Hike to Sunset

The fall colors are said to be a little "muted" this year - or at least that was the word used by a meteorologist on the Asheville television station yesterday - but they seem perfect to me.  The Walhalla Road and Sassafras Gap Road are tunnels of gold right now, and up in Town the burning bushes and maples stand out brilliantly against pale yellows and greens.  Today I hiked up the familiar road to Sunset Rocks, and there was plenty of beauty to greet the eye.

I did not pass anybody on the way to the top, and I also noticed that there were no cars.  The Town has wisely agreed to stop maintaining this road so it has fallen into a condition rougher than a visitor might like his unblemished SUV to experience, which is good for hikers.  The top was gorgeous as usual, even with the overcast sky:

On the way down I passed a couple who looked very much out of place, the woman clearly trying out a brand-new pair of boots from the Highland Hiker and wearing a fashionable hat.  But they seemed to be enjoying themselves, and so was a very fast runner coming around the corner.  "Nice job!" I said.  And then a young woman with a tall, brand-new hiking stick (Highland Hiker again?) came around the corner, bundled up and wearing a white toboggan. 

Have I ever hiked to the top of this mountain - so accessible, only a ten-minute drive from our house - and not realized how grateful I am to live in Highlands?  I don't think so.