The Great Smokey Mountain Expedition
26 Jul 2003
Here we are at the Waynesville Hamfest. Jeff, KG4ZGQ; Christine, Phillip, Meagan, and Glenn, KI4ARZ are looking at stuff in the bone yard.
The guy on the right is just a Ham who felt he needed to be in the picture! -KC4GZX.025
Miss Megan smiles for the camera. We left the Hamfest about noon and found the nearest grocery store.
Here we loaded up on picnic supplies and other goodies. -KC4GZX.024
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Megan kindly offers to take a picture of the older folks wandering in the supermarket parking lot.
Wonderful adventures ensued between this pix and the next. The lady who wanted our potato salad.
The car that produced too much heat going up the mountain. Getting lost in downtown Waynesville! -KC4GZX.022
One of the many tunnels along the Parkway. -KC4GZX.021
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We found a great picnic area just off the Parkway. Here we're walking back from the restrooms.
I'm not sure whether Megan is trying to warn me about a bear, or urging me to take one more step backwards over the cliff! -KC4GZX.019
Jeff took a number of pictures of the picnic area and a bunch of hungry folks pigin' out.
Not wanting to duplicate pix that Jeff took, I didn't take any of the picnic.
I understand that later, Glenn managed to erase the pix while playing computer games.
So, I don't think there are any pictures of the picnic. Rest assured, the ham and 'tater salad was good.
I wandered around and found this little patch of ferns and lichen covered mountain laurel. -KC4GZX.018
A typical view of the adjacent ridges from an overlook. -KC4GZX.017
The ribbon of Parkway road winds among the mountain tops, next to an overlook parking lot. -KC4GZX.016
Some guy next to a bush. -KC4GZX.015
Jeff with his tape measure beam. -KC4GZX.014
For the umpteenth time we stop at another overlook. There seems to be one per mile.
Here, Christine and Megan are looking south at Looking Glass Rock, about 4 miles away. -KC4GZX.013
Here, we are walking back to the cars after a stop at an overlook.
Notice the road cut on the mountain, just above Phillips head.
The Parkway follows along this ridge top for much of its length. -KC4GZX.012
Another shot of Looking Glass Rock from another overlook. -KC4GZX.011
On top of Devils Courthouse. The altitude here is about 5500 feet.
Notice Jeff as he scans the horizon with his tape measure beam.
Glenn is monitoring using the other beam.
I'm just happy to catch my breath after my shuffle(take 5 steps, stop to rest) to the top! -KC4GZX.010
Phillip views the Parkway and the adjacent parking lot from the top of the Devils Courthouse.
Our cars and trucks are the little spots down there. -KC4GZX.009
The ladies enjoy the view. -KC4GZX.006
Dad and the boys going back down the path to the parking lot. Amazing how much easier it is to walk down hill!.
About every 15 feet there is a tree trunk across the path that you have to step over.
They're used to divert water to minimize erosion on the steep path. -KC4GZX.005a
- Photos Provided by Max, KC4GZX -
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