ELK!!!!! (Pisgah Forest, NC)

Looking back, I covered M,T,W of last week.  Last Thursday we hiked with a group of our co-workers.  We started our day at the Pisgah Inn for breakfast.  Nice breakfast, pleasant company, fantastic views!

Duane, Artie and Dave

From Left: Dr. Charles (our team leader), Barbara (volunteer
coordinator at the Cradle) and Dick

Then we hiked.  There were 7 of us.  Ages included 57, 58, 68, 68, 68, 75, 78.  Quite the spread.  Everyone did extremely well and we kept a good honest pace.  One saving grace was that most of the trail was down hill. We hiked from the Pisgah Inn, literally, down to the Cradle.  About 8 miles in  about 5 hours.

We only took one break on our 5 hour hike 

Friday Debbie and I went to the NC Mountain State Fair.  We had a great time.  We watched chain saw carving for about an hour.  We saw 2 dog shows.  The first was  rescue dogs catching Frisbees and jumping up to 25 feet in distance into a pool,  The second dog show was working Border Collies herding sheep.  Very impressive!  We did a few other odds and ends and capped the evening with watching the Human Cannonball.  I thought it would be hokey but actually it was pretty cool.  We ate gyros, fries, funnel cake and ice cream.  Nice!

Saturday and Sunday we worked.  Previously I have probably whined a bit about the hours and/or boredom.  But now we find the experience to be quite satisfying.  Our team members are great, the work experience pleasant and the area and related activities are wonderful.

Monday we took a road trip with the dogs.  We headed for the Smokey Mountains National Park via the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The destination was the Cataloochee Valley which is in an area north of Maggie Valley.  The purpose was to see ELK!  Twice during the past 10 years Elk have been introduced to the Valley.  The valley is quite isolated and apparently the Elk like the location.  The result is that they roam openly, all within close viewing of the single road in.  The Elk seem to be clustered, maybe a herd, as if they're a family.

 

I did feel a need to corral Bo so that he wouldn't stampede the Elk.  He could!!!  It was well worth the 1 1/2 hour drive which included some single lane gravel roads.

Till next time.

Duane