Two bucket-list events in my life this Summer, a chance see one of the most coveted birding spots in the world, and after that, a vacation in Western North Carolina, with my wife, both of my sons, their wives, and all four grandchildren, all together for the first time ever in a vacation setting. Thanks to my so generous twin Don, who gave us his mountain house in the Dupont State Park, we spent a week with hiking, visiting so many of the waterfalls I love, and even tubing. I present a blog with not a hint of organization, just images from the week. Perfect weather, great cooking by everyone (except me), and some of my best memories with my boys since the Canadian Rockies.
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| Early AM, Pounding Mill Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a pilgrimage site for me, since the ashes of Mom and Dad are here. I try to see one sunrise every visit, and this time, Ken and Scott, and Jackson and Oliver came along. That meant so much to me. Ken & Scott may remember the ceremony of spreading of ashes (Mom's) and perhaps it will become a pilgrimage site for them as well. |
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| Jackson, Oliver, Ken, Scott. |
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| Sunrise and the clouds in the valleys below. |
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This is the Cradle of Forestry exhibit in Pisgah Forest, just below the Parkway.
This is the steam engine that drove the sawmill. |
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| The sawmill, circa 1900. An extremely dangerous place to work, Lost fingers, hands, and limbs were not uncommon. |
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| The train for transporting timber |
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| This is THE shot of the gathering, all my family on top of Devil's Courthouse on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I am so grateful to everyone who worked hard to get here and be together. Ah, the pride! |
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This is Don's wonderful house, and our gathering place.
Thank you so much, Don and Mary. |
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| Triple Falls, Dupont State Forest, Scott, Cheryl, Alex |
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| Scott, Cheryl, Alex, the silly shot |
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| At the bottom of Triple Falls |
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| Sunrise from Pounding Mill with Susan, Wed after boys and families had left. |
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A view of Looking Glass Rock. one of the two great hikes Ken, Erin, Jackson and Oliver took (the other being to the top
of Mt. Pisgah) |
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| Breakfast with Susan at Pisgah Inn, on the Blue Ridge Parkway |
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| We took the drive north of Asheville to Mount Mitchell. Completely enclosed by clouds, at the highest elevation in the east. |
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| Mitchell's grave. |
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| His inscription |
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| This is Bear Wallow Falls, in Gorges State Park. This is one of the most beautiful state parks I have ever visited, fantastic hiking, great picnic areas, fantastic restrooms, it's all there. Close to Whitewater Falls, the highest falls in the East. |
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| We stopped at Bird Rock Falls |
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Scott challenged Cheryl to the ALS challenge, and she and he went down Sliding Rock. Really, really cold water1.
Then they convinced Alex to go down with them. And he did! |
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| Water Strider, Davidson River (waiting for the tubers, who never showed up!) |
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| Susan's sunrise. |
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| From the Sat 8/16 sunrise, with Ken and Scott |
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| Looking UP @ Devil's Courthouse |
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| The baby birds looking for ice cream |
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Sam's Knob in the distance, a scene of many hikes and camping as a HS student.
(Photo taken from atop Devil's Courthouse
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I promised Oliver a Pileated Woodpecker, and we had zero luck, but we did see this Red-breasted Nuthatch on the trail up
Devil's Courthouse |
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| Alex at Triple Falls |
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| Triple Falls, Scott, Cheryl, Alex |
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| On the road back to Don's house, a watcher in the woods. |
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| Alex at Mary's Falls |
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| Seen just below the summit at Mt. Mitchell, a Blackburnian Warbler in fall plumage |
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| On the hike to Bear Wallow Falls |
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My final shot in North Carolina, just starting to appear as we left. This is either a Turk's Cap Lily or a
Carolina Lily,
The next blog will contain videos from the week. |
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