This time we stopped alongside the Ocoee River, one of the rivers harnessed during FDR's New Deal years to bring electricity to this wild and rugged region (methinks that described the territory AND its inhabitants). This river, with some category 4 whitewater rapids, is a huge draw for rafters and kayakers, but mainly during the summer.
We were able to see the rapids both times we passed by, as water was released from the dam.
How do you like this narrow catwalk (I guess catwalks are narrow by definition, but I've always tended toward wordiness)? I assume dam workers occasionally have to venture out here to spray WD-40 on jammed locks and such (please pardon my language). I'm glad I'm not a dam worker, aren't you, LIZ? : )
Beyond the dam was this beautiful view of Lake Ocoee, much of which is in Georgia. We crossed it several times on our gypsy trip.
We stopped for a midday snack in Murphy, NC. Picnicking at the town library, we got into a nice conversation with a friendly lady who had only been in town a month. Her husband was the new pastor at the local Evangelical Free church. We assured her how much she would love the Carolina mountains, and she agreed that she already did.
While still on winding Highway 64, Judy spotted something she had had her eyes open for all day-- a roadstand produce stand. At Deal Produce Farm she got 25 pounds of canning tomatoes for $8.00, a big basket of peaches for $4.00, and three varieties of apples at 99 cents a pound.
We had never intended to make the drive home in one day, so we pulled in at Morganton in late afternoon. Our motel was just a short drive from a wonderful local spot called Abele's Family Restaurant. They had a unique strategy. They had a very popular buffet, but it included no meats. Tons of salad items, breads, fruits, home-cooked vegetables, etc. They also had an extensive menu you could order from. When I learned that you could add the buffet to any meal for just $2.49, I couldn't resist. Of course the meal was so filling, I didn't even get seconds from the buffet, but it was still a great deal for little more than ONE additional side dish might cost at some places. When we travel in that direction again, we plan to drop by Abele's. It's worth looking up.
Saturday morning we had only a three hour drive ahead of us. It was pleasant with little traffic and uneventful. But we still saw something new. We stopped at one of the two new rest stops on either side of Hwy. 220 south of Asheboro. These flags were at half staff because it was 9-11. (See how far behind I am on blogging?)
The rest stop was state-of-the-art. They even had this lovely man-made waterfall. That's something you don't see much in the Sandhills of NC.
But the waterfall wasn't just for looks. It was part of a cutting edge "Green" effort. That water was circulated back to the rooftop where beautiful gardens of herbs and wildflowers were being cultivated. We were very proud of North Carolina's greenness.
And so at last, we were home from Chattanooga. A year ago, we weren't sure when we'd ever get to either Louisville OR Chattanooga, but in 2010 we did both.
Once again, here are some brochures of places we saw in Chattanooga.
Would we go again? I feel certain we will someday. There are plenty of attractions we could visit without even repeating ourselves. Here are some possibilities:
Chattanooga Nature Center
Tennessee Valley Railroad, a six-mile sightseeing trip over three bridges and through a Civil War railroad tunnel.
Point Park on Lookout Mountain, another Civil War park
The Lookout Mountain Parkway, from Chattanooga into Alabama
The pedestrian bridge over the Tennessee River and more of the Riverwalk- Georgia's Cloudland Canyon State Park
But until we get the urge to travel again, I think all these babies will keep us both busy and happy!
(After reading this blog post, Judy said it was very good; she almost felt like she was there!)
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