Day 141: Lots of treats; no tricks

October 31st is no longer just a day for candy and costumes; as of this afternoon, it's also the birthday of our newest niece! Congrats to Tim, Courtney, and big sister Paige!

Kennesaw Mountain, northwest of Atlanta, was our destination this morning. But so much has happened since our time there that I'll hold off on reminiscing about it until tomorrow. This evening's fun, at the home of my college friend, Tracey, and her family, is what's first and foremost in our minds. We joined them for their neighborhood Halloween party, and then Stan, Jim and all five kids toured the neighborhood, treat bags in hand. And for the second half of the trick-or-treating, the kids rode in the back of the truck. Such fun! Tracey and I savored the few minutes of peace, catching up on the past year. Stan and I really enjoyed seeing the entire Scherer family together. And the girls love their new friends.

Rockstar "AC"

And the other half of the duo, "DC"

with Haley

James and Haley were Peter Pan and Tinkerbell (Avery was a Ninja warrior)

Gloating over their substantial haul

Kendall after the sugar crash, snuggling with Avery

Stevens and Scherers

Day 140: Lasting Influence

A wonderful morning of worship at Peachtree Presbyterian was followed by a great afternoon at a couple of Atlanta's sites. We toured The World of Coke, learning about the secret syrup developed by Dr. Pemberton in 1886, and his product that now spans the world. We really enjoyed the room in which many old commercials played. Stan and I felt old, realizing how many decades of Coke commercials are part of our personal experience. The tour ended in the tasting room, where fountain kiosks feature Coca-Cola products from each of the five continents. Kendall finished each and every one of her samples and, consequently, made many trips to the bathroom over the rest of the day! Our least favorite was a product sold in Italy, 'Beverly." Think carbonated cough syrup.

We wish we'd saved more of our afternoon for the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site. It covers a multi-block area that includes Ebenezer Baptist Church (where he and his father preached for many years), the home in which he was born, and the reflecting pool that encircles his tomb and that of his wife, Coretta Scott King. The national park visitor center is quite extensive, and at its heart is a beautiful, life-size artistic interpretation of the Freedom March led by King from Selma to Montgomery. The exhibits surrounding the march artwork detail various aspects of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It's humbling to realize the influence of Dr. King's short life; he hadn't reached 40 when he was killed in 1968. As we wrap up our day, reflecting on what we learned and saw, we feel renewed conviction to make each day count...to not take for granted the time we've been given, even if our influence doesn't extend past our children at this stage in our lives. Hope we can let go of some of the pressure that creates in order to sleep tonight!

With Greyson outside the World of Coke...statue of Dr. Pemberton

a "4-D" movie was a fun part of the tour

the tasting room

the home in which MLK Jr was born

Kelsey being congratulated on the completion of the Junior Ranger program

the reflecting pool, tombs on the island, at the King Center

Day 139: out of the fast lane

We took a step back from our usual rugged pace today, appreciating playtime and even a pedicure--such luxuries! We'll visit the MLK national historic sites tomorrow after church. So enjoy this quick read this evening, knowing that I'm reveling in the fast completion of my task. :-)

A pic from our day of playing with my cousin Erica and her son, Greyson, followed by a few from our visits yesterday to Kings Mountain and Cowpens Battlefields:

Day 138: Who Knew?

We detoured on our drive to Atlanta, picking up three more national park sites...all of them related to the Revolutionary War. And prior to these visits, we had no idea how pivotal the South was to the American victory in the war against the British. In fact, King's Mountain and Cowpens Battlefields were instrumental to the war's momentum shifting to favor the patriots' cause.

King's Mountain and Cowpens are just south of the North Carolina state line, in western South Carolina. The third site, Ninety Six National Historical Site, is south of Greenville, which brought to mind our wonderful piano teacher, June, who is from that city. The town of Ninety Six is so named because its settlement, a center of trade, was 96 miles from the next trading post. The national park site features the only intact earthworks fort in the country.

We knowingly packed too much into our day, the consequence of which is that we didn't get to explore each of these places to a satisfactory extent. But we definitely learned more about the importance of these and other South Carolina places in the war of Independence. We had assumed, incorrectly, that most of its notable history involved the Civil War. We stand corrected, gladly.

This evening we're settled into my cousin's home on the northern outskirts of Atlanta. We look forward to relaxing here for a few days and enjoying the fun of our kids playing together. I'll share pictures tomorrow. Tonight, it's time for conversation!

Day 137: Roadtrip!

The road was our trip today...literally. The Blue Grass Parkway is more than 460 miles long, and we traveled 80 of them. I don't know what we enjoyed more: the flurries of falling leaves around our truck, seeing the beautiful span of the Lynn Cove Viaduct, or learning about some of the region's many folk crafts from local artists at one of the Parkway visitor centers.

We jumped onto the BGP in Asheville and took it all the way to the beautiful town of Blowing Rock, the inspiration for Jan Karon's Mitford (one of the best book series ever!). We were on the lookout for Father Tim, Cynthia and Doolie...we're sure they had just stepped around a corner and out of sight.

We turn the wheel south tomorrow, heading to Atlanta and a few days with my cousin. Our time in western North Carolina has been magical...the peak of fall colors, perfect weather, great time with friends. We're in a bit of shock to realize we've begun our final month on the road; we wish our schedule allowed for more days in this region. As we've said in so many other spots along the way, we'll be back someday!

a yarn artist from the area...she dyes, spins and weaves her creations. She was so kind to the girls, letting each of them take a turn on her spinning wheel.

a potter taught the girls a bit about her craft. Of special interest was her use of horse hair in the decorating of her pots...the hair is applied right after the fired pot is removed from the super-heated oven, melting into a unique carbon pattern.

we drove to the top of Mt. Mitchell, in the distance behind the thick layer of cloud. At a little more than 6,600 feet, it's the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi. Funny to think our home in Colorado Springs is at nearly the same altitude.

The Lynn Viaduct is a series of concrete bridge spans that wind their way around Grandfather Mountain. This picture doesn't do it justice...it's a dramatic piece of engineering.

Views near Blowing Rock

Day 136: Perspective

The Biltmore has 43 bathrooms, because 42 just wouldn't be enough. And not a single one of them is available for guest use! Today we toured the nation's largest private home, as well as its surrounding 8,000 acres, winery, stables and extensive gardens. The mansion's 240 rooms are a showcase of artwork and wealth that boggles the mind. We saw Renoir paintings in one room, and a chess set once belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte in the next. And the furniture, wall-coverings, books (the library holds just half of George's Vanderbilt's 46,000-book collection), carvings and ornate mantels all were being embellished by the labor-intensive application of Christmas decorations. I'm thankful we caught the trimming at the halfway point, before every surface was obscured. It will be quite lovely when finished, but I'm just not ready for gold-painted evergreen garland--especially on a day that reached the mid-70s!

George Vanderbilt, grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, created his 240-room estate just outside of Asheville, beginning construction in 1890 and seeing it completed in 1895. Although he received significant input and assistance in its design and scope from the world's greatest architects (both structural and landscape), I can't help but wonder if he was sad, as a bachelor, to have no one at home with whom to share his dreams. He met and married his wife, Edith, three years after the home was built. They had one child, daughter Cornelia, whose children now own and operate the mansion. It was first opened to the public in 1930, both as an economic draw for the region (which had been hit very hard by the Depression) and a money-making venture that would help preserve the estate. The old adage "You can't take it with you" seems sadly applicable to poor George, who died of appendectomy complications just 16 years into his marriage. But I'm sure he'd be pleased with the way in which his legacy is being maintained and enjoyed by millions from around the world. Biltmore truly is a wonder.

One of Biltmore's profitable enterprises over the years was its dairy business. The family owned a 1,000+ herd of Jersey cows (the largest such herd in the U.S. in the 1940s) and supplied dairy products to a huge swath of Southeast population. The operation was scaled back in the ensuing years, and the dairy buildings eventually were converted to a winery. It's now the number-one visited winery in the nation! It seems the theme of Biltmore is either biggest or best (and often both). The estate also hosts various art exhibits (currently a beautiful display of Tiffany lamps) and concerts. An annual membership to this place would really pay off (assuming one lived within 200 miles of Biltmore, rather than 2,000!).

The Christmas tree in the foreground, currently being trimmed with lights, is a recent addition to the scene.

The mansion's facade is enormous...and gorgeous!

Photos weren't allowed inside, but this one on the back terrace captures the home's stunning views.

The gardens are full of mums and late-season roses. The conservatory in the distance contains warm-season plants.

Our lunch of Carolina barbeque pork was a real treat...eaten in a cafe in the mansion's converted stable. We think the Vanderbilt's horses probably ate well in these stalls, too.

The grounds were magnificent in the fall colors.

A statue of the family's favorite dog, a Saint Bernard named Cedric, is immoratalized with Cornelia in a darling sculpture. The girls joined in on the fun. 

Day 135: Mountain Highs

We experienced the very best of Smoky Mountains National Park, exploring its peaks and valleys from one end to another. The North Carolina side features a mountain farm...all of the structures and implements that were necessary to survive independently in this rural place in the 1800s. The buildings are authentic...moved to their current location from remote places within the park boundary.

Surviving in an isolated and often hostile environment wasn't the only struggle faced by the determined folks of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Although both states voted to secede from the Union in May 1861, voting records indicate that these mountain communities were largely in support of maintaining the Union. Slavery was an unusual element in the economics of the mountains, and there may also have been an attitude of "rich man's war but a poor man's fight." Whatever the reason behind the pro-Union leanings of many of the mountain people in these Confederate states, the War nonetheless reached into the region with devastating effects. Cemeteries reveal divided families, and family stories contain episodes of terrible fighting in and among communities.

The park was created in 1934 following a campaign for its purchase. The final amount necessary to complete the land purchase ($5 million) was donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.  At that time, the land's elk population had been obliterated by hunting, its peregrine falcons nearly extinct due to pesticide use, and the river otters had been trapped and killed off. Thankfully, all three populations have been reintroduced and now are on their way (albeit slowly) to a recovery. Perhaps the park's most recognized resident, the black bear, numbers approximately 1,500; the elk population is believed to have reached 140.

Our beautiful day ended in the most incredible way...catching an amazing display of bull elks in rut, locking their immense antlers and putting on quite a show in an attempt to impress the ladies. Our chance glimpse of the rut, combined with the colors that rivaled what we saw yesterday, made for a legendary day.

The girls explored this trail in search of answers for their Junior Ranger booklets.

The mountain farm museum. This homestead dates to the mid 1800s.

The park's newest Junior Rangers were introduced to the hundreds of tourists in the visitor center. 

at the very top of the park...Klingman's Dome, 6,643 feet. The observation tower provides 360-degree views of the park and beyond--views of 100+ miles today.

Klingman's Dome also is the highest point of the Appalachian Trail

sizing up the competition while checking to see if they were getting any looks from the lady elk. Sadly, the gals were unimpressed; they had their backs turned and were attentive only to their grazing.

our front-row seat for the show

the beautiful Smokies...we learned the "smoke" is caused by the foliage on the mountains, releasing moisture into the air in such a way that it creates a haze.

Day 134: Heinz 57

Our day had a little bit of everything in it...just like a bottle of Heinz 57. Following a good dose of school, we explored the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center and learned so much about the extraordinary craftsmanship in the region. From handmade mandolins to pottery, quilts to poetry, western North Carolina is fertile soil for amazing creativity and artistry.

One of its better-known talents was author Carl Sandburg. A Pulitzer-prize winner for his biography on Lincoln, he crafted much of his later work at the home he and his wife purchased in the 1940s, known as "Connemara." Sandburg once said that his writing was the product of "95% perspiration and 5% inspiration." Much of it was accomplished in the third-floor garrett of the house; he usually worked through the night, a schedule very different from the rest of the household, who ran the family's successful goat enterprise. (The herd held dairy records for decades, and descendants of the original herd are managed on the farm to this day.)

With some daylight hours remaining, we drove a few miles from the Sandburgs' "Connemara" to Chimney Rock State Park, so named because of an enormous monolith that is ascended by a series of stairs (we didn't count, but we'd guess the number topped 500--one way!). The views from its summit take in the spectacular scenery of Lake Lure, near which much of the movie "Dirty Dancing" was filmed. And the park itself was host for many of the scenes in "The Last of the Mohicans" (the remake with Daniel Day Lewis).

It's a very good thing that we live in the day of digital cameras; we'd go broke if we had to pay for developing all of the pictures we took on our drive home. The dusky light of sunset showcased the changing colors of the forest leaves to perfection.

The pond below "Connemara"...the home is in the distance

The Sandburgs' goats...as gentle as housepets.

This one, named Tina, was Kendall's favorite.

And this one, Bella, was Kelsey's.

Working hard on junior ranger books at the Carl Sandburg national park site

Hard to distinguish the reflection from reality

beginning the long climb in to Chimney Rock

Kendall saw this caterpillar corpse and said, "I just know a bear ate part of it...I just know it."

Views from the top of Chimney Rock

And a glimmer of the beauty we saw on the return drive to Asheville. A camera can't do justice to the true colors.