After about 20 minutes, we decided to pack up our sleeping bags and pads, get the boys dressed, and move them up to the car. The boys and I hung out up there while Brian took down the tent.
Once our car was all packed up, we drove over to the marina area and ate breakfast that I had packed. The boys got to run around, be loud, and burn off some energy since no one was around. I tried to get some pictures of the boys with the lake in the background and they were only willing to make silly faces.
Crazy boys :)
We were on the road heading east by 7 am. We had planned on hiking some on our way to the cabin and pick out our hike as we drove. We settled on going to Laurel Falls near Elizabethton in northeast Tennessee. Brian and I had been here twice when I lived in Kingsport and worked at Eastman Chemical. But this time we decided to park in a different place and hike in from the opposite direction on the AT.
Before hiking we stopped at Dennis Cove Campground just down the road to picnic.
This was a REALLY pretty and small campground on Laurel Fork Creek. The boys got to run and run which was great after being in the car a few hours. And were still making great faces for my pictures!
After eating, we drove back up the road to the parking lot for the hike. The first mile of the hike is pretty easy (just a few hills). The last 0.3 is straight down to the falls on rocks. It's a gorgeous hike but that last bit is a little rough with the kids on our backs.
Both boys started off hiking - it was really nice wearing just an empty carrier!
The boys especially liked this improved log bridges.
The first mile of the trail is mostly an old railroad bed and follows the Laurel Fork.
The mountain laurel was blooming and really pretty.
There's a massive mountain laurel bush blooming across the river here.
Because the trail follows the old railroad bed, there are some neat little areas carved out of the bedrock with walls straight up on both sides.
We had to cross the river once and got to use this cool little bridge. I was happy that the boys were in the carriers at this point :)
Another blasted bedrock area ...
And then the straight down section began.
We made it down but it took me forever! Carrying Rylan really messes with my balance and I didn't want to slip, fall on my butt, and hit his head on a rock.
With all the rain we'd had over the last couple of days, the waterfall had a high volume flow.
Carter loves to rock hop and Rylan wanted to join in. Carter was sweet enough to help his brother in some of the tougher spots.
Carter did end up putting one whole foot in the water at one point but since he was being carried for the hike, it didn't really matter!
And back to the silly faces!
A few more pictures of the waterfall (I wish I had my tripod but it's heavy and Rylan is heavy enough!).
There were actually a lot of people down at the falls. Most of them came in from the other side of the AT though which is an easier but longer hike. Some of them even thought they should try swimming at the bottom of the falls. It was humid but definitely not warm enough for that yet. The water was freezing and they did not seem to be having much fun (there was way too much high school girl squealing!).
After awhile, we tackled the hike back up.
Even though I was breathing harder and sweating more, I thought going up was easier (and faster).
Rylan passed out about half way back (he always takes a nap in the carrier). And Carter hiked a very little bit.
Once we got back in the car, we drove the rest of the way to our cabin. We were staying just south of Boone, NC (the cabin's address was actually in Blowing Rock). We rented a five bedroom house that was in a popular area but the lots around it had not been developed yet so it felt isolated. And it was high enough on the mountain to have a nice view. The house was clean and worked pretty well for our families.
We arrived around 5pm, just after our friends Johnny and Anakah and their kids, Fin and Lainey. They took the bedroom on the main floor, we took the 2 bedrooms upstairs, and left the 2 bedrooms in the basement for Ryan and Elizabeth (and their kids Henry and George).
Brian has known Johnny and Anakah since middle school but this was the first time we'd met Ryan and Elizabeth. They all live in New Bern, NC (on the coast) and so Boone is about midway between us all. Carter was the oldest kid and George was the youngest (he'd just turned one). So the six kids are all pretty close in age and were great playmates the entire trip.
Johnny and Anakah were in charge of dinner the first night and made us hamburgers and hot dogs. Unfortunately just after we arrived was when the skies finally opened up (we had been so lucky missing the rain so far!). But Johnny still grilled us some great food and shortly after that, Ryan and Elizabeth arrived with their crew.
Carter and Rylan shared a bedroom and after a quick bath, passed out and slept great. Rylan didn't even make it through songs. Everyone else had gotten their kids to bed too and the adults got to catch up for a bit before going to bed as well.
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