I love the great outdoors - my first date with Andrew was hiking on the Appalachian Trail up to Blood Mountain - oh, that's a story for another day :), but I really have enjoyed the many trips we have taken to the ancient mountains to our north.
For Columbus Day weekend, Andrew had vowed we would go out of town. Initially the plan was to go Rabun Beach by Tallulah Gorge and car camp (we did this a year ago with Scott and Cassidie and had a blast - it was so beautiful there!), however, the morning of, dear ole' dad - Andrew- got a little scaredy-cat taking a 14 month camping in a tent. I thought - what can two sleepless nights really hurt, right? So instead he made reservations at hotels in Cherokee and Asheville, NC.
Well, in Andrew's defense, our little Maddy is a little particular about her sleeping arrangements. She is able to easily go to sleep if: 1. she has her pacie 2. she's been well-fed 3. she has had her night-time routine of her stories and prayer and most importantly 4. She can't see (or hear) you. If those 4 components are in place, she sleeps like a champ, if not - oh man! So the first night we rearranged the furniture in our mini-suite so that her pack'n play was behind the couch in the little alcove - but she was nowhere near ready when we first set her down. She cried and cried and Andrew was about ready to throw in the towel and pack our stuff and head home. With a little coaxing on both of their parts, I was able to get them both calmed and our little stinker went right to peaceful sleep.
We traveled along the Blue Ridge Parkway - normally an incredible stretch of road from North Carolina to Virginia on moutainous roads, however, we were traveling along the "Smoky" portion which meant a lot of fog and seldom the great vistas I have seen here before. In Asheville we visited the Arboretum and drove to Mt. Pisgah to catch the sunset. We stopped at this old fire tower you hike up to, sadly, we didn't quite make the sunset, however, the experience of that fire tower is one I will not soon forget. I am not afraid of heights - I do make an exception for this tower that seemed like it was built a hundred years ago (it wasn't), while you climb the tower sways in the breeze definitely playing a number on your equilibrium. It was really incredible the views and foliage changing, and I was very, very, VERY happy to make it back on solid ground :)
It was a fun trip after all and thank goodness Madeleine cooperated because this momma had a blast.
Praying manthis about to jump (he's definitely not praying now!)
They don't call it the Smoky Mountains for nothing...
My first real attempt at macro shots...
The fire tower...
2 comments:
Those pictures are just amazing...really!!! I love the creek photo, and PS your daughter is the cutest thing ever!!
Wow! Those pics turned out great! I'm glad Maddy cooperated for y'all! I would have loved to hear how the tent experience would have gone! I think Andrew was wise to book the hotel rooms.
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