Vacation Advisory!

[DaveF]

Susan & I just returned from a short mountain trip concentrating on a 50+ mile stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway...

Great pictures!  My son and I are planning on being there in about 4 weeks' time for a first visit (indeed, first-ever visit to the US), so will certainly include Linville Gorge.  Mount Mitchell was already on the itinerary.  What's the weather like at the top in July?  I can't believe it can ever be so evil as on Mount Washington, NH, with its 250 mph winds or whatever, but should one be prepared for anything, or are heat and sun guaranteed?

DF

[North Star]

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Susan & I just returned from a short mountain trip concentrating on a 50+ mile stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) around the 334 milepost marker (Switzerland Inn is located there, our lodging & eating place - food much better than expected!).  We have travelled the BRP for more than 40 yrs and likely have been on the entire 469 miles multiple times, but have not been to this particular stretch in 20+ years!

First day headed south on the parkway and visited Craggy Pinnacle at 5892 ft. for a spectacular panoramic view (first 2pics below); the rhododendrons were in bloom (next 2 pics w/ Susan coming up the climb to the top of the pinnacle).  Next was Mt. Mitchell @ 6694 ft. - highest mountain east of the Mississippi River; now keep in mind that the Appalachians are old & worn down, probably first forming about a half billion years ago - estimated that their original heights were similar to the Rockies w/ a LOT of volcanic activity (about the time of Pangea coming together).

Second day headed north toward Linville Gorge & Falls w/ spectacular overlooks & vistas in both directions.  The Falls consist of upper twin small ones and a higher single lower falls (featured prominently in the film 'The Last of the Mohicans'); there's a spectacular basin where the waters from the upper falls swirls around rock formations (created by a much more dramatic river eons ago); the Gorge is nicknamed the 'Grand Canyon of North Carolina' w/ the river 1400 ft. below; the tree-lined mountains hide the majestic size of this gorge (pics below).  Dave

Sounds (and looks!) like a great trip, Dave!

[SonicMan46]

Great pictures!  My son and I are planning on being there in about 4 weeks' time for a first visit (indeed, first-ever visit to the US), so will certainly include Linville Gorge.  Mount Mitchell was already on the itinerary.  What's the weather like at the top in July?  I can't believe it can ever be so evil as on Mount Washington, NH, with its 250 mph winds or whatever, but should one be prepared for anything, or are heat and sun guaranteed?

Thanks Neal et al for the comments on our recent trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway - also on this stretch are three small mountain tunnels - NOW, the best tunnels (i.e. length) are on the southern drive below Asheville to Cherokee, which is the end of the parkway.

@ DaveF - July is the warmest month on Mt. Mitchell - see the graph below (NOW, these are average highs & lows, and the local weather for the day will predominate, so you may arrive @ a day that is OFF these averages - just a prediction); we lunched at the lower restaurant which was quite good; all of the facilities have been updated since my last visit - BUT, please include Craggy Pinnacle - both are close together on the parkway and IMO the panoramic views are the best I've experienced from this area, so NOT to be missed.

And for those interested, an image from the web of the lower Linville Falls entering the river - need to take a Gorge trail to the bottom for this view which we did not do - this would be the scene(s) from the movie mentioned (The Last of the Mohicans) - maybe next time?  Dave



 

[ibanezmonster]

That's about 177,000 kilometers. Time to change it, perhaps? 

Is it oil or diesel?

Oil.

This car (but not a convertible):


All of my savings are for school, so no money to get a new car. I'm not even fixing the peeling paint or broken CD player. The less amount of loan money to pay off in the future, the better.
It's not even halfway through its life cycle- they normally last 250-300,000 miles. Getting oil changes regularly is supposed to help. Should last a few more years.

[Harpo]

Susan & I just returned from a short mountain trip concentrating on a 50+ mile stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP)

Scenery was great, as you can see, but I find I'm getting clumsier with age. Sonic had to pick me up off the rocks and roots several times. New hiking rules: 1. Don't step on logs  2. Don't step on sloping rocks 3. Don't step on logs and rocks when they are wet. We've decided to hike only on sidewalks and parking lots from now on. We'll take along our hiking sticks for old times' sake, though.

[DaveF]

July is the warmest month on Mt. Mitchell - see the graph below (NOW, these are average highs & lows, and the local weather for the day will predominate, so you may arrive @ a day that is OFF these averages - just a prediction); we lunched at the lower restaurant which was quite good; all of the facilities have been updated since my last visit - BUT, please include Craggy Pinnacle - both are close together on the parkway and IMO the panoramic views are the best I've experienced from this area, so NOT to be missed.

Thank you - so it doesn't look as though low temperatures are going to be a problem.  And I've put Craggy Pinnacle on the list.

DF

[SonicMan46]

Thank you - so it doesn't look as though low temperatures are going to be a problem.  And I've put Craggy Pinnacle on the list.

Hi Dave - nope - temps should not be an issue just the weather for that particular day of your visit, so hope that you have wonderful blue skies & sun - the BEST experience at those mountain tops!  Good luck & report back here!    Dave

[DaveF]

Hi Dave - nope - temps should not be an issue just the weather for that particular day of your visit, so hope that you have wonderful blue skies & sun - the BEST experience at those mountain tops!  Good luck & report back here!    Dave

Dave,

Thanks again for that.  And I'll take you at your word about reporting back and include a link to the holiday blog: http://cwotuc.wordpress.com/
Not much in it yet, unless you're terribly interested in me booking car hires and changing currency, but it will start to come to life in a couple of weeks.

DF

[kishnevi]

I think some of you know I spent last week visiting relatives in the Boston area.  While unable to gain a glimpse of a certain composer named Henning, I did get to see Concord and Lexington,  which I haven't seen since I was a kid.

Photographic results can be see on my Flickr page as a set here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34574498@N06/sets/72157634570842698/

[Sergeant Rock]

I did get to see Concord and Lexington...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34574498@N06/sets/72157634570842698/

Cool. I've never been to the area. Nice to see.

Sarge

[North Star]

Cool. I've never been to the area. Nice to see.

Sarge

+1

[SonicMan46]

I think some of you know I spent last week visiting relatives in the Boston area.  While unable to gain a glimpse of a certain composer named Henning, I did get to see Concord and Lexington,  which I haven't seen since I was a kid.

Thanks for the link & many pics - I've made one visit to Lexington & Concord but has been 20 yrs or so ago - Dave

[Karl Henning]

Lexington is not all that far from the said composer's haunts, but timing is not always propitious.

I trust you saw the statue of the Minuteman's illuminated buttocks?

[SonicMan46]

Susan & I just returned from a trip to the southwestern mountains of North Carolina - stayed at the Snowbird Mountain Lodge in the Nantahala National Forest (a Cherokee word meaning 'Land of the Noonday Sun') - the mountains are different here than along the Blue Ridge Parkway - almost 'piled up' and touching the sky w/ individual trees more easily recognized.  We had a small suite w/ a private deck that had a hot tub - was like living in a tree house - package comes w/ breakfast, superb dinners, & a bag lunch (the main activity is hiking & sight seeing). The trip was in celebration of our 43rd wedding anniversary - YIKES!

Some pics below:  Top left - morning scene from our deck w/ the 'smoke' rising (these are the Snowbird Mtns) and close to the Great Smoky Mountains (just bordering Fontana Lake); Top right - same mountains from the main lodge building.

Middle left - just another view of the Snowbird Mountains from near the lodge building; middle right - half mile hike to 'Sunrise Point' and an observation deck w/ spectacular views of the same mountains.

Bottom left - opposite direction from 'Sunrise Point' showing a portion of Lake Santeetlah near the town of Robbinsville; bottom right - sun setting over the mountains from our deck - our second visit here and plan to return - Dave

 

 

 

[Florestan]

The trip was in celebration of our 43rd wedding anniversary

Many happy returns, Dave! Great pics!

[Karl Henning]

Huzzah!

[DavidW]

Looks great Dave!  I'll try to visit that region in the future.  I'm currently working on visiting all of the state parks in South Carolina.  The state is so small that all can be done with day trips.  I also want to visit the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston.  Think I'll do that soon before summer break ends.

[Karl Henning]

I enjoyed a ramble of a walk with my brother in Centennial Park.

[SonicMan46]

Many happy returns, Dave! Great pics!

Thanks Andrei - can't believe that it's been that long!     In fact, our son turns 40 y/o next month - YIKES!  Dave

Looks great Dave!  I'll try to visit that region in the future.  I'm currently working on visiting all of the state parks in South Carolina.  The state is so small that all can be done with day trips.  I also want to visit the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston.  Think I'll do that soon before summer break ends.

Hi David - that corner of NC does border SC & GA, so not that far from you - Highlands is another nice area in the same vicinity - we've been to the SC Aquarium at least three times (well done!) - there are also boat rides nearby that tour the harbor or can take you out to Ft. Sumter, if you're into the Civil War; plus so much more to do in the Charleston area, including the great food!  Dave

[DavidW]

So I did go on a day trip last week to Charleston.  I went to the aquarium.  I went to the gallery part of Fort Sumter, but missed the last ferry out there for the day.  Had dinner at Hyman's Seafood Restaurant, don't know if you've been there Dave, but for anyone else if you're in Charleston that is the place to eat!  Saw some of downtown, which was very impressive.

The rest of my trips this summer had been to state parks.  As of today I've completed everything in the Pee Dee region.  Even though the majority of the parks are in the mountains or the beach, there are still several in the middle of the state to visit.