Our next destination is Asheville, North Carolina. We had two days to get there so we drove to Savannah, Georgia, and through two parks along the way. Our first stop was the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. At the visitor center we bought some mosquito wipes, slathered them over our bodies, and headed to the short-interactive trail right next to the visitor center. Within 5 minutes of entering the Loblolly Pine Forested trail, we had become dinner for thousands of hungry mosquitos. We turned and ran. The auto tour option was suddenly a better idea.
The auto trail road was flanked on both sides by a swamp mostly covered with lotus blossoms. Alligators floated in the muddy water right next to the road. We saw a few egrets but they were quite far in the distance.
The drive went through narrow band of trees dripping with Spanish Moss.
Our next park was Congaree National Park. Like Savannah Wildlife Refuge, this park has no entrance fee. We arrived too late to see much in the visitor center, but the boardwalk and other trails were open 24 hours.
At the visitor center there is a "Mosquito Meter" that seemed reassuring.
Not sure how accurate the meter was, but this time no mosquitos. There was, however, a severe storm warning in the area and we did have rain before we finished our hike through the cypress swamp.
Black clouds made the forest even darker and it was very quiet with only the hooting of barred owls and other birds living in the forest. It was a little spooky.
From swamps to the Blue Ridge Mountains, we finally arrived in Asheville, North Carolina. After checking into our Airbnb lodging we walked downtown. Asheville was very busy with events. There was both a drumming festival and a yoga festival. The yoga festival was less meditative and more about selling things. We did watch an acro yoga workshop. When did acro yoga become a thing?
I've never heard of acro yoga but it just goes to show that travel really does expose us to new things.
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