Globe Road Expedition

Ripples on a Long View

A 'Golden' Stream with Light to Dark Contrast

Wooded Darkness to Light on Next Ridge

Various and Sundry Waterfalls

We 'had to' get out of town and into the forest (Sunday.)
These are photos from another of our 'Globe Road'
expeditions! Here is a little ditty about Globe Road,
itself, taken from an online review of dirt biking roads.
Globe Road (gravel and dirt) is " a 12 mile long,
exceptionally fast dirt road that drops 2600 feet from
Blowing Rock and ends up in the town of Mortimer.
In fact, it is the longest and steepest stretch
of downhill, dirt road in the state of NC."

This little jaunt is filled with hairpin turns and
switchbacks! It is one of my all time favorite gravel
road adventures, with deep gorges along side of the
road and a multitude of intersections with Appalachian
sweet streams that form between mountain ridges,
resulting in many big and small waterfalls on the
downward journey. The waterfalls we found
this time would have been great for swimming,
but it was too cold! The Appalachians are
a terrific place to picnic and to watch for wildlife.
More importantly, they are a refuge to
'get away from it all.'

We encountered a home-made sign on some one's
property that helped us know just where we were
(...the "You are Here" type of sign!) and thus our
journey up and out was a bit more predictable than
past trips! One can wander for miles down in and
on the gravel roads in the Appalachians and not
know just where (or when) you will intersect a
main (!?) highway. There are no phone poles nor is
there cell phone coverage deep in these ol' woods
to help. One should make sure that your gas tank
is full, also, or you might end up hiking up and out.
Rarely do you encounter another car.
:-)

Our December here has been so mild weather-wise.
The temperature hovered around 38 to 40 degrees
for the trip and the forest was filled mostly with
deep shadow and patches of bright, wintry light.

For me, rye bread sandwiches (mine with
Swiss cheese, carrots and raw onion...)
fit the bill on the journey.
And a good time was had...
by all.