Jason and I headed to the mountains over Labor Day weekend. We spent Saturday hiking in, slept by a river that night while the skies opened up and drenched the campsite, and hiked out on Sunday. We were also going to spent the night in the
back country on Sunday night but I just couldn't take any more rain (that's not a vacation, right?). So we drove into Maggie Valley and ate BBQ and fudge, soothed our muscles in a hot tub, watched cable TV and even saw fireworks! But here are the pictures from the nature portion of our trip.
Locked and loaded and ready to go!
We hiked in about 4-5 miles the first day to get to our campsite.
It was really peaceful and serene being back in the woods and hardly seeing anyone. Here's the path we took through the trees.
The canopy above.
I took some side trails on Monday and found some old clearings with
cemeteries. It was sobering to realize that many of the adults didn't live past 30 and the infant mortality rate was sky-high. But the inscriptions on the tombs were very beautiful and rejoiced in the triumph of a resurrected Christ.
Here is a pool and little waterfall in a stream where Jason fished.
I'm still playing with the settings on my little digital point-and-shoot camera. I am very seriously considering upgrading to a digital SLR to get more shots like this.
Of course, Jason did break out the fishing rod from time to time. I think he caught around 25 fish that weekend.
He's just hooked into a fish here--see the bend in the fly rod?
One incredibly interesting feature of the area where we were is that they are re-introducing elk. Evidently elk are native to the North Carolina mountains but the last one was killed off back in the late 1700's. There are two herds in the area now and they seem to be thriving.
There is a long field at the base of the mountain where the elk walk across every afternoon. People come from all over, set up chairs, and spend hours watching these majestic creatures take a stroll. What a refreshing change from my normal frenetic, fast-paced life! I could use more of that sitting, waiting and watching and doing so over the weekend was a real treat.
Elk are BIG, right?!?!
A panoramic view.
We hiked in about 4-5 miles the first day to get to our campsite.
It was really peaceful and serene being back in the woods and hardly seeing anyone. Here's the path we took through the trees.
He's just hooked into a fish here--see the bend in the fly rod?
1 comment:
I love these pictures! I went to summer camp in Maggie Valley for 6 years or so, and it's hard to find a prettier area. Of course, now things are waaaay more developed there, but the nature shots you have of your woodland trek look a lot like the trails I remember.
It was also nice to see Jason. I remember him vaguely, but it would be nice to see him in person. Harrumph!
Laurie Ross
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