Time to celebrate



Bat Cave Fire Truck, Henderson County, N.Carolina



Vanessa on Grandfather Mountain

The weather looked a bit more promising today as we drove to Chimney Rock, a stunning viewpoint overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. On arrival we noticed the closed sign due to a 'hazardous' tree? Perhaps it was giving off some poisonous chemicals or something. We were amused though as we passed through the wonderfully named town of Bat Cave so the journey wasn't wasted. We continued north on the Blue Ridge Parkway which was once again obscured by low cloud in places. To be expected I suppose as we were 6000 feet up. However, the drive through winding forest roads in the mountains and in a Mustang is just the best thing. Visited Grandfather Mountain, so called because it supposedly looks like a grandfather lying on his back........mmm?? Great views though and a mile high swinging bridge to cross. Perfect for us vertigo sufferers. We bedded down for the night in a motel in the lively mountain college town of Boone. This is our last stop on the Parkway after driving 175 miles of the 469 miles it stretches for up to Virginia. We checked our emails and Vanessa had been informed that she'd passed her counselling exam.......time to celebrate with a cheap bottle of Californian Champagne.