Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #149: Cool Colors – Blue and Green

This week, Tina has challenged us to show ways that the cooler colors of blue, green, blue green or purple appear in our world.

To me, some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen contain the color combination of blue and green.

Oahu, Hawaii
Kauai, Hawaii
Turtle Cove on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii
St. Lucia
Emerald green on the hills above the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland
Creek running through the Georgia Salt Marsh
Okefenokee Swamp
Silver Springs, Florida
Blue Ridge Mountains

Many thanks to Tina for the challenge. Please be sure to visit her original post at Lens-Artists Challenge #149: Cool Colors – Blue and Green

Throwback Thursday #8 – October 3, 2007

We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips.

Flash back to twelve years ago, October 3, 2007. We were camping in Cherokee, North Carolina, our home base for visiting the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was foggy and drizzling for most of our stay but we managed to get in some sightseeing and scenic drives while we were there.

We started the day with a three mile hike along the Oconaluftee River inside Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

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Oconaluftee River in Great Smokey Mountain National, Park

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Beaver evidence next to the river

Next up was a scenic drive starting at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The farther north we got, the thicker the fog. After a while it drizzling. I was able to get a few photos before before the weather got too bad.

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Old homestead on Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

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Old homestead on Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

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Blue Ridge Mountains, NC

It was a wonderful fall getaway with camping in Cherokee, visiting the national park, and taking drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Spring Road Trip

Our latest road trip destination was southwest Virginia. The scenery was spectacular as we drove north from Georgia through the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

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Eastern Redbud at rest area in Western North Carolina

After an overnight stop in Asheville we continued to be awed by the scenery as we drove north through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The flowering eastern redbud trees added splashes of pink as we traveled to Southwest Virginia.

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View of the Blue Ridge Mountains from North Carolina Interstate Overlook

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Tennessee Welcome Center between Asheville and and Virginia

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Virginia welcome center in Bristol

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At the Virginia Welcome Center in Bristol

On our way to see Luray Caverns we took  a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia

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Blue Ridge Parkway Virginia

After we purchased our tickets at Luray Caverns we had a short wait before we walked down the steps to begin the 90 minute tour. We followed our tour guide and stopped a few times along the way to admire the spectacular formations (and of course take photos).

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Reflecting pool, Luray Caverns, Virginia

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Wishing Well, Luray Caverns, Virginia

All three generations of our family enjoyed the caverns, even our two teenage grandchildren!

Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s Highest Point

Located in the northeast Georgia near Blairsville, Brasstown Bald is the highest point in Georgia at 4,784 feet.

Just getting there is quite an adventure. We drove west from Dillard on beautiful Georgia mountain roads. The last few miles we drove on narrow Georgia Spur 180 with sharp turns, switchbacks, and steep grades before arriving at the parking lot for Brasstown Bald.

The parking lot is located .6 miles below the top of Brasstown Bald. We could either hike up a steep trail or take a shuttle. We chose the shuttle.

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The observation deck as seen from the parking lot

After the shuttle dropped us off at the top we walked up a few steps to the observation deck where the views were spectacular in all directions. On a clear day visitors can see 4 states. It was cloudy that day but we were able to see three states – Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. We also toured the museum and watched a short film about the mountain.

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Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia

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The tower is closed to the public

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View from top of Brasstown Bald

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View from top of Brasstown Bald

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Wandering Dawgs at the top of Brasstown Bald