Hiking Day

The hubby and I decided (I did!) that we needed to go up to the apple orchard in Hendersonville today to get more apples as we have already consumed the large bag of apples that I bought a month ago.    So we loaded up the dog and left at 8:30am for the 2 hour drive.

We got the apples and some cider..and some fried apple pies and apple cider donuts.   Oh my, the donut was melt in your mouth wonderful!      

Since it was so early yet, not even lunch time, we decided (I did!) to go to Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike for a while and for the dog to get out of the car and stretch her legs too.   We stopped at the McDonalds to get some lunch to take with us for a picnic as I knew where a picnic area was on the Parkway.       We started the hike about 1pm and got back to the car at 4pm.   Three hours to hike 2 miles!!  And I did not stop too many times for photos!   

The hike was not really that hard as far as up hill or down hill but it was a very diverse trail.   Started out going down some steps and over the bridge at the river.   Last month NJoyce68 and I walked this trail to the Lower Falls of Graveyard Fields, which was to the right.   We turned left onto a narrow dirt trail that continue on fairly level, with some bridges over the wet areas and then we started seeing some different stuff..roots, rocks, creek crossings, mud, narrow passages through rock walls, climbing up hill all the while.   We finally made it to the waterfall.  I was a little disappointed as the waterfall flow was not great and of course, being a weekend, there were way too many people there for me to get a decent photo.      Actually, I think the lower falls is a much prettier waterfall but we did not have time to get to that falls today.     This collage shows some of the different parts of the trail where we walked today. 

It was a great hike though as the weather was cool and overcast until we were almost back to the car. So glad the sun was not shining brightly as it would have been hot!    My poor Gypsy dog was so tired she slept   most of the way home.  She did get in the river a couple of times to cool off!   We had to let her off leash on some of the rocky areas and root areas going down hill because she was moving too fast for us and we felt it would be too dangerous to try to hang on to her.   She listened really well today when I told her to stop and wait for us to catch up!  

  A long day for us as we arrived back home at 8pm!      Sleep is calling me!