On the Road Again and Under the Stars

Leaving Brevard, a little after 9 in the morning, we traveled West on the Greenville Highway, merging onto SR64 a block outside downtown. Our mission was to another state park for a night of camping, specifically Tallulah Gorge at Tallulah Falls. The park system website for Georgia is easily navigable, so finding another interesting place was made easy. Plus, now I that I have an account I told you about,  reserving a campsite is a breeze. 

Our first stop was in a town called Rosman where we spent some time and money at an outfitters on the French Broad River. Bruce is in heaven visiting a store like this. One thing we bought were walking sticks, something that would have been very helpful in the Dupont Forest. 

Actually this post began with a story that was not entirely true. It is only now, looking at the photographs, that the real story came to me. What happened is that the kind folks at this store allowed me to use their wifi to find a campsite. Although mostly we've come to think of internet connection as a right, in the mountains it is not something to be taken for granted. While I was engaged with the iPad, Bruce was fishing for anything that would bite. He learned from the folks inside that what he did catch are called Rock Bass. He was just happy catching anything!

With walking sticks, a new t-shirt and some stickers for the camping box, we continued our journey to Tallulah Falls, only about 95 miles away. In Cashiers, a darling town, we stopped for firewood. Every year of late, I've been amazed at the new varieties of pumpkins available. Nothing says Autumn more than pumpkins, right? Well, that is if you don't count changing leaves that is. Of course in Florida, leaves are, sadly, not part of our landscape. Oh but I wish they were after living through the Vancouver autumn. We do, on the other hand, have Golden Rain trees that blossom both yellow and orange this time of year so we aren't completely without color.:)

Many years ago, following my Dad's retirement, my folks bought a place in Highlands, NC that I never saw. Sadly, only about a year or so later, he died of an unexpected heart attack at home, leaving my Mom a youngish widow with no experience handling money. Immediately the house in Highlands was put up for sale. We drove through Highlands, another super cute town, with an apt name as the elevation is over 4,000 feet!

 Not far from the Georgia state line, as a matter of fact.

The drive was filled with super winding roads with no place to pull over until finally we came to an overlook.

So lovely! You could see for miles and miles, even the road in the valley below that we would soon be using to get to the campground.

Once we found the campground and our site, we set up camp. That quilt is entirely too small and since I gave away one that would fit to the Bahamian relief effort, another one is in the works.

 The river is dammed on one part of the property, very near to where Bruce did a little fishing.

If you can imagine, the cute young couple, camping next to us were from St. Augustine, FL. So maybe that's not so weird, but what was amazing is that the 23 year old man went to Boone High School! He's now a firefighter in St. Augustine and she's studying criminal justice. It's tempting to think young people aren't much into camping, yet maybe that's not the case? I'll let you know once we've done it a few more times.

 Roasting marshmallows---black for me please.

Here's the part where I have to tell you something I forgot when writing about our first night in the tent. It's a big laugh on me. I woke during the night and asked Bruce, what is that bright light coming in through the front window? Why, that's the moon honey! Duh!

Before breakfast the next morning, we returned to the visitors center to actually see the gorge, one thousand feet below where we were standing. There are trails on either side, connected by the suspension bridge you see below.

Although going down the 235 steps would have probably been fine, we decided the going back up part was not for us. That said, the views from above were breathtaking.

 In fact, it is really hard to describe both the sights and the sound of a place like this. One of those, "you had to be there" kind of places. I was super stoked when a bluebird flew across the canyon, it's color so vibrant as to be unmissable.

The visitors center is extremely impressive with photos from the films made there, topography explanations, wildlife, as well as the costume Karl Wallenda wore when he tightroped across the canyon!

This article describes it way better than I ever could!  Packing up our gear, we next headed not too far away to the town of Toccoa Falls, a place I'd heard much about but had never seen for myself. Located on the campus of Toccoa Falls College it is easily accessed and just beautiful.

During our visit, with picture perfect weather, it is hard to imagine the heartache this caused when the dam behind it broke and more than 30 people were killed in the ensuing flood.  Never underestimate the power of water, right?  Heading south our next camping spot has a crazy name, Hard Labor Creek State Park. We drove all the country roads to get there, and without the aid of our iPad, I'm not sure that we would have found it!

It was an especially beautiful drive with more like rolling hills than mountains. And here we are, another place built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Because there were not so many campers, the extremely helpful ranger who checked us in allowed us to pretty much pick whatever spot was open as we were the last check in for the day. Nice!

I will say that is one hard thing about this camping business, picking your site from a map when you pretty much know nothing about a place. As well, she refunded some of the money I'd pre-paid for a senior discount! It was around 4 in the afternoon by now and the sun was streaming hot and heavy through the many trees. Actually, it was crazy hot, nearly 90, but fortunately Bruce packed a fan and we had power so no worries there. I convinced Bruce not to put the cover on because the threat of rain was nil, and I am oh so happy he agreed!!

 Sitting by a campfire is the best, even if it is warm outside. We just pulled the chairs further away.

Friends, that uncovered tent was one of the highlights of the entire trip because, although the trees were plentiful, there was just enough of an opening such that I could stargaze to my hearts content. There is nothing quite like sleeping under the stars and I mean nothing. Plus, it cooled off enough that we did not need the fan all night. Marvelous is what I have to say about all this.

An extremely hot day for driving following our night under the stars and finally we were home. Now this is what I call fun!

your friend,

Gail