This past weekend I went to the mountains with my family.  We visited a few waterfalls, rode the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, went to Grandfather mountain and were in the middle of a parade!  Our first stop was Linville Falls near Boone, NC.  The park was open, but the forest rangers were there to tape up the trash cans and lock the bathroom.  I guess they could pay them to do that but not to maintain the park!  We took a quarter mile hike to the view of the upper and lower falls.  Then we hiked further to get closer to the lower falls.  It was beautiful but it's not easy climbing mountains with a heavy camera and tripod! On the way to our hotel in Cherokee, we rode down Diamondback Loop. It was enough to make us car sick! The next day we rode the Great Smoky Mountain railroad.  It was a cold ride in the morning, but it warmed up on the way back.  Afterwards we went to Indian Creek and Toms Branch Falls.  The gate was closed because of the government shut down, but that didn't stop us!  We walked around the gate and had a great time!  The waterfalls there were beautiful.  The next day, we drove to Bristol, Tennesse.  On the way down the mountain, we ran into the Cranberry Festival Parade.  We had to stop so we got out and enjoyed the parade.  Our last day we spent at Grandfather Mountain.  It was very foggy and overcast but we still managed to get a few pictures.  We did get to see the eagle and the bears.  We are fortunate in North Carolina to be able to have the mountains and the coast within driving.