|
|
|
Neal grew up in the western Carolinas, and Ethan was brave enough to join him
on a nostalgic vacation. The journey was wonderful! Concentrating on Asheville,
North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee, as well as a little excursion to Grandmother's
farm in South Carolina, the pictures will show the incredible beauty of the country.
|
|
|
|
|
A visit to Asheville, NC, would not be complete without a day at the Biltmore Estate.
Built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt as a mountain retreat, an amazing 250-room mansion
sits on 12,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home to the villages of Lake Lure, Chimney Rock, and Bat Cave, NC, Hickory
Nut Gorge is beautiful all year. Neal's mother lives here in a house on
the French Broad River.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visiting Bat Cave, NC, means visiting family. In this picture -
Lower left to right: Cousin Virginia; Mom
Upper left to right: Grandmother;
Grandmother's stepsister, Cora Allison;
Grandmother's sister, Aunt Ila
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chimney Rock is a large rock formation rising from the side of a mountain;
it resembles an enormous chimney. The view from Chimney Rock is amazing: the
picture of Hickory Nut Gorge above, and the picture of Lake Lure below were
taken from Chimney Rock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lake Lure is a beautiful body of water - so beautiful that one is surprised
to learn that the lake is not naturally made, but was created several years
ago by a dam project.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Traveling to Tennessee from North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is
the best choice to see the ancient, rolling Blue Ridge mountains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Blue Ridge Mountains experienced a great deal of volcanic activity
during formation. At Sweetwater, TN, a large underground lake was created.
The Lost Sea conducts a wonderful tour of the caves and tunnels that lead
to the underground lake, and the tour ends with a boat ride on the lake.
This picture is one of the unusual mineral formations found during the tour.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not far from the Lost Sea is Ruby Falls - an underground waterfall near
Chattanooga, TN. A tour that takes visitors through spectacular
caves and tunnels ends at the impressive Ruby Falls. This pictures
shows one of large rooms before the waterfall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
