I phoned her house and her hubby hadn't yet left for work..so we chatted for a few minutes and then Tonya got on the phone. We arranged for her to come with her son, Evan, to the hotel and then we'd go to the 50's diner next door for dinner. We met them in the lobby and I think we both instantly felt comfortable with each other. We went to the diner and had a nice meal together. Her son was a real sweetie (as was Tonya). Then they came back to our room for a bit and we had some more fun. We made plans to go to their house on Wednesday so we could meet Tonya's hubby. Here is a photo of me and Tonya with her son after dinner that night.
The next day.....Day # 3, Gary and I spent going to Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock. Grandfather Mountain is a mile above sea level. The scenery is amazing.......but the hairpin curves in the road leading up to there are a bit scary!!! They have a swinging bridge up there and I only went about one foot onto it and then headed for the gift shop while Gary went across it and took photos. I know...chicken, but I am not great with heights and that was a bit too much for me! Grandfather Mountain also has a nice nature museum and a very nice animal area where they have animals in their natural habitats....VERY nicely done.......bears, deer, otters, eagles, cougars. I really enjoyed that part of Grandfather Mountain. Here are some photos from Grandfather Mountain...more tomorrow and Blowing Rock photos tomorrow, too. (A side note...I see that I have used up quite a bit of my photo allowance on Blogger now...guess I'll have to go back soon and delete some photos from my earliest posts....BOO!)This is a cinnamon colored black bear named Kodiak. They tell us that only 1% of the black bears in North America are this color, so they feel fortunate to have one there. He was quite active that day and Gary got some video of him, too. (You should be able to click twice on these photos and see them in greater detail, I believe. The area is BEAUTIFUL!)
Me at the very beginning of the mile-high swinging bridge...trying to look relaxed! LOL
They say wind gusts of up to 200 mph had been recorded on the top of this mountain. The day we were there, it was shirt sleeve weather at the base of the mountain but a wind-chill of 37 at the top by the bridge. Lucky for us, it was only "breezy" that day and not "windy". I doubt I'd have stood on any part of the swinging bridge if it had been windy!
Don't you just love that hairpin curve in the road? Whew....and they have this place open all winter long, too!!! There is even one curve called Forrest Gump curve as it was shown in the movie with him running on it. I'll have to look at the movie again soon to see it.
After being up so high, I was having an adrenaline rush, so I felt I needed to work off some of that energy by bench-pressing a boulder or two......
Tomorrow.....more photos from Day #2.
22 comments:
Love the pictures! Glad you & Tonya got to meet! I with you on the swing bridge!! Ekkkkkkkk
I'm not sure I'd make it over the swinging bridge either. Someone always ends up jumping up and down on it trying to be funny! Loved seeing how you work off your excess energy!
It was so nice that you got to see Tonya. The pictures of the scenery are really nice. I had never heard of that area. What big city in NC is it near? My Dear, what big muscles you have!
Bench press that boulder, Pat!!!! You go!!!!! Wow, You're brave. I probably wouldn't go near that bridge. A mile high? No sireee!
i'm so glad that you and Tonya hit it off. Her boy is a cutie pie!
The mountains of NC are such a beautiful area of the country. I love visiting there. Great pictures.
Gorgeous scenery! Looks like a great trip. I don't think I'd like that swinging bridge, however.
I am so glad that you and Tonya had fun when you got together. It is fun to meet fellow bloggers.
Yeah...I would not be thrilled to walk on that bridge either, but the scenery is absolutely gorgeous.
Lots of wonderful pictures :0) No way would I walk across that bridge. I don't mind heights but I prefer firm footing LOL.
Crispy
Love your photos! Glad you were able to get together with Tonya and her son. It is nice to be able to actually meet fellow bloggers. I am not a fan of heights either, but I think I would have gone over the bridge. The beautiful scenery would beat out my fear of heights. I would love to visit down there sometime.
I look scared to death in that photo.....i've bench pressed that same boulder....haha
that 6th picture down, see that huge white condo building on top of the mountain? It's private, we've tried many times to get to that and we can't get past the gate. We're thinking the view from up there would be priceless. There's a resturant up there as well, we can't seem to reach it either. SNOBS!! lol
We were down there 2 weeks ago ... tho been many times, & it is as gorgeous as you share. What fun you met with Tonya ... it is always an added special delight to meet our bloggy friends.
Have a beautiful week.
TTFN Hugs, Marydon
Looks like you are pushing that rock out of the way. Too funny!! Lovely pics, especially the Kodiak bear the fall colors photo that follows it. Tonya's son is a cutie. How fun to meet Tonya, someone you've e-mailed with and then get to know them in person. :-) I, too, am reaching my limit in blogger but you can purchase more space so I am considering doing that. I keep intending to have my blog printed into a book and once that's done I wouldn't mind deleting photos.
How fun. Hairpin turns scare me. Love seeing your trip.
Those wonderful hairpin turns - I loved them when we lived in Tennessee! They were everywhere - and going through the old "Sam's Gap" on the way to Asheville!
We don't have many of those hairpin curves up here in New England.
Wonderful photos from your vacation Pat! Gorgeous scenery!!! I've never been on a swinging bridge, but think I would feel to secure up there... Yeesh!!
Good stuff meeting up with fellow bloggers!!! 8-)
Me too...No way would I walk across that bridge. I don't mind heights but not these bridges..
Julia ♥
Da da da....The Adventures of Quilter Woman! She holds up boulders so other quilters can shop!! LOL
Super pics, hoping Tonya takes your offer to visit here so I can meet her, too! Sounds like we would all have fun! Great trip!!
Sherry
Great photos. Those curves would scare me.
Can't wait to hear more.
Really enjoying the photos Pat! The weather looks perfect for all the scenery!
We have had a cinnamon bear visit our CO. home-they are very unusual, we mostly get the dark coated black bears.
it looks like a wonderful vacation. I love the colors of the leaves and the mums...That lookout is something else.
I am so happy that you and Tonya got together...She is a great person and so are you...I am not surprised that you both hit it off.....
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