{By Kelly}

We had a great time at the Vintage Trailer Rally at Sebastian Inlet State Park in Sebastian, Fla, Oct. 24-26, 2014. Here are a few pics of The Riveted Roost and friends, along with the stunning views from the park.

This is a gorgeous park with beach and lagoon access for boating, fishing, swimming, surfing, paddling, hiking and just soaking up some sun. The campground is lovely and many sites have waterfront views.

All photos © Kelly Beard, The Riveted Roost

{By Kelly}

I've traveled from Florida to Western North Carolina nearly every year for the past 33 years. My grandmother has a home in Hendersonville, NC and each visit brings new discoveries in the surrounding mountains. Here are a few of the places I explored at the end of September, first week of October, 2014.

All photos © Kelly Beard, The Riveted Roost

It was late September, but early traces of fall could be found at higher elevations, like Graveyard Fields, milepost 418.8 , along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Brevard, North Carolina. It sounds creepy, but the name originates from a time when a severe windstorm felled hundreds of trees in the area. Over the years, moss covered the stumps, resembling graves. With time, the forest has begun to recover, but a large meadow remains, which you can see from the parkway overlook. There's a parking area and restrooms at the trailhead of the Graveyard Fields Loop, which leads to two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone prong of the Pigeon River. I started my solo hike down the paved trail just after dawn and was greeted immediately by wildflowers, a pleasant surprise for this chilly time of year.

The paved trail leads down to a bridge, just a short distance away, that spans the river. After crossing, the trail forks, leading to the lower falls to the right, or the upper falls to the left.

I've driven past the sign for Cascade Lake Recreation Area too many times to count and I've never taken the time to check it out... until now. I'm certainly glad I did because it is a beautiful lake with a lovely campground (open April through October), perfect for a getaway with the Riveted Roost. It's located in the Pisgah Forest, between Hendersonville and Brevard, NC. The beginning of October is a wonderful time to visit - when the air is cool and the leaves are turning. Summer visitors can take advantage of the swimming area or rent a canoe and paddle from the lake into Dupont Forest, all the way to Hooker Falls.