WCU and Cataloochee Valley

Clay and I spent this last weekend in Cullowhee and the Great Smokey Mt. National Park!  We drove up on Saturday for a mini-tailgate:  Hot dogs all the way (my favie).  Then we endured another Catamount loss, but recovered at Speedy's with a yummy, yummy pizza.

 The WCU band...world famous?

 Beautiful scenery...

  
The drive to the park entrance was a 8-mile winding, steep dirt road with no signs to tell you that you were headed in the right direction.

 Beautiful view from a lookout on the way

 Wild turkeys!  Too bad we couldn't bring one home for Thanksgiving.

 Palmer Chapel.  It didn't face the road...it faced a little river...I thought that was neat.

 Nugget being schooled :)  This was the only school in the valley when people actually lived there.

 These little bridges were all over the place.  How cute.

 Speaking of cute...

 Awww!

 We got APPLES!!!  As I write this, there is a home-made apple pie in the oven :)  Be jealous, very jealous!!!

 I saw ELK for the FIRST time in the wild.  It was so cool!  A bunch of them.

 These two clinked antlers...the big one ran the other one off into the woods. 

 We found Papa Elk all by himself. 

 One of several houses we saw built around 1900.  The funny thing is...if you refer to my blog "Little Yellow Farmhouse," you will see the built-around-1900-house I used to live in.  Obviously this was more primitive than my house.  In my opinion, it is a miracle that they were able to build any houses this sophisticated way out here in the first place.  The Cataloochee Valley started off as Indian trading trails and then people began to settle here.  The road to get there was long, curvy, and on the edge of a mountain the whole way.  Of course it wasn't difficult, being in a car and having tractors that have leveled the area.  I can't imagine what it was like around 1900.  Probably a long, dangerous trip!!!  How did they even find the area in the first place?  I always wonder things like that.

 This weekend was great.  I got to spend some QT with my QT.  The mountains, although having lost most leaves, were still gorgeous and refreshing.  Cataloochee Valley is a must-see!  I wish we had more time to hike the miles and miles of trails and camp...in a tent!  We will just have plan on going back soon!  Darn :)