10-24-17  on our way to Knoxville---Amicalola:

Heading on up to Knoxville again.  This time we'll be watching Tim and Faith's pets while they go off to Kansas City for Faith's brother's wedding.  So we're heading up to Knoxville a couple days early so we can visit for a couple days with them, too.
With Knoxville being fairly close, we often take our time and head up through the mountains on state highways.  Sometimes I map out a place to stop, but today we just jumped in the car and took off.  Saw a few interesting sites along the way---

 Love how they decorate for Fall on farmlands!

 It's always a pretty ride through the mountains of north Georgia.

 someones yard!

 Even came across this huge sunflower field!

 I had no idea that sunflowers would grow this late in the year!

 Even saw Smokey the Bear.

 The car navigator took us a longer then expected route, but it also took us within 5 miles of Amicalola Falls.  So I suggested we made that our detour today.  We've been here 3 times now, but it's neat seeing it in the different seasons.  Ken sat here overlooking the little pond at the base of the falls while I walked up to the first big overlook.

 The river along the way.

 still some wild flowers along the way.

 more of the lower cascading falls.

 just to show how close the trail is to the river.  This is actually part of the Appalachian trail.

 view from the lookout that I walked up to.

 still not a lot of color in the trees.

 looking towards the upper falls

 more wild flowers.

 the zig zagging trail.

 for the end of Oct., it was still really lush.  The weather was great, too---about 75.

 more of the trail and river along side.

 love all the little cascading falls along the river.

 sure doesn't look like much water when you see how much is coming down the big falls!

 playing around with my new home made bean bag camera base.

 back on the road.  Trees were just starting to change.

 We drove up to the top of the falls.  Great view over the forest.

 Even checked out the lodge up there.

 love the photo above the check in area.

 looking out from the patio by the lobby

 another view from the patio

 I bet this would be a nice place to spend a night or 2.

 the lobby, looking out to the patio.  There's also a restaurant to the right of me in this picture.  Would love to eat there some day.

 After our 2 hour or so detour, we got back on the road to Knoxville.

 lots of farmlands in the north Georgia mountains.

 and great views.

 getting towards Cleveland, Tn., where we got on I-75 for most of the rest of the ride.

 on I-75

 on Pellissippi highway (140) getting ready to exit the highway for the street the kids live off of.   Love the view they have while driving home from work every day.

Got there just before the kids did for the start of a nice visit with them.  Got pizza for dinner and played Mexican dominoes to the wee hours of the night.

Faith still had a day of work before the trip, but Tim took off the next day.  I did some running around with him while he did some final shopping before the trip.  He was the officiant of the wedding, so felt he should have a new tie.  The 25th we enjoyed dinner at a German restaurant near them.  My first time for Schnitzel!  It was quite good!

It was a nice start to a rather different stay.