| We are now in North Carolina. The drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway-Skyline Drive was stupendous. It was so relaxing and breathtaking at times. All along the parkway are rows and rows of Rhododendrons. They must be awesome in June. |
| October 16-17th., 2005. We are at Julian Price CG. Elevation is about 4,000ft. Rather cold today. Met a very nice couple here on their way to Raleigh, N.C. to visit with their son. Joyce and Jim lived in the Smokey Mountain region for 9-10 years and have been helpful to us in regards to this area. We shared a comfortable campfire with them. Great people. |
 The vista just never stops.
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 They call this the Linn Cove Viaduct which skirts the perimeter of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. For about 50 years this section of the Blue Ridge was called the "missing link" because the owner held out selling. He did not want anyone damaging his mountain. Governor Dan Moore came up with a compromise location. This Viaduct only cost $10 million to build and is 1,243 feet long and contains 153 segments weighing 50 ton each. Only one segment, the southernmost, is straight. Nearly all the construction was made from the top of the roadbed except for the drilling of foundation for the seven permanent piers on which the Viaduct rests. The only trees cut were those directly beneath the superstructure. This started in 1968 and was completed in 1987 along with other related structures e.g. visitors centre. It saved you doing a crooked 14-mile detour around Grandfather Mountain (5890ft.). |
| October 20, 2005. At Crabtree Meadows CG. Elevation is 3,373ft. high. It's 8:30 p.m. and 70 degrees out. My hair is wet from a bath and we are sitting in front of a beautiful campfire with a glass of port in North Carolina. Is this heaven. Up to now the evenings have been to cold to stay out but I guess we are far enough south to feel the difference now. Except that we are going into the higher mountains. |
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 This is a picture from Mt. Mitchell. We are 6784ft high. |
 Another view from Mt. Mitchell.
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 You are just awed at the site of the Blue Ridge Mts. Up to now we have been camping at a height of about 3,640ft. high. We are now at 5,721ft. high. |
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October 21, 2005. We are camping out at Mt. Pisgah. Today's
weather forecast is 81 degree at the bottom of the mountain and where we are
at 4,802ft.
it will be 77 degrees. Right now it is 8:00 a.m. and 50 degrees.
I am having a hard time believing it will be 77 degrees. October 22, 2005. We celebrated our 21st. wedding anniversary. We had dinner at the Mt. Pisgah Inn. This Inn was only a 5 minute walk from where we were camped. As we ate we had a Blue Ridge Mountain view with clouds floating by. You felt you could almost touch them. The reds between the clouds in the sky was breathtaking. It was so romantic. |
| October 23, 2005. Drove into Cherokee Nation - the doorway to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Blue Ridge flows into the Smoky Mountains also but we wanted to stay a night at the foothills of the mountains for a change plus see this area. We stayed the first night at the Cherokee Casino. Then found a campground the next day in Whittier, N.C. called Fort Wilderness, the proprietor was a nice person. |
 The Great Smoky Mountains. The Blue Ridge Skyline Drive is the most beautiful and peaceful drive that we have encountered.
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 Cherokee
Indian Reservation. The reservation has to be one of the richest reservation
around. It has miles of stores along the river up to the mountains.
Great shopping. Denis says it is a huge tourist trap with a live Indian Chief that you can
have your picture taken with. You could spend a day shopping and still not cover all the stores, and
there were beautifully carved statues and tee pees all over. |
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 The Cherokee Indian Museum told of their history. It was well worth the $9.00 per person. The art work and the way they created a 3D effect on a lot of their pictures by submitting an actual life like statue with the painting's was innovative.
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 "Trail of Tears" was such a touching story/painting but the final outcome seems to be that they prospered which is what we see as we drive thorough the reservation. The Cherokee Indian tribe was almost an endangered nation, their population went down to 200, it is now up 14,000. They are not allowed to marry a second cousin. The genealogy is kept in close check on the mothers side. When a marriage happens the women keeps her own name and the children have her name. If someone marries a white person, that white person is accepted as part of the nation but is not allowed to own any property, etc. The blood line stops at 1/16th. after that you will no longer be considered a Cherokee.
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| October 24, 2005. Went up The Great Smokey's today but got turned around at 5,000ft because of ice and snow. Denis wanted to continue but I complained until he had no choice. Which was just as well because we found out they closed the road. |
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This is what snow looks like when it is falling on the mountains. You really cannot see the mountains. Denis wanted to continue going up. What for!!!!
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 Everyone is scurrying down the mountain. Thank God Denis smartened up, at the time we were 5,000ft. high. When we got back to the entrance of the park they had gated the entrance to stop anyone from going over the mountain. There were people stuck on this side but had a hotel room. on the other side. I met a lady who was in this predicament at a store later that day. They may have to drive around the mountain to get back to Gatlinburg, this is around 100 miles compared to around 60 miles. I hear Gatlinburg is just like another Nashville but on a upper scale beat.. |
| October 25, 2005. We are going to head to Tennessee today. Enough of the cold mountains. |
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