Northcackalacky Part I

It is a long ride there and back. I like to drive straight through the night and arrive like a zombie - what the heck, you are there then, so who cares. Jim likes to get up early and drive all day. So - as I have learned, compromise is KING. We drove down his way and back my way. It worked well. Dixie did so well - she was excellent in the car and around camp. She was a little dreamboat.


Where we camped in VA. The first place we tried to stop was flooded out; the water was over the bridge to get to the campground. When I say over, I mean we could not even SEE the bridge. The creek was so high. It was brown and swirling and cruising. This was the Saturday that all the tornadoes ripped through NC and other Southern States. We headed on down the highway and found a KOA, pitched the tent and made it through the very windy night. This was the next morning. Clear, crisp and breezy. The campground was pretty and we were on our way to Asheville.


STRAIGHT to the Mellow Mushroom for good pizza and good beer, then to the grocery store for the week's worth of food. I love this restaurant.


The caesar pizza. Yum. With a local beer (or two) to wash it all down. Sitting outside. Awwww yeah.


My first morning walk from camp, scoping out a mountain bike ride. We did this ride later that afternoon: Slate Rock and Pilot Cove. An awesome ride with rhododendron tunnels and a sweet mountain summit.

Trillium

No idea, but what a sweet little flower.

Read Water for Elephants over the trip (on the Kindle). Loved the book and surprised myself by loving the Kindle too. What I loved best is you do not have to hold the book. You can just rest the Kindle on your leg and page through as you read. What I liked least was seeing the cover of the book I was reading (along with the author's name). Since I did not have that constant reminder, I still only really know the author's first name. Names are important. Authors are important. I make a point to learn the names; with a Kindle, I need to make even more of an effort.

LOVE this little beast. She did this all by herself. Wanted to be close to Mumma, I guess.

On the trail, by a stream. A NICE day.

From the summit of the bike ride. Love the self-timer. There was not a soul up there : )

With bikes.

Being watchful of our camping neighbor (the old man who showed us the cave).

More to come. The flowers will be unreal in the next NC post. I am in love with flowers. Gonna plant a whole bunch this summer.