December 25, 2008: Good weather on a Christmas Day - might as well go riding. It's back to an old favorite - the loop up by Lake Toxaway, Wolf Lake, Cullowhee, Speedwell over the Elijay Road to Franklin, then back up east on Hwy. 64 to Highlands, then Cashiers down to Whitewater Falls - and then on home on Hwy. 64 and the East Fork of the French Broad River. This photo was taken along a twisty stretch of newly paved Hwy. 281 between Lake Toxaway and Wolf Lake.

It's always hard to pass by this high overlook near Wolf Lake without stopping to grab a quick photo. There's a beautiful mountain farm on the other side of the valley that I really like.

Another look at the same mountain farm from back in October, 08.

The Speedwell General Store near Cullowhee, NC. Dang, it's closed on Christmas - no coffee break today. I follow the road west to the cutoff to the Elijay Road that cuts across the mountain to Franklin. On this side of the hill, it's called the Tilley Road. Another good ride can be had by passing on by the cutoff and climbing the mountain up to Glenville Lake near Cashiers, or taking another fork over the mountain to Highlands. So many roads, so little time...

Bridal Veil Falls, west of Highlands by Hwy. 64. An old stretch of the highway passes behind the falls.

A small lake west of Highlands, NC, by Hwy. 64.

A quiet Christmas Day in Highlands, NC.

Highlands is a trendy (read - expensive!) little village in the high country of North Carolina. The rainfall in this region is second only to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State in the lower 48 states.

East of Highlands, Hwy. 64 skirts a ridgeline, with spectacular views of the cliffs to the south towards the South Carolina line.

The view northeast towards the high country of the Blue Ridge - the Parkway runs across the high mountains on the horizon.

Temps are dropping fast, but I take time for one quick photo of Lake Jocassee before heading home. It's a good way to spend a nice Christmas Day in the Carolina mountains.