Labor Day Excursions

We've been traveling a bit lately, so some of the updates are running a little bit behind. Last week we were on vacation with Amber's parents, so I'm sure there will be a post on that soon. But, going back further, we had a fun Labor Day weekend. It started with Micah's birthday. Then we took some time to take in the sites.

First we drove up to Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. It was a beautiful drive up very steep roads to get near the top. We hiked up the last 1/8 mile. The peak was quite disappointing, though. There were no vistas. Basically there was a TV/radio tower and a lot of trees. Not the most exciting mountaintop. But, it was nice to get out of the car and stretch and enjoy the woods. Here's a picture of Micah at the summit.


We took off back down the mountain to visit Twin Falls. For me, if there's a waterfall nearby, we're visiting it. I love waterfalls! This one was a short hike, so we did it. We had to abandon the stroller on the side of the trail at a certain point, but it was still fun. On the trail, Amber took a couple pictures of a tree that decided to grow on top of a rock. Probably not the easiest place to grow, but it looks like it's winning the battle!









The final destination of the day was Duke Power's World of Energy at the Oconee Nuclear Power Station. It's basically the company's attempt to ensure the public that nuclear power is safe. They have a museum showing where energy comes from and how it's used. This was the chance to really let the kids run. There were lots of buttons to push, handles to turn, and things to see. Ethan enjoyed an exhibit that showed how fission works...which basically means there were cool things that happened with the lights. Micah enjoyed attempting to walk on the sloped pathways. (I really needed my tripod for some of these pictures!)

We finished with dinner at Clemson and then took off toward home. It was a full day. It was nice to get out and see what's around the area. It was especially nice since I had to head out of town on Tuesday for work. I had to visit a facility in Louisville. And there was a waterfall just off the trip, so I had to see it! Cumberland Falls is in Corbin, Kentucky (also the home of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which Amber, Ethan, and I stopped at when returning from Rich & Melissa's wedding a few years ago!). So, here are a couple pictures of the falls. Notice in the picture on the left the people in the upper left corner. That'll give you an idea of the size of the falls. God is awesome! I love seeing His creation.