The Appalachian Trail
...wn the mountain. It was much easier and faster than going up, and everyone was really excited to see where we were going next. When we arrived at the Best Western, everyone grabbed his/her suitcases, quickly tucking them into the rooms as the candy shop across the street drew us in like moths to a flame. Afterwards, we went back to our rooms, put on our bathing suits, and went for a late-night swim under the stars. It was so cold, but we did not mind it because we were having so much fun. Later we went back to our rooms and went to sleep. Our next day would surely be packed with action and adventure. The next morning, we went to Alpine Tower: a seventy-five feet high vertical structure that is designed to help you work with others and test your physical strength as well as your bravery, motivation, and problem-solving strategies. Equipped with helmets, harnesses, and ropes, we took our places around the tower and prepared for the first person to go up. When it finally got to my turn, I climbed onto a log and started to work my way to the top. When I finally reached the peak, I walked over to the edge and strapped myself to a rope. As I got closer to the side, I could see how high up I was, so I turned around backwards and did a backflip off the tower. Everyone screamed, but I was flying. Nothing was holding me down; I felt so free. The rope kept swinging in every direction and finally came to a stop where I was helped down with a ladder. Later that day, our tour group decided to whitewater rafting. We suited up and carried the gear down to the river where four rafts were waiting for us. We were traveling down the Nantahala River, which winds through the valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. The water was calm at first, so our guide began telling us a story about the Cherokee Indians. Looking around us, we could see caves where the Indians hid during their escape from the Pilgrims. The journey is known as the Trail of Tears. My great grandmother is a Cherokee Indian, so I was interested in the stories that were being told. After the rafting expedition was over, we put on dry clothes and went back to the hotel for the night. Our group wanted to use the remainder of the trip wisely, so we rode to a diamond mine the next day to pan for gemstones. Before we sat down with the pans, my friend Sean and I rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain. We could see Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia all from one standpoint. On the way down, we took pictures of the mountain goats eating the grass. I settled down on a bench with a bucket o...