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| Welcome to the "Exploring with Clark and Pam Website" |
| North
Carolina Mountain Living |
| Pam
and I have been vacationing up to North Carolina mountains for as long
as our marriage. We honeymooned in Maggie Valley and have
been
making trips ever since. In the early years we would stay at the City Motel (441 North) or the Carolina Motel (441 South) in Franklin. We were attracted to the Franklin area often because we tagged along with Bob and Barbara. Invariably we would spend a day of our trip scouting property with a realtor; insisting on land that had a view and a waterfall simultaneously. Then Pamela got to talking to doctors at work who had cabins up in the hills. So we started staying in their small vacation homes way up high in the hills that overlook the distant ranges. Then in the mid-late 1980's Pamela's parents, Bob and Barbara bought the "tree house". We would try to get up there at least once in the summer; sometimes we would take a long weekend while Chris and Julie were out of school, sometimes it would be in the fall for the leaf color, other times it would be Easter. In the mid 90's, Bob and Barbara transitioned to a new place called Valley View. From the road level, the place looks quite ordinary, but when you come up the driveway and hit the ridge line, there is a expansive farm valley with a distant view of the Nantahala Range of mountains. They both fell in love with it immediately and the move was made in what seemed like an instant. Ever since, the place has been our annual home base for easy living, mountain rides, and a seemingly consistent set of things we love to do when we visit Franklin, like go downtown to Peoples department store and buy a new pair of blue jeans. We still scout the area for property every time we go; though we recognize that great views and waterfalls are as rare as 20 caret rubies. There have not been too many years we have skipped the North Carolina mountains. It's an old place that brings the youth back into one's soul. See a map of our "stoppin' grounds" Mountain activities we have done with the children: got filthy and excited while gem mining, enjoyed the rides and shows at Dollywood, went horseback riding at the Dillard House or at Chunky Gal ranch, participated in the watermelon roll on the Fourth of July, made a snow man and froze our hands, hiked the Appalachian Trail, tubed down the Nantahala River at Standing Indian or the Little Tennessee River north of Franklin, bought "important" items at the Franklin flea market, drove the Callasaja Gorge to Highlands and stopped for every waterfall, visited the Cherokee Village at Oconaluftee, slid down Slippery Rock, shopped at the bird feed store in Highlands, visited the bakery and candy store in Waynesville, chatted with the sisters at the Waynesville hardware store, climbed Clingman's Dome, visited Cades Cove and read the tombstones along the way and came across the mama and baby bear, shopped the craft stores in Dillsboro and rode the Great Smoky Mountain Railway, rafted the Nantahala Gorge, chased fire flies as dusk, visited Smokemont visitor center in the National Park, rode in the back of leaf trailer while Popsie pulled the kids around with the yard tractor jumped into a pile of freshly raked leaves, included a trip to the dollar store on every visit moved rocks in the swift waters of the Nantahala creek at Standing Indian being chauffeured by Popsie on many family rides in all directions from Franklin enjoyed the brilliance of the fall colors, cut walking sticks from poplar saplings, discussed and sized-up the differences in the 4 "special" Christmas trees each year, stopped by Lake Junaluska Assembly, even took in a "Singers" concert, got woke up at 5:30 AM to see the cows, went bowling on rainy days, made a big deal out of the Sunset Diner, gazed at campfires and fireplace fires, bundled up with gloves and knitted hats on cold days, watched the low clouds roll through the valley, stood atop the lookout of Wayah Bald, and was awe-struck by the repetition of distant mountain ranges, camped at Standing Indian, Balsam, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park gathered around at "pickin' on the square" in Franklin's town square, picked blackberries along Valley Lane, rocked back and forth on the porch rockers, Frequently packed a lunch for a picnic as part of a ride through the mountains, learned that "miles up the road" means nothing in the mountains. Click the pictures below for a high res look. |
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 Pam at Lake Nantahala |
 Nantahala River |
 Gathering on the porch |
 The view from the fence |
 Chris and
Carla on Wayah Lookout
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 Carla, Chris, Julie at Lk Junaluska |
 Chapel at
Lake Junaluska
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 Beth and
Ralph at St. John's Episcopal
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 Valley View mailbox |
 Valley View fence built by Popsy |
 The "Bear" room |
 Chris and Heath backpacking near Roan Mtn |