May 14, 2017

Mother’s Day – Breakfast in bed. (Uncle Wayne, do you recognize the pan?)

Deb went back to bed to celebrate her day and I went for bike ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is me trying to rescue a snake.

Then some work around the “mountain place” including yard work and finding thsi salamander.

Then it was time to hike. #19 #52hikechallenge – Gragg Prong Falls. Sam and I started last year to hike to these falls, but it was getting woods dark and we didn’t have a place to camp yet so we turned around, really glad we went back, awesome place and great swimming hole when it warms up.

The whole hike is beautiful!

There are a couple of creek crossings, in the end we gave up trying to keep the boots dry!

Oct. 16, 2016

The day started slow and we got on the road a little late, it was race #2 of the season, but the light was awesome, and we stopped a couple of times for pictures. In fact I had to talk myself into going to the race over hiking and picture taking.

But race I did! The Boone race is always great, a challenging course and free pizza and beer make it an easy choice!

Sam’s picture of this year’s special treat, an of camber greasy turn downhill… lots of falls!

I was happy I rode it all 3 laps, no falls for me.

Me on the run up.

Celebrating my 44th place : P – thanks Sam for the pictures and cheering for me!

It was time for pictures after the race, the Blue Ridge Parkway was busy as near peak color was everywhere!

Price Lake at Julian Price Memorial Park

Jesse Brown Cottage next to the Cool Springs Baptist Church on the parkway.

Cascade Falls, also called “The Cascades“,  located at E. B. Jeffress Park

Just a creek

Raven Rock Overlook

Me cycling just for a picture. (Sam picture)

 

Oct. 15, 2016 (The rest of the day)

The day started before dawn for the drive to Lenoir and the first race of the 2016-17 North Carolina Cyclocross Series. Turns out tennis does not help one bit for cycling – I finished about 5 from dead last, but this picture from Sam captures the moment… this is the last lap and coming out of the last turn, the lap before I had caught this guy but took a beer hand-up (illegal, but it’s ‘cross) and had to work to catch him again, as I started my sprint, the chain slipped (why I am about to go over the bars) so no fun sprint to the line for us.

Then Sam and I visited Henry River Mill Village (it’s own post) and headed for a hike a part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail to the Upper and Lower Gragg Prong Waterfalls and Hunt-Fish Falls. We got a late start, and I decided to turn around before it got dark, as it was it was after 5:30 when we got back to the truck.

Cruising along dirt roads in the mountains

Finally we got on the foggy Blue Ridge Parkway and headed for a campground for the night.

Dinner, a small fire, a quick card game and off to bed!

 

May 30, 2016

It was time to head home, so we packed up, drove some more dirt roads and went the long way home on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lunch at an overlook and hiking the 5,892 foot Craggy Pinnacle.

Nov. 1, 2015

A wonderful morning drive to Boone.

Tough to see but 2 dozen turkeys (right in the woods) were around this shack, but they ran when I stopped.

I like the course in Boone, around an old fairgrounds and dirt track. The race starts and almost immediately feature a run up (I hate this one)

With all the rain, the course was a little “snotty”

My races? I was not DFL, but I could see him. I rode hard but just don’t have any speed. But I had a great solo trip, camping, racing with friends and a little hiking.

Oct. 31, 2015

Another weekend of racing cyclocross in NC. Saturday is on a new venue in Lenior.

The course feature short but steep climbs, a stair run, sand, mud and some pain.

I decided to stay solo in the mountains, so after my race, and cheering some friends, I went waterfall hunting.

And driving dirt roads I could find.

Even some Forest Service roads.

My second hike/water fall was cut short by too many stream crossing and only one pair of shoes.

I camped on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the last night it (campground) was open for the season, between the temps in the 40s and rain, I had the whole campground to myself, never even saw a Ranger. Peaceful night reading and listening to the rain and wind.

Aug. 16, 2015 – Wilson Creek

A great day, after visiting the vacation home, we went on a bike ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we rode a favorite out and back from camp… 55 minutes of climbing and less than 20 minutes of down you are back at camp. I didn’t look up my max speed, but I saw 41.5 go by on the GPS.

Then we hiked along Wilson Creek, I loved this fallen tree and waterfall!

Bonus picture from Clay, me at work. You can see my wet bottom, I gave up trying to rock hop down to this point, so I sat on the rocks and slid down them, wetter but safer!

July 8, 2012

A Luna Moth, rafting under a low bridge and go-cart racing in Boone.

July 7, 2012

Riding over the Lin Cove Viaduct and the hike to Upper Creek Falls. We used the Moon North Carolina Handbook to find lunch, Famous Louise’s Rockhouse Restaurant, homemade pimento cheese and the dinning room is split at the three county lines on which it sits.

July 6, 2012

Our campsite for the weekend. Back to the mountains to escape the heat.