Tamela Rich's Blog, page 5

Visit Death Valley Now, the Desert is Blooming!

POST UPDATE: With the National Park Service Centennial this year, the Park Service expects record crowds to all our parks, especially during summer vacation season. Death Valley is a park best visited before summer, as I explain in this TV interview.

Death Valley in “super bloom” of a generation

If you need a further nudge for a spring visit to Death Valley National Park, this video from the Park Service even whets our whistles for a possible “super bloom” of wildflowers, a rare occurrence. It will all be over in April, so don’t delay!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I love Death Valley, and as I said in the interview with WBTV-Bounce at the top of this post, I’d recommend entering the park from the Nevada side, where there is fascinating human history, from the gold rush days and the dawn of the nuclear age.

This rest of this article was originally posted on March 31, 2013. 

Lost in Death Valley, after dark, with an inaccurate map

Traveling with my parents in Death Valley National Park after sunset, we took a gravel road that was designed to cross the park. However, we found that it was completely unmarked, which left us to our own devices.

Fork left or right?

Our choices ended up in a cul de sac so we retraced our route back to tarmac some 70 miles away before we would run out of gas.

Whew! What an adventure!

Remember, the difference between an adventure and a catastrophe is whether you live to tell about it. Click the “podcast play button” at the top of this post to listen to a morning-after debrief with my parents at Mel’s Diner in Beatty, NV. You won’t want to miss it!  We all love the way Dad’s Subaru Forester handled the task, as you’ll hear, and Mom sings the praises of BioFreeze for her aching back. My parents are such good sports!

Here’s a video my mom took through the windshield.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Lost in Death Valley after sunset from TamelaRich on Vimeo.

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Italy by Motorcycle: Travel with Tamela

Ah, Italy. The history, roads, food, and culture call to me. I’ve always thought that discovering it on a nimble motorcycle would put the experience right over the top.

Then again, how does a solo female motorcyclist go to Italy without taking more risk than her husband is comfortable with?

By taking a group tour with a support van, a native Italian tour leader, and a mobile phone with all tour members’ and guides’ phone numbers, of course.

Could I meet my need to travel bella Italia in the way that feeds my soul and keep him from losing sleep while I’m across the Atlantic?

 

Italy at the right pace

I’m the least tour-group-oriented person you’ll likely ever meet, so I did my due diligence before deciding to take a package tour.  The “Ladies First Magical Italy” tour I’m taking September 22-30, 2016 was designed for travelers like me who want to travel Italy like a native with all the support—and none of the restrictions and commercialization—of a typical group experience.

I’d love for you to join me.

On this tour, we won’t have to hit the road at zero-dark-thirty every day as the tour leader push-push-pushes us ahead on a whirlwind itinerary. Heck, we only have to pack our luggage (which the support van carries for us) three times!

Ask Me about Italy

 

“Magical Italy” tour details

The Magical Italy tour is about soaking in all that makes Italy unique, not whizzing by it at breakneck speed.

We’ll soak up Rome, Siena and Orvieto over eight days. You can ride as much or as little as you want, with or without a guide.

On this tour, my safety-minded husband of 31 years will be able to sleep at night without worrying about me, and I don’t have to make any compromises in my travels. Everyone wins!

Ask Me about Italy

 

This tour offers an ideal itinerary for couples. “Magical Italy” is designated “Ladies First,” which means that men are welcome, provided they are accompanied by a woman.

If this leaves you scratching your head, here’s one reason why: women want more “official” bathrooms than men do (the side of a tree just doesn’t have the appeal for women as it does men). Our guides have planned stops at charming cafes and built in plenty of time to grab a cuppa before hitting the road again.

Special evenings for my friends

I’ve asked for eight places in the group, which is capped graciously at 12. In addition to the meals included in the tour, our group will enjoy private dinners in Siena and Orvieto.

 

When you register, simply look for this pull-down menu to make sure our guides Enrico and Bill know you’re with me.

Italy at bargain prices

As much as I’ve always wanted to visit Italy, the strength of the Euro has been an obstacle. Good news in 2016: we’re seeing the best foreign exchange rates in recent memory now, which means the dollar buys more!

Ask Me about Italy

 

Meet our guides
Enrico Grassi

Any tour is only as good as its leaders. Our tour leader, Rome-born-and-bred Enrico Grassi, wants us to experience Italy as Italians do.

With eight full days in Italy, the itinerary is designed to allow us the time to get to know Rome, Siena and Orvieto in depth and at leisure. Here’s his philosophy:

Forget about getting from A to B in the fastest time possible. Forget about racing down the highways.

I deal with feelings. What I am talking about is the essence of travelling: hearing, seeing, smelling, feeling, tasting: experiencing all these senses at the same time, enjoying the wonderful freedom and exposure you get from being on a bike… Because for me, being on the road is all about feeling great! There are few things in life that match the sensory feeling of riding, seeing, and hearing the road as I ride the scenic back roads of Italy with my fellow riders.

Bill Kneigge

My great friend Bill Kneigge, who has been in the motorcycle business 40 year and leading tours for 12 of them, went to Enrico with the idea that women would like to tour with other women. He was right!

The success of the 2015 reviewed in Motorcycle Magazine, led Enrico and Bill to tweak the itinerary this year to give us more time in Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Looking forward to exploring Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

 

If you have always dreamed of experiencing Italy on a motorcycle (21 different models to choose from) I’d love for you to join me in September, 2016. Bill and I will host a call to answer your questions live on February 22, 2016 at 7:30 EST.

Hit this blue button to register for the call  Ask Me about Italy

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Congrats to Adam Holden-Bache on his Award-Winning Book

How to Win at B2B Email Marketing: A Guide to Achieving Success is a pioneering work in the field of email marketing.

While a great deal has been written about business-to-consumer email practices, my friend and client Adam Holden-Bache broke new ground when he rounded up best practices for business-to-business email marketers. He differentiates B2B from B2C, telling business marketers how to do everything from cultivating new prospects, to educating existing customers on their purchases, to up-selling.

Each chapter starts by informing readers what they will learn and ends with a recap. Readers can use the tips and takeaways in the sidebars throughout the book to find what interests them most and jump into a pertinent chapter.

Here’s what’s store:

Why email = winning
How to set and achieve goals
How to collect, manage, and grow a high quality, engaged, and responsive contact list
Why testing is key to winning
Why B2B emails don’t have to be boring
How to create messaging that is relevant, personalized, and actionable
How to get results that matter

From blog to book

How to Win at B2B Email Marketing is the result of Adam consistently blogging about best practices in email marketing. He is a shining example of the rewards of persistently and incrementally pursuing  a big goal.

Hey, Mark Cuban and Adam Holden-Bache turned a blog series into a book, why not give it a try?

The book is beautifully illustrated and designed, earning Adam a 2015 MarCom Gold award! The design team at Spark Publications, which designed my book, Live Full Throttle, once again delivered the goods.

Working with author Adam Holden-Bache

About his book, Adam says, “Personally it was something I always wanted to do, and I’m glad I did it. Professionally, the book has helped me stand out from the competition and gives me a better chance to win new business.” Adam’s book has opened doors to speaking engagements well into the year, so please be patient trying to book him for your next event.

Me with Adam and his book, “How to Win at B2B Email Marketing”

Adam and I began working together when he attended one of my Mastermind Groups for nonfiction writers, and I continued working with him through the final draft before it went for copy edits.

Adam kindly recommended me to prospective authors, saying:

“If you’re looking to write a book and don’t know where to start, Tamela is your answer. Tamela provides a wide range of services to budding authors including a book writing masterclass, manuscript consultant services and providing developmental edits. In short, she can help you take your book concept from idea to a finished product.

“As an attendee at her masterclass, I learned many valuable insights about self publishing. How to position your book for your target audience, how to prepare your key messages and themes, how to stand out from your competition and how to step through the publishing process are just a few bits of insight Tamela provides.

“So if you are considering becoming an author you should definitely take advantage of Tamela’s services and experience. You’ll gain confidence knowing you’re headed down the right path and you’ll take away much more than you expected.”

I always learn a great deal working with subject matter experts, helping them bring their expertise to the attention of new audiences.

If you are considering a book project, please get in touch. Maybe your journey starts with a series of blog posts and white papers like Adam’s, or maybe something else will work for you. Our first 30-minute consultation is free. 

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Finding Courage to Relaunch Your Life

My dear friend Jeri and I learned how to be grownups together.

We met as newlyweds some 30 years ago and have held hands through many vicissitudes: settling into married life; combining career and family in an environment hostile to working mothers; the angst of raising teenagers; and now the dual dynamics of menopause and peri-empty-nest syndrome.

When my life imploded some ten years ago, she was steady on, taking my phone calls and texts at all hours.

Friends as family

Because our spouses Matt and Andrew are also close friends, and our combined four children were born within five years, we have spent more vacations and holidays with them than with our own families, who live hours and even time zones away.

Bottom row Jeri and me. Top row are two of our four sons, and both of our spouses

 

We’ve formed our own holiday traditions, as families do. This Thanksgiving her son Jake requested an early meal time so we could have plenty of time for our customary roundtable of “questions and blessings” and still make the kickoff of the Carolina Panthers-Dallas Cowboys game.

Jeri was always a high flyer who could navigate the rough-and-tumble of corporate life, managing multi-million dollar projects and a staff of hundreds as she pursued a steady upward career trajectory. I always called her a “Corporate MacGyver” since she could bring in any project on time and under budget, no matter the odds.

You’d think her best friend would be cut from the same savvy cloth, but no. I hopscotched through several iterations of myself before a crisis brought me to my knees and urged me to hit the open road to find my true self and life’s calling. If you’re unfamiliar with my back story, my TEDx Talk will bring you up to speed.

It appears that opposites do indeed attract, if our relationship is a standard.

She sees in me what I see in her

About ten years ago Jeri took up “serious” photography and learned to use Photoshop. As with everything she sets her sights on, she excelled at both.

Last year she Photoshopped a card for my birthday—featured at the top of this post. On a sepia background picture of me riding my motorcycle, she superimposed another of me in color, laughing over the bike’s windshield with the caption “Courage.” The subtle footer contains a quote from e.e. cummings, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

I keep that card on my desk just below my computer screen, not only because it’s terrific, but also because as deeply rooted as our friendship is, I had no idea she held me up as a courageous soul. I am honored by her assessment.

After all, Jeri was the one who, since the day we met in 1986, confidently and competently waded through the blood and gore of corporate life—something for which I had no fortitude. She could read the tea leaves of any power struggle and live to fight another day—something for which I had no aptitude.

It seems that humans see in others what we can’t see in ourselves, and between Jeri and me, that strength is courage.

Courage in corporate life

Working for one of the world’s largest banks, the fury of Jeri’s work life intensified after the Great Recession, as her company relied almost exclusively on fear tactics and scarcity mindset to get results. She slept less, brooded more, and flirted with the prospect of taking—gasp!—an early retirement. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, however, she would issue a retraction, “I can’t do it until the boys are finished with college.”

Six months ago the bank went through yet another reduction in force. The Man stripped all humanity from the process, requiring Jeri to READ FROM A SCRIPT as she fired people. The closing paragraph of the script was basically, “When we hang up, you are required to close your computer and leave it off. You are not allowed to do further work of any kind, including email. Tomorrow you will receive two boxes; one will be a shipping box to return the computer to the company, and another will contain your severance package information…”

When she told me about this soul-sucking process, I saw her life force ebb before my eyes. “I kind of envy them,” she said of those she’d laid off. “Maybe I’ll be in the next round. You never know.”

It was about this time we talked about Nature’s model of a fallow field, a necessary phase in its ability to bring forth new life. Jeri ruminated in a blog post, “What might happen if we stop all the striving and pushing and forcing, and just let our daily life be the ultimate curriculum?”

Me carving the Thanksgiving turkey at Jeri’s 2015

This Thanksgiving she told me she had reserved a seat at a writing retreat in Tybee Island, Georgia during what was sure to be a busy week on the project she led. “I don’t care. They can fire me if they don’t like it. I need a break.”

These words from a woman who is probably due three months of untaken vacation over her career.

She continued, “This is not the company I once worked for. This is not the company that taught me leadership skills and made me proud to fly its flag. I don’t know how much longer I can take it, but I’d like to push through for three more years to get the boys out of school, remodel the kitchen, pay off our debt, and generally get our ducks in a row.”

If I were writing fiction, this is the point where I would reveal that she died of a heart attack on a Monday morning en route to the office. Happily instead, this is real life.

Two weeks before Christmas—because The Man gives nary a shit about seasonal “good will toward man”—Jeri’s employer of 33 years told her it could finally manage its interests without her services after all.

At least The Man gave her manager the dignity not to have to deliver the news from a script.

Courage in the face of fear

As I write this post Jeri is enjoying her writing retreat in Tybee Island, taking lots of photographs, writing, and navel gazing. Before she left, she wrote this gritty post about battling her “fear-monkey mind” that wants her to quickly strap herself into a corporate yoke, when what she really needs right now is to get in touch with her true self.

I remember that feeling after my business failed and wiped my family and investors out financially. When I decided to pursue a career as a writer instead of finding a “real job,” I  was called a lot of unkind things by people who didn’t understand how broken I was inside. I hold no grudge against these folks, because our culture pushes us to keep moving, as if we are sharks who can’t otherwise breathe.

Of course sharks we are not. Instead of moving, moving, moving, what’s usually required of humans in crisis is to pause and listen for our soul’s whispered calling. What looks like a setback (job loss, business failure, illness) can be providential intervention when we take the long view. I can vouch for that.

If you, like Jeri, find yourself in need of fallow time, I encourage you to take it, even if just for a weekend at a time. There is a magnificence inside of you waiting to ripen and reveal itself.

Godspeed.

#Travel Slow. #Connect Deep.

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Connecting Deep: Life Lessons from Dolphins

Matt and I spent the week of Christmas in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. The weather obliged, offering mostly-sunny skies and weather in the high 70’s.

We strolled the beach, rode bikes, read, and talked about our lives; all the things I classify as “Connect Deep.”

Where are the dolphins?

We remarked each day on our beach walks that we hadn’t see any dolphins yet, in contrast to their summer  behavior. We decided they must’ve gone out to the  warmer waters of the Gulf Stream.

As Matt packed the car on Sunday, I went down to the water one last time to reach my daily 10,000 step goal before the long car ride home.

They appeared as if on cue.

A pod of six

I’ve never seen dolphins come so close to the shore—twenty feet at most. The tide was out and the pod of six frolicked on the crests of the small waves, like children on the last day of school.

The pod included a mother and calf, and she taught it to take a back flip with the falling waves. My heart leapt!

Beachgoers sensed the pod’s presence, and came down to the water’s edge in shared delight. Sand castles could be built, kites could be flown, and books could be read later. This was a magic show.

I watched my fellow humans in their rapture, and it occurred to me that Nature is always putting on a show. Sometimes it’s as subtle as shapeshifting clouds. When’s the last time you laid on your back and watched them?

It also occurred to me that there are people with the personal magnetism to light up every room they enter, like these dolphins.

2016: Year of the dolphin

Then I wondered, is magnetism the thing that’s required? What if it could be something in our behavior that brings happiness to others?

What if we could each be counted on never to backbite? To always offer a kind word and a smile?

I began ruminating on the theme, “What would it take for 2016 to be my personal Year of the Dolphin?” To bring light to every room I enter?

It’s a worthy goal for 2016.

Granted, not everyone will respond to me as they would a pod of dolphins, but I’m not responsible for my reception, just my own behavior.

Life’s one choice

Last year I read Michael A. Singer’s recent books, and My Big Takeaway is what he says about choosing to be happy:

You really only have one choice in this life, and it’s not about your career, whom you want to marry, or whether you want to seek God…you can throw it all away and just make one basic, underlying decision: Do you want to be happy?

“He continues, “Once you make that choice, your path through life becomes totally clear.

Notice that he doesn’t say “easy.” He says, “clear.”

If you vow to choose happiness, Singer reminds us, “You just have to decide whether or not you will break your vow. When something is going well, it’s easy to be happy. But the moment something difficult happens it’s not so easy.”

Singer’s first book, The Untethered Soul, gives the theory for how to keep your vow to happiness. His second, The Surrender Experiment, he tells how he did it in the face of a federal indictment for white collar crime.

I’m choosing happiness for myself and wishing it for you this year.

I’d love to hear what you aspire to in 2016. Please comment with your news and aspirations.

 

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How to Entertain Kids on a Winter Road Trip

Headed out on a winter road trip? I can help.

In 2015 I made 30 TV appearances, giving tips on where to go, how to get there, and how to make it kid-friendly. Here are some of my best tips for planning a trip and keeping the kids from whining and complaining that “he’s touching me” and “she’s looking at me.”

Start by downloading my FREE GUIDE.

Back seat activities for kids on a road trip

Let’s start with keeping the kids entertained without “plugging them in.” Start with the tips I shared with Fox 46’s Page Crawford (hint: aluminum foil).

Car games rock! If you never played the 50-state license plate game or Car BINGO here’s your chance to become a kid again.

Okay, this one isn’t for the “back seat” but worth including. Have a blast staging family snapshots with roadside attractions and monuments. Dress them in your scarves and hats  for even more fun. When you get home, make a collage for the refrigerator of your escapades.

Pack the car with lots of leg room

Cramped cars make for cranky kids. When you pack light and pack right, you’ll have much less whining and much more fun on your holiday road trips. Here’s how to PACK LIGHT:

Choose a wardrobe that only requires one pair of shoes
If you must bring boots, wear them as them as you travel instead of packing them in the suitcase; you’ll have more room in the suitcase
Leave the hair dryer and other appliances at home
Pack interchangeable wardrobe pieces: every top should match every bottom
Don’t travel with more diapers than you’ll use on the trip. Ship ahead or buy when you arrive
Ship bulky items like winter sports gear ahead to your destination
Give everyone the same size suitcase. Whatever doesn’t fit stays at home
Ditch the hard-shelled luggage in favor of duffle bags or even trash bags to maximize space

After all, “Pack Light” is part of my motto (Pack Light. Travel Slow. Connect Deep.)

WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

Download my 7-page guide to taking a winter road trip

Click the image to the right to download my free guide. It was 30 TV appearances in the making!

Planning Suggestions 
App Recommendations
Money Saving Tips
Guide to Healthy Eating on the Road
How and What to Pack
Entertaining the Kids Along the Way
Auto Maintenance Checklist

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Join me Live. I’ll Answer Your Questions about FEAR

I surveyed over 200 people about their fears at home, work and play. I’ll use the results in my forthcoming book on fear.

Which of the Five Universal Fears is prevalent at home? At work? At Play?

Join me on November 12, 2015 at 7:30 pm (EST) when all will be revealed. You can also ask me any questions you have about fear.

REGISTER HERE. Yes, there will be a recording of the session, given to those who REGISTER.

Is it fear or anxiety?

The gazillions of psychologically-fearful situations that modern life gins up for us are the focus of the book. These are known as “anxieties,” and they can indeed be diminished—even conquered.

While we often use the words “fear” and “anxiety” interchangeably, they are different. Here’s how I learned to keep them straight:

Anxiety is synonymous with “dread.” It is forward looking.

Fear is a response to something that threatens your security or your well-being right now.

In short, when you are imagining a situation that MIGHT happen in the future, it’s anxiety. When you are FACED with a real or imagined threat in the present moment it’s fear.

My (yet-untitled) book will not help readers find a way to banish fear from their lives. If a rabid dog is running toward you, I definitely want you to jump into action—without a second thought!

The post Join me Live. I’ll Answer Your Questions about FEAR appeared first on Tamela Rich.

Self-Help Techniques for Fear and Anxiety

This week I joined Good Day Charlotte to talk about fear. Just in time for Halloween!

As I explain in the interview, most of what we experience in modern life is “anxiety” not “fear.” With self-awareness, we can distinguish between the two and respond appropriately.

Anxiety Relief without Drugs or Therapy

There are several non-pharmaceutical ways to address fear and anxiety; yoga, meditation and belly breathing are three things I’ve used, positive affirmations are another.

EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, (sometimes called “tapping”) is less known, and I can vouch for it from my own life. This video with Louise Hay and Nick Ornter is a great way to understand the technique and get a feel for it.

Bonus: Louise will show you how affirmations work after the sample tapping session.

Do we want to get rid of fear?

When I tell people I’m writing a book on fear they often believe I will reveal a way to “banish fear from our lives forever.”

No way.

Fear is sometimes good—when it keeps you out of danger. When fear keeps you from reaching your full potential, it is your enemy. This is where the path to self-discovery begins.

My research on fear

I recently surveyed 200 people on fear and those findings are being analyzed by a PhD statistician.

Please join me on November 12 for a live debrief on my findings. You can ask questions then and hear what other people are asking.

REGISTER HERE. I’ll record the session for registered visitors to replay at their convenience.

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Today is Face Your Fears Day: Why are we Afraid of Clowns?

“Aren’t you afraid?” 

In my travels, I’ve seen beautiful sites and met phenomenal people. And yet, the most common question I’m asked about my travels isn’t “What’s your favorite national park,” instead it’s “Aren’t you afraid?” 

I talked about this in my interview for “Face Your Fears Day”  this morning and the fear of clowns came up in the segment.

Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns

I mentioned that the fear of clowns has a scientific name and here it is: coulrophobia.

I thought perhaps it was of Latin origin, but Dictionary.com corrected me. The Greek kolon means “limb,” with some supposed sense of “stilt-walker,” hence “clown” -phobia.

Why clowns scare us

It’s generally agreed that coulrophobia is a result of not knowing who lies behind the disguise, which enables clowns to break social norms.

Breaking social norms freaks a lot of us out, but most of us are just generally wary around clowns. We fear being humiliated by their behavior, and as I mentioned in the interview, “Humiliation” is one of the five universal fears.

Some researchers believe that coulrophobia cases increased after the 1990’s, when Stephen King’s horror film “IT” featured a murderous clown. No doubt clown fear escalated when The Joker in the Batman saga was fiendishly portrayed by Heath Ledger in 2008 (yes, that long ago).

If you’re afraid of a Stephen King- or Joker-type of lunatic clown, your fear is likely not “Humiliation,” but another of the five universal fears,  “Mutilation” or “Death.”

There you have it: why we fear clowns.

Researching my book on fear

I also mentioned in the segment that I’m writing a book on fear and would appreciate if you would answer SIX QUESTIONS for my research (please, and thank you).

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Leaf Peeping and Waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway

This year’s wet weather may have postponed your annual trip to the North Carolina Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway to take in the fall foliage. Good news, you haven’t missed a thing. The dazzling colors will continue to descend from high elevations to low through the beginning of November.

When to visit each elevation

Here’s what the Asheville, North Carolina tourism folks are saying about each elevation, so you can plan accordingly:

October 5-15: Color will increase in elevations greater than 4,000 feet, including the Mount Pisgah,Black Balsam, Devil’s Courthouse, southwest of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It will also be peak color in the Highlands area, including Whiteside Mountain with plenty of waterfalls to enjoy, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including hikes to Alum Cave and Chimney Tops.

October 12-21: Many of the surrounding mountains around Asheville show plenty of color, especially in the 3,000-4,000 foot elevation range. Take the Parkway north or south from Asheville. A great hike in Pisgah National Forest would be Looking Glass Rock or Cradle of Forestry. North of Asheville, head to Linville Gorge with hikes to the top of Table Rock and Hawksbill Mountain. West of Asheville,Bryson City and the Nantahala Gorge will shine.

October 18-27: The city of Asheville (2,000 feet elevation) shows the brightest colors, along with areas around Hendersonville and Brevard. This is the perfect time for a waterfall hike in DuPont State Forest or leisurely walk at the NC Arboretum. This is also the peak leaf color for Biltmore Estate.

October 24-November 4: The color show concludes in the Chimney Rock area (elevation of 1,300 feet). Ride to the top of Chimney Rock or take a boat tour on Lake Lure. Also best color at Lake James and South Mountains State Parks, along with Rutherford County.

Itineraries for foliage and waterfalls

Here are the three destinations I shared with Charlotte Today. They combine gorgeous autumn color with waterfalls, so if the leaves don’t conform “to schedule” you’ll still have the wonders of waterfalls to fill your senses. Pack a picnic lunch and have a ball!

1. DuPont State Forest offers three of the biggest waterfalls (Triple Falls, High Falls and Bridal Veil Falls) in with a seven mile hike from the High Falls parking area and Visitor Center.

2. Linville Gorge Wilderness Area is an easy exit off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 316.3. The magnificent three-tiered waterfall plunges into Linville Gorge. Falls Trail is easy, with a distance  of1.6 miles. Gorge Trail is  more strenuous and covers 1.4 miles.

3.While Stone Mountain State park in Roaring Gap is perhaps best known for its 600-foot-tall granite dome (pictured right) it also boosts three waterfalls. About that granite dome—rock climbing is allowed by permit. If you make it to the top you’ll see Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mid-19th century mountain farm.

Travel tips

If you’re planning an overnight trip, avoid Saturdays during October. Biltmore Estate, the Blue Ridge Parkway. and highways and country roads will be busier on weekends.
Polarized sunglasses will enhance fall colors (who knew?)
Don’t rely 100% on your GPS to navigate mountain roads. If you’re headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway, its official app will work without cell service. Take a map along just in case!
Dress in layers. Conditions change quickly with elevation. Believe it or not, snow or ice is possible at the higher elevations, even in October.
Be careful around the waterfalls as they are slick. People have fallen to their death at NC waterfalls.

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