Merry Christmas to all

Enjoy the season and may you have a happy and prosperous New Year.

Even though times seem economically tough for some, it is incumbent on everyone to explore new places and enjoy new experiences, whether near or far.

Pease excuse this short post, but times have been hectic.

Next post: Jan. 10, 2012

Amicalola Falls descends seemingly forever

Yours truly and wife Linda

Oftentimes one finds an interesting sight when not expected.

Such was the case on a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a number of years ago.

We had decided to take a different route north from Atlanta seeking a new perspective on the countryside.

We were not disappointed.

As was the case, the March day was getting long and we started looking for a place to camp (in our van) for the night.

We checked our the Georgia map and saw that we were in the vicinity of  Amicalola Falls State Park.

We had never heard of the place previously but were willing to give it a try. There were a lot of empty camping sites and also a lodge and cottages.

But the most impressive sight was the falls itself. The 729-foot cascade is billed as the tallest in the Southeast.

And to get a good view (many at that) there is a pathway and also what is called a "challenging trail with staircases."

We chose to take the "challenging trail with staircases"  and thoroughly enjoyed the trip down the side of the mountain. The trip back up was also challenging. 

Because it was a March day, vegetation in the area had not started to blossom out  therefore offering an unencumbered view of the cascades all the way down.

We're always in a rush to get to the Smoky's, therefore we only spent one night there.

But the stop was a highlight of our trip.

Next post: Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011

When in Boone, try Macado's

We like to try new restaurants and savor the previously enjoyed.

Such was the case when on a ski trip to Boone, NC this past year.

Two trips earlier, when by brother and his wife were with us, we went into downtown Boone and discovered Macado's on King Street.

Macado's is a great place to enjoy a meal. 

Boone is home to Appalachian State University (they beat Michigan a few years ago and became famous) and the restaurant is in close proximity to the university and definitely caters to the college crowd.

There's lots of seating, big screen TVs for sports action and enjoyable food -- good size portions at a reasonable price.

We had attempted to eat at Mercado's on our in-between trip, but when we ventured downtown that night, the temperatures were near freezing, the wind was blowing and the line was out the door.

We opted for a fast food outlet, one which we also enjoy visiting.

Nevertheless, when we return, Macado's will be on our list of places to revisit. (The Boone location is one of many throughout the Virginia-Carolina area.)

Next post: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011