Black Forest Family RV Resort

 This is Fritz, the mascot for the Black Forest Family RV Resort in Cedar Mountain, NC right smack on the South Carolina line and just a hop, skip and a jump from DuPont State Forest and its many waterfalls. My very intrepid friend, Joan, suggested we visit the waterfall district and this clearly was the place to stay.

All the places we have stayed so far have been nice but this place was exceptional in that all the camp sites really were in woods and each site was oriented so that they had a private feel. The area was hilly and the roads (all of which had great German names) were curved so the sites were like small terraces up and down the hills. Anyway, it was a nice setting, had a lovely pool and lots of family activities.

We visited Hooker Falls and Triple Falls (pictured here courtesy of Wikipedia as my photo mysteriously disappeared) in DuPont State Forest and another falls on the way into Brevard. All were stunning. Triple Falls was a bit of a hike up and then down 116 steps (according to a fellow visitor) and then back up again to leave. The picture below shows Joan at about the half way point. Someone graciously included benches about every 30 steps.

There were barricades and areas marked with "No Climbing" signs but we were both amazed at the way

folks clambered about on the rocks regardless. Another falls, High Falls, was another 2000 feet above us (we did not make that trek) and the site of tragedy the next day when a 20 year old man fell to his death climbing the rocks in front of his family. The news reported that this was the third death in the forest within a month.

The falls were well worth the visit, but nature is to be respected as much as it is to be admired. Later that evening I crossed paths with a hornet and was reminded of this again.

We also explored Brevard, a lovely art center with wonderful restaurants and the best blackberry sorbet I have ever had, and rode the countryside to Ceasar's Head, a magnificent overlook where the Blue Ridge plunges 2000 feet to the piedmont below. I had been there years ago with my late husband trailering horses down from the ridge. I remembered the treacherous road descending and was grateful LibraryAnn was parked at Black Forest and not behind me as we made our way down.

 When my son was young he was in love with LEGOs and K'Nex. We saw this magnificent Ferris Wheel in a toy store window in Brevard. Now he builds walkways like the one pictured above at a 4H Environmental Education Center in Reidsville. It was fun sending him pictures of both and thinking about how his love of building things had remained. He has his hands on real tools making real "things" now, but he still has his tubs of legos and I catch him playing with them.

This was Joan's first trip in LibraryAnn and my first trip without the kids. We did well (translation: we are still friends) and I hope there will be more trips in our future. Right now, she's off to see a new great grandbaby and LibraryAnn is in the shop for a new power converter. However, we have reservations on the New River in a couple of weeks. The kids and I will be trying out the new kayak rack. Stay tuned!