Day Two
I slept like crap, I always do unless everything is
exactly right and it never is in a hotel.
Woke up about 7 and get the troops in gear, we packed and loaded everything
and headed for breakfast. Matt was feeling queasy and did not eat. We were all
a little sick from the day before, I am guessing the chips did it, we rarely
get them and I always keep a close eye on the amount the kids are eating-chips
are just such a horrid 'food'. But yesterday, we passed the bag around and around
and managed to eat the whole thing in just a couple of hours. ~ugh~
I dosed us all with ginger ale and hot green tea and by lunch, we were feeling fine and starving.
We stopped at Tellico Plains and topped off the van for the drive across the mountains. Matt drove, making this trip the first time since I was a kid that I have been to the mountains and not been behind the wheel.
First stop was Bald River Falls, then
on to the Skyway.
It was beautiful, we drove the Cherohala Skyway, starting at about 1,500 feet and getting up to 5500 feet at the highest point. That is where we stopped for a picnic and a wonderful hike up to Hooper's Bald. It was huge-a big open area at the very top of the mountain, we stood on the overlook rock and were amazed by the view-so amazed that I did not take any pictures! hahahaha Matt did, I hopefully I can snag one of his. We plan to go back ASAP, it is a 'have to' from now on. The hike itself was about a mile through open woods literally carpeted with wildflowers. It emerged at the bald, which was-as I mentioned-the biggest bald we have ever hiked to and the highest so far.
Yesterday we went to Buck's Bald, which was very pretty but you could see houses and such from up there. This view was nothing but mountains rolling off in all directions and one strip of the road that we took to get there.
Cherohala Skyway from Hooper's Bald
Ben on the Bald
Ben and Chan look at bugs
The trail at Hooper's Bald
After lunch, we loaded back up and
dropped off the Skyway to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. I had been there 2 years
ago and it was MUDDY. Since then, there has been much trail improvement, making
the hike very pleasant. The kids gathered around every tree there, it felt like.
That is the attraction for Kilmer Forest-the HUGE trees.
The wildflowers were just overwhelming, all day long. Going up and over the Skyway was like peeling back time-week by week. At the start and finish the trees were in full leaf, flowers up and huge and many things bloomed and gone or fading. As we climbed, the flowers changed, going back and back-the trees sucked in their leaves and by the very top, there were barely any buds and only the very early-spring beauty, bluets, bloodroot, violets, trout lily-flowers were blooming. It was amazing, what an experience.
We drove back down to about 1500 feet on the other end and the trees budded, bloomed, put out leaves, the flowers changed-now trillium, dandelions, wild mint, buttercup, wild geranium, flox...all the way through to fire pinks by the lake. It was like watching the last month in fast forward. : )
We decided to head for the hotel-I already had a reservation
in Cherokee-and as soon as we got checked in, Matt and I showered and it was
off to eat. Ah, Burger King! Back to the hotel-we got a suite, so plenty of
room tonight! and watch a bit of TV and off to bed, hopefully for a solid night's
sleep.
We have no idea where we will go tomorrow, I have proposed 3 options: Gatlinburg,
Chattanooga, Helen, GA.
Day Two Totals
Room in Cherokee: $53
Gas (half tank): $32
Burger King: $20.34
Dollar General (toothpaste and contact juice): $6.27