My workplace does not allow overtime, so when we have early morning meetings we take "comp" time off. This past Tues I needed to deliver some items to the Pisgah Inn, a wonderful hotel and restaurant off the Blue Ridge Parkway some 25 miles from Waynesville. Joe brought Sky to the office for me so she came along for the ride and a hike afterwards, what a treat for us both to get in some time on the trails during the week!
We decided to hike to the firetower on Frying Pan Mountain, the trail begins in the Pisgah Campground (which is not open yet) and follows the Blueridge Parkway to a forest service road, then on to the fire tower and cell tower. This hike is listed in the best dog hikes in NC book; however, dogs are not allowed to go up into the fire tower. Since it is on National Park Service land for the first half, dogs are also required to be on lead, but well behaved dogs can be off lead once you reach the Pisgah National Forest service road.
This is a pic of Sky waiting not so patiently for me as I ascend the firetower. Since I have height issues, this was a challenge for me that I did accomplish, but was queasy the whole way up.
This a view from the top, well worth it! The other side of the valley was filled with smoke, there was a fire about 20 miles away that had gotten out of hand.
This is a "Sky's eye view" of the fire tower. After I came back down, I unhooked her lead, she was so excited, and leaned back to take this picture. My bad, I left my favorite hiking lead attached to the tree!!! I plan to go back on Saturday and have confidence it will still be there.
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