This trip, I'm driving the southern section, from Cherokee north to Asheville. I'll have to come back again, of course, since I'll only be staying in Asheville for a night, so I won't be seeing much of the town.
This is a beautiful time to drive -- but, of course, when isn't a beautiful time? What I like right now are the sharp changes between elevations. Off the mountain, the world is spring heading into summer. On the mountain, the spring is just beginning.
At lower elevations, it's that "surprise!" green of trees that are just leafing out.
Higher, it's early spring wildflowers.
All beautiful, but there's something about the change as the road rises and falls that is especially captivating.
Wild rhododendron are everywhere on the mountain. None of them are in bloom yet, and at higher elevations, I don't see any buds. Off the mountain they're blossoming everywhere, but up here, you have to wait longer. June, I'm told. One day I'll come back for that.
This stretch of the Parkway has high elevations and sharp curves -- and lots of sheer rock along the road. It shines wet in the sun. I can't tell whether there is actually a tiny spring somewhere or the rock is wet from the heavy mists that covered the road earlier in the morning. Lichen and mosses are growing happily in the crevices.
I could stay on this mountain a long, long time. Oh, if only I could!
