North Carolina, Day 7

[kenjari]

September 28, 2006

We had another good day in the mountains. The weather was better, too. It was sunny and clear all day, and a little on the chilly side. Perfect for hiking.
We first went to the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Other Kenjari wanted to see the animals. They had snakes and other reptiles intanks, including a rattlesnake and a copperhead. There were also a couple of spiders. Outdiirs, they had a river otter, deer, black bears, bobcats, wolves, and a cougar. There were owls, hawks, eagles, and vultures as well. It was all pretty interesting. The habitats were decent, if a little small. None of the animals were taken from the wild: they had all either been permanently injured or were illegally kept as pets and thus could not survive on their own. So I guess the place was also a bit of a sanctuary in a way.
After a bit of lunch, we headed out on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mt. Pisgah. There we started out with an easy short walk that iuncluded the site of a Vanderbilt hunting lodge that was removed in the 1960s. The old stone foundation of one corner was still there, though.
We then went on a longer, much more challenging hike up to the summit of Mt. Pisgah. The trail was mostly through the woods, unlike the trails at Chimney Rock, so there were very few views until we got to the top. The summit, however, was worth every step and every clamber over rocks. There's wooden platform that allows for a full 360 degree view of the surrounding valleys and mountains. On such a clear day, the view was spectacular. WE could see a very long way. Plus, we had a good view of Cold Mountain, the same one from Charles Frazier's book. Now I've been to the top of a Mt. Pisgah on each coast.
I do have to mention again how nice the Owl's Nest Inn has been. In addition to the comforts of the room, the proprietress has been incredibly accommodating about my dietary needs. Breakfast has been well within my diet, and she's been completely kind about it all.