North Carolina in the Fall

Fall put on a wonderful show for us today - a crisp night of 1' followed by a bright sunny day of 16', no wind, no cloud - so that the colours of the leaves glowed. The red of red maple, red oak and scarlet oak fairly snapped crackled and popped against the yellow of yellow polar and other oaks and maples interspersed with the dark green of red spruce and white pine. (I have consulted my forestry expert to get that bit correct. )

We left the b&b early to get started on the trek to Blacksburg Virginia where the Burgers live, which meant no posh b&b breakfast - instead breakfast at The Moose Cafe because David wanted me to experience a Moose Cake. But before that came a hot biscuit (scone) with apple butter then the Moose Cake (pancake) the size of a dinner plate. This was at 7.30 am and the place filled up soon after. In the foyer was a welcoming very large stuffed moose.

We soon got onto the Blue Ridge Parkway which runs along the mountains for 470 miles through North Carolina and Virginia. At Asheville we were 2000 feet above sea level and driving through mixed forest filled with glorious colour and as it was so early - no-one else around.

By Mount Mitchell, 6000 feet above sea level everything had changed: more people, icicles by the side of the road, less trees and less fall foliage then the road comes down again, the day warmed up, fall foliage came back and the number of people increased dramatically. Cars were everywhere and people determined to enjoy the sun and leaves. We had it easy, sitting back and drinking it all in while Jim did the driving and coped with the traffic.

Time ran out and we had to return to the major highways to get to Blacksburg in time for dinner.