New Year’s Day 2022 in Western North Carolina delivered an amazing weekend of warm and welcoming temperatures which my friend Chris Bainbridge, from the Ingles Open Road Show, and myself took complete advantage of.  We fired up my Ford F-150 Lariat (Denver, yes I named my truck after the folk artist John Denver), and headed out to the Linville Gorge Wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest for a day of hiking.  

We made several stops throughout the day including grabbing some amazing barbeque at Carolina Barbeque in Newland, North Carolina before we headed out to explore Upper Creek Falls in the Pisgah National Forest. Pisgah is one of my favorite forests to visit because of how it spans throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains offering new discoveries like a conquistador wandering onto the shores of Florida for the first time. I don’t think I will ever see all of the natural attractions Pisgah has to offer in my lifetime, it is too massive. However, that doesn’t stop me from trying.

As I followed Chris down the steep portion of the trail loop leading to the falls we talked about our youth and past adventures.  On each of our outings, I have truly enjoyed Chris’ company, because for the longest time I prayed for another solid friend I could connect with following the passing of my good friend and former morning show partner (when I used to be a Country Radio Personality), Scony.  I don’t know if Chris knows it or not, but he has been such a blessing to my life as we have all battled through the depression of the pandemic. I am very grateful to him for his kind words, understanding, and tolerating my country radio idiocy (which I can’t seem to ever turn off).

While we journeyed along we came upon a senior couple who were returning from their visit. They were a delight to chat with as they shared some of the best spots to capture images of the falls from.  As we departed their kind company I thought, “If that gentleman can easily get in and out of here, I am sure I can as well.”  But this fact quickly became fiction in the reality of our hike out later. 

The trail dropped us out at the top of the falls, where I was able to capture a few shots (which during the time of the writing of this blog I have yet to review) before we followed the trail down fifty feet below to the basin of the falls.  That is where I was able to steady myself against a large bolder of granite to stop myself from falling on the slick and sloping base while I captured the image above entitled “Lady In Pink”.  I am still on the fence about whether I will offer it for sale or not, but I did want to share it with you.

As for the trek out, I want to thank Chris again for being kind enough to lead the way through the dark and being patient as I took more than my fair share of breaks to catch my breath at each switchback.  It has inspired me to start working out each day on my treadmill WITH my 30-pound camera bag on my back so I can be better prepared for the next trial.