Smokies--Day Two

On our second day there, after a very cold night in our tent, we warmed up as we hiked up to Alum Cave Bluff. The horizon line on this photo is off, but the protective lean of these bluffs' walls was impressive.

We added another three and a half miles to Andrew's Bald to bring our hiking mileage total to eight miles for the day. This peaceful spot is one I want to return to. The soft grass and open meadow make for a good place to pause and rest.

We made our way back to camp for some photos with autumn's colors. We were there at the very end of that season, but there were still places down low with an array of reds, yellows, and oranges, Asking for the kids to smile for a photo was painful--for every one that looks like it worked out I had taken three others.

They were most interested in getting back to play in camp, for a campfire, and so that I could read more chapters in Harry Potter. I started this series as we drove out of Charlottesville and our kids couldn't get enough of it. 

Dinner on Day Two was a crowd-pleaser.  Hot dogs always taste so good when we're camping, but balancing them with nutritious vegetables helps me enjoy them a bit more.

That evening wasn't as cold as it had been the night before and we heard rumors that a big storm would move in during the night. We tucked ourselves into bed anyway.

Near 11 p.m. we woke up to loud winds. The sway of the trees and the rush of wind through the leaves sounded like the breaking of waves on a beach. We thought we heard a few trees fall and branches were breaking. Our tent shifted violently to the side over and over. We realized how vulnerable we were. After listening to it for an hour and a half we packed up and drove all the way back to Virginia. We had only seen about half of our planned destinations in the Smokies but we felt better about finishing that another time.