Getting Ready!!!

We are leaving this beautiful part of the country in 2 weeks and have loved this experience...but right now we are ready to come home, enough of the damp clothes and rain! Should be home on the 10th for a little bit:) before the next adventures!!!

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Rhododendrons Galore

We are finally getting into rhododendron season, so drove to 2 spots where there should be many: Craggy Gardens and Roan Mountain. both were gorgeous, but because of the rains and cool spring we were a couple of weeks early...still a great show.

Yesterday on the way home we stopped at a "rhododendron festival" but found just booths with fair type food, and people dressed up in Confederate fair...shooting old rifles in the air...Sophie was not pleased.

The real bit of unreality was the raffle. The local Republican Women's group was raffling off a large scary automatic rifle...Wow it feels like a different country!

Craggy Garden Trail:

 

Roan Mountain:

 

 

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Finally the rain has lifted

After a while it is easy to get sick of the rain. Days like today make all the difference. We took a beautiful drive north of the national park to a town called Hot Springs near Tennessee, met a few AT hikers, then drove 11 miles on a tiny gravel road to Max Patch, a lovely, open grassy bald that is also on the AT.

On route 209 to Hot Springs

at Max Patch Mountain:

 

Sophie finally enjoying a good run:

 

 

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Our rainforest

So we have hit the rains again and all is foggy. The good thing is that we have lush flowers and green bushes everywhere and the campground is relatively peaceful. The bad part is that everything is damp and we have heard sitings of snakes and other creatures. Yesterday there was a report of a copperhead in the laundry room. Another work camper found the skin but the snake hasn't been found. Just hope we don't have to deal with it when we are on shift this weekend!

Last night several of us decided to go out for a nice dinner at the beautiful old Balsam Mt Inn. Great food and lots of laughs. I realized that it was the first time I put on a nice blouse and got out of my jeans or hiking clothes. ( I did try to look good, but because it was cool and wet at night I didn't use my sandals so the sneakers killed the effect).

so here is to a drier next few weeks! At least it has never been too hot here, apparently cooler than New England...

Don and me hiking the Shining Rock Wilderness:

Fields of bluets everywhere:

another Blue Ridge sunset:

At the working Mingus Gristmill:

 

 

 

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