Highlands is always a peaceful destination for us, and we were sure that it would be a quiet retreat from the hurried pace of Christmas—since it was "Christmas past." We were so wrong. This was once a town that closed during the winter and all "the snow birds" went south to Florida. No more! They [...]
I've been visiting Bridal Veil Falls since I was a child. In recent years, the road beneath the falls has been blocked off, (sad) and you can no longer drive on it. You can see it in this photo. It's still pretty and sweet but nothing like Dry Falls about a half a mile a [...]
Got out with the dogs finally! I feel like saying: Rain, rain go away and come again another day. We have had so much wet weather recently and more is on the way. Actually, I'm testing out a new camera and just wanted to see how it works but there's no sun! Here's Cocoa Joy. [...]
Welcome to my Friday after Thanksgiving! I have hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail (AT) for years but never long stretches. Mostly, I have backpacked and camped on Cumberland Island where the temps are mild and there are no bears! But I'm the first to admit there's a true mystery surround the AT and that [...]
I love taking off on a Sunday afternoon and driving up to North Carolina, and Dry Falls is always a favorite destination. But it has been years since I have walked down the steps and stood behind the falls. Last year, I was in the middle of Chemo treatments and knew that even though the [...]
Usually, when we walk into this field the cows just stand and look at me. I always think they are wondering what I will do next, This super crazy lady is back! But that was not the case on Sunday evening. Suddenly, we had their full attention and they came running from the opposite end [...]
Behind me is where Elisha Mitchell is buried. He dedicated his life to this mountain; and sadly, he died while trying to cross a waterfall near the mountain. He is also the person, who bushwhacked the Old Mt. Mitchell trail. Mt. Mitchell is one of those places that stands apart from the ordinary. It's dramatic [...]
During my trip to Balsam in July, I got this really wild and crazy idea—hike at least six of the over 6,000 peaks in North Carolina and Tennessee. There are supposed to be 40 of these. We've made a commitment to hiking six before the first of the year! So, far we have hiked four [...]
