June_4

Northeast '06 June, p.4

Saturday, June 17

We didn't take many pictures today, but had a wonderful time. The photo on the left of a quote on a park marker says it quite well. The Lord's handiwork can't be equaled. We left Smokemont campground and headed south a few miles on Newfound Gap road to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. (The Oconaluftee is a very clear stream with many fly fishermen exercising their skills at landing trout).

Today, the Center was having full day demonstrations on the various skills needed by women for survival one hundred years and so ago... soap making, quilting, preserves, open hearth cooking, etc. It was a great show. The second picture is of guess who? The same Park Ranger Lisa who gave the talk last night, but now was giving demonstrations of pioneer music.

A few hundred yards south of the Visitor Center is the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We started up and went about ten miles before realizing from a brochure that there were to be three tunnels ahead with heights at 11 feet or less. Our truck camper is too high! We had to back up and re-enter the Parkway in an about twenty-five mile loop. We went through the town of Cherokee, and saw that it was no less a tourist town than Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful road, not only for the great views at the turn-outs/overlooks, but also because of the thousands of rhododendrons lining the roadside. Occasionally, we saw orange-colored flame azaleas as well. We stopped at the Folk Art Center (where there were several demonstrations by artists doing local art, as well as other arts and crafts on display and for sale) but were too late for the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (where the picnic area was supposed to be especially rich in rhododendrons), then stopped for the night at the Crabtree Meadows Campground. Tonight, the ranger talk was on identifying animal and insect sounds during the night. A really full day.

Sunday, June 18

Father's Day today. Happy Dad's day for all of the dads out there!

The Blue Ridge Parkway has many pullout/overlooks with great views. This one is of relatively low elevation showing the surrounding countryside.

Finally got a picture of the flame azalea. The second and third pictures are of mountain laurel.

Just down the road is Linville Falls. Here, there are several sections of falls on the Linville river. We especially liked the double falls. As far as a picture, though, they do look better at higher elevation when you can see the water above the falls.

The Moses Cone mansion next. There is a seat there on the front porch just for you...

This mansion is part of what was once 1600 acres, with 25 miles of carriage roads. The owner liked building carriage roads for his horses, and also growing apples, about 75 varieties! The mansion is now a crafts center.

Another full day. We stopped for the night at Roanoke Mountain campground, and guess what? They were having a bluegrass concert right there in the campground! Four-piece band: guitar, electric guitar, ukelele and bass.

After a day like today, we're feeling very spoiled.

Oh, here... We're finding this sign at several stops in the National Parks.

What are people demonstrating against?

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