Max Patch

There is a place hidden way in the mountains that run along the North Carolina, Tennessee border that is awesome and gorgeous.

Actually, everything in that area is hidden and awesome and gorgeous.  That's why it's such a tourist attraction.

That little red dot is where I'm talking about.  And although it doesn't look far away from the highway or Asheville, it is far away from anything and anywhere.  It's 40 minutes past where the pavement ends.

But it's so worth it.

Okay, that was a little dramatic.  To be honest, I've seen views like this my entire life, mostly when I stepped on my front porch on the way to school in the morning.  So driving 40 minutes on a winding gravel road up and down mountains in muddy conditions wasn't exactly fun.

But I can't deny that it's an awesome view.  And it was just a very short hike up to the top, which I was definitely happy with!

It was a little more cloudy than any photographer would have hoped for, but I wasn't planning on driving down that road again, so I was taking all the pictures I was going to take!

Note: I'll probably go there again.  I'm not swearing it off.  I just really hated the long winding gravel road full of switchbacks.

Does that mean I'm a spoiled city girl now?

On the other hand, I was ready to pack my stuff up and move back to my hometown, which isn't too far from here (but does, technically, have a Starbucks now).

That is a strong technicality, though.  It's in a grocery store.

And then my hubby was wearing this hat.  With a fish hook on the bill.

Did I turn this city boy into a country man?

*Looks at shirt, then at hat, then back at shirt*

Almost.

You think he could drive a tractor?

Oh dear, I'm getting distracted.

It appeared that a storm was brewing, so we hightailed it off that mountain.  Even at my height I was definitely the tallest thing up there.  And my hometown has definitely learned that lightning is not a joke here.

But we did stop for one last picture...