On May 5, 2003, the day after the 25th Azalea Society of America convention in Chattanooga TN, a few inveterate azalea lovers (Ed Collins, Danny Hall, J. Jackson, Buddy Lee, Leslie & Dave Nanney, Bob Stelloh) visited the R. vaseyi on Pilot Mountain, in spite of a steady drizzle. The vaseyi were in peak bloom. After hiking to the peak of Pilot Mountain and back on the well-marked Art Loeb trail, we moved on to SR 215 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We ended the day by visiting Velma Haag's garden just east of Brevard NC off US 176.

While there were not as many pictures as usual, due in part to keeping cameras dry, they have a soft, almost mystical, quality.