Oh, that's such a beautiful place! Reminds me of the hills near where I am too, I just drove through them today on a visit further south. And great photos too.
Lovely pics, as always. It's been several years since the last time, but we used to do family vacations in the mountains. I've said for years that I couldn't live there and drive, I'd get too involved in the scenery and wind up involved in an accident, lol.
That bicyclist sure took me back. About 20 years ago, my hubby (who was an avid cyclist) decided to ride a bicycling century called the Blue Ridge Bridge-to-Bridge Incredible Challenge. It starts in Hickory and ends on top of Grandfather Mountain. He managed to persuade me to be his training buddy. He rode the Bridge-to-Bridge three times, I rode it twice. The views almost made it worth it! (ever go screaming down the backside of a mountain at 60 mph on a bicycle??!)