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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day 2 in the Smokies...Bear, Water, Fall Colors

On November 6, our second day in the Smokies, we awoke to a dreary day. But, being the late risers and slow movers that we are, the sun was shining by the time we got around and headed into the national park.

We drove the Little River Road, towards Cades Cove. Just past the Laurel Falls parking area, we spotted a black bear in the woods beside the road. Most of the trees had already dropped their leaves, which made spotting the bear much easier than it would have been a couple of weeks earlier.

This picture was taken off the video that we shot of the bear. There just wasn't time to grab my still camera. This bear was traveling.

This area is known as The Sinks.

This is The Sinks, looking back toward where I stood to take the previous photo.

Just a mile down the road from The Sinks is Meigs Falls, easily viewed from the road.

The five-mile side road that leads back to Middle Prong Trail, in the Tremont area, follows this beautiful river.

On the other side of the road is this woods, still dressed in some of its autumn finery.

This is another view of the river.

This is a closer look at the cascade in the previous photo. Doug took this one with the camcorder. We're so pleased with that little investment. It not only records high-definiton video, it takes still shots in six megapixels.


17 comments:

  1. Your pictures make me want to drag my paintbox and easel outdoors to paint a landscape.

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  2. would never know those photos came from a video cam! nice! gorgeous shots, too!

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  3. Linda, you and Doug have quite the eye. Amazing the shots that came from your camcorder. Six megapixels is apparently enough for a quality shot. The Sinks is breathtaking. Really gorgeous images.

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  4. All are gorgeous. You find some of the prettiest place.

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  5. you always have the most amazing photos

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  6. Stephen - I'd love to see the resulting painting. :)

    Theresa - We're pretty impressed with that camcorder's capabilities ourselves.

    Gail - I'd be tempted to hang up my still camera except that, sometimes, adjustments to settings that aren't available on the camcorder are necessary for the photograph.

    Ruth - Thanks so much for the kind comment.

    Julie - You're very kind.

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  7. Oh how I love River Road, Linda.... I love it during any season. I remember once in the 1970's ---when first hubby and I lived in Maryville, there was a wet snow one Saturday morning. We piled in the car and headed to the Smokies. There had been several inches of wet snow that morning --which clung to everything. AND the good news was that the roads were totally clear. That was my all-time favorite trip on River Road... BUT--I love it all of the time!!!

    Love your photos.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Betsy - I agree...it's a beautiful drive any time of the year and in any weather. We've never seen that part of the park in snow, though; but I can picture it in my mind.

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  8. You did a great job of capturing that bear. We've only rarely seen bears in the Smokies, and getting pictures has been even rarer. You visited some of our favorite areas on this day. The water levels are still fairly low, but the rivers are still beautiful.

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    1. George - We would have missed that picture of the bear if we hadn't had the camcorder. There just wouldn't have been time to focus and shoot with the still camera. He was really moving. We noticed that the waterfalls weren't as full as we've seen them on prior visits. But the rivers are always pretty, with that water racing over those rocks.

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  9. Beautiful pictures Linda! You take the BEST pics!!! You're making me want to go back to the Great Smokies! Are some of those shots from places you and Doug took us when we went hiking with you a couple of years ago?

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    1. Diane - Thanks, but you take some awfully nice pictures yourself. You need to start that blog. :)

      I know you were at the Sinks with us because we took some pictures of you two on the cliffs there. We also saw Meigs Falls with you, and we took that drive down the five-mile road at Tremont. So these pictures may have looked very familiar to you.

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    2. Thanks Linda, I'm still thinking about that blog...maybe someday!

      I'm amazed at how you remember the names of all the places you visit! I usually call them 'pretty water falls' 'huge mountain' 'colorful trail' :)

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  10. Still such beautiful foliage there. And how cool is that to see a bear!

    So I've gotta ask: Horses or waterfalls? Which one do you love best? ;) I'm kidding, of course. You do seem to seek out the most beautiful waterfalls.

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    1. Hilary - Bear sightings are always special. And, silly girl, of course horses rank higher than waterfalls in my book. There just aren't as many horses as waterfalls in the Smokies. :)

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  11. Beautiful sceneries, Linda. Most of them I like the third photo from bellow contrasting the light bark of the trees and colourful leaves behind.

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    1. Petra - It's beautiful there in any season, but fall is remarkable. That photo you mentioned is one of my favorites, too.

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