down the mountain
To every beginning there is an end. We fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate and tainted) few see the end before we start. Sometimes we choose to ignore it temporarily, enjoying the moments while they last. Sometimes we live in anticipation of the end and don’t enjoy anything. And sometimes we hope the end never comes because then we must face what we knew all along, that every open door must be closed again in order to move ahead through the next. This is how I feel when I come to the end of my time in the mountains. I felt a peace there, a peace that was akin to a child wrapped in a mother’s arms, like being cocooned in the warmth of something beautiful and serene. The realization that it was time to go back down the mountain, back to cities, back to reality, back to a world where you have to look harder for quiet moments and the time and inclination for photos is not as strong was like breaking free of that cocoon – in some ways liberating, and in other ways imposing a feeling akin to loss. Not great loss, because I have known great losses. But a small loss, like you’re leaving something behind that you may not ever get to see again, but God willing, you shall. Here are some images from the last full day I spent in the heart of the mountains before coming back to reality and heading to Asheville.
it was probably too bright to take great pictures of Linville falls, but here they are anyway.
though there was a fee to get onto grandfather mountain, it was worth it. The park attendant gave me a military discount and about 50 pieces of literature on the park to take back to the base. Very inudstrious of her to spread the word through me!
Grandfather mountain was a bit of a tourist haven with a museum, restuarant and a zoo of sorts. But they had some really cool rescued animals and a mile high swinging bridge which was a bit scary considering the wicked wind that day, but worth crossing all the same. Here are some images of the animals and the view from the top of Grandfather Mountain.
even though you can't really see who this is (um, yeah, it's me), I think it's a pretty cool pic, taken graciously by a random stranger I aproached.
that's why they call it the mile high bridge. duh.
it was probably too bright to take great pictures of Linville falls, but here they are anyway.
though there was a fee to get onto grandfather mountain, it was worth it. The park attendant gave me a military discount and about 50 pieces of literature on the park to take back to the base. Very inudstrious of her to spread the word through me!
Grandfather mountain was a bit of a tourist haven with a museum, restuarant and a zoo of sorts. But they had some really cool rescued animals and a mile high swinging bridge which was a bit scary considering the wicked wind that day, but worth crossing all the same. Here are some images of the animals and the view from the top of Grandfather Mountain.
even though you can't really see who this is (um, yeah, it's me), I think it's a pretty cool pic, taken graciously by a random stranger I aproached.
that's why they call it the mile high bridge. duh.
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