Woke up to another beautiful North Carolina morning in Asheville. Starting a little slower today following all of yesterday's fun activities.
We were served a lovely breakfast on the large front porch where we enjoyed talking to a nice couple visiting from England. They live about 35 miles west of London, but both were originally from Scotland. They are on holiday, as they call it, visiting some of the southeast, before flying to Boston and traveling through New England to experience the autumn there.
Rallied and decided to try the little hike. Drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and were on until we reached Craggy Gardens Visitor Center. On the way saw many beautiful vistas. At the visitor's center, we decided to do the short Craggy Garden Pinnacle Trail. This interesting trail with its huge rodedendrum bushes leads to the top with 360 degree views. The clouds and fog move in and out, and give the mountains its Smokey name.
The views there were breathtaking, and we were rewarded with an added treat. As we reached the pinnacle, we could hear flute music. Upon arrival we saw a young man who had a walking stick that was a flute. He was sitting on the ledge with this amazing view in the background playing. Near him was his buddy and his dog as well. It was truly like a scene from a book or movie! What a wonderful treat! We talked to them a while, and the flutist shared his story of his unique walking stick.
Apparently when he was around 19 he found on line a walking stick that also had flute holes and his parents bought it for him as a gift. Later he purchased his mother a walking stick, with no flute holes. His original flute stick broke after about 10 years of heavy use. In the meantime his mother gave him hers, as she was retiring from hiking. Sadly his mother passed. He said he thought about it for about a year, contacted the company that made his original stick if they could add flute holes. No guarantee that it might not break, but he went ahead and had it done to his mother's stick, added a compass and butterfly etching in her honor, and is now using the stick. I thought it was such a wonderful story.
Any headed back down the parkway, turned off into another mountain road, and saw a bear crossing the road. Stopped and watched it digging at a tree. Wild.
Got back and parked in time to check out a few of the shops before it was as time to meet for the food tour.
Met our tour guide Paddy, who was fantastic. Paddy took us to 7 different spots around the town, and talked about the areas as we walked giving us historical information and fascinating stories of the area and its people. Ate everything from an Italian fish meatball with white wine, salad with fried goat cheese, a delicious curry , great beer and a potato mushroom dish at a local brewery, homemade ravioli and a cocktail, a shrimp taco, the best chocolate I ever had, and several types of honey. Took about 4 hours, we were totally stuffed !
Did a little shopping before the stores closed, and went to check out the drum circle at the park . What an event! All sorts of people and their drums meet each Friday night and play their drums as people watch, and some even dance. It was a very interesting crowd. We saw a man with a live snake around his neck, who was later told to leave. A woman there told me last week there was a goat, and the week before a monkey with a diaper on was in a tree!
Went for a walk and checked out a different brewery. Kept walking around town enjoying all the live music being played on the streets. Everything from guitars, spoons, fiddles and old mountain instruments to a chamber quartet to the jazz saxophonist who entertained us as we grabbed a snack.
Back to the B&B, as tomorrow we drive to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry.