2010 28 Hundred Mile Vacation pics

Emma and Clayton sitting in front of the Minnehaha waterfall.

It's about a 2 hr drive from Atlanta, GA.   Use the link below for directions:













http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Atlanta,+GA&daddr=Minnehaha+Falls,+Tiger,+GA&hl=en&geocode=FQP4AgIdclf4-imNCZNpXQT1iDELYwuZL97-Zg%3BFTY0EgId4S0G-ymnKZnCE8lYiDFMzMYLreDi8w&mra=ls&sll=34.671617,-83.29834&sspn=1.278501,1.851196&ie=UTF8&ll=34.438628,-83.952026&spn=1.282086,1.851196&t=h&z=9

Aunt Ruth and Grandma posing with the kids with the Minnehaha Falls cascading in the background.






I tried to stay out of these pics, but my sister insisted. Ya know, I just didn't want to take away from the beauty in the background with my overwhelming good looks.







Grandma was most enthusiastic about making a snowman and we used her snow ball for the base.  Clayton gave it a great nose job though.

Tallulah Gorge, Georgia
This place is right off the HWY 441 on the way to Clayton, GA


Here's a look down into the gorge at one of the waterfalls below.  You can hike down there, but it takes a while to get back up.


More Tallulah Gorge pics ... these from an observation point.
Further north and a little east into North Carolina, and you can visit Asheville.  It has a cool little historic district and many nice restaurants and shops.  Of course the main attraction is the Biltmore mansion.

Most places were opening late because of snow and we were cold and hungry.  So, we tried out a Palestinian restaurant ... because they were open.  The waitress was very sweet to take a  picture of us in their cool dining room.

We took a picture of her too because she looks like a cousin of ours.  Actually, everyone has a twin in Asheville, NC.  It's like an alternate universe or something there.
The Biltmore, with the grounds all covered in snow.  If only we could have made it a couple of days sooner, before people left so many foot prints .. then I'd have a perfect picture.
This is my favorite picture of Clayton on the whole trip.  Random Biltmore forest scenery is in the background.

The rose gardens were a bit wintery, but there was warmth and life in the green houses.

I will have to say that the Biltmore is best visited on non-holidays.  It was too crowded for us on a Tuesday of the week between Christmas and New Year.

http://www.biltmore.com/

They do have wheelchairs for any guests that may have problems standing for hours, so you don't have to pack one in the back of your minivan all the way from Texas

Still further north and east, we arrived at our lodge on Sugar Mt.  The unit was called a "Slope Sider" and it was right on the slope.   It could be a little noisy at night when they are making snow, but it was totally cool to be able to ski right up to the front door.

http://www.skisugar.com/
Anyone in your party who doesn't ski can sit on the couch in the living room and watch everyone else wipeout.


On the way home now, we wanted to catch some ski time at a resort much closer to Georgia.  But, the Cataloochee was too crowded when we got there after lunch, and so we had to kill some time.   All you need is a hill when there's snow on the ground.

Emma held out for a softer ride.
Everybody is looking at grandma like, "Is she really gonna do that?"  Lol, even the folks that weren't with us.

Nothing like a good sled ride to cheer you up after losing big at the Harrah's casino in Cherokee, NC.

http://www.harrahscherokee.com
Finally we get to ski the night session at Cataloochee.  One nice thing is that night tickets go on sale at 4pm and you can start right after that.  At Sugar Mt. they shut the slopes down at 4:30 to groom the trails and so you can't start until 6.

http://www.cataloochee.com/