We left the packing for this morning so we could enjoy our last night in the mountains. We will be taking I-95 home instead of I-75 so we can drive through and perhaps stop for dinner in Savannah.
I will put together a collection of links of all the recommended stops when we arrive at home so everyone can quickly see places to go.
The most important link, however, is for Rabbit Moon Cottage. This place is amazing and tucked away in a mountain, but also within driving distance to so many sites and downtown Asheville.
Alright, this is so weird - we have had a few serendipitous moments while here. On the first day we ran into my painting instructor from St. Pete College. Neither of us have been here before and we both happened to be shopping at the same place at the same time. Well, I just found a blog of someone else who stayed here a few months ago! The Culinary Sherpas from Tampa stayed here too! We just met them in February at a Chef's on the Loose event in Tampa, and they also adopted their puppy, Ricky Bobby, from Jen's sister Ann-Marie.
So weird. I believe we will see this place again in our future.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Day 6: The last hoorah
Day 6 was our last full day here in North Carolina. We took our time in the morning enjoying the cabin and reading a bit.
Leaving the house around noon, Jen and I ventured back to downtown Asheville for some shopping and to walk the River Arts District. The River Arts District is a cluster of old brick warehouses that have been converted to artist studios. They are open studios so you can walk in and see the artists work and talk with them. (Jen: What used to be an "iffy" area of town has been revitalized.)
I enjoyed speaking with Robin Rector Krupp and Wendy Whitson. Robin does really close up watercolors of animals and they are so colorful and exciting. I bought some greeting cards from her because she said her process is to doodle with her non-dominant hand and see what comes from it. Parts of the brain are accessed that aren't usually in the forefront when we use our non-dominant hand to write or draw. It hit home for me because I've done some exercises with the non-dominant hand.
Wendy's work attracted me immediately because she uses a grid of paint drippings underneath her work. I have some kind of OCD fascination with graph paper so I was drawn to the paintings. They are landscapes and just gorgeous. (J: I loved her use of color and layering.)
It was fun walking around the district because Jen and I both love old warehouse buildings. We walked along the train tracks for a bit too to get from studio to studio.
After we were art-ed out, it was time for a local brew at Jack of the Wood for some Green Man beers. We then walked upstairs to the Laughing Seed Cafe for some incredible vegetarian food. I wish we had a restaurant like this at home. (J: SOOOOOOO good! I had the caribbean enchiladas w/black beans, butternut squash, cilantro sauce, and I don't know what else but it was to die for.) We also bought tons of local brews at Bruisin' Ales to bring back home and share with our friends and family.
Our intention was to stay downtown and listen to music and do the Gallery Art Walk, but we were so pooped that we both decided to go back to our cabin and relax and read. Our last stop on the walk back to the car was Malaprops Bookstore. They received our last bit of tourist dollars.
Leaving the house around noon, Jen and I ventured back to downtown Asheville for some shopping and to walk the River Arts District. The River Arts District is a cluster of old brick warehouses that have been converted to artist studios. They are open studios so you can walk in and see the artists work and talk with them. (Jen: What used to be an "iffy" area of town has been revitalized.)
I enjoyed speaking with Robin Rector Krupp and Wendy Whitson. Robin does really close up watercolors of animals and they are so colorful and exciting. I bought some greeting cards from her because she said her process is to doodle with her non-dominant hand and see what comes from it. Parts of the brain are accessed that aren't usually in the forefront when we use our non-dominant hand to write or draw. It hit home for me because I've done some exercises with the non-dominant hand.
Wendy's work attracted me immediately because she uses a grid of paint drippings underneath her work. I have some kind of OCD fascination with graph paper so I was drawn to the paintings. They are landscapes and just gorgeous. (J: I loved her use of color and layering.)
It was fun walking around the district because Jen and I both love old warehouse buildings. We walked along the train tracks for a bit too to get from studio to studio.
After we were art-ed out, it was time for a local brew at Jack of the Wood for some Green Man beers. We then walked upstairs to the Laughing Seed Cafe for some incredible vegetarian food. I wish we had a restaurant like this at home. (J: SOOOOOOO good! I had the caribbean enchiladas w/black beans, butternut squash, cilantro sauce, and I don't know what else but it was to die for.) We also bought tons of local brews at Bruisin' Ales to bring back home and share with our friends and family.
Our intention was to stay downtown and listen to music and do the Gallery Art Walk, but we were so pooped that we both decided to go back to our cabin and relax and read. Our last stop on the walk back to the car was Malaprops Bookstore. They received our last bit of tourist dollars.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Day 5: Dang maps
Day 5 found us back at the Pisgah National Forest for more hiking. The Moore's Cove trail we hiked before was so gorgeous that we came back for more.
After getting maps and directions at the PNF Visitor's Center, we headed out to find the Daniel Ridge Loop. We selected this trail because it was of moderate difficulty and a longer hike: 4 miles. The directions are difficult at best: Go .1 miles then walk down gravel road, turn right at the fork in the road, left at the snake hole, climb up big tree, look down... etc. Ok, I exaggerate but it isn't far from the truth. Jen and I got a little testy with each other because each guide we were reading had different directions.
We finally found the Daniel Ridge Falls and it was worth it!
The trail head was near the falls and we took off on our hike. There were so many sights and the pictures in no way capture the grandeur of what we saw. There were tight passage ways through twisted trees, steep climbs with tree roots as stairs, wide open gaps where we walked high along the mountain side on a 2 foot wide path looking down into deep gullies. There were moments of shade with only the sounds of rushing streams and moments of echoes of bird chirps and animals walking that bounced around the rocks that bordered our path. A few times we traveled off the beaten path to find little waterfalls.
At one point we came upon a snake on the path that I saw before Jen. I calmly said, "Jen..." as she suddenly walked ahead and was going to step right on the snake. "Jen, just run, JUST RUN!" was my command and I might as well have said, "Jen, dance a jig Micheal Flatley style!" because she began her sprint with a sprightly back and forth knee high step. Thank God she missed the snake - I have no idea what kind of snake it was, and the poor thing was probably more scared than us. I stayed and watched as Jen high stepped over the creature and as it slithered across the path back into the woods. Of course then I laughed as I asked Jen if she was ok. She was, and we both enjoyed the hilarity of the moment. I'm sure there were some nervous giggles sprinkled in there as well. (Jen: All I thought @ that moment was that if I just kept jumping back and forth from left to right, I wouldn't step on it -- then I took off on a high-step run like a bat out of hell. We could not stop laughing after the shock wore off.)
Coming back out of the woods was a strange feeling. We didn't realize how long we had been hiking: 3-4 hours! Being in the forest by ourselves was so calming for me and I know I'll be counting the time until we can find our way back here in the future.
We found a few other falls on the map and took the short hikes required to see them. Again, the pictures do not do justice to these beauties.
Our dinner plans this evening involved the Fiddlin' Pig BBQ Restaurant. This place offered live Bluegrass music as we ate our smoked meats and greens. I love love love bluegrass so it was a fine end to our days adventures. (J: I loved watching Stacey smile her way through dinner, as she listened to the band. She also got all teary-eyed as she watched the elderly couple dance - it was so cute. Also, there were these kids that took over the dance floor and one little boy was dancing like a maniac the entire time. It's like he just couldn't NOT dance. No inhibitions whatsoever. I was never like that, even as a kid!)
I have slept so well here. The mix of physical activity with the relaxing sounds and sites has brought on a feeling of complete relaxation that has rocked me to sleep each night. I have to figure out a way to incorporate this into my life in Florida. Suggestions welcome. (J: It helps to have skylights directly over the bed so we can see the stars at night. I wish we had scenic hikes like this in FL. I'll miss it.)
After getting maps and directions at the PNF Visitor's Center, we headed out to find the Daniel Ridge Loop. We selected this trail because it was of moderate difficulty and a longer hike: 4 miles. The directions are difficult at best: Go .1 miles then walk down gravel road, turn right at the fork in the road, left at the snake hole, climb up big tree, look down... etc. Ok, I exaggerate but it isn't far from the truth. Jen and I got a little testy with each other because each guide we were reading had different directions.
We finally found the Daniel Ridge Falls and it was worth it!
The trail head was near the falls and we took off on our hike. There were so many sights and the pictures in no way capture the grandeur of what we saw. There were tight passage ways through twisted trees, steep climbs with tree roots as stairs, wide open gaps where we walked high along the mountain side on a 2 foot wide path looking down into deep gullies. There were moments of shade with only the sounds of rushing streams and moments of echoes of bird chirps and animals walking that bounced around the rocks that bordered our path. A few times we traveled off the beaten path to find little waterfalls.
At one point we came upon a snake on the path that I saw before Jen. I calmly said, "Jen..." as she suddenly walked ahead and was going to step right on the snake. "Jen, just run, JUST RUN!" was my command and I might as well have said, "Jen, dance a jig Micheal Flatley style!" because she began her sprint with a sprightly back and forth knee high step. Thank God she missed the snake - I have no idea what kind of snake it was, and the poor thing was probably more scared than us. I stayed and watched as Jen high stepped over the creature and as it slithered across the path back into the woods. Of course then I laughed as I asked Jen if she was ok. She was, and we both enjoyed the hilarity of the moment. I'm sure there were some nervous giggles sprinkled in there as well. (Jen: All I thought @ that moment was that if I just kept jumping back and forth from left to right, I wouldn't step on it -- then I took off on a high-step run like a bat out of hell. We could not stop laughing after the shock wore off.)
Coming back out of the woods was a strange feeling. We didn't realize how long we had been hiking: 3-4 hours! Being in the forest by ourselves was so calming for me and I know I'll be counting the time until we can find our way back here in the future.
We found a few other falls on the map and took the short hikes required to see them. Again, the pictures do not do justice to these beauties.
Our dinner plans this evening involved the Fiddlin' Pig BBQ Restaurant. This place offered live Bluegrass music as we ate our smoked meats and greens. I love love love bluegrass so it was a fine end to our days adventures. (J: I loved watching Stacey smile her way through dinner, as she listened to the band. She also got all teary-eyed as she watched the elderly couple dance - it was so cute. Also, there were these kids that took over the dance floor and one little boy was dancing like a maniac the entire time. It's like he just couldn't NOT dance. No inhibitions whatsoever. I was never like that, even as a kid!)
I have slept so well here. The mix of physical activity with the relaxing sounds and sites has brought on a feeling of complete relaxation that has rocked me to sleep each night. I have to figure out a way to incorporate this into my life in Florida. Suggestions welcome. (J: It helps to have skylights directly over the bed so we can see the stars at night. I wish we had scenic hikes like this in FL. I'll miss it.)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Day 4: It's always a date
Today was the first day we set an alarm. 9am was our report time for the white water rafting expedition and we had an hour drive to get there.
We used the French Broad Rafting Expedtions company for our adventure. Our guide was a tiny woman named Corey who has been rafting this river for 9 years. She knew her stuff and explained to us the 'finesse' it takes to get through the river. Some men just want to muscle through the rough parts, but her approach is to read and respect the river. I like it.
As our gear was given to us to try on and adjust, Jen asked one of the guides if her helmet was strapped on tight enough and on right. The guide said, "Well, first of all it's on backwards...". I wish I had a picture of that one to share with everyone. They said someone always does it so Jen was thanked for taking one for the team.
One highlight of the day was seeing a flock of geese ride themselves through a class 3 rapid. We watched and laughed as they bobbed their way through it and came out on the other side fine. Then they got up and flew off to get out of our way. Which made us all come to the only possible conclusion: If they could fly over the rapids to avoid it, and they flew right after it, they had to be doing it for fun just like us.
The other amazing sight, besides the amazing views of mountains surrounding us, was watching a bald eagle soar along the river and fish. It then perched along a tree and watched us all float by. Gorgeous.
At one point the guides stopped us so we could jump off a rock into the river. Jen got right up there and jumped! She said she thought everyone was going to do it, but realized as she got up there that none of us were behind her! The water was a bit cold for me to jump, so I watched and cheered. (Jen: I was scared to death once I got up there on that rock. I thought the rafting guide was going to jump first to show me how it was done, but he just goes, "Stand on this rock and just take a big step out and to the right. No, not left - to the RIGHT." My heart was pounding out of my chest, but I managed to do it and was shaking a bit afterwards. It was about a 20-foot jump. There was a class IV rapid towards the end of our run and we got to watch 2 guys from another boat get launched out. Everyone in our boat managed to stay in; that was a fun one.)
After the tour ended we could hardly keep our eyes open. We made it back home and took very long and deserved naps.
Mela was our evening destination for Indian cuisine. It was delicious! I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Asheville. (J: YES, absolutely! When I came back from the bathroom and saw a tiny little container of leftovers sitting on the table, I asked Stacey, "Is this it? This is all we're taking home?" She said, "Yes, I told the waitress we didn't want the other stuff." Me: "What?! I wanted it ALL!" Seriously, this was some of the best indian food I've ever had -- better even than in India.) We then ventured down the block and stumbled into Bo Bo Gallery for drinks and live music. They were featuring Chelsea Lynn Labate for their singer/songwriter night. She's from Florida! Her music and lyrics were fabulous so we bought a cd and will share it. (J: The place was really cool, with fun art on the walls and a good crowd for a Wednesday night. Actually, we've found that no matter what the night, there are lots of people out and about downtown; I love that. Sorry about the blurry pics -- if I use my flash @ dusk, the pic turns out too dark so I have to turn the flash off and try to hold the camera STEADY, which I'm not very good at. At least the colors come out true-to-life, though, which is more important to me than a crisp image.)
Day 5 will bring us more hiking in the Pisgah national forest. (J: Yay! More waterfalls -- my favorite!)
We used the French Broad Rafting Expedtions company for our adventure. Our guide was a tiny woman named Corey who has been rafting this river for 9 years. She knew her stuff and explained to us the 'finesse' it takes to get through the river. Some men just want to muscle through the rough parts, but her approach is to read and respect the river. I like it.
As our gear was given to us to try on and adjust, Jen asked one of the guides if her helmet was strapped on tight enough and on right. The guide said, "Well, first of all it's on backwards...". I wish I had a picture of that one to share with everyone. They said someone always does it so Jen was thanked for taking one for the team.
One highlight of the day was seeing a flock of geese ride themselves through a class 3 rapid. We watched and laughed as they bobbed their way through it and came out on the other side fine. Then they got up and flew off to get out of our way. Which made us all come to the only possible conclusion: If they could fly over the rapids to avoid it, and they flew right after it, they had to be doing it for fun just like us.
The other amazing sight, besides the amazing views of mountains surrounding us, was watching a bald eagle soar along the river and fish. It then perched along a tree and watched us all float by. Gorgeous.
At one point the guides stopped us so we could jump off a rock into the river. Jen got right up there and jumped! She said she thought everyone was going to do it, but realized as she got up there that none of us were behind her! The water was a bit cold for me to jump, so I watched and cheered. (Jen: I was scared to death once I got up there on that rock. I thought the rafting guide was going to jump first to show me how it was done, but he just goes, "Stand on this rock and just take a big step out and to the right. No, not left - to the RIGHT." My heart was pounding out of my chest, but I managed to do it and was shaking a bit afterwards. It was about a 20-foot jump. There was a class IV rapid towards the end of our run and we got to watch 2 guys from another boat get launched out. Everyone in our boat managed to stay in; that was a fun one.)
After the tour ended we could hardly keep our eyes open. We made it back home and took very long and deserved naps.
Mela was our evening destination for Indian cuisine. It was delicious! I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Asheville. (J: YES, absolutely! When I came back from the bathroom and saw a tiny little container of leftovers sitting on the table, I asked Stacey, "Is this it? This is all we're taking home?" She said, "Yes, I told the waitress we didn't want the other stuff." Me: "What?! I wanted it ALL!" Seriously, this was some of the best indian food I've ever had -- better even than in India.) We then ventured down the block and stumbled into Bo Bo Gallery for drinks and live music. They were featuring Chelsea Lynn Labate for their singer/songwriter night. She's from Florida! Her music and lyrics were fabulous so we bought a cd and will share it. (J: The place was really cool, with fun art on the walls and a good crowd for a Wednesday night. Actually, we've found that no matter what the night, there are lots of people out and about downtown; I love that. Sorry about the blurry pics -- if I use my flash @ dusk, the pic turns out too dark so I have to turn the flash off and try to hold the camera STEADY, which I'm not very good at. At least the colors come out true-to-life, though, which is more important to me than a crisp image.)
Day 5 will bring us more hiking in the Pisgah national forest. (J: Yay! More waterfalls -- my favorite!)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day 3: Waterfalls aplenty
Hello, it's Jen writing tonight, with interjections from Stacey.
Let's see...we got an earlier start this morning and headed out towards the Pisgah National Forest for some hikes to waterfalls and Sliding Rock! I had been to Sliding Rock when I was about 14 and remembered loving the novelty of it. Every stream, creek and river that I see while driving or hiking, I am always overcome by a desire to lay in it. The water always looks so refreshing. We hiked a trail @ Graveyard Fields today, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which brought us to a beautiful rocky creek. We saw some campsites along the path - cool spot to pitch a tent.
...but let's digress to the actual DRIVE there:
We took Hwy 151 to the Blue Ridge Pkwy and 151 was insanely narrow for a two-lane hwy 4000 miles high! I drove today. (S: Jen did a great job, but I was getting more and more nervous as I realized how high we were getting with no guardrails!) At one point, the magnificent view finally appeared to our left and I noticed Stacey looking straight ahead. Not wanting her to miss out on anything, I told her to look at the view. She didn't, just kept staring straight ahead. I thought maybe she just didn't hear me. "Look! Look at it!" Little did I know that Stacey was in full-on freak-out mode and barks, "Don't tell me what to do!" A few seconds later she apologized and said that she was scared beyond belief. I teased her about it for the rest of the day. She said later, "Maybe I'm a little scared of heights." (S: Admittedly, I was silently fuh-reaking out in my head)
Along the BRP we stopped a few times for short hikes and tried to hike to Devil's Courthouse, only to be scared away by thunder and lightning. I think this is the first time that both of us have been 5000 feet up during a storm. Stacey actually hit her knee on the ground when she ducked and I started trotting back down the trail. (S: More like, I hit the ground hard and had pebble indents in my knee and Jen started booking it back down the trail when the lightening hit. It sounded like it was right next to us)
In the Pisgah Nat'l Forest we first checked out Looking Glass Falls, then hiked to the falls @ Moore's Cove, which were so amazing and you could walk behind them. We first hiked to the bottom, then realized that there were some well-marked but slightly treacherous trails to the top of the falls. I have to admit the trek down was a bit nerve-wracking for me; I'm like a cat in a tree. I'm able to climb up, but climbing down is another story. Also, it was starting to rain and I was picturing everything turning to mud and having to slide down.
After getting all grimy with clay, off to Sliding Rock we went. Stacey had been debating this whole time whether or not she'd slide down, only because she does not do well with cold water. I had heard once that this water is 55 degrees, not sure if it's true. She did it and she was great! No hesitation. I however, lingered @ the top before finally taking the plunge. The water was just as I remember -- ICE cold! Yikes! But, I wanted to get my $1's worth, so I did it 3 times. :) We have videos!
We drove to downtown Asheville for dinner @ the Tupelo Honey Cafe (delicious) and enjoyed the hot tub once we got home.
Tomorrow...white water rafting!
Let's see...we got an earlier start this morning and headed out towards the Pisgah National Forest for some hikes to waterfalls and Sliding Rock! I had been to Sliding Rock when I was about 14 and remembered loving the novelty of it. Every stream, creek and river that I see while driving or hiking, I am always overcome by a desire to lay in it. The water always looks so refreshing. We hiked a trail @ Graveyard Fields today, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which brought us to a beautiful rocky creek. We saw some campsites along the path - cool spot to pitch a tent.
...but let's digress to the actual DRIVE there:
We took Hwy 151 to the Blue Ridge Pkwy and 151 was insanely narrow for a two-lane hwy 4000 miles high! I drove today. (S: Jen did a great job, but I was getting more and more nervous as I realized how high we were getting with no guardrails!) At one point, the magnificent view finally appeared to our left and I noticed Stacey looking straight ahead. Not wanting her to miss out on anything, I told her to look at the view. She didn't, just kept staring straight ahead. I thought maybe she just didn't hear me. "Look! Look at it!" Little did I know that Stacey was in full-on freak-out mode and barks, "Don't tell me what to do!" A few seconds later she apologized and said that she was scared beyond belief. I teased her about it for the rest of the day. She said later, "Maybe I'm a little scared of heights." (S: Admittedly, I was silently fuh-reaking out in my head)
Along the BRP we stopped a few times for short hikes and tried to hike to Devil's Courthouse, only to be scared away by thunder and lightning. I think this is the first time that both of us have been 5000 feet up during a storm. Stacey actually hit her knee on the ground when she ducked and I started trotting back down the trail. (S: More like, I hit the ground hard and had pebble indents in my knee and Jen started booking it back down the trail when the lightening hit. It sounded like it was right next to us)
In the Pisgah Nat'l Forest we first checked out Looking Glass Falls, then hiked to the falls @ Moore's Cove, which were so amazing and you could walk behind them. We first hiked to the bottom, then realized that there were some well-marked but slightly treacherous trails to the top of the falls. I have to admit the trek down was a bit nerve-wracking for me; I'm like a cat in a tree. I'm able to climb up, but climbing down is another story. Also, it was starting to rain and I was picturing everything turning to mud and having to slide down.
After getting all grimy with clay, off to Sliding Rock we went. Stacey had been debating this whole time whether or not she'd slide down, only because she does not do well with cold water. I had heard once that this water is 55 degrees, not sure if it's true. She did it and she was great! No hesitation. I however, lingered @ the top before finally taking the plunge. The water was just as I remember -- ICE cold! Yikes! But, I wanted to get my $1's worth, so I did it 3 times. :) We have videos!
We drove to downtown Asheville for dinner @ the Tupelo Honey Cafe (delicious) and enjoyed the hot tub once we got home.
Tomorrow...white water rafting!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Day 2: Mountain camping done right
Ok, so we aren't camping. We are staying in a very nice house up in the mountains (you can see it in the pics).
Today we went to Chimney Rock Park after going into Asheville for, wait for it... more gear! We decided it would be a good idea to invest in hiking shoes to save our feet for the week. This turned out to be a smart move. Our feet held up for the day and we looked like pros on the trails. Thanks, Mast General Store! (Jen: Yes, the feet are holding up nicely. :) )
Chimney rock was gorgeous. We did one strenuous trail that was very steep. I didn't realize how much you could work up a sweat and get your heart rate going by walking in the woods. Check out the pics for Chimney Rock - they speak for themselves. (Jen: We also saw an old cave that was used for making moonshine way back when. I also have to mention here that I forgot to put on deodorant today.)
After hiking we wanted a beer and drove down to Lake Lure to get one at the local Lure Inn bar. A local man in his 70's gave us tourist advice for a good hike later in the week. The bartender asked if we were in town to go to the beach... uh, no... we are from Florida. We are here for the mountains, I'm pretty sure. See "beach" below:
Driving through the mountains is exhilarating now that I trust my Jetta up the hills. The windows have been down the entire time and the air is so refreshing. After a quick dinner in downtown Asheville, we came home. Jen drove the gravel road up to our place and she rocked it like a champ. At one point the car seemed to sputter and I'm saying "hit the gas!!". (Jen: I was gunning it, by the way -- and it was still crawling up the hill!)
Jen planned to use our indoor spa tub and filled it with the hot water - which ran out after it was less that 1/3 full. So we both hit the hot tub outside. Oh man, that was so good for the tootsies. However, we had no hot water left and had to take cold showers afterwards. Quick showers, no doubt.
We are going to watch the movie 'A River Runs Through It' and relax for the night.
Tomorrow: Sliding Rock, more hiking and waterfalls along the Blueridge Parkway!
Today we went to Chimney Rock Park after going into Asheville for, wait for it... more gear! We decided it would be a good idea to invest in hiking shoes to save our feet for the week. This turned out to be a smart move. Our feet held up for the day and we looked like pros on the trails. Thanks, Mast General Store! (Jen: Yes, the feet are holding up nicely. :) )
Chimney rock was gorgeous. We did one strenuous trail that was very steep. I didn't realize how much you could work up a sweat and get your heart rate going by walking in the woods. Check out the pics for Chimney Rock - they speak for themselves. (Jen: We also saw an old cave that was used for making moonshine way back when. I also have to mention here that I forgot to put on deodorant today.)
After hiking we wanted a beer and drove down to Lake Lure to get one at the local Lure Inn bar. A local man in his 70's gave us tourist advice for a good hike later in the week. The bartender asked if we were in town to go to the beach... uh, no... we are from Florida. We are here for the mountains, I'm pretty sure. See "beach" below:
Driving through the mountains is exhilarating now that I trust my Jetta up the hills. The windows have been down the entire time and the air is so refreshing. After a quick dinner in downtown Asheville, we came home. Jen drove the gravel road up to our place and she rocked it like a champ. At one point the car seemed to sputter and I'm saying "hit the gas!!". (Jen: I was gunning it, by the way -- and it was still crawling up the hill!)
Jen planned to use our indoor spa tub and filled it with the hot water - which ran out after it was less that 1/3 full. So we both hit the hot tub outside. Oh man, that was so good for the tootsies. However, we had no hot water left and had to take cold showers afterwards. Quick showers, no doubt.
We are going to watch the movie 'A River Runs Through It' and relax for the night.
Tomorrow: Sliding Rock, more hiking and waterfalls along the Blueridge Parkway!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)