We took a long weekend over Columbus Day to visit Kyle's family and then drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a trip that Kyle's family did often when he was growing up and he's been anxious to add it to our family tradition list since we've been back in the U.S. We didn't go in 2012 or 2014, but we were able to go in 2013 and again this year.
I can't seem to find a blog post from 2013, but we stopped in lots of the same places. It's so cute to compare. We went in the last week of October 2013; Hamish was 16 months old. This year we went Columbus Day weekend and Fauntleroy was 14 months old.
2015:
2013:
The schedule this year worked out pretty well. We spent the weekend with Mimi and Grumpa and Aunt Kitty, then left about 9 a.m. to drive up to the Parkway. We got lunch in Asheville and got on the Parkway there and had a picnic in the first good looking spot. Then we drove to Little Switzerland, stopping several overlooks and at Craggy Gardens to hike. We didn't drive up Mt. Mitchell this year--and we'll need to work that into the plan in the future--but otherwise it was a nice stretch. We were a little early for peak color, and it definitely got better north of Mt. Mitchell. When we exited the Parkway at Little Switzerland we drove into Tennessee and spent the night with Kyle's aunt and uncle and saw cousins. The next day we came home via Cummins Falls.
Walking down from Craggy Gardens in 2015:
Walking down from Craggy Gardens in 2013:
Picnic lunch and rock climbing at Craggy Gardens 2015:
Hiking and waterfall 2013:
