Mountain Trip with My Mom

Last mountain post, finally!!!  :)



Earlier this year, my mom and I were able to take a couple of overnight trips.   In March we went to the Southport/Oak Island area, and in mid-April we went to the Boone area.  Well, after Andrew and I took our day trip to the Boone area on October 11, I asked Mama if she wanted to go since we both had a couple of open days.

So, on Tuesday, October 13, we met at my house (since I live a bit closer to the mountains) and we headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Getting ready to leave

We enjoyed many of the same sights Andrew and I saw two days prior, but we also went to a few places that Andrew and I skipped.

"...and here's my house."

We visited the Moses Cone Manor grounds, and took a short walk and enjoyed the view.

We also ate lunch by the stream at the Julian Price picnic area.  We took another short walk there. 

this was something we saw on the walk

Then we enjoyed looking at the lake.

And other views along the parkway.

Later we went to Blowing Rock where we split up.  We shopped a bit, snacked some, read, walked, enjoyed people-watching, stuff like that.  We checked in periodically, but this was our time to just do what we pleased.

I found a lovely sunny spot with wonderful flowers at the Episcopal church.

the little park behind the parking area

I bought a winter flag with cardinals and a lamp post at a small shop.

Eventually we left there to eat supper at Cracker Barrel, and then we went to our hotel for the night.

The next morning, we headed to Valle Crucis where we first stopped by to see a church I remembered from a previous visit with Andrew.  I actually thought this was the white church with the green roof, but found out I was mistaken.  This was the stone Episcopal church with the retreat or conference center on the grounds.

It's only a few minutes drive from the community park which was our next stop.  We walked some here, posed for a few pictures, and then took some time to just relax and read.

Mama picked this spot by the river, but it got really gusty after a time.

Eventually she moved to a sunny spot

closer to where I'd been reading in the sun.

We saw these folks just before we left the park

Later we visited the annex and original Mast General Store.  Mama met a family from Florida. They were all sitting out on the back porch. The family shared their pickled okra (I declined, but Mama tried it.)  She said they asked where she was from, and finding out we were from NC, looked at each other and said, "See? The locals do come here."  (We aren't exactly local local, but more so than Floridians would be!)

From Valle Crucis, we went through Boone towards Todd. Andrew often rides his bike on the old railroad road, but Mama and I were actually going to check out the area around Elk Knob State Park on Meat Camp Road.  We went two miles past EKSP and ran into some stunning views!  I turned around at a driveway just past a bridge, and we stopped at EKSP for a couple of pictures.

We left there and visited Todd for a short while before heading home.

We had a great trip!