Mount Mitchell

When I was a kid in Maine, I remember being surprised to hear that the highest peak in the east wasn't Mount Washington (from last October), but some mountain in western North Carolina. Today D and I drove to the top -- well, except for the short walk up to the brand new observation tower on top. Standing at 6684', D pointed out that the top of Dad's head was higher than anything in eastern North America (at least that wasn't flying). Given that many of the summits around here are called "balds", it seemed fitting!

Blue Ridge Parkway

We followed the Parkway north from Sylva to Grandfather Mountain (except for the section that was closed between Asheville and Mount Mitchell). The hardwood forests were still pretty bare, but the trees are starting to bud out. The road cuts were cascades of ice and in the morning sun they were dripping and the icicles were falling and shattering on the rocks.

The Parkway is a great road to drive -- especially today in nice weather, with the sun at our back, and with virtually no traffic. D would love this, but the rental company requires drivers to be 21.

Road Trip

The objectives of this trip are a bit fuzzy, though they involve multiple states, maybe some of their highest points, a couple of civil war battlefields, and making it back to Nashville by Thursday night.

We've already checked off several states. Yesterday it was Washington, Colorado (15 minutes at Denver International), and Tennessee. Today it was Alabama (just the northeast corner), a brief swing into Georgia (more tomorrow), and North Carolina. That's where we are tonight - and given their current lead against Oklahoma, I suspect the dinner crowd will be in good spirits.