooooo.....I was ready to head straight to the action! I never imagined exactly how much traffic we were in for, but I hardly cared because I was thrilled to be there. Has there ever been a time when you were happy to be in bumper to bumper traffic?! It's sick. Speaking of traffic, at any given time, whether walking or driving, you were constantly surrounded by 360° of chaos. Not that I don't pay close attention usually, but you had to be on high alert to get around that town.



Walking the strip reminded me so much of our Las Vegas vacation last year.
I have my mind made up that Gatlinburg, TN is like the Hillbilly Las Vegas.
Not that I didn't have a great time, but if it walks like a duck......
We didn't pay to do the space needle, but it reminded me of the Stratosphere where we had dinner at the "Top of the World Restaurant".
Although, the Stratosphere was 5 times as tall.



Saturday evening took us on a ride up the mountain on the Sky Lift.
The view was spectacular!



Walking through the souvenir shops was about the only other thing we did while we were in town.
The Village was a set of shops that were tucked in a nook off the main road.
The different shops were all done in various styles of architecture,
the Bavarian styled building was my favorite, but I didn't really get a good photo to share.



For dinner, I wanted a soft pretzel......so that's what I had!
It was delicious :)



Aside from the plethora of airbrushed t-shirt stores, olde tyme photo huts,
and pancake houses, candy stores were also plentiful.
We bought a 1 lb. box of Aunt Mahalia's Salt Water Taffy.
The box of taffy has been hit pretty hard, it's almost gone!
It's Cody's fault, he eats 2 to my 1......don't lie, you know you do :o)





I'll leave you with this cause it makes me laugh.
Giddy up!

Happy Birthday WW!

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.
~Author Unknown~

Today marks one year that I have had my own little corner in the blog-universe.
I could very well start this off with the 'little did I know', but I won't.....I'll spare you.
But I will say that, so far this has been one extraordinary adventure.
Looking back, I can see the change, and I can hear the change.....
and the exact moments of my progression are carefully preserved to revisit any time I am feeling nostalgic.

As people and/or artists we are constantly evolving,
and it's so exciting to see how much our ideas and styles change with time and experience.
I have gained a much greater perspective and appreciation for who I am, what I am capable of, and what I have the potential to become as a person, and a creative individual.
Coming to terms with all of the changes and expectations aren't always easy, but are required.

Along the way I have come across many people who have inspired and encouraged me to do what I love, and if it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be doing this now. But I am, and for that, I am eternally grateful.


Create the Journey. Capture Adventure. Get Going!

Sunset Saunter

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
~Lin Yutang~

Aaaahhhh.......it's so nice to be fully immersed into my o so familiar surroundings that I missed a whole lot more than I thought I would. We had a very tough time making it back home, which in the end, made the reunion that much sweeter. I'll go ahead and get all of the ghastly details out of the way before I begin to chronicle our vacation.

The most adverse obstacle to overcome was the sad fact that I became sick on Monday.......and it's still with me! It started with a sore throat, then proceeded with a stuffy, and runny nose, but worst of all has been the congestion, and coughing (especially when it is non-stop at night). It's been such a long time since I have been sick, all for it to happen when we're on our vacation - I was a trooper though.

Tuesday was one long rest day, I couldn't really cope and just wanted to sleep it off since I was feeling so drained. That was the only "wasted" day; from that day on we didn't let it stop us from seeing and doing the fabulous activities originally planned. However, we didn't get to do everything, but that was to be expected.

We were supposed to get home last night, but good ole' American Airlines dropped the ball on that desire. Our flight from San Jose, CA was running late to begin with, which made for a really tight connection when we landed in Fort Worth, TX. As fast as we could get off the plane, we were ready to run since we only had about 10 minutes to make it to the other terminal.......as soon as we deplaned a lady with a list advised us that our plane was already GONE!! For once a plane actually leaves ON TIME!!

We went up to the desk to determine what options were available, but the snide and unhelpful counter person wasn't very congenial. We were dumbfounded to be told that, "There were no more flights going to Greensboro, NC until tomorrow morning.", TOMORROW MORNING!! But they could get us to Charlotte, NC?!?!? Um, our car is in Greensboro......how the heck is that going to help anybody?! Cody said, "I bet they could also get us to Albuquerque too, but that wouldn't help us out either!" Mr. Comedy Relief at your service - he's too funny.

The only thing she offered us was a voucher for a discounted rate of $45.00 at the La Quinta Inn, or a cot if we wanted to sleep in the terminal.....WOW.....way to go American Airlines lady, thanks a bunch!? After the unpleasant encounter, we trudged on, mad, and unsatisfied to the new terminal in which we would be leaving from the next morning. Once there, Cody, being the exceptionally remarkable partner he is, took it upon himself to do some damage control. Long story short, he came back about 15 minutes later with a smile on his face. What he accomplished was truly extraordinary, in his persistence he found a more compassionate American Airlines employee who actually helped us! And believe it or not, he was toting even better vouchers that the other lady said wasn't possible to get, and wasn't willing to let go of. Cody singlehandedly got us a FREE hotel room, and a $20.00 food voucher!!!! Isn't he AWESOME......thanks babe :o)

Before this gets too long, I'll wrap it up. The flight home was not that great for me, flying when you're sick is the WORST! Oh, and I hate to leave it on a gross note, but I blew chunks on our descent because of the congestion and pressure and whatever else was contributing to my nausea; thankfully it was a really small plane, and there were some really nice people sitting around me. Cody came through yet again with a barf bag, and cool, wet cloth for my forehead - I'm such a lucky girl. I even got to sleep on the car ride home.....

Boy am I glad to be home!!!

...:::On the Coast:::...

A familiar sight along the coast.....we are having a fantastic time......
More to come!

The World As I See It

When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about.

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)




*Little do we realize while bouncing about our busy lives that in the grand scheme of things we really are a minuscule part of what really holds it all together. As a whole we do have a huge impact on the world around us depending on what we do or do not contribute to that, although that doesn't encompass the point I am looking to convey. When I saw this picture later in the evening while sorting through the Grandfather Mountain shots of the day I came upon this one, and as my gaze was fixed upon this spectacular sight I began to feel quite small. Other than the obvious fact that the silhouettes of two unknown individuals are pretty small, I myself felt microscopic in comparison as well. The opportunity to have these experiences not only reminds me that there are bigger and better things to worry about sometimes, but other than that it was simply and utterly humbling to encounter.

Royal Range

The greatness comes not when things always go good for you. But the greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.

Richard M. Nixon (1913 - 1994)

Whisperings of a Sunset...............

My Happy Birthday message from Tawny:

May you always find beauty in all that you are
May the wind always follow you
May the fire within always burn
May your heart always be pure
May you always grow
May you always seek the balance
and, may you always "Walk in Beauty"




*Now tell me how wonderful is that.

~Wiseman's View~

September Meditation

I do not know if the seasons remember their history or if the days and
nights by which we count time remember their own passing.
I do not know if the oak tree remembers its planting or if the pine
remembers its slow climb toward sun and stars.
I do not know if the squirrel remembers last fall's gathering or if the
bluejay remembers the meaning of snow.
I do not know if the air remembers September or if the night remembers
the moon.
I do not know if the earth remembers the flowers from last spring or if
the evergreen remembers that it shall stay so.
Perhaps that is the reason for our births -- to be the memory for
creation.
Perhaps salvation is something very different than anyone ever expected.
Perhaps this will be the only question we will have to answer:
"What can you tell me about September?"

~ Burton D. Carley ~


*The September Meditation was brought to you courtesy of Cody's mom, Lee. I always love when you get a message from someone that simply lets you know that the thought of you crossed their mind -- for whatever reason. When I think of someone randomly I will generally pop them a quick message or email and sometimes even a call. Maintaining ties has become so important to me, more so now that I'm almost 500 miles away from where I spent the first 25 years of my life. I communicate with those I love in so many different ways; not everyone gets a homemade card or an email or a package. I mean my Mom doesn't even have a computer and would really not know what to do with it if she had one, hahaha. But I still love her and have to somehow manage to let her know. I don't call her as often as I should, but then again I don't call anyone nearly as often as I should. My days of spending hours on the phone are long gone -- now there I go; making myself feel old! I have always liked giving and receiving cards because to me they are so personal. Even if they say very little it's the sentiment behind it that matters the most. I'm sure not everyone feels the same way but you should try it sometime. Really, it requires much less effort than you would imagine. And the emotions evoked when received, come on, I love to brighten someones day in that way. I don't come off as the warmest person you will ever meet but I have my moments. I still try to take other peoples feelings into consideration even though I'm usually wrapped up in my own life. But I care. I have some of the most awesome friends, people who I don't necessarily speak to regularly but still know they are there if and when I should need them. Very supportive and encouraging, especially when it comes to my art. I love to know that they like a picture or blurb I shared on a particular day -- we all need that positive reinforcement in our life from time to time. Otherwise what are we doing it for?! I know one thing: I DO THIS FOR YOU!

Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever.

-Horace Mann