Saturday, August 25, 2007
More Shining Rock
This blog editor is so junky that I decided to start fresh with a new one to finish the hike. What ever happened to WYSIWYG?? I am getting so annoyed at this blog editor that the text will be at the top and the pics below . You can read and then figure out the pictures!
So here is the remainder of the treck up to Shining Rock.
In addition to hiking the balds, there were some nice cool stretches through the woods.
Below is a picture of my lunch stop where I sat and ate at the base of a nice big tree.
There were many flowers along these stretches too. Below, right shows some Phylox blooming along the trail.
Finally at about 1:30, I reached Shining Rock which is a large outcrop of white quartz.
I hiked back along the lower trail which is an old wagon road that stays below the higher balds. Not as scenic as the other way but a good route when you want to "Get outta here!" Hyperthermia (heat exhaustion) was a definite issue on the way back due to the 90 degree temps. I could tell that I was well hydrated by the sniffles in my nose and I stopped often in shady cool spots to cool off.
It is always a good feeling when you can see where your car is parked after doing 10 miles.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Shining Rock
On Saturday, August 4th, I hiked one of my favorites. Shining Rock from Black Balsam Knob.This section of the Art Loeb Trail begins on a side road near Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 420. You immediately go through a small patch of woods and then climbs up Black Balsam Knob.
It was relatively cool in the morning, about 65-70 degrees fahrenheit. It was a nice hike up
the trail over Black Balsam and on to Tennant Mountain.
The view from Tennant Mountain is spectacular. I have pictures from there with snow on the ground and with flowers on the hillsides.
I thought that a pic of the plaque at the top of the mountain would be good to get.
There were lots of flowers along the way
If anyone can identify this one, please let me know what it is.
I do know a Turk's Cap Lilly when I see one.
I thought that these were Morning Glories because they grew in vines all over the place. However, I got suspicious when they stayed open in the afternoon.
I thought that these were Morning Glories because they grew in vines all over the place. However, I got suspicious when they stayed open in the afternoon.
A little research proved them to be Hedge Bindweed!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Cataloochee Valley
We visited the Cataloochee Valley section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park primarily to find out if we could see any elk. The Cataloochee section is in the eastern part of the park quite distance from the "beaten path". You need to go from the intersection of I-40 and US-276 over the mountain on a winding, sometimes gravel road into the valley beyond. Yes, we saw elk!
We think that some of them are pets. Notice that they all have radio collars. I believe that the NPS is more interested in studying elk close-up than establishing a very large herd of wild elk roaming the Smoky Mountains that future generations could hunt like our ancestors did.
We think that some of them are pets. Notice that they all have radio collars. I believe that the NPS is more interested in studying elk close-up than establishing a very large herd of wild elk roaming the Smoky Mountains that future generations could hunt like our ancestors did.
Moonshine Creek Campground
On Monday, July 30, we travelled to Moonshine Creek Campground in the little town of Balsam, NC. Downtown Balsam has a post office and a Baptist Church. It is at the intersection of US-23 and the Blue Ridge Parkway half way between Waynesville and Sylva. Now with a name like Moonshine Creek, some of you are probably asking yourself, "Is there a moonshine still there?" The answer is empahtically YES!
I don't really know how well it works because there wasn't anybody around the campsites that would admit to knowing how to operate it. I think that there were rumors of possible "revenooers" in the area.
However, we had a comfortable campsite right next to the creek with mountains on both sides so we did not see much sky from the campsite. It was an excellent place to sit and read.
The kids from the campsite across the creek from us made good use of the creek!
Speaking of kids, the first day, we went to Dillsboro to check out that little town. Thomas the train was in town that day giving kids short train rides on the Smoky Mountain Railroad. There was a charge for that but there was a free carnival with lots of kid's attractions like toy trains, sand boxes, bubble blowing machines and slides.
We had a good lunch that day at the Dillsboro Smokehouse. Yummy blueberry cobbler for desert (We shared one!).
That was our first day. Other activities from our trip will be posted as I generate them.
