Monday, August 18, 2014

Memorial Day Trip - 2014

Went to Hendersonville, NC for a week over Memorial Day week.  Had my first blow out of a trailer tire along the way, called Good Sam Roadside Assistance, but they could not find me (outside of Lumberton on Rt. 74), but a nice young Marine stopped to help me, changed the tire and I got to my campground OK.  My boss's brothers-in-law lived in Lumberton, and they took me to a tire dealer that was a friend of theirs and I got two new tires for the camper for a really good price.  Took Annie with me and did lots of hiking in Chimney Rock State Park, where Annie had her first bus ride.  Since it was a holiday weekend, it was quite crowded and everyone had to park at the base of Chimney Rock and get bussed up to where we could start the 500 stair climb to the top.  Annie would have absolutely nothing to do with the school busses - the steps were too high and the noise too loud, but there was a smaller bus - more like a large van that she had no trouble with.  There were lots of kids and other dogs to greet along the way to the top (thank God - I got to rest a bit and catch my breath during those meet and greet sessions).  The rhododendrons had already bloomed, but the mountain laurel were still going strong in the upper elevations.  Then we went to DuPont State Forest and hiked there, and Gorges State Park which was not worth the drive to Cashiers for.  We did DuPont State Forest two times, the second one after Memorial Day when it was much quieter and less crowded.  All in all, a very good trip.
Chimney Rock from the parking lot

Almost to the top

Lake Lure from the top

Made it to the top

Looking up the valley to the North

A nice old barn near the campground

Honeysuckle along the fence

Mountain Laurel

Haven't a clue as to what this is

High Falls - DuPont State Forest

Sunlight and Rhododendron

Beautiful butterfly

Hooker Falls Creek

The forest

Flowers underfoot




Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls Creek

Triple Falls

A babbling brook in the forest

Young Rhododendrons

Sunlight on a new shoot of Rhododendron

Tiger Swallowtail butterflies

My rig

Annie's favorite place in the trailer

A real good job on the tire don't you think?

I feel downright inferior between these two

Home sweet home

Getting ready to plant tomatoes - LOTS of tomatoes

 

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