We all arrived on Thursday 7/31. What Mapquest predicted should be around an 8 hour drive turned into nearly 12 hours due to road construction and a major accident on I26 wherein I literally only went 13 miles in 52 minutes. UGH. (At least I wasn't the one in the accident...guess I should be grateful.) I was the last to arrive at around 9 p.m. I think the girls knew I was extremely frustrated from being in the car much longer than anticipated. They greeted me by raising their arms together to form an arch-way for me to walk under, on the porch of our cabin. What a sweet gesture and warm welcome! (On a side note, this was the longest solo-road trip I've ever taken. Go, me!)
Sorry the following are out of order...I forgot to download the pics in the REVERSE order of vacation, so that they'd be in order for me to describe. Anyway, my fun weekend is chronicled below:
Wow! I crossed the bridge. I was freaked...
but really wanted to cross the bridge. I waited for a gap
between tourists so that I could "book it" and move quickly.
And then I went for it...and crossed the bridge... WOW!
(Can you tell I'm still tickled with myself?) Smiles.
Me with Michelle R. after crossing the bridge
Look! The bridge hangs over a mile above sea level and
I crossed it! WHEW!
Me crossing the bridge. Had to grab my hat, it was
really windy on top of the mountain, especially on the bridge.
This is my favorite pic from the weekend. All 9 of
us at Grandfather Mountain. Sunglasses-wearing-divas! :)
After the Biltmore, we met for dinner in Asheville
and then hung out back at the cabin.
On Saturday we went to nearby Grandfather Mountain
With my height phobia, I was paranoid as we were driving
up the mountain. The roads had sharp turns and were
extremely steep in some places.
The girls liked my joke that crossing the Mile High Swinging Bridge
was NOT the Mile-High-Club that I wanted to join. (Hee-hee.)
View from the top of Grandfather Mountain
The Biltmore House
What a shack! Amazing! :)
One of the two lions which adorn the front entrance
Amazing architecture!
The gang on the walkway in front of the Biltmore
After lunch, we went to the Biltmore Wine Cellar
We saw the vats where the wine ferments.
Next, we sampled wine from the Biltmore Winery
(L to R: Michelle H., Jenni, Kasy, and Shelly)
Randie smells the wine
Me with Michelle R.
NOTE: Those who know that I do not like wine...Nope. The wine-tasting did not
sway me. There were a few wines that were "okay," but none that I liked a lot.
We were able to sample 8 flavors and I requested the Biltmore Grape Juice for my last sample,
instead of having more wine. LOVED it. Very delicious. Guess it wasn't time for my taste buds to grow up yet...
Another NOTE: We were informed by the wine experts at the Biltmore, that during a
wine sampling only a half cup of wine is consumed. Thus, we were all fine to drive. :)
Our cabin's 2nd floor deck with mountain view
On Friday 8/1, seven of our group of 9 toured the Biltmore mansion and its grounds, while the other 2 gals explored downtown Asheville.
The whole gang before sightseeing in Asheville, NC
Back: Kasy, Molly, Michelle H., Randie, Me, Shelly
Couch: Jenni, Vicki, Michelle R.
We had lunch at the Deepark restaurant. The building used to be the Biltmore's calving barn.
Now it serves a gourmet lunch buffet...the steak was dynamite!
The gals and I after lunch.
My view when stuck in STOPPED traffic on I26 en route
to Banner Elk, NC
This sign sums up our cabin area: curvy, hilly, can't drive it too quickly...
Our cabin in Banner Elk, North Carolina
The room I shared with Michelle H.
I LOVED the cabin...but none of the windows had any curtains or window coverings.
Mountain view from our deck
After hiking on Grandfather Mountain and visiting the Animal Center there, we drove to Boone, NC. We saw "Mamma Mia!" at the Regal Cinema there. LOVED it! Hilarious! And it was the perfect group to see a musical with. Some people appreciate musicals, while others don't. We laughed at parts, cried at parts, and sometimes nearly cried from laughing at parts. It was terrific!
That night brought more hanging out at the cabin. We played LCR---I won $24! We reminisced, "caught up," and giggled like little girls. I loved every minute!
Sunday morning we all left to return home. (I made it home in just under 8 hours...guess Mapquest wasn't that far off afterall.) What a wonderful weekend!
1 comment:
You were so brave on the bridge!!
It was just wonderful to see you, Alana. Here's to a reunion for GP 09!
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