Was supposed to rain today, so we kept fairly close to the house. As it turned out, it really didn’t rain much, but who knows? After running a few errands in town, we went up to Frying Pan Mountain and hiked up the road. As you can see, fairly cloudy and gloomy day:

At the top of Frying Pan, there is a Fire Watch Tower. I really liked this shot.

After the hike, we went into Asheville for lunch, ran a few more errands, and then went hiking the Mountain to Sea Trail from the Folk Art Center. The hike was pleasant, and the rain held off.

Upon returning quite a bit later, we discovered that two tour buses had parked beside the jeep.  Knowing what was coming, we quickly tried to load the Herd into the Jeep and take off before the crowds came out of the Folk Art Center to load the buses.  We failed.

At first, it was a small trickle with the usual questions.  Are they wolves?  Do you shave them in the summer? Aren’t they like the dogs in Eight Below / Snow Dogs? Do they shed (my personal favorite – I just reach down and pluck undercoat to the horror of the audience)?  Are they good watch dogs (yeah, that’s why none of them are barking at strangers gathered around the car)?  And, so on.  You are all familiar with this part.

But, then someone asks if they can take a picture.  Why, sure, and thank you for asking – amazing how many times I look over at a traffic light and someone is taking of picture via a cell phone camera of the Herd in the back of the jeep.  And the snapping begins.  I step out of the way (no one, trust me, wants a picture of me) since the dogs are now all seat belted in.  After a few minutes I realize what the scene looks like.

Our primary is Tuesday, so the politicians, like the cicadas, have returned and the cameras follow them everywhere.  That’s what it was like.

Or, better, some Hollywood star or starlet walking the red carpet (or doing the perp walk, more likely) to the flash of the cameras.  Yeah, that’s it.  A crowd of people around the limo (ok, jeep) and the celebrities are primping and/or ignoring the crush of puparazzi.

As the cameras stop and the tourist climb aboard their buses, I climb into the front of the jeep and pull out of the parking lot.  And then I realize my role in all of this.  Just another day of chauffeuring the real stars of the show.