In Only One Week

I cannot recall the color ever bursting forth as quickly as it did this year.  Last week the Blue Ridge Parkway viewing areas gave us the beginning of color in the mountains.  When we went back up this week most of the yellows were gone from the higher elevations and the reds dominated the color.

The color in the higher elevations is still lovely with mostly reds and a bit of yellow.

 A treat for the eyes no matter the season.

Looking Glass Rock, so named because the water on the rock face freezes in winter and the sun makes the mountain shine like a mirror.

At slightly lower elevations, there is more color including the yellows and oranges.

At a drop of a thousand feet the color is more pronounced.  At John Rock the color is gorgeous.

Davidson River delights the trout fishermen and women.  They dot the river all along its way.

We will be making trips up to the Parkway until it closes for the winter.  When our children were younger we used to take them to the Cold Mountain Overlook where the gates keep automobile traffic from entering.  During winter it is such a treat to walk the Parkway in the snow.  Perhaps we will take the dogs up there this year.

Civilian Conservation Corps

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The purposes of the CCC were to find useful conservation work for the hundreds of thousands of young men who were out of work, and to provide on-the-job training for the enrollees. The CCC provided work in forests, parks, and rangelands throughout the United States.

The value of this endeavor is with us still. Much of the infrastructure in the NC mountains exists because of the work of these wonderful young men. Whenever we drive through these mountains we see the fruits of their labors. For the lovely stone bridges, and even the roads themselves, we continually thank the men of the CCC.

One can't drive far in Western NC without seeing a sign marking a route as "CCC Camp Road." Although there were many such camps located in our county, my favorite is the one at John Rock, the first CCC camp in Western NC. While the camp no longer exists, there is a very nice monument in honor of the CCC workers.

This is the larger than life-sized statue symbolizing the CCC worker.

This is John Rock itself. A popular hiking trail leads to the top.

Seen from behind, the CCC worker appears to be looking up at John Rock.

Life in the CCC camps was not all work. Health and dental care were provided, along with recreational activities and religious services. Many of the young men first learned to hunt and fish during their time of service. Almost all of them gained a new respect for forests and knowledge in forest maintenance. They came away from the camps with renewed enthusiasm and self-confidence. The work provided by the CCC allowed men to provide financial assistance to their families at a time when unemployment was extremely high.

The CCC program ended in 1942. With our entry into WWII, the men were needed for other battles.

I cannot tell you how strongly connected I feel to these young men and boys. Many of the roads and the recreational areas in Pisgah National Forest and many other places are there because of the CCC.

I urge you to make an effort to find out what the CCC may have done in your area. And if you know of someone who worked in the CCC, or his family...please thank them for me and the people of the Western NC mountains.