Chasing waterfalls, 2018 style
Mother Nature sure paints a beautiful picture with waterfalls. One of our favorite things to do is take in that beauty and go chasing waterfalls, like the Dry Falls waterfall between Franklin and Highlands.
We hit a couple other waterfalls during a fall afternoon drive.
Tyler relaxes at Quarry Falls.
Tyler sure enjoyed a few moments to chill during a stop at Quarry Falls.
Here are some other photos of Dry Falls.
Here’s an obligatory selfie at Dry Falls.
You can walk beneath the falls. Sure, you’ll get a little mist on you, but it’s a spectacular view.
Here’s another view of Dry Falls, from the side.
Bridal Veil Falls was our lost stop during our afternoon waterfall tour.
Bridal Veil Falls.
A mountain vacation, finally
The view from our balcony in Franklin is spectacular.
I’ve taken numerous trips to the mountains for work over the past year and a half. But this week was the first time in three years that my sister, my dog, and I got to make our traditional fall trip to the mountains.
We wondered what the colors would be like, since we weren’t able to get here until after peak season. I’d say we lucked up.
My sister posted a similar photo to the one above of the Great Smokey Mountains on her Facebook page, which prompted this response: “I can feel the stress leaving.”
This trip marks the first time I’ve used Airbnb. I have to give it a thumbs-up. We’ve got a cozy cottage on a mountain in Franklin and the hosts/owners are great.
Once again, Max Patch doesn’t dissapoint
A beautiful view from Max Patch Mountain in Western North Carolina.
Is Max Patch getting steeper? No, I’m just a year older and more out of shape.
Friday was a gorgeous day in the North Carolina mountains, and a good day for hiking up to Max Patch, a beautiful area on the Appalachian Trail in Madison County, NC, near the Tennessee border. My sister, Patricia Smith, and my dog, Tyler, It’s the third year in a row that we’ve made the hike.
Here’s another view from Max Patch, near the NC-TN border.
Trish and I both commented on the effect on our muscles and joints, and how sore we’d like be. The hike didn’t seem to phase Tyler, who has actually had hip surgery.
Here’s another view from Max Patch.
Once we got to the top (almost), my sister threw down a blanket. We rested, had a snack, drank some water, and took some photos. Then we made the hike down the mountain. Gravity was on our side. The trek down the mountain was a bit less strenuous than the hike up.
Could be brilliant colors in the NC mountains next week
Fall Color Map for North Carolina
Last year, our mountain trip was nice, but a little before peak season. This year, according to this map produced by Appalachian State University, we could be hitting the mountains at just the right time.
I’ll make sure to shoot a lot of photos.
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