Falls and Mountains with Friends

Recapping our May trip.

The first leg of our trip was to visit friends who have recently moved to Northern Georgia.

We only had a day to explore this amazing part of the country so we took full advantage of it.

Our end of the day destination was the driving force for the whole day.  I'll tell you about that later.

We took the scenic route northward toward Clayton, Georgia which could be a bit harrowing at times.  These narrow roads wound along the mountains and many little lakes that make up this beautiful part of the country.

Our first stop was the Minnehaha Falls which is buried in a wide, steep-sided cove packed with rhododendron.

The trail to the falls is dirt and mud because of the recent rains. As we walked on the trail, we could hear the roaring of the falls. This growing sound adds to the excitement and peacefulness of this scenic area at the same time. 

About midway, you get a glimpse of the lower falls which adds to the anticipation of what you know is ahead.

All of a sudden you round a curve in the trail and there it is!

The 100-foot Minnehaha Falls is reported to be one of the most picturesque in Rabun County. It is a series of cascading falls. These falls are named for a fictional character in the epic poem "The Song of Hiawatha."

We just enjoyed sitting and listening to the sound of rushing water.

Is there anything more peaceful than feeling you are part of God's creation.

We were so hesitant to leave but we had somewhere to be.

18th Hole and Lodge in background

Our friend's son is general manager of a large private golf club near the town of Clayton.  It happened to be closed on this day so we had it all to ourselves.

The scenery from both the lower and upper decks was absolutely breathtaking.

Lower Deck

Although the view was spectacular, that was not the only reason we were there.

Upper Deck

 While we waited for the main event to begin, we shared a delicious picnic dinner on this upper deck and enjoyed each other's company.

Then the show began.

And then it was over.

Every sunset from now on will be measured by this spectacular display of color and cloud formations over the Blue Ridge Mountains, from the back deck of a lodge in Northern Georgia in the company of dear friends.  Thank you Jason!

The next morning we reluctantly left Randy and Cele for the next leg of our trip toward Indiana.

Just before leaving Georgia, in Dillard, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared to every one of our specifications.

 

The owner of the Cupboard Cafe is the sister of a friend and she very highly recommended we stop here.  So, I recommend it highly to you as well.

We chose to take the scenic route through the Smokey Mountains toward Pigeon Forge.

We remembered this pretty stream along the road side just outside Cherokee, NC from our trip this way two years ago .

We were anxious to see if there were signs of the horrific fires in this area that occurred shortly after we were there.

Yes, there were signs such as this now bald mountain ridge and charred tree trucks, but for the most part, nature has done what it does best - recover.  

We never tire of seeing God's handiwork and again being reminded of the resilience and power of His creation.

Next time, I will share the rest of this trip in Indiana.