crazycarolinaladies

Our 2003 trip



These pictures show us at Montreat in North Carolina in 2003. This is only four of our group. We are posing outside one of the apartments before we head back down the mountain. Seated are Joye and Sandy. Standing are Eileen and me. I don't remember who was taking the picture.





Here are eight of us. Since I am not in the picture I must be taking it. We are at the Western North Carolina Farmers' Market off of I-40 close to the I-26 interchange. My then new conversion van is on the left.







The driveway is very steep. You have to really rev the engine to be able to get to the parking lot. It's a real treat to us ladies who live on the coastal flat plains of South Carolina.




We always have to take our dirty laundry to the washer room at the bottom of the hill. Usually one person from each room takes it down just before we leave.







Breakfast is always wonderful. There is a wonderful recipe for cinnamon sticky buns the chef will gladly give you. He prepares eggs, grits, sausages, bacon and toast. There is always hot coffee, juice and water along with milk and a variety of cereals. The price is right for the meal.






2005 was a great year!


Here is an example of the beautiful leaves seen in the mountains of North Carolina. How lucky we are to be able to partake of this colorful display!












The scenery along the highway was spectacular. Here we see the beauty of the changing leaves from the summer's greens to the fall's reds, oranges and golds. What a feast for the eyes.







In 2005 the gang visited Dillsboro, a quaint mountainside town southwest of Black Mountain. Here the gang poses on the steps of the Jarrett House. It serves its meals family style and the food is delicious. Close by are little shops and a railroad station. It is along this stretch of railroad that the train wreck scene from "The Fugitive" was filmed. You can take a dinner train through the nearby mountain pass.






From the top of a ledge you can see the wonderful fall foliage peeking up . It just does not get any better than that.










Our 2006 Adventure

Our weekend began as a very warm, sunny day in Black Mountain, North Carolina. We stay at the South Carolina Home which sits atop a ridge. We can see all around the area especially in the fall when the leaves have left the trees bare. This shot is from the small porch outside our rooms. It is a very steep hill. Below are parking spaces.






To the left is a shot of the mountain from our "porch." The stairs lead to the main porch on the front of the house. On the porch you can sit in a rocker and watch the sun set. It is really quite exquisite watching the sun fall between the two mountains.






Some of us are avid stampers. Sandy found this place. It is called ASAP: A Stamp Artist Place. It is in the basement of a mountainside private residence. The owner's selections of stamps, papers and other embellishments are really great. We even convinced Judy to partake of our stamping craze.


Below in the center snapshot you see the pond which rims the driveway. There were lots of Canadian geese floating on the water, honking to let us know of their presence.









Our next stop was the shops at Biltmore Village. Each house is a shop selling a variety of items. These cottages were originally the homes of the workers on the Biltmore estate. Mr. Vanderbilt believed in treating his employees well.


The leaves in Biltmore Village as well as along the way to the mountains were spectacular. Here you can see two different trees-one with large orange leaves juxtaposed next to a smaller one with tiny orange-colored leaves. Did you know that these colors are always present in leaves? You don't see the fall colors in the spring and summer because of the excess amount of chlorophyll in each that colors over the oranges, reds and yellows.

What a difference overnight brings! After a night of rain and wind the temperature dropped like a rock. Here Sandy and Mary Sue are deciding where to dig a fire pit and build a fire. The temperature plummeted from the seventies to the twenties with the wind chill factored into the equation.



On the grounds of Montreat College is Lake Susan. It is a flowing body of water with a dam on one side near the gift shop. If you look throught the trees at the top towards the right side of the photograph you can almost see the South Carolina Home where we stay each year.
Below is a picture from the top of the dam. Its water flows into a beautiful creek which runs for a long time beside the hilly road to Montreat.




On the left and below are group snapshots. As you can tell it is really, really chilly with the wind blowing quite fiercely.

Of course it wouldn't be a mountain trip without a stop at the apple stand near the dish barn. I was voted the apple queen because I purchased 6 bags. Some were for my co-workers.

After this stop we reluctantly headed south and home.

We had a good time. We are looking forward to another adventure next year no matter where the road takes us!