Mt Airy, NC.  Happy Fourth to all!  

We are headed into our last few days in Mt Airy.  This Sunday will be our last worship at Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church here.  On Saturday we drive up to Fancy Gap to celebrate a special Fourth with the Eagles and other friends, with special food and music.  Then on the following Tuesday we return there for a special music celebration with the area bluegrass musicians.  On the 12th we leave for a campground in Swannanoa, NC, a short drive from the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove.  This will be the last year for Michael Card's special musical and biblical celebration, this time covering all the gospels.

Yesterday we drove to Pilot Mountain State Park near Pinnacle, NC.  The mountain has two pinnacles, one larger than the other.  It was still too hot and humid to be out (in my opinion), but we persevered to have a short walk and hike to the top of the smaller pinnacle.  The top of the larger pinnacle is a bird sanctuary for ravens, so no one is allowed up there.  By the way, Andy Griffith simply reversed the title to arrive at "Mount Pilot" for the county capital in the Andy Griffith Show.  There is actually a nearby town named Pilot Mountain.

First we stopped at the Visitors Center to get some literature and advice on best sites to see.

Visitors Center with Pilot Mountain in Background

First we hiked to the picnic area with the lunch we had packed.  We found a covered area that looked fairly sheltered from the sun.  Actually, eating a large lunch before hiking up a mountain trail is not advisable.

Betty Took This Photo of Me at the Picnic Table

As we hiked up the trail to the top of the smaller pinnacle of the mountain, the scenery was pretty clear except for the usual haze in the distance due to the heat and humidity.

View from Along the Trail

Betty Took This Shot from the Trail

Another Shot by Betty

Betty at the Top of Little Pinnacle

Nearing the top of Little Pinnacle

View of Big Pinnacle from atop Little Pinnacle

We had considered visiting another landmark, but it was too hot and humid.  So we headed to the Publix we had visited on the way back from Old Salem.  I had two more prescriptions to pick up.  While there, we also did some grocery shopping, since there is nothing like a Publix.