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We decided to play hooky this afternoon. We were going to go drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in search of fall color. I thought it might clear off some, but by the time we got to the 441 bypass in Gatlinburg it didn't look like the weather was going to cooperate.

Maybe tomorrow. Today we opted for the Roaring Fork Nature Motor Trail instead. Above is a photo of said Roaring Fork. It was a nice, relaxing afternoon drive-about, except for the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg traffic. Half of Alabama is up there, I think. We also saw cars from Louisiana, Texas, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and even Ontario. And that was just on the Roaring Fork Nature Motor Trail.

A lot of the color is gone on the Gatlinburg side of the mountains. It looks like many of the leaves were blown down in the big 100 MPH freak wind storm this week. There were also lots of downed trees, and it appears the National Park Service has been busy the last few days clearing the roads. If you're going this weekend, Wears Valley is beautiful. I would have taken photos, but the weather wasn't cooperating. Cades Cove is probably peaking, too, but I'm guessing the line will start in Townsend.