Jim and I enjoyed our first sunrise over the Smokies this morning. I got up before 4:00 and checked the sky - it was filled with stars so I brewed our delicious coffee and we headed for the mountains. The sky was clear as we climbed Look Rock Tower and watched as sunlight dazzled us with the panoramic mountain views. It was the most perfect morning.
After the sunrise we drove to the National Park and hiked 4 miles to a triple waterfall. The beauty that we have seen this day has been breath taking and at the same time makes breathing easy. Walking the mountain trail enclosed with a canopy of leaves and greenery with
only the sound of the river falling swiftly over the rocks. Watching beams of sunlight splashing the ground ahead of us making us want to see whatever is ahead or just around the corner.
As the trail got steeper it turned into switchbacks and we tried to imagine how these trails had once been used by trains and cars and now they are barely passable. We saw old steel rails from a long ago era when they hauled trees from this area. We saw only a chimney standing in the middle of a clearing - standing alone - no longer useful. We saw flowers. We sat on moss covered rocks. We felt the cold water with our hands. And still, at the end of the day it was hard to leave the mountains.
Here's to the Ride!
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