Cross country to North Carolina

I haven't posted for a while, not because of lack of time but because of lazyness I guess. So I thought a little update about what I was going through would be welcomed... Well, last week-end was pretty fantastic, the highlight being a very nice flight to North Carolina.

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There are several milestones attached to this flight so you can expect a pretty comprehensive story about it... I am nevertheless awaiting the pictures from my friend to post a complete report. In the meantime, you will have to help yourself with this little petty appetizer...

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So I flew with a good friend of mine deep into the Great Smoky Mountains up to Bryson City and Franklin in North Carolina. In Bryson City, we skimmed along the Tennessee borderline before heading back South again to Franklin. Up there, we enjoyed an awesome view over the Appalachians : miles and miles of endless and uninhabited mountains reching more than 6,000ft. I was expecting a bumpy ride over those peaks but at 7,500ft turbulence was allright. Choppy from times to times but nothing major. The crystal clear weather above a thin layer of haze as well as the late evening sunrays added some fiery colors to an already dramatic late Fall festival of red and orange. What a sight !!

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As might be observed in the picture, large embankments of sand along Lake Fontana are clear indicators of the worst drought in decades that the South East is experiencing. According to the media, there are only sixty-days of water left in Lake Lanier, the major water reservoir supplying Atlanta... Well... well... well...

After almost two hours in the air, we glided peacefully towards Franklin airport where we stretched our legs and enjoyed the calm and peacefull atmosphere surrounding those massive mountains. We took the opportunity to refuel both the aircraft and our bellies for the late afternoon and early dusk trip back home.

This is bitsy birdy, the little Cessna C172 that hauled both of us during the entire trip. Seen here cooling down and resting on the ramp while awaiting us to return to its home base in Atlanta. The sunshine nearly transformed the ramp into a bright sea of silver...

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That's it for today...as soon as I get new pictures, I will update the thread.

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