We stayed a whole week here, which is unusual, and a sign of how well we liked it.
I cooked myself breakfast on my new stove (just like the old stove. but cleaner!) and headed out for a final day on the fine trails of the Asheville/Brevard/Hendersonville area. This is a beautiful region, and rich and deep in very fine trails; it is a shame to leave, but also has run its course for me, at least in the short-term. Another beautiful ride, and another beautiful sunny afternoon at a brewery; a final night at my campground, and it was time for the next thing.
Leaving town, we headed first up to Bearwallow Mountain, to hike to the top. I felt I’d been sent up this mountain by a book, which has happened to me before. In 2012, my then-husband Chris and I backpacked up a peak in the Gila National Forest to meet an author who was perched at the top, in his fire tower, watching over the trees.
It was a magical experience, and part of a friendship I treasure now, even though we don’t talk much. Now, I climbed most of Bearwallow in Foxy, and hiked only the last mile or so (although it was steep-ish). I was lucky to meet the author of Bearwallow more than a year ago. I was thinking of his book, of what I learned of his place, as I drove and then walked uphill.
There were lovely views from the top –
but also this –
which I thought about not showing you at all, but this is not an instagram-perfect version of vanlife.
There was a fire tower – this one is for Phil, author of the unequaled Fire Season.
And then we headed back down again.
And onward.
The ice crystals are called ‘hoar frost’. Very cool, and extremely variable depending on conditions; check our google images.
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As noted in another caption 🙂
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