GSA: Sunburst Trail Hike

 As part of our Grayhart Southern Adventure, Kel and I had made a goal to hike as much as possible in this beautiful part of the country.  Despite the heat, we persevered and took the dogs on three amazing hikes.  The third day of hiking, on Thursday, July 26th, led us to the Sunburst Trail in Pisgah National Forest.  Debbie had recommended this hike for its shady trails through the forest which leads to a lovely waterfall plus lots of streams along the way for the dogs to drink from.

 From the parking lot to every turn on the trail, butterflies were everywhere!  Not sure what butterfly bushes drew them here and there were hundreds on the ground in the parking area.

 This trail is a forest road with a gradual incline and offers lots of shade, making it quite pleasant even on the hottest of days.

A view from one of the turns in trail.  Unfortunately, we missed the turnoff for the waterfall and walked further than originally planned.

 Surprise!!!  Always important to look ahead as there was a large, easily 6' long King snake on the trail,  The rest of him was coiled up in the grass.  We grabbed the dogs, Kell took a photo and off we went back from where we came from.  There are poisonous snakes in this area, Copperheads and Rattlers, so no taking any chances with this snake.

 Although we missed the waterfall, we hiked about 5 miles and enjoyed the exercise and experiencing a different part of the area.

 When we made it back to Debbie's house, it was show training time for Mia, getting ready for her show weekend in Greenville, SC.  Debbie has her own agility yard and it was perfect for practicing conformation, obedience and of course, agility.

From hiking to stacking, Mia sure got a workout!

GSA: Max Patch hike

 On Wednesday, July 25th, Kel and I headed out to one of my all-time favorite places to hike - Max Patch in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.  So much natural beauty and a combination of open views from flower fields to cool trails through the woods.  The summit of Max Patch has a bald top, so you get awesome 360 degree views of the Smokey Mountains.  The Appalachian Trail goes through here and we met a group from Texas who were backpacking on this part of the AT.  There are many options of trails to take from the parking lot, a short hike right to the summit or the 3.5 mile loop that we opted for and enjoyed immensely.  Again, the heat wave continued with temps in the 90's but we were prepared with plenty of water and lunch.

The best surprise was the abundance of wild blackberries!  Acres and acres of nature's bounty and not only did we snack on these sweet treats, but Savi became an expert picker, eating the ripe ones within her reach!  Blueberries also grow in the area but were not yet ripe.  After our hike, we retrieved a bucket from the van and went back and picked fresh berries to fill the bucket.  That night, Debbie made delicious preserves out of them.

 Savi was on the hunt and to our surprise, was found pointing a wild quail!!!

 

 Mia and Savi

 Neat wild flowers and the sign for the different trails...everything was very well marked.

 At the summit, we had our picnic lunch and rested.  We met many people from all over, including Florida, Texas, Michigan and the Carolinas.  You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

 Roll at the summit from Savi!

 Kel, glamour girl at the summit!

 Always time for a photo op with the dogs.

 Savi running through the fields at the top.

 And what to do after a great hike on a hot day - go swimming of course!

 Savi didn't hesitate to retrieve her bumper, one of the many awesome prizes she won for qualifying at the Tarheel Weimaraner Club Agility trial, the previous weekend.

 Splish, splash...

And on our drive out of the park, this was an interesting site.  The driver, an Amish looking man on the left, with his son, absorbed in texting on his phone!

Thanks to our

GSA: Flat Laurel Trail & Devil's Courthouse

As previously posted, on our trip down to the Carolina's, aptly named the Grayhart Southern Adventure or GSA for short, we spent time during the second week, hiking in Pisgah National Forest.  On Tuesday, July 24rd, Debbie was able to take a day off of work and not only took us to her favorite hiking spots, but made a fantastic tour guide, showing off the area with detailed knowledge that made our day truly special.  All three of our gray girls, Sky, Mia and Savi, were able to stretch their legs and run on the wonderful trails and cool off in the crystal clear streams.

 One of the streams we crossed on our hike and Mia watched while Savi took a quick swim.

We began the day driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway and stoppedfor a 2.5 mile hike on the Flat Laurel Creek trail.  Parts of the trail opened up out of the woods to expose magnificent views of the mountains.  The weather was extremely hot, in the 90's but we made the best of it, dressed properly and drank lots of water.  It was worth trekking through the heat to enjoy the trail and the views.

Our next stop was an incredible place called Devil's Courthouse.  From the parking area, there is a short, but very steep trail up to the summit. 

 

 

 Debbie, littermates Sky & Mia, me, Savi and KellyAnn

 

 We had one more important stop to make before we headed home...the viewpoint where we have stopped on every visit and taken a portrait of the dogs...

l-r: Mia, Savi & Sky

Grayhart Southern Adventure continues...

After a fantastic weekend at the Tarheel Weimaraner Club Agility Trial in Sanford, NC, we drove to Sky's owner, Debbie's house, in the Maggie Valley area of North Carolina.  On Monday, we gave the dogs time to rest while KellyAnn and I toured the Biltmore Estate.  It is a magnificent place and we enjoyed touring the house and incredible gardens.


Today, we took the dogs on a fun hike and then drove around Pisgah National Forest in the Smokey Mountains.  Scenic does not describe the natural beauty of this area.

l-r: Me, Debbie and KellyAnn

In the morning, we hiked Flat Laurel Trail and then drove to show Kel Graveyard Fields, where Debbie and I hiked last year.  We had a quick packed lunch and drove to the next hike, Devil's Courthouse.  

l-r: Debbie with Sky, littermate Mia, me and Savi

Devil's Courthouse is a high peak, elevation of 5720 feet, with views of many states and other peaks in the Smokey Mountain Range.  It was a steep hike up from the parking area but well worth it.  Of course, it was a perfect spot for a photo op of the girls.  Great exercise for all of us and we can't wait for tomorrow's hike.