Kentucky

Aug 22, 2014, 8:11 PM

We haven't had the greatest internet connections since leaving Asheville. We spent a few days in Kentucky and we could have doubled our time there easily and still not had enough time. Last Friday we visited Cumberland Falls and it was lovely. The Cumberland Falls is touted as the Niagra Falls of the southeast. Why more people weren't there I don't know, but I think Steve and I will be back. Unlike so many places we've been there was no fee to park, there was no fee to enter, the snack bar prices weren't so ridiculous that you had to tap into your home equity loan for a hot dog and drink. There weren't crowds, there weren't screaming kids, it really was a nice day. We walked along the trails to get different vantage point to look at the falls. Spanky even got into a couple of shots. 

The next day, after our trip to the falls, we drove to the Wildcat Civil War Battlefield. Once again we were asking our little car to have an identity crisis, Hyundai what Hyundai, I'm a JEEP!!!!! Yes our poor car thinks she is a Jeep and it is because we take her in roads no Hyundai should drive. The road off the highway to the battlefield looked innocent enough, but oh how they deceive. The road was narrow even in the car, it twisted and turned, it came up at a railroad crossing and it looked as if the road completely disappeared, then went off to the left unexpectedly. It was a white knuckle ride and if someone had been coming the other way we'd have met nose to nose. Eventually we got to the battlefield and we took a nice hike. We hiked up Hoosier Knob and I think it was straight UP, however once we got up there there was a cannon to see. Yes you read right, a cannon, ONE! One freaking cannon, oh well we did have fun. Steve and I were totally alone on the path. We hadn't seen anyone at all anywhere. I was able to get some nice photos of mushrooms and silly things, so I was happy. On our way down we ran into a nice couple, and we talked to them for a while. They weren't too keen on hiking all the way up just to see a cannon, so they walked back to the parking lot with us. 

We really did have a great time in Kentucky and I can't wait to go back. We are now in New Holland and having new adventures all the time. So enjoy the photos and be looking for our next blog post!!!!

On a sad note, we had news from home tonight and my heart breaks. A friend in the campground in Salt Springs has passed away. Never again will I hear Les tell me he can hear me laughing on the other side of the campground. Les I hope you are surrounded by lots of laughter in heaven!

Good night everyone. 

 

 

Asheville Trip Winding Down

Aug 13, 2014, 12:06 PM

Our time in Asheville is almost over. We head to Kentucky tomorrow morning. We are going to the Cumberland Falls area for a few days before heading to new horizons. We have had a great time here in Asheville. We have been north on the Blue Ridge Parkway and we have been south on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have met up with family and friends. We have visited the Biltmore, gone hiking, seen so many wild flowers, been to high elevations, and mountain streams. It has been wonderful and relaxing at the same time. Since the goal for this trip was to get out of the heat and relax I think it has to be considered a complete success. 

Spanky has gotten a few photo ops in. At one location for a Spanky photo a woman asked if we wanted to have our picture taken with our monkey too, of course I was quick to tell her the monkey is much more photogenic than we are and begged off. People must think we are crazy taking photos of a monkey at different locations, but hell, we have fun. 

Today we are getting ready to get on the road again. Steve is outside storing all of his cooking equipment, chairs, and the easy up canopy, just doing what we can inside and out to make tomorrow as easy as possible.  Later we are off to one more visit to our German restaurant in Black Mountain. So be looking for the next blog from Kentucky. See ya!!

 

 

This Week In Asheville

Aug 1, 2014, 6:38 PM

It has been a busy week and a relaxing week all at the same time. . .

On Monday we met up with Brian and family in Gaitlinburg for breakfast, and if you're going to Gaitlinburg at breakfast time you're eating at the Pancake Pantry. Oh yes, there is a line that can go way up the block, but it is so worth the wait. After a most glutenous breakfast we walked around and played the tourist. Brian and Kirsten took Sam and Veronica on a sky ride up the mountain while Steve and I entertained Charlotte. We walked to a perfect vantage point and waited to see them all ride back down. Then from there we went to a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Haunted House. Sam and Brian were going to go through. The girls and Steve and I really weren't interested in that, but Sam was SURE he wanted to go through. He didn't make it past the first room. So that didn't take long. Then we went to find ice cream. Heck yeah, it had been more then an hour since that huge brunch. After that Steve and I had about a two hour drive back and we wanted to get on the road. So we said goodbye and gave lots of hugs. 

Tuesday Steve and I went into Black Mountain in search of a mountain dulcimer. Steve has wanted to learn to play an instrument forever and now he has the time, so off we went to the Song Of The Wood store. Oh this place was just amazing. The instruments were not only beautiful as musical instruments but they were beautiful pieces of art, and the music they produced (in the right hands) is so stirring. Well the very nice and encouraging lady that helped us, now she could play instruments and play well. We found a nice dulcimer and we were off to go practice. 

Wednesday we went to the Biltmore Estate. That place is amazing, but I don't like the new thing with the self guided audio tours. You pay another $10 a piece and hold this thing that looks like a TV remote control up to your ear and you go through the different areas and they have recorded information on that area. It seems very impersonal and if you have additional questions there isn't always someone to ask. Hell if this is what tours are coming to you might as well stay home and do an online tour. I don't know I just don't like it! God knows they are pulling enough money in with $59/person given how many people were there. Aside from that though the place is so huge and so beautiful and just interesting to imagine a time when people lived there and entertained guests there. How wonderful it would have been to be a guest. We walked and walked then walked trough the gardens too. It was a good time. 

Then we went back to Black Mountain and I got a dulcimer too. IT WAS FUN TO PLAY. What the heck, I wanted to learn to play too and Steve isn't very good at sharing. So we have been making beautiful music. Trust me when I tell you there are no musicians that are in danger of losing their jobs because we are going to take it. I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or just the end of the weekend, but people have been steadily pulling out all morning. It could be a commentary on our playing, I'm just not sure. 

Thursday and Friday were rainy days so we didn't do too much. We did go to a wonderful German restaurant one day for a late lunch and it was just the best most authentic meal. I thought I might break into one of the songs from the "Sound of Music", we ate schnitzel, (no noodles) and crisp apple strudel, these are a few of my favorite thingssssssss, when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad. I'm sorry I couldn't help myself there!

Saturday Steve and I waited by the iPad for news from the reveal party going on in Tallahassee. Of course it was just poor timing that we weren't there. We are so happy for Brian and Jenn, they are going to be having a little boy. We were with you guys in spirit!! And thank you Debby for getting a video posted so soon so that we almost felt like we were there. Blue balloons floated out of a big box but that was no surprise, Steve new before the announcement that they were expecting and it would be a boy. I live with Svengali!!!

Now today we are celebrating Steve's birthday so I serenaded him in bed with a dulcimer version of happy birthday. Oh the poor man!!!! Later we are going to go to dinner and celebrate properly. I do want to take this opportunity to properly wish my wonderful husband a Happy Birthday. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful husband every day of the year, so at the very least once a year he should be celebrated.