Cherohala Skyway in Autumn 10/21/20

Come Join us for an Autumn Ride along the Cherohala Skyway,  10/21/20

Dear Blog Friends,  Welcome to a day along the Cherohala Skyway. This is a National Scenic Byway which is 43 miles long,  and gradually heads up and then down the mountain between Robbinsville,  North Carolina and Tellico Plains,  Tennessee.

 Some people call this road the "Mile High Legend" ---since the elevation from the bottom to the top is about a MILE..   The name,  Cherohala comes from the two National Forests it crosses,  the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest.

This beautiful Skyway is never as crowded with people as the Smoky Mountains --so in many ways,  we like it almost better.  The drive itself is awesome ---and there are many overlooks along the way for one to stretch his/her legs and capture some pictures.  And --the area has MANY hiking trails!!!  We highly recommend it.  Hope you enjoy this Autumn's journey with us today --across the Cherohala!!!!

For more information about this amazing area,   click HERE,

We started our journey at an elevation of less than 1000 feet --and drove to the top of the mountain at approximately 5400 feet (and then back down the other side). So--you will enjoy the pictures at various elevations along the way. 

I love to look UP and see the pretty colors along with the blue skies.

Just a big carpet of color!  Wow --wish you could have seen this in person!!!

Different elevation from the last picture,  and not quite as much color! But---I love seeing the colorful mountain ranges in the distance.

I zoomed in here to see all of the RED trees, always my favorites!!

This picture is 'brighter' since the colors really pop out when the sun and blue skies are there.  (As you can tell from precious pictures,  we did have a little trouble with sunshine and blue skies when we were on the Cherohala.)

We stopped at one of the many overlooks and this is what we saw!!!!

I really think that this picture along the Cherohala Skyway says it all on this day (10/21/20). You see some colors at various elevations,  some blue skies,  some mountain ranges,  and some clouds--along with some sunshine. What more could one want?????

For my last picture,  I'll share a picture from our stop at Indian Boundary (on our way back down the mountain).   I love the colors of this tree hanging out over the water. 

 

Well--that's enough for today.  I used to post many more pictures --but in these crazy, busy times, most people prefer less pictures when looking at a Blog post. So I make myself stop with 10...

I hope you enjoyed seeing DAY TWO of our little Leaf-Peaking Trip.   What a fabulous trip it was this year.   We have taken this trip in the Fall several times --and this year may have been our best one  for colors and great weather.  We spent Day 1 in and around the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Day 2 in and around the Cherohala Skyway.  Between those two days,  we spent the night at a wonderful old INN  (FRYEMONT INN) in Bryson City,  NC.  Excellent rustic inn --with lots of history!

If you missed my photos from Day 1 (in the Smokies),  click HERE.

Have a great week, my friends, and thanks for 'allowing' me to share my A Fib Story last week.  Hopefully, my story can help someone else.  I am feeling better this week --so hopefully I will be able to get out and do more hiking and walking soon.  

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

 

 

 

On Top of Ole Smoky!!!!

Dear Blog Friends,   Happy November!!!!  Goodness --how time flies!!!!   Soon it will be Christmas... Mercy Me!!!!!

George and I made our annual Fall Trip (searching for Pretty Fall Colors) on October 20 and 21, 2020.  We certainly picked a gorgeous couple of days this year,  as you can tell when looking at our pictures.  Every year is different from another --and the trees are prettier some years, more than others... This was a very good year for the colors.

Since we both took over 500 pictures each on this trip,  I had a hard time knowing where to begin when sharing the pictures with you.   SO--for my first Blog Post from that trip,   I'm concentrating on one specific area.  The first day was spent  in the Smoky Mountains ---and all of these pictures were taken in or near Newfound Gap on Highway 441 with an elevation of about 5,050 feet.   (We did not check out Clingman's Dome this trip due to WAY too much TRAFFIC.)  Newfound Gap is where the state of Tennessee meets North Carolina.  Some of the best overlooks in this area are Newfound Gap itself,  plus about the next 3-5 overlooks heading south toward Cherokee,  NC. 

 I tried to share pictures from all of those overlooks ---and as you can tell,  some of the colors are different depending upon whether or not I was shooting into the sun --or the other direction.  Some are zoomed in so that I could not only see the Fall colors but could put some emphasis on the beautiful mountain ranges on a beautiful clear day!!  

Relax and enjoy the pictures  on a beautiful Autumn Day in October in Tennessee and North Carolina!!

Lots of different colors when looking UP at that blue sky!!!

This picture was taken at Newfound Gap --looking south.   Those yellow/gold/rust colored trees/leaves were gorgeous.

Some of those gorgeous  "spruce-fir"  evergreens found all around Newfound Gap.

This is the first overlook beyond Newfound Gap in North Carolina.

Looking away from the sun presents some beautiful blue skies!!!

This was an interesting picture showing a zoomed in picture --with all of those brilliant Orange colors surrounding the big "spruce-fir" evergreens.

Ranges and Ranges of mountains ---on a clear (NON-hazy) day  (which is rare in the mountains)!!!!

This overlook in North Carolina has always been a favorite... I like this picture so much that I'm using it this month as my Header picture on my Blog.

Here are two very happy people enjoying the Autumn Colors in the Smoky Mountains on Oct. 20, 2020. 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures... Believe me,  as slow as I seem to be these days,  it took me a VERY long time to pick out just the "perfect" (ha) pictures for YOU.  

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers about my upcoming procedure/surgery,  that I mentioned in last week's post.  Most of you remember my Cardiac Ablation from June 2019... WELL--I'm having another one tomorrow (Nov. 3rd).   My first Ablation worked GREAT for about 9 months or so..  I felt as if I had my life back!!!!!   WELL---in 2020,  I've gone back into A Fib 9 different times (BIGTIME).  Tried new meds (didn't work --except to make me SICKER, especially my stomach issues)...   SO --new doctor/new ideas!!!!!    THEREFORE--here we go again...  I hope I can get my life back one more time!!!!!!!  I still have a lot of quality living I want to do.   PRAYERS please...  Thanks!

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕