Glorious October Continues

Yesterday we went west to the Stecoah Valley, where there is a cultural center that was holding a harvest festival. The cultural center is there all the time. It is located in an old school and gymnasium, both built out of cinderblocks faced with attractive river stone. Both school and gymnasium are furnished with beautiful wood that was clearly constructed locally by the hands of people who cared about how it was done, perhaps because their own children or grandchildren would be schooled there. One can easily imagine those few generations who lived in that remote valley, working the land between the gorgeous mountains, raising their children in a school they built themselves. It was and still is a long way from anything.

It is on one of the roads to the Tail of the Dragon, though, so you are likely to see some beautiful motorcycles and the occasional sports car on your drive. It is just outside the western frontier of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, too, and though there are no entrances to the park over that way one can hike into the park via several trailheads. It's also not too far from the Fontana village resort, located high in the mountains for the dam builders who crafted the dam on the Little Tennessee River that creates Fontana Lake. 

Anyway, I haven't been thinking of interesting things to discuss here. Go forth and do likewise if you're able; the glorious autumn only comes once a year, and it can be fleeting.