Brevard and West Jefferson, NC

Leaving home several days ago, we moved quickly (for us) through Florida and Georgia, stopping for family visits and then moving on toward North Carolina.  In northern Georgia, we decided to check out the Islands of Lake Lanier.  Created by the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) in 1956, the 38,000-acre lake has over 600 miles of beaches and provides numerous recreational opportunities.  Located near the southern portion of the Lake near Buford, the Islands are leased from the USACE by a large hotel firm.

Creating a resort providing a first-class inn, golf course, beach park, and marina, they thankfully left a portion of the islands minimally developed for campground use.  The nearly deserted campsite provided a lovely overview of the lake.  On Holidays and weekends, nearby Atlanta undoubtedly fills the park, but during our stay, there were only 2 other campsites being used.  Taking advantage of our proximity to the lake, we launched our kayaks from the campsite into the peaceful, green lake.  Certainly, during busy times, the lake is filled with hundreds of boaters, but we had the serene lake almost to ourselves as we paddled along the red clay shoreline.

Heading into North Carolina, we stopped in the small community of Brevard.  With a year-round population of around 7600, the town swells during the summer as Floridians (and others) seek out the cool mountain temperatures.  Having visited last year, we were intrigued with the area and wanted to explore further.  Surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest and the Davidson and French Broad Rivers, the vicinity offers unlimited opportunities for fishing and hiking.  Within Transylvania County, the home of Brevard, there are around 250 waterfalls dotting the mountainsides.  Fine classical music, ranging from operas to symphony performances, is offered by the Brevard Music Center throughout the summer months.  Multiple art galleries line the streets of the downtown area.

While I fished along the banks of the French Broad River near our campsite, Alan took advantage of a private fly-fishing lesson with Bill from Davidson River Outfitters in nearby Pisgah Forest on the Davidson River.  Quickly mastering the basic tenets, Alan was able to land a 20-inch, 4-5 pounder.   The “largest trout I ever saw.”   I’d love to share a picture of this accomplishment but the camera did not get packed with the fishing gear.  So Alan has rendered a faithful copy of his catch in watercolor so you can get the idea of what his rainbow trout looked like.  (He also has Bill’s phone number for those who wish further verification.) 

           

Hearing about Thursday night Bluegrass music at the Silvermont Mansion, we decided to check it out.  As it turns out the facility is for the use of senior citizens in the community.  The musicians in the evening we attended, ranged from 60 to 90 plus.  Talents varied greatly, but the joy created by the group was infectious.  On a few of the more familiar tunes, the audience joined in with the musicians in belting out the songs.

Next, we wanted to revisit the Ashe County area in the northwest portion of the State.  Offering gorgeous countryside and cultural events in the West Jefferson area, we programmed our GPS and drove north.  With a year-round population of around 1500, this little town has less to offer culturally, but quite a bit when considering its size.   With 15 galleries downtown, numerous festivals, weekly music events, and the Ashe County Arts Council, there is usually something going on here.

The New River rambles through this region.  Fishing, tubing, canoeing, and kayaking on the river are a big draw through the summer months.  Drives through the county are accented by frequent Christmas tree farms and, unique to the Ashe County area, the painting of quilt designs on 150 of the local barns.  West Jefferson sports 15 murals on the buildings in the center of town.

Both areas offer cultural diversity and natural beauty.  Guess we’ll need to visit again to check them out further.  Maybe on our way back south.

To read more about our previous travels in this area click on the following links:
http://travelingmanatees.blogspot.com/2011/07/north-carolina-stop.html

http://travelingmanatees.blogspot.com/search?q=west+jefferson

Manatees Fun on the North Carolina Rivers

South Toe River

July 25, 2011       Trying to skirt around the mountainous roads in western North Carolina is an act of futility.  Regardless of our plans to avoid the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a nightmare for an RV pulling another vehicle, mountains are everywhere in this part of the state.  Of course, that is the charm of the area.  The elevation is also the reason for the cool night and moderate daytime temperatures, as the rest of the country is sizzling in the nineties. 

Carolina Hemlocks, a Forest Service Park located along the South Toe River off Hwy. 80, was our next stop.   With only 36 campsites, the small park is peaceful in the morning and at night.  But, it is a popular place for river tubing, which attracts crowds once the day starts to warm up.  We avoided the throngs by getting out to fish the river at daybreak.

Alan fishing on the South Toe River

The trout seemed to be laughing at us as we cast red crawlers and a variety of lures trying to catch them.  A picture-perfect trout hole, we scouted out on the second morning, had a dozen trout swimming around for the two hours we attempted to catch them.  I finally caught a nice brown trout, but we decided the crowds that visit daily must spook them.  Our inability to catch them had nothing to do with our skill or lack thereof.

Christmas tree farm

Ashe County Cheese Company

Moving on the next day, we arrived in Ashe County.  Home to a thriving Christmas tree industry, we passed several Christmas tree farms as we drove into the area.  West Jefferson is the cultural center of the county, with a dozen galleries in the downtown area.  A walking tour provides a glimpse at numerous murals depicting the history and character of the town.  Another highlight is the Ashe County Cheese Company.   They have been making fresh hoop cheese here since 1930, and still make the product the same way they did 80 years ago.   

Mural in W. Jefferson

Three venues with traditional bluegrass music playing through the summer are offered in town weekly (all on Friday night.)  In nearby Todd, the Todd General Store offers bluegrass music and dinner on Friday nights.

Staying at the New River State Park, we planned a kayak outing with a local outfitter.  A couple of days later, arriving early, we were driven, with our kayaks, 6 ½ miles up the New River for (what was supposed to be) a 2-3 hour paddle back to our car.  Planning on doing a little bass fishing on our way down the river, we assumed it would take a little bit longer, but we had no idea what we were in for. 

"Our" part of the New River

The other part of the New River

Shortly after climbing into the kayaks, we heard the familiar rumbling of water indicating rough waters or a waterfall.  We had seen other portions of the river and had read about the slow, quiet river experience.  As it turned out that was another part of the river (our outfitter failed to mention the low water’s impact on our part of the river.)   We wound up walking about a third of the distance, pulling the kayaks over the rocks and shallow water, half of the time trying to maneuver in fast-moving water through rocks, and a small portion of time in calm waters fishing.  Alan managed to catch smallmouth bass in spite of the difficulties.  The most fun (a touch of sarcasm) was the last hour of the trip as heavy clouds, then rain, thunder, and lightning accompanied us back.  Adding to the fun, the dark skies turned the clear water black; we were unable to see and avoid the rocks.  Drenched to the skin and exhausted, we had to move our camp when we returned because there were no sites available for the weekend.  Luckily, we only had to travel 15 miles upriver to our next site. 

Bluegrass music at the Festival

Despite intentions to partake in some of the local music, we were too bushed to move anywhere once we got resettled.  The next morning brought sore muscles but enough energy for a trip to nearby Sparta for the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts and Craft Festival.  Buying some locally made jams and cookies, sampling locally made wines and listening to some of the bluegrass we hade missed the night before, the festival provided another glimpse of life in the North Carolina mountains.

We’ll be moving into SW Virginia tomorrow, but we’re already planning our return trip to NC. 

Tractor graveyard on both sides of the road for 100 yards.

Cross Country Drive to Canada/Alaska

Several years ago we flew from Florida to Vancouver in order to embark on a cruise to Alaska.  Traveling to the State was something we had both dreamed about for decades and the 7-day cruise confirmed our desire to explore Alaska further.  Purchasing a used 19’ Roadtrek a few months after our retirement enabled us to make the trip and enjoy most of the comforts of home—in miniature.  

Departing home in late June 2009, we planned to be on the road for three months.  Since we have both traveled extensively throughout the U.S. in the past, our focus was to travel relatively quickly across the country and devote most of our time to Canada and Alaska.  Making a couple of family stops initially, we visited my sister, Mary and her husband Brad in north Florida, and then stopped for a few days in Atlanta to visit with daughter, Nicole and her fiancé, Robert.  

Though we didn’t want to dally too much, we also wanted to enjoy the trip, so we typically drove no more than 4-5 hours a day.  In our previous travels, we had not made it to Nashville, so once we landed there we wanted to spend a few days checking things out.  Staying in a  campground just outside the city was convenient and the short length of our RV made it easy to park when we ventured into the city.  Lots of mature elms, poplar and oak trees at our campsite, kept the early summer days cooler.  Visiting the Grand Ole Opry is pretty much mandatory when visiting the area if time allows, so that was at the top of our list.  Though we weren’t familiar with any of the entertainers, that didn’t affect our enjoyment of the show.  All the musicians were talented and it was knee slappin', hand-clappin' music that was thoroughly entertaining.  Staying in town one more night, we were able to take advantage of another Nashville institution, The Bluebird Cafe.  The talent here ranges from just coming to Nashville and looking for a break to well-established groups.  Many big names have been “discovered” at the Cafe, like Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift.  We didn’t have reservations, but we arrived early and waited in line outside and lucked into getting seats not too far from the stage.  It wound up being another fun evening.  

Next, we headed to Kansas City for a couple of days to visit an old friend, Larry Kirkwood.   Providing a tour, he took us to a number of the city’s parks, fountains and to buildings which showed off the art deco architecture the city is known for.  And he didn't leave out the world-renowned Kansas City barbecue.  Prolific and talented, his house is full from the basement to attic with artistic body casts and a new line of regenerative art images, and we purchased one to ship back home.

We saw the 4th of July fireworks from Honeycreek, IA, looking over cornfields for a display from a town a few miles away.  We meandered across, Iowa, Wyoming and South Dakota. Badlands Natl. Park is stark and a strong contrast to the seemingly endless plains that proceed it. Known since the 1840s as one of the richest fossil sources in the world, paleontologist have discovered dozens of species in the White River Badlands and research continues today.  But with temperatures in the mid to high 90’s, we were not enticed to walk on any of the trails offered in the Park.  We decided to move into the Custer State Park located in the Black Hills.  At 4700 feet, the increased elevation and the serene, heavily pine-forested area provided more pleasant weather.  Numerous white-tailed deer wandered around in the park.

Since the trout were not cooperating with Alan's efforts, we decided to move on to Mount Rushmore.   An impressive entrance and visitor center has been added to the Park since my last visit over 30 years ago.  Marble columns with flags for the 50 states lead up to the viewing area. The 60-foot sculpted heads of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, took 14 years to complete.  The project was created to lure tourists to the Black Hills, and over 2 million people a year now visit the monument.

Our next stop, Deadwood, SD, formerly a wild west town, is now a tourist area with slot machines in just about every restaurant in town.  Wanting to contribute to the economy of the area, we left some of our money behind in the slots. But before departing town we discovered our generator was no longer working so we made a beeline to Billings, MT, where we tracked down a business that will work on our unit.