And so the conclusion of the matter ...

My time spent poking around the roads less traveled in western North Carolina has unhappily come to an end.  Fall in these parts is as good as it gets.  Some locals I spoke to talked about the colors not being as brilliant this year, maybe because the area had a lot of rain through the summer.  Yes, the foliage was a little muted, less fiery reds and more jewel tones - amber, rust, topaz, etc., but it never ceases to create a sense of awe.  Just drop dead gorgeous.  I left Asheville before dawn this morning and headed for the Brevard area, remembering a particular valley that I visited a few years ago.  It was foggy in the low-lying areas until the sun finally blasted through at about 9am, and within half an hour all the fog was gone.  By 10:45 I had used up the best light and it was time to set my course for home.  There is so much that I love about Brevard; the farms, the rural valleys, the waterfalls ...  Next year I won't bother to go anywhere else.  A great day but now it's time to do laundry, pay bills, get ready for work tomorrow, etc.