Chimney Rock


Last week I was in Asheville North Carolina and currently I'm sitting in the Tampa Airport waiting for my flight so I can return there for another few days. What a beautiful place! I don't mind returning at all. The weather was perfect the entire time I was there. The sky was sunny and warm and the breeze was the kind of cool refreshing breeze that lets you know that fall is very nearly here, but not quite. I drove with the windows down and enjoyed the smells from all the trees that won't grow in a place like Florida.
I got some time off while I was there and I went to this place called Chimney Rock. So much better than sitting around a hotel all day!I thoroughly enjoyed exploring all the trails and seeing the sights at Chimney Rock Park and if you're ever in Asheville, I think this is one place that needs to be on your list.

This is the actual, "Chimney Rock". The base of the flag staff on the rock sits at 2880 feet above sea level. I was quite exhausted from the hike up to the viewing area on the rock even though most of it was man made wooden steps and board walk. Its still a lot of stairs to climb. I had to climb another 60 feet or so up the side of the mountain to take this picture.

Another point of interest at the park is the 400+ foot "Hickory Nut Falls". Its about a 35 minute walk from Chimney Rock but it's worth it.
Of course after walking all day you don't mind a cold shower. I mean... I walked way too far to not get in the water when I got there.


As I was leaving I found this river with all these huge boulders and rapids. Since I'm so nimble, I easily leaped across the rocks to the center of the river to take this picture as I sat on one of the larger stones. Basically I had a great time in Asheville. I thought to myself as I sat at about 3000ft looking down at the river valley how great my God is. I know scientists will tell me that these mountains were formed by intercontinental plates colliding into each other, one being pushed below the surface while the other is forced upward making up every thing I see around me. And I know they will tell me that the valley was formed by the river water slowly eroding the the rock and eventually forming the lake at the far end of the valley.
But none of that explains why I feel the way I do as I see all these things. It certainly doesn't explain why I see the same look on all the other faces that are seeing what I am seeing. Nothing in science will ever explain why I have this appreciation for God's creation. Some thing in us recognizes the beauty in nature and the universal response of sheer awe, I think, is appropriate.