A Week in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Part 2

Well, here is part two of our week-long trip to Banner Elk, North Carolina. 

Today is Wednesday and mom said our hike today would be the longest one of the entire trip, 3.25 miles total. Like yesterday we started out on The Blue Ridge Parkway. Just before you get to Price Lake you arrive at the Price Lake Picnic Area which is our starting point. The best mom can find out is the elevation is the same as Price Lake, 3,400 feet above sea level.

Since it is winter there were very few cars in the parking lot. This was going to be a 2-trail hike. Starting out on the Boone Fork Loop and then heading off on the trail to the falls. Shortly after we started on the trail mom commented that we startled two deer. I'm not really sure what they were because dogs don't jump like that. 

Every day we have been here has been nicer than the one before it and this was no exception. Mom had worn a t-shirt and jeans and was getting hot. 

The trail ran along side the river most of the time. Mom said that we were above the falls, unlike Linville where we started out below the first falls. 

At one point we came to a trail junction. Across the bridge was the Mountains to Sea trail. If we made a sharp left we would stay on the Boone Fork Loop which is just over 8 miles and another trail mom used to love to hike. Instead we went straight following the signs for Hebron Colony Rock Falls. 

When we finally hiked down a steep, rocky slope to get to the falls mom said that this was not at all what she expected. She thought the falls would be bigger and stronger. 

 

This was looking the other direction. No where near as neat as Linville was. 

All of a sudden mom said "Mea, look at that rock on the other side of the river. It has a perfect round hole in it. I wonder why?" Obviously I was stumped for an answer.  Mom continued on that maybe a someone drilled it out or maybe it was part of a man made dam that used to be here. She said the hiking book gave no answer. 

(Look right in the center of the photo)

As we were heading back to the truck we crossed this stream again. Mom was careful to step on the rocks and pieces of wood while I just splashed though the water and got pretty muddy. Mom said she was glad she carries a towel in the truck for times like this. Personally, I found it very refreshing. 

Near the end of the trail was this old fence post with old barbed wire still wrapped around it. Mom said she thinks this area used to be someone's pasture land.  

When we got closer to the truck mom found a picnic bench and we sat down to rest and have some water.

When we got back to the condo it was such a nice afternoon that mom opened the sliding doors and we sat on the back deck for awhile while the sun shone down on us. We both slept pretty well that night. 

Thursday rolled around and mom said that this would be our last day hiking as she was going into the town of Boone, North Carolina on Friday to do some shopping and meet some ladies she used to work with for lunch. I was okay with that. I could get some great naps in. 

Thursday morning, after pouring over her hiking books mom decided that we should drive up Beech Mountain. It was a short drive up a sort of steep and very windy road. Mom was using her GPS because while she has been on Beech Mountain several times before she had never hiked these trails before. They are called the Emerald Outback Trails. Mom told me how there is a private place on Beech Mountain called The Land of Oz, just like in the movie The Wizard of Oz and how there is a fall festival there every year.  She thinks these trails must be near that place. 

There was this sign at the start to the trails. Mom said that we were much higher in elevation than on any of our previous hikes. 

We started out on this trail. It was very cool and all the trees were bare. No neat rhododendron thickets up here to walk through. Actually nothing green at all except maybe a couple of bushes.

We stopped for a water break as the high elevation was taking a toll on both mom and I. There was a bird calling out in the trees somewhere. Mom said it was an owl, just like we get at home sometimes. It seemed different up here. 

At the water stop place mom took this photo looking out towards the state of Tennessee and Roan Mountain.

Eventually the trail made a sharp u-turn right before the now closed ski slopes. There was still snow in places up here and not only on the ski slopes. 

We saw this old tree and mom wondered aloud how much longer it would last before it fell due to age and rot. 

Shortly after this we turned onto Wizard's Way which took us back to the Oz Forest Run trail not too far from the truck. I was glad because hiking at this elevation is ruff.

Once off Beech Mountain and back in Banner Elk mom made a detour to a store called My Best Friend's Barkery. I had to wait in the truck because there were lots of little, fluffy dogs running around. Mom came back to the truck with goodies. She said since I had been such a great girl on the hikes I earned a Florida State Seminoles jersey and some really good salmon and sweet potato treats that mom says are shaped like salmon. 

I'm not fond of the jersey. Who or what are Florida State Seminoles anyway? But, I really love the salmon and sweet potato treats, "May I have another one please?"

As we were heading back to the condo mom took this photo to try and show you folks how steep the road to the condo was.

Our unit is in the building next to the highest one you see, and there are two more rows of buildings above us. 

That's our building on the right. We're on the ground floor, on the left end. 

When we got home I just relaxed and chilled out while mom got ready to go out for dinner with some friends. She brought my crate and I didn't mind going inside to sleep while she was out, or again on Friday. I'm glad we're done hiking for awhile. 

After we got home on Saturday and were all unloaded mom went to get the mail. She came back really excited and showed me this. I sniffed it,,,hmm it is not food so what gives?

"What's up mom? What is this?" She replied "Sav, Mea." Now the gears are turning and I am more confused. Sav like mom's granddaughter or Sav like mom's friend who taught me the El Toro game I love so much. 

Mom must have seen my confusion because she said "Savannah, Georgia. We are going there for a week in February of next year and we're staying right across the street from Forsyth Park."

Mom showed me a picture. "Wow, that is going to be a great place to take walk in the mornings." 

Notes from mom: Stay tuned we have trips to Wellington, Florida; Decatur, Georgia; Gulfport, Florida; Newland, North Carolina; and Wellington, Florida again all by early December. All are weekend trips except for Newland, North Carolina which is 6 nights.