When we left Wesser Bald, Wessy and I led the way down the once well-used Jeep road. Those who “lived” atop the fire tower for weeks, if not months, used it as access for supplies. We always hike back this way. It’s about the same distance only straight down without switch backs.

The only tower I have found that didn’t have a visible overgrown road leading up to it was Green Knob located on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

When she sits, Wessy’s legs still go everywhere. I think she actually looks a little tired in this photo! But heavens; we had hiked for three hours and still had more to go to get back to Tellico Gap.

Little Wessy waiting for others to catch up. I usually ask her to sit and wait; but after our earlier “snake encounter,” I’m wasn’t too concerned about having her “sit” for any length of time. I try my best to look and watch for snakes and other things, but how can you see through bramble like this?! It was thick and beautiful!

Finally, we got to see the mountain wild flowers we are always reading about! In fact, this is a hillside of nothing but flowers in bloom—in some cases they were as tall as me!

Everywhere I turned, late summer flowers were in bloom.

A gentle purple flowering raspberry! (I think)

And then there were signs of the beginning of fall. I love every season in life. There’s something about each one that motivates me to smile. Friends know that I don’t like to rush through any of them. I think this is something I picked up while battling cancer—linger long over every warm moment. You only pass this way once!

Parting shot: Wessy wanted this toy so badly. I said, “No.” While I felt like the baby would not be back for it; I honestly knew that it would not last two minutes in her mouth. Notice its placement beside the white AT blaze. Some “little person” got to experience the AT maybe for the first time on this day.