The search for cool weather!

[Nullifier]

Well Gen and I just got back from a week on the road. Being from Florida, every August we head north looking for mid 70's during the day and low 60's @ night for camping. Of course this year thas's been almost impossible to achieve since the whole country is roasting nicely lol!

We were thinking of going to Tenn. for the week and explore Chilhowee and the Ocoee River area but after an hour on I-75 in the rain I was fed up with rubber neckers looking at cars spun out in the ditch due to rain. So Gen said are you sure you want to go to Tenn.? I looked at her and said what do you have in mind she said how about Ashville or Boone N.C. and with that in the GPS it was leading me off I-75 so a N.C. adventure it became.

Driving Hwy 301 and other back roads we landed in Savannah, Ga for our first night. However this was not before looking for a camping area or hotel on the gps lol! Note the second one down!

So we ended up on the river walk in a Hampton Inn to avoid camping in 90 degree night time temps. After walking the street we ate at one if the best restaurants in the south. The old pink house is an amazing place. We went down to the basement area to eat, with live piano player and really nice romantic atmosphere. The dish I ate was a slow cooked pork loin over collards greens with an amazing sauce and grits. One of the top 10 meals I have ever had in my life!

The next morning we got up and did a walking tour of the city. First we got a birds eye view from the top of the hotel.

Next we headed to the train depot and meusem for a good history lesson on the city. As most of you know Savannah played a major role in our independence and during the civil war.

Model of early barge

Old boat

Wagon with lanterns

Old car 1 cyl engine! man we have come along way.

 

[Nullifier]

From car above.

Nice Iron clad model

Next we walked back to the hotel and did a "walking tour" Savanahh is a beautiful city!

Fire Station since 1936.

We hit colonial park and old cemetary that rests some of Savannah's finest. Lots of markers and plaques indicating who is who.

This one is intersting.

Wall of tombs.

Moving on we came across this neat old theater. Makes me long for the days of Big fins, soda shops and Poodle skirts. All before my time but I would have fit right in!

Real gas porch laterns! try getting that through zoning today lol!

 

[Nullifier]

We ended back at the river in time for a traditional southern lunch. After walking abit we settled on a nice spot for some Shrimp and Grits! I thought I had had about every type of grits but these were more like Risoto.

The main building which are now Restaurants and shops we originally the cotton purchasing centers and plants. These lasted until the beetle out breaks which killed Savannah's crops.

Finally on our way out of savanaah searching for cooler weather!

Slowly driving the back roads on our way to Asheville we were reading in a book about Lake Lure. It is a med size lake near chimney rock about 45 minutes from ashville. After driving in, we decided to stay. The Lodge on Lake Lure was amazing. If you're ever looking for a nice place to take the wife for a romantic get away this is your place.

The room. Pics do not do it justice. The room was up in the treetops with a lake view.

Tub for 2 with a view. Bow-chicka-Bow-Bow!

After breakfast the next moring we hit the back roads around the lake. These were some nice switchbacks with amazing views of the lake.

Deer.

Once around the lake we decided to rent a pontoon boat. THis was a great iea. Water temps were perfect for swimming and we got to see the whole lake with all it's amazing houses.

 

[Nullifier]

After the boat we decided to hit Chimney rock. THis was a neat park with great views of Lake Lure at the bottom.

The drive up!

You can hike up or take up the elevator, we took the later. The cave was built at a pace of 6' per day.

The view from Chimney Rock.

From Above

USGS Marker I think I am going to start a pic. collection of these

cool rock face on our way to exclamation point.

So that ws the end of our day. Time to head back tot he cabin for some r&r!

 

[RU55ELL]

That looks like a really fun trip! Good to get some exploring and history in the trip.

 

[Nullifier]

We Left Lake Lure Headed for the French Broad River. One I have not paddles and we wanted to get our Bell Canadienne Wet. Our drive took us over the Eastern Continental Divide. Although not as impressice here as when we lsat drove over the western divide on hwy 64 is was a pretty drive being so lush.

Once in Asheville we hooked up with Ashville Outdoor Center (AOC) for a shuttle. Great place to rent canoes and kayaks! We hit the river and found ourself paddling along a wide section of the river with descent flow. Only a few mini rapids barely class1. However givin our touring boat status this was ok. The trip took us 7 miles through the Biltmore Forest. It was a nice trip but with no shade do it in the spring or Fall. It was very hot that day.

The Biltmore Estate and hotel.

Old Equipment on river. There were reamins of an old bridge leading up to it.

All in all a nice trip but unfortenely it was hot which went against the mission!

Once we left ashville we headed for Bryson City N.C. I nice sleepy little town Not far from Several good rivers. On our way into Bryson we past the great mailbox.

And this house which had the movie Jeepers Creepers written all over it. It was very scary in person. :yikes:

Backroad Sunset

And another night in the hotel. No camping so far unfotunetly......More to come.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Great trip. Savannah is a really beautiful city and it looks like the rest of the trip is shaping up nicely also.

 

[hansonian]

looks like the start of a fun trip. i'm envious of anyone who gets to escape the florida heat.

 

[cmflossin]

nice trip so far. i used to work at that marina on lake lure, which is probably where you rented the boat from. that area is gorgeous. i've always said that if i won the lottery, i'd live on that lake. the bryson city area is nice too, we were recently up there for a zip lining trip. hope you're enjoying the rest of the trip...

 

[AxeAngel]

Lived in Tampa for a few years. On Davis island and in hyde park. Sometimes I miss that place.

Fun trip theres lots of exploring in those areas, pisgah and the smokies has some cool adventuring spots. If you are headed back via Asheville, check out saluda. Has some good rappelling, bouldering, adventuring.

-Sam

 

[mountainsoul]

Nice pics. Looks like a great trip.

We just did a road trip with the baby from Chicago down to Disney World. We took some time and visited Nashville and Atlanta on the way down. And back up we hit Charleston, Asheville, The Smokies and Savannah. Savannah was just an amazingly beautiful city. I had heard so many great things about it but it still exceeded my expectations. So much so that the wife and I are now looking for a house down there once our place in Chicago sells.

 

[Jeff Dodgen]

My wife and I have started a tradition of taking the week of our anniversary to explore an area we really like. This will be our third one and we keep going back to explore more of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Last year we did Chimney Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, a few good hikes, and alot of towns on the way. So far we LOVE Banner Elk and that area. I am planning where we are going for our next trip up in April 11'. My wife is a teacher so Spring Break was when we got married. In the past we have taken her 4WD WK, but this year we plan to take my TJ. Eight lug axles, no air, bikini top only, 37" Krawlers and beadlocks should be fun for a week of exploring.

And thanks for the pictures, I am already getting anxious for our next outing.

 

[Nullifier]

sorry for the delay in the last bit of our trip port but it was a crazy week. So As we got into Bryson we hit town late evening and did a drive through town. It is a neat sleepy little town the just oozes small town America.

We decided to hit a small Ice cream parlor that was loaded with memorabilia and homemade ice cream. The owner and afew local high school kids were working the counter whipping up some old school malts and basic flavors hand mixed with your choice of fixins.

I love this old school gas station. Nice that few still exist.

We checked in into a little motel since it well into the 90's and got up the next morning for a ride on The Great Smokey Mountain Train Ride through the Nantahala Goerge.

Once we got to the depot we picked up our tickets and waited for the train listening to some Bluegrass.

Once under way we past the depot and I also got this neat pic of the main drag. My one big grip about the train was that the windows were filthy which made getting good pictures impossible! If you are selling the view on a tourist train the windows should be cleaned on the outside daily or atleast every other day!

The old truck in front makes this pic a classic.

Once under way the conductor came back to our car and walked up to Gen and I and looked me in the eye and said "Ben and Sandra?" I said no he said again "Ben and Sandra?" I said no again, so he said well are you in the right seats? I said since it is open seating I'm pretty sure we are in the wright seats! The conductor started to laugh and told us we were sitting the exact seats that Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock sat in for the movie Forces of nature. So just for K.C. we did not get to do any Dirty Dancing lifts at Lake Lure but we did end up in some movie fame LOL!

And for the last picture we decided to do an impromptu trip on the Natahala river. I got with my boys at N.O.C. and got use of a tandem ducky. Nothing like no dry pants or top, 51 deg water and driving rain for the river trip...brrrr!

To my surprise I ran into my old White water canoe instructor Jimmy Holcomb. If you are a paddler in the Nanny area then most likely you know of Jimmy. He was one of the original staff of the NOC and at 68 is still trucking. Loading and unloading full size rafts, doing instruction, guided etc. After our trip I was able to catch up with him since it's been 15 years. So this pic for me is a great one for my collection. Oh and if your looking to get into whitewater this is the man to get for instruction. Laid back easy going but great instructor.

After the river we drove south to albany and satyed with some fam. Unfortunetly the next day we had to drive home but it was really nice to get home and see our daughter lil J! It is amazing how being away just for a week how much they develop. All in all a great trip. Fortunetly we did find some cooler weather (80's) but not cool enough for camping. Fortunetly Gen and i are easy and do not mind going with the flow of a trip so even though I really wanted to camp, I would not say that anything was lost on this trip because we didn't. We realy loved out time on Lake Lure at the lodge the best and I would again recommend it for a great weekend get away for a nonexpo trip. The The other highlights were driving the back roads and paddling the Nantahala. It is always a great time.