Monday, October 25, 2010

Mountain Views and a party

 
 
 
 
As a child, Worth took a couple of church youth group ski trips, spending weekends at a church camp in Valle Crucis. Our second day in Boone, on a driving tour of the little community, we found the church camp. Beyond the camp, I found a waterfall, and everyone hiked uphill for 1/2 mile to see the view. This photo was taken down from the falls...









The Linn Cove Viaduct is one of world's greatest engineering marvels. It was built with almost no impact on the surrounding land, one section at a time. Seeing the Viaduct, part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, was on our list for the week. Just north of the S-shaped road, we found the Rough Ridge Trail head, and scrambled up for a bird's-eye view of the road and Grandfather Mountain. You can bet I have a bruise from getting in position quickly for this photo! Viaduct is out of the picture. Hey, we're more photogenic!

















Linville Falls, from the lower viewpoint...



















Guess who's wearing the lampshade this week?!?
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more Boone vacation

 






Home on wheels...
 









Waterfall in Valle Crucis
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Monday, October 18, 2010

Boone or Bust!

Road trip with my husband, brother and SIL…


We had a perfect afternoon for travel Friday: light traffic and perfect skies. Brother Worth and SIL Karen finally got in the truck at 3:00. Stuart had picked out a campground south of Greensboro, Hagen-Stone State Park, where we had stayed a couple of years ago. Pretty park, lots of space, and only one other camper there that night. Well, things were sure different this weekend! We pulled into the park, and saw LOTS of BIG rvs. uh oh! An RVer's gathering, we learned. But, they gave us two sites, thankfully side-by-side. By the time Brother and SIL arrived, I had dinner prep done, and we all enjoyed unwinding by the grill. Pork loin and grilled potato slices and a huge salad for dinner.

Brother cooked breakfast yesterday, we ate leisurely outside. Our first stop was the Camping World store...I bought comfy outside chairs, SIL bought a step for her 'porch'. A stop at the Winston-Salem farmers market to buy local veggies and some apples, and we're on the road west. The trip over the mountains just east of Boone was slow, we were both pulling lots of weight. If someone had braked in front of us, we would have to roll down the mountain, get a running start, and try again!

The Honey Bear Campground is about as picturesque as you could ask for! Chain-saw carved bears on the front porch of the office, a wide open meadow for play, the campsites tucked into the hills and trees beyond the meadow. We could not have ordered a more perfect situation.

The best part of the campground is a double swing, hung from the giant gum tree by the entrance. Two kids were playing on it when we pulled in, and I could hardly wait to swing, too. I'll send pics later...It was too fun!

A quick walking tour of the campground got rid of the road jitters, and soon W&K's friends Alan and Bud arrived on their motorcycles. They had driven from Burgaw in one day, on a camping trip. Tent camping. Thirty eight degrees at night. I knew Alan, he lives at Shelter Neck. When Bud had de-helmeted, I thought 'this guy looks familiar'. While they unpacked and settled in, I went inside to prep the cole slaw. Soon, Bud came inside for a drink and we realized the connection is our friend Brent...BudandPeggy are friends of BrentandBarb, and we've been at parties together. What a small world!

One of Worth's fishing buddies from Portsmouth Island gave him a cooler full of beautiful flounders last week, and he cooked dinner last night. Friends, a small fire, the Coleman stove on the table, brie and crackers and lots of bourbon made for a perfect evening. By the time we finished cooking all those fish, it was 9:00, we were all cold, so we gathered in the Carter Cottage for dinner. It was yummmy!!

We offered to house one of the bikers for the night, but the last I saw of them, they were setting up the tent, preparing to sleep in their clothes. It's 9:15 Sunday morning, and all is still quiet out there!


 
 
 
 
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