100 Miles in One Day

... I'm still ALIVE!
    We made it! It was long, but not half as long for us as it was dad. At age 60, he made 100 miles on a bike for the first time in 10 years. Congratulations, dad!
     I took a grand total of 423 pictures, but they WON'T all be posted here, haha. >.< I will, however, post quite a few of them, and give a summery along the way.
    We really did have a good time; I didn't think it'd be that great, but it turned out alright after all. :) Enjoy these pictures, and thanks so much for your prayers! God was very good and gave us some GREAT weather!

Fighting!
- hannah

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2

Dad brought his bike in to spend the night....

Okay, not really, but this was taken early Friday morning after he had adjusted it. ^_^ 

You can see how early it is here in this picture. I went with mom and dad to drop him off at the milepost and take pictures before coming back to the house.

Praying for safe travel and good weather...

And a goodbye kiss. ^_^

The starting point

Stop #1 - refuel and break time. 

I think we overpacked... :S

Stop #2 - lunch time.

It's a new discovery! =D There was a huge hole in an old gnarled tree... and as to the 'new discovery' part... go check out my newest blog where I post my new, quirky discoveries! www.itsanewdiscovery.blogspot.com

Stop #3 - another refuel point.

We stopped at the Grandfather Mountain visitor's center, where I met 'Sunni', who greeted everyone at the front door. She was adorable and friendly... look at those eyes! >.<

Stop #4 - last stop of the 100 miles.

Another prayer for safety and energy during the last leg of the journey; he was getting REALLY tired by this point, and still had another 19 miles to go.

Here he comes! Almost there!

Victory! 100 miles at age 60 in one day! Daebak, dad! 

We got back to the room and he got to open that bottle of wine that had been sitting in our kitchen for months, his 'prize' at the end of the road. ;) (It's a 2007, you know...)

The priceless grin of a happy man!

We also got him this...

The view from out deck!

After dinner that night we went downstairs and played pool... I'm a TERRIBLE shot, lol. >.<

THIS is what happens to me! AAAAISH! 

I ended up stabbing myself through the shoulder with that stick in the end...

... I want that bike. 0.0

This is up on Mount Mitchell, 20 miles from the hotel. The last time I was there, I was a little girl with her little brother who had never tried a fried egg until dad made us... and the three of us together ended up eating a dozen eggs and a pound of bacon. ^_^

I LOVE this picture... the way that tree twists looks like it belongs in some Elven woods. ;)

The view from the top!

Brothers...

Bitten by the cat. >:) 

We visited a little building off to the side that had a bunch of stuffed animals in it... literally.

These little beasties are what prowl our woods at night...

And THAT is a mold of a grizzly bear paw. O.O

Ahem... I had to sneak a picture of this guy's hands. In fact, I'm in the middle of drawing them. ^_^ Alright, alright... you KNOW I have a thing for hands. I couldn't help myself. *smiles* XD

Nathan's a flirt... he's doing it with danger in this one.

The things my brother occupies himself with. ^_^

All this photo needs is Eric. ^_^ 

(My code-name for Prince Charming)

Playing pool again

The 'concentrated' face.

*facepalm* My darling bro knows how to get to me... he's reenacting Tom Hiddleston's last moments in War Horse. T.T *grabs kleenex*

D'aaaaw! Dad doesn't want to go! Our last night at Big Lynn Lodge

I love bunk beds. ^_^

Hot chocolate for the wins! I had some for breakfast this morning. =D 

Me sneaking photos again...

This couple was so adorable together! The guy just kept on looking at her like that every time he glanced up; you could tell he was so mesmerized by her. They'd sit there and talk for a long time, and at one point, while he was gazing at her, he reached forward and took her hand and smiled just like that and said sincerely, "you are the one." It was SO CUTE! Aish. >.<

Nathan took this one... the hot chocolate was veeerry good. ^_^

And this was the last picture I took before we left this morning; the fog was so pretty. 

This is dad's 'Road Ride' song that he came up with at the end of his ride. ^_^

...and this is my brother yelling like an orc. >.<