To Heaven With The Hackers (Pisgah Forest, NC)

If you're keeping up, a few blogs ago we had "To Hell With The Hackers."  Well today was a little different!  We departed at 0830.  Our destination was Sam Knob.  We drove 4 miles up the mountain, then about ten miles down the Parkway.  It looked like it would be a pretty day.  Our hike was to be 4-5 miles.We hit the trail at 0930.  Now all I can do is GUSH!  The hike took us steadily to the top of the knob at 6200 feet.  There we watched a Hawk soar within the thermal currents as if he knew we were watching.

 The views were just beautiful.

  The sky was soooo blue. 

The weather was  the best.  High 70's, low 80's, no humidity and often a gentle breeze.  The wildflowers were abundant and spectacular.

 

 

The true photographers were having a full day. 

                                                           

                                                

We headed down the mountain to have lunch at a stream. Not just any stream but the picture perfect mountain stream.  There we sat among the boulders soothed by the babbling brook. 

 

We pressed on to a pleasant waterfall. 

Then we encountered a butterfly whose purpose was to be photographed.  He flitted about and repeatedly posed on a branch.  Even I got pictures of him. 

The hike in was easy and rewarding.   We were on the trail about 5 hours.  We returned to the Cradle and then got together again for dinner.  We cruised down the mountain for some Mexican. A very nice day!!!