[Rockhounds] "Down the Other" Trip Report Phase V

[Glenn Wimpee]

Wednesday May 21 was the start of “Down the Other” side of the Appalachians and toward home, though by an indirect route. We headed for Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. A CD offered by the Park at the Front Royal (North) Entrance guided us on our drive.
 
Not sure of how far we’d get with so much scenery and so many stops, plans were to pitch our tent near sunset. That hour found us exiting at Fish Rock and headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway in a heavy mist. Plan B took us off the Parkway for the night.
 
Thursday was a fresh start again back up the mountains and headed on down the Parkway. Pictures will not do justice, but I’ll post some anyway. Too many captivating overlooks and never enough time.
 
We did take enough time to not make it to Franklin, North Carolina that night as planned. This provided the opportunity for ONE (1) [did I say one?] night of camping at last! Mt. Pisgah, the highest campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, made a great spot. Only a very few other campers were there that night. Nice, but Jeanette somehow got cold in her nice sleeping bag, on an air mattress, in the tent.
 
Friday morning we decided to visit the North Carolina Mining Museum on the Parkway prior to heading for Franklin. Then in Franklin we met Ray and Linda Behr who gave us the tour of the best mineral museum I’ve ever seen. Wonderful folks. They are both officers in the SFMS. We drove out to the Sheffield Mine, but were not allowed to buy a bag of their dirt unless we stayed and sluiced it there under their supervision. So we bought a salted bushel bag “for the kids” at another local mine near there, then headed for home like a stable horse.
 
We stopped in North Georgia at Tallulah Falls. It is now off the beaten path on the old highway and we found no good viewing area. The new highway had too much construction to view safely from the bridge. Another stop at a plant nursery for a small Mountain Laurel, a Rhododendron, and a few other plants that will likely die in our climate.
 
As we exited Atlanta on I-85, I remarked to Jeanette that I’d never gotten through that city so easily. HOV2 most of the way. JINX! Premature celebration. As we came under an overpass, 2 Georgia Highway Patrol cars had their radar out and got the car in front of us…and me. Memorial day weekend you know...
 
More fun and family awaited at our home, but that is another story and more fun of a different sort.
 
It is my hope that you enjoyed my retelling of our trip, and that you also enjoy the pictures. Also that it may inspire you to get out and enjoy this wonderful country we are fortunate enough to live in and enjoy.
 
Then please share your travels with us!
 
Thanks for reading this, and your comments and questions are appreciated.
 
 
Glenn & Jeanette
 
 
P.S. Pictures are being added in groups like the written phases of this report. Link:
 
http://pawpawtiger.spaces.live.com/photos
 
OOPS! Reached my limit, more pics in July...enjoy the ones there now.

Glenn ______________________



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