Travel with a Bad Tummy

Yesterday I did have fun, but was glad most of our fun was had in the car. I felt okay in the morning when I walked around but started to have tummy trouble after we got going. Ugh.

Still, the drive between High Point and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina was beautiful.

We got to drive a good ways along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you’ve never done this, put it on your bucket list. The mountains are so perfect, and there are waterfalls to enjoy. We were so high up that the trees hadn’t completely leafed out and many were flowering.

Speaking of flowers, when we made a stop along the way, I was captivated by the beauty of the mountain flowers, especially the trilliums. I could have stayed a long time, but the restroom called. Yuck.

We finally got to the actual Park headquarters where we enjoyed the facilities and bought warm shirts. I was not prepared for temperatures in the low 50s. But that’s fine. My new sweatshirt is nice and soft.

We visited an old gristmill, where we also saw the first of many elk. They have volunteers who keep people from getting too close to them. Many were tagged and appeared to have been shaved.

The mill was fascinating and the plants around it were also fun. It was hard to hear birds for the water splashing. But that’s fine!

After that we mostly drove through spectacular scenery, but we did pull over so I could walk a little way on the Appalachian Trail. More delightful plants and some good birds were there. If I had felt better (and Lee hadn’t kept saying, “Come on, Sweetheart” in a tone that hinted he wasn’t feeling too sweet), I’d have lingered.

We had to take another break back at the headquarters, and this time it wasn’t me delaying us. Lee took pictures of a herd of elk with the good camera, which enabled me to look for more birds and enjoy a woodchuck.

We enjoyed the rest of the drive as well. First we went through the Cherokee Nation for a while. Then it was just scenery. The road went along rivers that are popular whitewater rafting and kayaking places, plus a huge lake. It was a bit of a challenge figuring out what we saw, due to no cell reception. I do know we saw a flume and a scenic railroad route.

By the time we got to our stop, it was almost 9 pm. I felt bad that it was too late to contact my relatives in Tennessee, but I was so crampy I couldn’t have had fun. I guess the fun the night before messed me up. I assume we will be back by again. I could do that drive again! Enjoy these bonus tunnels and other park scenery.

I took some medicine once we got to the hotel, and slept well. We got out fairly early and got to Lookout Mountain at a great time for photography, when the fog had lifted and the sun was still soft.

I had to get my traditional photo of me with the cannons at Point Park. The first one taken was when I was an infant, which was around 67 years ago. Hooray for tradition.

There were plenty of birds and plants to enjoy and I got two new, the Veery and the Blackburnian Warbler. Veery cool.

I’m sorry I miscommunicated and didn’t get to see Cousin Jan and that we weren’t able to see my Chattanooga cousins. I wish I were a better planner.

No more relatives to miss from now on, just relatives who want me to come home and do my own dang chores (I will!). Wonder where we will end up today?