Relaxing in the Mountains

We enjoyed a nice little get-away in the NC mountains Sunday and Monday.  We just decided on Saturday to drive up to the mountains and enjoy the cooler weather.   Sonny remarked as we were driving up there that he didn’t think he’d ever been on the Blue Ridge Parkway!!   What’s up with that?  We arrived in Blowing Rock around lunchtime and found a restaurant that had a lot of cars parked in front.  That’s always a good sign for a good restaurant in my opinion.  Canyons Restaurant used to be a liquor store back in the early 1900’s and supposedly there are hidden areas in the building.  They were serving a Sunday brunch with a little Jazz quartet playing.  I had a Southwestern Omelet and it was delicious!!  I would recommend Canyons to you if you are in Blowing Rock on a Sunday!   After brunch, we wandered around downtown Blowing Rock and then drove up to Boone and wandered around the Mast General Store there.  We ended up driving back to Blowing Rock and getting a room in a local motel downtown and walking over to the Speckled Trout for dinner.  Another great choice!  I had fresh mountain trout … yum!  After dinner, we wandered over to the Six Pence Pub (you surprised?) where we ended the evening with a few nightcaps. 

Sunday was a gorgeous day (it rained off and on on Saturday) and we headed over to view THE Blowing Rock.  Glad we only had to pay $5 to view it …. not worth much more than that!  But the view was great and we had a nice walk around the grounds.  Then we headed over to Grandfather Mountain where the admission was a little more than $5 ($15) but was worth it this time.  We were inspired by the views from the highest point in the Blue Ridge while we crossed over the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge.  I remember going to Grandfather Mountain many times as a child and being scared to death to walk across that bridge!  It’s funny what you perceive as scary when you’re young.  I thought I remembered a wooden bridge that was actually swinging back and forth.  Yes, the bridge does swing, but you can barely tell and it is NOT wooden!  I actually went over the bridge with my arms in the air!! 

A great view of THE Rock

I climbed up on the backside of the Blowing Rock and was holding on so I wouldn’t slip off!

Sonny & I with Grandfather Mountain & The Swinging Bridge in the background.

Halfway across the Swinging Bridge (those are Sonny’s feet)!

This bear was almost posing for the cameras!  There were 3 bears in captivity – pretty sad!  I remember when we used to actually see them on the side of the road when we went to the mountains.

This was really sad.  This beautiful Bald Eagle was shot by a hunter and now he can’t fly.  He was trying to flap his wings but as you can see, he could only flap one side.  He was making a pitiful sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can’t wait to go back in the fall to see the changing colors of the foliage.