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At least once a year, we find time to drive up north to soak in the fresh, crisp, pine scent of the North Carolina mountains. The peaks along the Blue Ridge Parkway is the closest real mountain experience a Florida resident can get. And it's a 10-hour drive on a clear day. Luckily, the US highways are excellently maintained. And with cruise control at your fingertips, driving is not such a hassle. Before the trip, we burned four CDs of assorted classic rock tunes which I appropriately labeled "Road Trip 1" to "Road Trip 4." Of course, that set didn't quite last 10 hours but next time we'll burn some more. As backup, we brought along a few of our favorite box sets. The drive up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway was exhilerating, as always. The last time we were there, it was the peak of fall, and the foliage was a splatter of reds and golds, with leaves floating across our path like confetti dancing in the wind. This time, it's the peak of summer -- the roads are clean, the grass newly mowed, and the trees bursting in a thick of green. The mountains are beautiful and inspiring as always.  [click image to enlarge]Before we drove back down, we stopped by the North Carolina Arboretum. Several gardens were still in bloom but you can tell that they were at their best a couple of months ago, in the spring. I still managed to take a few snap shots of the butterfly gardens.   [click image to enlarge]Coming home, we got so engrossed in our discussions about politics and the upcoming presidential elections that we totally missed our exit to the southbound highway. Luckily, on one of our earlier restroom stops, the caretaker of the visitor center handed us a map. She said, "Hi, would you like a map and a copy of our travel guide?" I gladly accepted. Maybe she actually said, "Hi, take a map cuz you're going to miss your exit." (Cue Twilight Zone soundtrack.) We figured our angels were keeping us safe from harm by sending us almost an hour away from our intended route. Anyway, it was an opportunity to visit a city we've never seen before. So, we're back home, our lungs refilled with mountain air, our spirits revived by a week's distraction from work. Now... back to work! |
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