Blue Ridge Beauty

1/40 sec. f/16 ISO 100

Blue Ridge Mountains

Rugged

1/200 sec. f/16 ISO 100

Today's Tip:
Vertical composition is often forgotten. It can create a different perspective or eliminate unwanted elements from a scene.

Blue Ridge Blooms

These are various flowers we encountered during our travels through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Other than the Rhododendrons and Foxgloves, I couldn't tell you the names of the other blooms.

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Blue Ridge Barbed Wire II

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Grandfather Mountain

My girlfriend and I made our second visit to Grandfather Mountain during our Blue Ridge trip. The mountain is privately owned so there is an entry fee, but it's definitely worth visiting at least once. The main attraction, other than the magnificent view, is the mile high swinging bridge. Prior to our first visit, I was under the impression the bridge was literally a mile above the ground. That turned out not to be the case, of course. The elevation is a mile, but there's not that much space between the bridge and the ground. That said, the bridge is still high enough off the ground that some people won't cross it. If you have that whole "I don't like high places" virus, it can be a bit unsettling, especially if the wind is gusting. The reward, though, is a breathtaking view in all directions. I walked out on the rock formations as far as I could go and when I looked over the side of the mountain, there was a flock of vultures soaring below me. That put the elevation in perspective.

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Miscellaneous Wildlife

During our trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, we visited a wildlife sanctuary on Grandfather Mountain. The sanctuary is home to river otters, mountain lions, black bears, whitetail deer, and eagles. The Golden Eagle was injured by gunfire out West and had to have part of one wing amputated. He has been at the sanctuary since 1984 and they estimate his age to be 40 years plus. The resident Bald Eagle at the sanctuary died in 2010 at the age of 29.

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Fences With A View

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Blue Ridge Random

These are various shots from the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.

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