Friday, July 5 - Mountains
Up around 645am, I felt really good after getting to sleep the night before around 1045pm. I made coffee, exercised, watered flowers, and did some final packing all the while Mindy and Bella slept until 8am or so.
Not too bad, I planned to be on the road at 9am. We actually backed out closer to 930am. This year we opted for the 33, 77 route through West Virginia and the turnpike. It’s a little longer yet about 20-30 minutes faster. Of course there’s also $13 in tolls. Meh!
As she often does, Bella slept for almost the entire trip. We made excellent time with no significant back-ups or significant. We stopped for gas at the 81W/91 interchange. From there it’s all twisty-turny two-lane highway the rest of the way in. I’ve driven it 5 or 6 times, so I’ve become accustomed to those windy country roads.
The windy drive takes you through brief stints in the remainder of Virginia, a sliver of Tennessee, and finally into NC. All totaled, it’s 69 miles from I-81/91 exit in Virginia to the top of Sugar Mountain. However, that last 70~ mile leg takes just shy of two hours even with good traffic.
We arrived in Banner Elk around 415pm, but traffic was bumper to bumper the final 5- or 6-miles in. Our sunny drive turned to rain as we neared too. Dang it!
We were excited to finally wind our way up the mountain on what might be the twistiest road you’ll ever navigate. Up to the Reserve to our condo, or so I thought. As we approached the top of the mountain, I had Mindy pull up the address on my phone to get the actual road name in the mountain top complex. I only knew for sure that it was building #17B, which according to the map of the Reserve I pulled up online a few days prior put us overlooking the western edge, and just few turns below the condo we stayed in last July. The road name didn’t jive with those in the Reserve Complex, and Mindy soon shared that Google Maps showed that we had passed out turn much lower on the mountain. What? Truth is, I was getting a little anxious (aka: nervous). Still, I drove through the Reserve until I found building #17 and unit B, which overlooked the western edge just as I viewed on the online map.
I told Mindy & Bella that I would check the condo code and door while they waited in t he CRV. As luck would have it, the door to Bldg #17 unit B was cracked upon slightly. Yeah! I figured it a nice touch by the owner/rental company – VACASA. However, when I pushed open the door, I was surprised to find a family lounging comfortably while two large barking dogs made their way towards me. Yikes! I quickly excused myself and made a beeline back to the CRV. đ Wrong place!
As you might guess, I was feeling really anxious getting back into the car. It was quite apparent that I hadn’t fully confirmed where our building was located. Privately, I wondered if the condo was actually in the Reserve II, a sister complex slightly lower on the mountain. Mindy guided us there by Google maps. Yep. Took us right to the privacy gate of the Reserve II. Problem #2. The only code the rental company, VACASA had sent me was #2477. That didn’t work on the electronically controlled privacy gate at the complex entrance no matter what I tried. After several attempts, a car crept up behind me and activated the gate for their own entrance. That got us into the complex and eventually to our bldg. #17 unit B.
Not only were we not in the complex I thought that I booked, but we had the privacy gate entrance issue. But not only that, we couldn’t get the code VACASA provided to open the condo’s key lockbox either. No kidding, it was mounted on a post just 6” off the entrance deck, meaning one had to pretty much lie down on the floor to see the combination counters. We all tried a couple of times but to no avail. If I wasn’t rattled before, I was surely rattled by then. I went back to the car where I called the VACASA 800 number. I didn’t help that the call was mistakenly disconnected two times while they placed me on hold. Soon we were all seething with nerves.
Just as I got through for the 3rd time, Mindy was finally able to get the key lockbox to open and access the condo keys. Great! She and Bella headed inside while I dealt with the rental company, desperately trying to get the privacy gate passcode. Instead of another code, however, she told me we would need to drive to another address in town where I would get the gate key card and rental agreement. It was all the way down the mountain and a couple miles up the road. I knew roughly where it was, but I do mean “roughly”.
We unloaded the CRV then headed off to the local VACASA rental office still reeling from the frenzied arrival. Not exactly how any of us expected the seemingly seamless process to work. To summarize, incorrect condo complex, no gate code, and ridiculous access to the unit keys in the archaic key lockbox.
We finally found the VACASA rental office on our second attempt. The first stop was a Sugar Mtn. rental office but not belonging to VACASA. The woman from the 800# shared that the office would be closed but that my paperwork would be a in a late check-in bin. It was. Finally, it seemed we had what we needed.
Still a little rattled, I suggested we grocery shop, but both Mindy & Bella emphatically insisted we get dinner first. Realizing I was not going to win that argument, I promptly acquiesced. On to the Banner Elk Towne Tavern, a new place I had Googled a day or two prior, and one we hadn’t visited before. Food was just OK, but the break was just what the doctor ordered.
After dinner we headed to the local Lowe’s where we stocked up on food to sustain us through our trip (Lowe’s – a regional Carolina grocery store, and the same owner and founder of Lowe’s Home Improvement). By 8pm, we were finally back at our condo where we put away all of our provisions then headed out to the lovely deck where we soaked in the stunning mountain vistas and later the star-filled night sky.
Saturday July 6 - Linville Falls & Profile Trail G.F. Mtn.
Stunning sunrise over the distant mountain vistas. It never gets old. After a hearty vacation breakfast, the three of us headed out for a day of hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We opted for Linville Falls, a popular trail and park with moderate trails and gorgeous water features. I’ve been there twice past, Mindy once, but Bella, never.
It wasn’t hot but it was humid. In fact, the temperature in the mountains rarely exceeds 80 degrees all summer long. In fact, the area is a temperate rain forest. We hiked the damp trail taking in the splendor of the magnificent rhododendron canopy. Though largely deflowered by mid-July, they remain gorgeous, especially to us northerners, who are more accustomed to the small landscape rhoddies of home.
We hiked to the rocky outcropping where the famous Linville Falls come into full view. It’s a popular destination, thus lots of families, but beautiful, nonetheless. From there, one can hike a more rugged trail up the mountain to another rocky outcropping, but because Mindy’s knee had been an issue the week prior, we opted not. It gets crowded up there too.
In total, we spent maybe 1.5/2 hours at Linville Falls before heading back into Banner Elk, and eventually to Profile Trail, a hike that leads all the way to the top of Grand Father Mountain if one is so inclined.
The trail head is directly across the street from the Pedalin’ Pig BBQ joint and pretty much right next door to the Lowe’s Grocery. One can smell the sweet, sweet smell of BBQ for the first mile or so of the hike. The trail is 3.6 miles up, but we only did about 1.25 miles before turning back, which was roughly our plan all along.
We wrapped up our hiking around 3pm then unanimously agreed to do lunch at the Pedalin’ Pig. We joked that they must pay a fee to waft their smoked meats chimney towards the trail, luring in unsuspecting clientele.
The food was decent. We shared some apps then ordered separate entrees. I went with brisket tacos. Was a bit surprised that Mindy ordered a beer with lunch. Not being much of a day drinker, I went with lemonade. Pretty sure Bella ordered a hard drink of some sort, too. Back to the condo by 4-430pm for some downtime and perhaps even a brief nap.
We spent the evening on the deck gazing at the lovely mountain vistas and star gazing all the while playing rummy.
Sunday July 7 - Rafting the Nolichucky
Our planned whitewater rafting adventure required us to be on prem at 645am. To that end, we were up early and out the door somewhere near 635am. I guess it’s a good thing that High Mountain Expeditions was less than a mile from the foot of the mountain. We were checked in by 655am, fitted with life jackets and on the shuttle bus 10 minutes later.
It was a good 45 minute bus ride to the Nolichucky put-in. Getting there meant traveling numerous curvy, two-lane mountain highways, and all that via an old school bus painted with their logo. The driver and a handful of the river guides provided entertainment throughout the drive. We stopped in a small little river town a few miles from our put-in for breakfast and a bathroom break. I opted for a sausage and egg muffin from BoJangles, my first visit ever. As with many adventures/expeditions in this area, this one had us in and out of both NC and Tennessee.
Not long after our arrival at the Nolichucky river put-in, the three of us were partnered up with HME river guide, Lizzy, who proved to be a good fit for us. We learned that she lives local to the put-in, so she wasn’t one of the guides that rode the bus with all of us from Banner Elk.
She went through the itinerary, river rules, and some training stuff. Soon enough we were headed down the river and into our first set of rapids. It’s fair to say that we were all a bit nervous, though Mindy & Bella much more so. One rapid in it was clear to me that we picked not only the best guide, but also the best whitewater adventure for the area. While not ridiculous, it was exciting, fun, & exhilarating! We rode several class III & IV rapids. Like ski mountain trail ratings, Lizzy shared that rapid ratings are similar. Still, it was just the right amount of challenge.
Lizzy made clear that we were only to paddle on command. She navigated us down the river gorge and through the rapids like an expert. Probably fifteen minutes into our ride, she opened up about herself sharing some cool stories and life perspectives. We became instant friends. We stopped for lunch about 2/3rds the way down river. There, we were provided a meager packed lunch. Someone forgot the lemonade/water cups, so we had to improvise a means of getting fluids in us. No big deal. I used my chip bag as a water pouch. Others quickly caught on, following my lead.
Back on the river 45 minutes/ hour later to finish our rafting trip. Reflecting back, I think we were on the river for about 4 hours, including our lunch stop. The same bus that dropped us upriver was waiting at the pull out, a unaffiliated camp area complete with cabins, tents, and a make-shift stage, where a band was setting up for an afternoon jam.
We tipped our guide Lizzy handsomely and said our goodbyes. And again, because she’s a local, she didn’t ride back into Banner Elk with the rest of us. We made it back to the HME facility in Banner Elk about an hour earlier than anticipated. Fair to say, that made the three of us happy. We were eager to get back to the condo, get a nap, have some snacks, and perhaps get ready for dinner.
Left for dinner at Banner Elk CafĂ© near 630pm. We’ve eaten there numerous times past, some better than others. This time, I think it’s fair to say that the food was subpar, especially my fish and sides entrĂ©e.
Back at the condo and into comfy clothes by 8pm. We played rummy on the deck as the twilight turned to night. Like the past couple nights, I was eager to star gaze. Compared to home, one can easily see perhaps 10X the number of stars. In kind, I watched a handful of satellites whiz by.
Monday July 8 - Hike Crab Orchard & Elk River Falls – Sorrento’s
We didn’t have a definitive plan or destination for our last day on the mountain, but shortly after breakfast Mindy found two parks relatively close that none of us had hiked before. Our criteria were simple – waterfalls. Our first destination took us to Crab Orchard Falls, just outside of Banner Elk. Talk about windy two-lane mountain roads! Holy smoke. We’re talking narrow hairpins!
Google maps was a bit off. We had to stop at a local recycling center to ask a local for guidance to the park. Turned out, she sent us back to where we had just been, the entrance to an old church parking lot. Once in the church lot we found the obscure little sign pointing us to parking for the hiking trail, all of it very unassuming.
As we exited the car towards the poorly marked trailhead, we were greeted with the unmistakable sound of bagpipes ripping loudly and obviously very close yet immediately out of site. I begged that we first track the sound, find where it was coming from. Reminded me of a funeral. Soon enough we stumbled upon a gaggle of folks with bag pipes hiking towards the old church hall. The make-up of the group was a bit unusual, young and old alike, with one kids leading the way playing his pipes loudly. We watched for a few then headed for the falls.
The hike was a bit more uphill than any of us expected. Later, I would read that narrative online. Despite the constant uphill, we finally made it to the hidden falls. This park/trail was far more off the beaten path than the more popular Linville Falls that we did on Saturday. Just a few other hikers. And the signage was poor at best. But somehow that made it all the more interesting. I’ll also share that while the temperature was only in the 70’s, it was very, very humid. The three of us worked up one hell of a sweat.
Mindy lagged behind, her recent knee issue clearly slowing her down. Still, she managed the uphill fine. Said the downhill placed more stain on her knee.
As we made our way down and back to the car, we once again happened upon the bag pipers. This time we were eager to get the goods on the ordeal. Mindy engaged one of the bag pipers, who shared that it was a weeklong bag pipers camp, where people come from all over to learn bag pipes. They apparently do this online throughout the year, but nothing beats the live and in person opportunity. Gotta share once more how cool, eerie even, it was to be hiking behind a 100+ year-old church all the while the constant music from a group of bag pipers rang out. Memorable!
https://seesugar.com/crab-orchard-falls/
From Carb Orchard Falls, we made our way west about 18 miles to Elk River Falls. To get there we navigated the same twisty, tight two-lane highway again. Getting used to it, though. Talk about off the beaten path? Wow! Ended up on a gravelly, dirt road that couldn’t have been more than a single lane back into the woods. Funny thing is, there was an out-of-town Mercedes SUV in front of us going like 2 mph. We gotta big laugh outta that.
At the roads dead end (aka. Falls parking) there were lots and lots of cars parked off the side. We fell into compliance with the others. The roar of the Elk River was loud, so we knew were at the right place. And after a quick, easy hike back through the Rhoddie canopy we came upon the absolutely gorgeous falls. The only problem was the number of guests. Maybe 100 people or more scattered around the rocky out croppings. In addition to many tourists like us, seems to be a favorite swimming hole for the locals, too. We quickly understood why. Beautifull!
We didn’t stay too long, 30 minutes tops. Took a number of photos then headed back to the car and eventually back to the mountain-top condo. Saturday evening, while texting with David Waters, I learned that he and Anita were heading up to their Sugar Mtn condo. We made plans to have dinner Monday evening. We made a 7pm reservation at Sorrento’s Banner Elk.
After a nap and showers, we headed down the mountain and then into Banner Elk. Always somewhat busy, but we were grateful that the annual Highland fest wasn’t starting until Thursday of that week. That meant the town crowd would be much more manageable. Checked in at Sorrento’s. David & Anita weren’t yet there. I went to the curb to watch for them. Soon I spotted them. After sharing some hugs, we were promptly seated in Sorrento’s wine room. As the name may imply, there specialty is Italian.
Mindy and I shared a bottle of wine. David & Anita just water. Having eaten there a couple times past, I was much looking forward to their lasagna. Don’t recall what the others ordered. While our dinner visit was brief, it was good to catch up. We were heading for home the following morning early, so there wasn’t a lot of time to hang out.
Unfortunately, after settling our dinner tabs, and while we were heading out the door, Anita tripped over a raised threshold and fell hard to the floor all the while bumping her head on the wall. It happened so fast and was beyond frightening. We quickly got Anita to her feet. And while she insisted that she was OK, we all, staff included, fawned over her just to make sure. We walked with the two of them towards our cars then said our goodbyes.
Back to our mountain top condo. After slipping into comfy nighttime attire, we spent time packing for the trip home to make the morning departure that much easier. The earlier we were on the road, we figured, the better chance of avoiding traffic jams on I-77 in VA and WV, and the earlier we’d arrive home.
Tuesday July 9 – Heading home
We packed out of the condo around 945am and then headed to local VACASA office to fully check-out. While checking out and after being asked about our stay, I calmly shared our horror story check-in with the two guys working the office. The manager quickly shared that he was made aware of our debacle and was eager to apologize and make it right. He offered a 15% discount on our next VACASA rental. Not wanting to keep reliving the unfortunate experience, I gladly accepted. He promised to send email confirmation of our conversation.
We stopped for a fill-up at the 184/105 intersection. It was 1010am when we officially hit the road. It was an uneventful and easy drive home. Like she did on the drive down, Bella slept for most of the trip, waking only for routine pee stops and then for lunch at a Wendy’s in WV, just south of Charleston. That, by the way, was my first Wendy’s burger in at least a year. I recall thinking we’d be making this same or similar trek down again in just 2.5 days. Arrived home close to 5pm.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.