Here is a picture of what was walking down the street in a neighborhood that Michael was doing work in...
BEAR!!
Our friend Scott, who is also training for the Bear100 came in town this weekend to run mountains with Michael. We took him by the house and then we headed to Sierra Nevada in Fletcher.We plan on taking many visitors here as it is very grand. Everything is sustainable. They collect and use rainwater, permeable pavers cover the parking lot, recycle all paper towels in the bathroom...everything is incredible. The food is top notch too, so far my favorite is the duck fat fries and cheeseburger. If you like beer, the beer selection is out of this world. So if you happen to be in Asheville be sure and hit that place up! They just recently opened the backside. It has trails all around, a vegetable and flower garden that they use, a huge stage with a grassy area, corn hole and other games, fountains, rocking chairs, and of course twinkle lights. A blue grass band was playing when we went. Of course, kid friendly as well. Our waitress loved the girls...Addison and Ella Kate drew pictures on post it notes and gave it to her. Addison said she had the best grilled cheese EVER in her life. Ha!
Saturday morning Scott and Michael left around 6ish and headed to the visitors center where they would start...run 35...and finish at Mt. Mitchell. I got the girls up and we packed up our gear and snacks and headed to Craggy Gardens where we were suppose to meet them at Craggy Garden picnic area around 11:00. By 12:00 they still weren't there and I was in a pretty good freak out mode. Michael phone works out there...and I was in and out of reception at that spot...so after about 14 texts and 6 phone calls they finally showed up. I said you should probably let me know if you are going to be that late...as I was starting to make a small fuss. Michael forgot his watch and didn't know the time. But either way they were fine. Scott was having a bit of a time with all the elevation change and they were debating about finishing or stopping there...and they carried on.
So while they decided to continue the torture, I took the chitlins to Black Mountain campground where Michael and I camped while they were at my moms a couple of weeks ago. I showed them our camp site, the trail head to Mt. Mitchell, and the Setrock Creek Falls. We had around 4 hours to kill...which turned into almost 6.
Ah...not a bad picture of Addison, looking at the camera with a decent smile! Good Girl! Usually she is making a weird cheese face and staring off somewhere else.
So they played in the waterfall for almost two hours and then it started raining. We had the place all to ourselves! So we booked it back to the bathrooms, cleaned up as best we could and got in the van. We had a chunk of time to kill so we decided to drive the opposite direction we came from on the parkway. I had bought them EK a coke (no idea why, first ever) and Addison a lemonade. We busted out at an overlook, sat up our chairs and hung out there for about another hour.
So we drank our drinks and watched it rain throughout the mountains...there wasn't any around us. PS...if you ever give Ella Kate a coke, which I wouldn't recommend, make sure you also have duct tape to cover her mouth with. Whew...I was ready to hurtakid!
Ella Kate guzzled her coke in fear that I would take it and had to go potty...so we headed back to Mt. Mitchell. We got there around 4:30 and were scheduled to meet them at 5:30. Besides a snack bar at the top of the park, there is also a restaurant on down the way. The kids were getting hungry so we split a salad and mozzarella cheese sticks.
View from restaurant.
After we wrapped that up, we went on the porch and rocked in chairs til it was time to go. So then we started sitting...and playing...and finally at 7:00 they finally rolled up. Whew! They made it...and we got to go on home!
We had a late night due to the late arrival...so we got cleaned up and headed to Asheville Pizza for a late dinner!
Sunday we woke up and they evaluated how they felt. Scott said he could do some light walking. So we opted for Hooker Falls and Triple Falls in Dupont State Park. We had been to Triple Falls but had to leave cause we got rained on.
Hooker Falls
Love this picture of Addison...running through the water. Check out that pony tail!
The whole sequence of her running through the water!
Hooker Falls was pretty neat...huge place to swim. People had canoes and kayaks. Water still super cold!
I took this shot as we were leaving the tower at Mt. Mitchell...pretty incredible right?!
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