On World Animal Day, we left our six kitties to their cat-sitter, and drove to North Carolina...
Our destination was Bryson City, North Carolina.
We'd booked for 2 nights at the hotel, conveniently close to the Bryson City Depot.
Here we are inside the First Class Silver Meteor cabin
Nantahala Gorge on a Diesel engine train
Silver Meteor
Table C Seat 3 + 1
When booking, I'd selected our choice of lunch and it was delicious.
Great service by our hostess Conny!
Pieter standing near our train, before boarding...
Yes, we were required to wear our face mask, except for eating and drinking.
GSMR = Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Our departure was at 10:30 and every morning in the mountains of North Carolina it was heavy fog.
Such was the case as we crossed over the Tuckasegee River in Bryson City.
You see that around noon, the fog had cleared and we had sunshine!
This is in Almond, North Carolina in the Nantahala National Forest
Near Fontana Dam and Lake
Another bridge across the river.
The vines you can see on the ground are all Kudzu, a very invasive plant that got introduced for a certain beetle but has gotten completely out of hand!
After going a bit further than this point, we came back to the Nantahala River Gorge, with its rapids.
Ziplining, whitewater rafting, and kayaking paradise!
Surrounded by restaurants, that now could not fully operate due to COVID
Such sad facts for all those, that solely depend on tourism!
This was also the place where the Cherokee Indians lived in the Nantahala Town.
The people of Nantahala Town opposed the Treaty of New Echota and after the army arrived in the summer of 1838, many hid in the dense rhododendron thickets of the Nantahala Gorge.
Those captured, got driven from here via the Trail of Tears, to Oklahoma...
There also are hidden caves, where the Cherokee used to shelter in winter time.
More Kudzu on the banks and you can also see how the front part of our train is snaking through the area.
Again, near Almond in the Nantahala National Forest
Of course we did capture this very special train ride on Relive.
This rail track through the isolated Western North Carolina area got established in the late 1800s.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad History click link for reading more about the digging, filling and blasting for creating this track...
Husband Pieter standing on the bridge in Bryson City, overlooking the Tuckasegee River.
Such a lovely city with nice planters everywhere!
Friendly people and great restaurants too.
Hope you enjoyed traveling with us!
Video Great Smoky Mountains Railway click link
