Grandfather Mountain was now clearly in our rearview mirror.
I repeat CLEARLY, as now the fog had lifted.
We made our way to an area called Linville Falls and began a hike to see these falls. This hike was marked as EASY in my guide book. (Yes, nerds have guide books for their hikes.) I don't know who was in charge of the ratings of these hikes, but it was obviously someone with far more stamina and athletic ability than moi.
I huffed it. I puffed it. I watched 70-year-old couples pass me by with nary an ounce of sweat on their foreheads. Alas....
In the end, it was worth it:
These pics don't do these places justice. They were beautiful waterfalls, and I just loved listening to the sound of the rushing water.
We finally stopped to refuel for lunch, and then it was off to snap these pics:
Now, what on earth might these pictures be? Any guesses?
These came from a place called Linville Caverns. There's a neat and really inexpensive tour here where you can go underground and tour the cavern. Beware: Bats make their home here! It was also quite cold. We did get to hear some neat stories about all the people who'd gotten trapped and rescued in these caverns in the years before they were sealed off.
On the way back to our little cabin, we took this pic. (My fear of heights prevented me from posing for the pic or coming any closer to take it.)
Day 4 (Wed. 4/9):
Today we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway west from Spruce Pine to Cherokee, NC.
We checked out some more waterfalls.
I was proud of my daring! I had to hop many rocks to arrive here:
Once again, check out my lime green Baggalini! This will be busted out in Disney in July.
When we finally arrived in Cherokee, we drove to the neighboring town of Bryson City in search of our next cabin.
When this cabin was booked, the company sent me directions in an email---but no address. You'd supposedly follow the directions, find a lockbox on the door, use the code, and presto, you'd have access to one gorgeous cabin.
I became more than a little skeptical upon further close reading of the directions. They went something like this:
Locate intersection of roads x and y.
Take road y west and pass 17 small bridges.
Past the 17th small bridge, bear left at the rock quarry.
Take the gravel road for 2/10 of a mile, and make a right on the switchback.
Pass two homesites and follow the S curve slowly up the moutain...
...and so on...
...for a full half page!
Well, we did in fact find the cabin.
Here's our first view:
Hmmm...maybe this is why I never received an exact address?
Side note: DH BEGGED me to "moon" him while standing in front of this sign so that he could get quote, "The best picture ever." There was no way.
This cabin put the other to shame. I was shocked by how nice it was! Here are some pics of the inside:
(My infamously rigid travel binder can be seen on the counter in the picture on the right!
)
Thanks for your patience with this off-topic report. I am almost done.
I'm decorating our window too.
But, we leave in 5 days so not too long to wait
about the bears!
! I am still feeling nauseous! Kudos to you for standing on it!
