#WanderingDorks

 Today was a different day and it showed by the end. But it was a good day. I went straight to the park no breakfast. Was eating granola and energy bars etc. Drinking plenty of water. Ready for the heat. First I did the Boardwalk Loop, a 2.6 mile round trip with a nice view of different areas of the surrounding parklands. The best part of that first walk was the Barred Owl I saw.  The trees dominating this area are called Water tupelos and are identified by the swollen trunks on the bottom. The moss you see shows how high flood waters have gotten in Congaree over the years. I learned these were called "knees" to the majestic bald cypress trees that populate the area. The wood in these trees is called "wood eternal" and the trees can live up to 1000 years. They believe the knees provide extra structural support in floods and high wind. This shots shows how just a slight increase in the ground elevation changes the fauna. Switch cane dominates the floor here instead o...

 Today was a quick trip into Asheville, NC for breakfast at Moose Cafe at the West Asheville Farmers Market. The blueberry pancake I had was bigger than the dish. Food was pretty good and a nice start to my day. It was a foggy morning and the arrival at the Biltmore allowed for some pretty hauntingly good shots straight out of an old horror movie. I wandered around outside waiting for my tour. Met a cherub, a lion and some other stuff. If you have never been to the Biltmore I highly suggest it. It is crazy inside. I took a zillion pictures of every stop. I am not going to post all of them. It is stunning piece of architecture of someone with tons of money that I can never dream of. Once upon a time someone in the family made a smart decision and generations of the family thank them. The room has some amazing items from so many places. It is just remarkable. Like all other trips there will be tons of pictures uploaded later. But here is a handful for now. The pool room with custom m...