We've been lax about taking enough R & R time in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountain area where we reside.....
Yesterday was what mountain living is all about.......the crisp morning evolved into a sunny warm day. Unlike me......"The husband" is not directionally challenged.....he travels all the back roads on his motorcycle and decided to share one of his favorite rides with me. (In a car....I won't do the motorcycle thing).
This is just one of the numerous small waterfalls that can be seen along the road to Wayah Bald in the Nantahala National Forest.
The John Byrne Memorial Tower is undergoing renovation at the top of the Bald. In 1931, John Byrne became the Forest Supervisor for the forest.
The tower is no longer a wooden structure......it's going to be a handsome stone observation tower. I was stunned how remote this area is.......even now......but when I reflected about how isolated the forest service employees were when they manned the tower, watching for forest fires, it's astonishing that they could get anyone up there for weeks at a time, traveling only by horse or motorcycle. Later a better road was built and a bumpy auto ride was possible.
And look at this view........you can see for miles. Obviously, a perfect place for fire watchers at elevation of 5,300 feet.
When the inevitable fires occurred......both forest employees and volunteers gathered to fight them. Look at the gear they are wearing and using to fight the fires......it must have been very dangerous!
Small world.....our UPS delivery man's grandfather was Grady Siler.....who was the Forest's first district Ranger. He lived in this house with his wife from 1917-1918. It's located at about the halfway point from the top of the bald.
With all this sightseeing.....we needed energy. 'The husband' is a huge chocolate fan and often stops at Mountainside Chocolates which has some of the best. It's located on Highway 441, North of Franklin, NC
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