Scenes from Grandfather Mountain

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 06:57 PM

I know that it's customary to post additional photos of an event in a single thread, but seeing as how the one thread I was tracking on this topic seems to have gone in another direction, I thought I'd offer some of the things that I saw at and around the GMHG.

I arrived Wednesday evening to claim a spot and set up my humble tent.

Inside, I slept like a sultan.

Not really.

Behind me was "Blowing Rock Highway" 221 and the Gate 2 entrance. It was a busy, noisy spot, but I thought it looked like a good spot at the time. On game days, I was awakened quite early by a good humored but very loud traffic director and all the rumbling vehicles passing by. At night, it was all the traffic leaving, which was managed by the State Highway Patrol and their flashing lights.

I also discovered quickly that was not enough bedding because nights there were cold and damp. Fortunately I had more.

After I got things settled, I was treated to this view of Grandfather Mountain.

It was the last time that I ever saw it this pretty the rest of the weekend.

My spot near Gate 2 also overlooked the vending area and you could see a bit of the clan tents and athletic field in the distance.

The next day I went for a walk around the portion of the campground designated as the less rowdy side - 11:00 p.m. curfew.

This compound was right next to me.

By Friday, there were more tents that were wedged into the space in the foreground.

The way people decorated their spaces was impressive - outdoor carpeting, living rooms and kitchens, party lights...

This lawn jockey sporting a kilt had a warning:

"DANGER: Many Illegal Activities in Progress Enter at Your Own Risk"

and a plea:

"Haggis McBama says... Can't we all just get along? Don't take me, bro!"

Not far from that spot, Turpin spotted me walking about:

I just gotta say what a nice guy Turpin is. This neophyte really appreciated his hospitality and I enjoyed his company very much in the days that followed. His family is a delight. Turpin is the sort of guy that I think I would enjoy hanging around with, and not just because he took his kilt off in front of me.

Since I'm on the subject of the campground area, I'll fast forward a couple of days for some more scenes.

I was attempting to show how jam-packed the place was, but these photos don't really do the trick. It's a visual thing you have to take all in while you're there, I guess.

There was an auction that Balaamsass51 (Matt) gave me a heads up on (and thanks so much for the shortbread - it was SOOO good!):

It was held in light rain to heavy mist:

People return to this event year after year and know each other quite well. It is very neighborly, relaxed, and a fun time that people clearly look forward to the next one.

More to come...

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 07:08 PM

Overlooking the fairgrounds is Grandfather Mountain, which is a well maintained state park. There are several hiking trails and a small wildlife exhibit, plenty of picnic areas and an interpretive visitors' center. The highlight is a very high, cable-strung, swinging, steel pedestrian bridge that spans a very deep gorge.

On the day that I decided to go, there wasn't much to be seen. I thought it was about to clear up just before I left, but people say the weather changes constantly here.

Here is a new visitors' center under construction at the summit. From just across the parking lot, it was shrouded in mist.

The first view of the bridge, emerging from the mist.

Halfway across, overlooking the gorge:

Some scenes on the other side:

On a clear day, I suppose you could see forever.

More to come...

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 07:18 PM

I forgot to post these first two photos related to the campground:

Scattered throughout the campsite and fairgrounds were many porta-potties - these were, in fact, "the facilities," the only ones. Fortunately, they were well-maintained and smelled fresh (for the most part) despite evidently heavy use thanks to regular maintenance by - and here I learned a new expression - the "Honey Wagon."

The state troopers were on hand to keep order (if not law), and had a very visible presence there.

Since this is a vehicle post, I saw the InstaKilt car tooling about the area several times, but it was usually parked in a prominent spot.

More to come...

**dfmacliam** · 12th July 09, 07:31 PM

Rex, thank you for that wonderful presentation... I appreciate the beauty you found in your photographs.. nature.. is simply magestic..

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 07:31 PM

I didn't take too many photos beyond the gates to the fairgrounds, but here are a couple:

There were several music groves - I counted at least three.

Here is a medium sized one, Grove 1:

And the larger one, Grove 2:

On Saturday night, this one was packed to the rafters - if there were in fact rafters - the evening music concert was moved from the main viewing area to this space on account of program delays and rain. The crowd was difficult to contain, and in between bands someone kept lecturing the audience on having a good attitude and keeping the aisles clear. The back third of the audience didn't care much, since there was nothing for them to see.

The music both Friday and Saturday nights was awesome.

A view of the field during the herding demonstrations on Friday, with dancing competition in the background on the little stages:

It's a big field and there's a lot going on all at once - it's a bit of a three-ring circus.

The massed band on Saturday morning:

The double-row of tents ringing the field are the various clan tents. Many had one on both sides - one for information, and the other for the clan groups to assemble, view the proceedings, and have a little hospitality.

More to come...

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 07:49 PM

My partner, David, arrived on Friday. I was helping him find his way to the site and get settled and shuttle cars around the time of the group photo, so I wasn't able to make it.

Later we went on a hike through the rowdy side of the campground (1:00 a.m. curfew) to a spot known as the point. From here you could see a great vista that included the fairgrounds:

We took turns documenting that we were there:

I managed to get David into the Utili-clan this weekend with a black Mocker. He says he'll wear it.

My sporran was too low for my taste on account of my losing some weight lately. I got a vendor who was selling leather things to punch a new hole in the sporran strap for me. I also stopped waxing my mustache for the week. Getting out to that spot was not scary, but getting back was - there was a huge crevasse between the rocks which was much easier to traverse one way than it was the other.

More to come...

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th July 09, 07:58 PM

On Saturday, David and I went for a drive to Blowing Rock, NC, and back, following the Blue Ridge Highway out and the wildly curving Blowing Rock Highway back.

On the way there, we passed a very large grove of rhododendrons that were in bloom (which were in bloom everywhere). We got out for a short hike.

The bushes formed a blooming arch over the path.

I'm disappointed that this photo doesn't really show the mounds and mounds of rhododendron growing up the hillside.

This cluster of flowers on a branch in a beam of light caught my eye.

That's all I have. Hope you enjoyed the show.

Regards,
Rex.