A Chance To Relax

God didn't give me any sons, but he did bless me with two daughters who share their Dad's love of the outdoors. Hiking? Camping? Shooting the guns? They're all in! So I've been trying to find a weekend to squeeze in one more camping trip with the youngest daughter before I have to take her up to Boone to start college. We've both been busy, and the weather has been, well, wet for most of the summer. This past weekend we finally were able to get away, and for once, the weather cooperated.

We went to Mt. Pisgah campground, which is on the Blue Ridge Parkway across from Pisgah Inn. We have camped at Cataloochee for years, but they have instituted a reservation system that makes it almost impossible to get a campsite unless you reserve (and pay) months in advance. Our ever changing schedules just don't allow for that. So we gave Mt. Pisgah a try, and we were fairly well pleased with our choice.

This campground is the highest on the entire Parkway at about 5000'. That made for surprisingly mild temperatures, especially for August. What's camping without a campfire? The temperatures in the evening kept the campfire from becoming an uncomfortable extravagance. We were able to grill our pork chops, make coffee, and roast marshmallows in relative comfort.

What did we do on this camping trip? Not much. I spent most of the afternoon relaxing and catching up on some reading. It was overcast most of the afternoon, so we were hesitant to venture too far from the campground in case the rain came. We took a short drive on the Parkway, where the Turk's cap Lilies were in bloom. Of course I brought my camera on this trip, but I barely made a dozen exposures all afternoon. I was content to just relax on this trip.

Turk's Cap Lily, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC  -  2013

(Click on photo to enlarge.)