Well, this is it for now. Covid-19 has grounded us, and we are more than happy to stay at our homes and wait until this storm passes by. But I've already set a goal for the future and that is to hike to Browning Knob via Waterrock. Planning the next hike is a mental health [...]
Whitewater falls in North Carolina is spectacular any time of the year! The walk is easy but there are steps down—many and that can make this short trail difficult for some. I haven't been to these falls since January 2018, and this visit was quite different. Two years ago, I had just completed chemo and [...]
It was absolutely fun to start Saturday's hiking in snow—even though it was a day old. The mountains are in the middle of a deep winter, but spring is close. On this day, the goal was to hike to the top of Wesser Bald, located north of Franklin, North Carolina. From Tellico Gap, it is [...]
I found the Boyd Mountain cabins outside of Maggie Valley (near Waynesville, NC) several years ago, but I only stayed here once. As I recall at the time, I was feeling very burned out and wanted to get away for a few days. I talked the owners into letting me bring Cocoa! They have a [...]
If you go to Oconaluftee, you have to see the Elk. I keep seeing them but don't "see" the herds as much as the people, who live in the area. By that I mean, there's a whole group of people that follow the Elk (and now the eagles) around and report where they are at [...]
We were pretty much "earth-bound" on this last trip to Western North Carolina. Rain and then snow fell but our spirits were bright. The Blue Ridge Parkway was closed. Big Sigh from me. I wanted to hike to the upper falls at Graveyard Fields but that did not happen. We did find a couple of [...]
Waterrock Knob holds a special place in my heart. It was my first "real" over 6,000 foot hike after cancer and chemo! Looks like I could have chosen another hike to begin with; but looking back, I feel like this was the place God had for me. Made for the Mountains! . . . as [...]
Even thought summer is over, it is still all about the views and the hike. It was much colder and the first thing we encountered on our way up to Albert Mountain was a shallow stream crossing. I remember after climbing Fry Pan Mountain and the fire tower there, saying that the next thing I [...]
