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19 June 2011
Happy Fathers Day, Dad
11 June 2011
Pieces in Asheville
I had the brilliant idea on a Tuesday morning to check out the events schedule in Asheville, NC. The funky little town, tucked within the Blue Ridge Mountains, is one of my absolute favorite places. It has the speed of the South but the culture of a city. And with dozens of mom-and-pop establishments, pet friendly cafes and restaurants, happening bars and endless outdoor activities I find myself fitting right in and never wanting to leave.
We picked our destination, rounded up some friends. The plans were set and we were ready and eager for the 6 hour trek.
We rolled up to our cabin at about 1 a.m. with 1 car-full, 1 truck, 2 dogs and 2 motorcycles. The pleasantly rustic cabin was a quaint place to rest our heads, although we didn't hit the sheets until about 2 hours later after several mojitos and 1 shaved head (I'm practicing my fade). The company was ideal with the perfect mix of friends.
The agenda for Saturday was to set out early to the Blue Ridge Parkway to drive fast and enjoy the turns. Pat and Doug geared up in their full leather suits. I started the ride on the back of Doug's bike while Ashley rode in the GTI with Jonathan.
Winding through the Blue Ridge Mountains is difficult to describe. The air was crisp and the scenery simply breathtaking. Each time the mountains opened up and a beautiful view was revealed I immediately felt small, humble and amazed. Still, we were able to cram in a quick 90s rap pose at a scenic overlook.
We rode for about an hour until Doug and Pat decided to hammer down through the Diamond Back Loop. I hopped in the car with Jonathan and we were off. This particular road consists of nothing but hairpin turns and blind corners. It's not uncommon to hear squealing tires and screaming exhaust.
After about 15 minutes Doug and Pat were no longer on our tail and we began to worry. Climbing back up the mountain towards where we last saw them I began to panic. My heart sank deeper and deeper with each moment we didn't see them. We finally came around a turn and saw Pat's bike on the side of the road, kick stand down. No Pat, no Doug, no Doug's bike. Naturally, I freaked out but was quickly calmed when I looked over the ledge and saw Doug standing on a gravel driveway next to a destroyed motorcycle. He was standing. My husband was okay. He had crashed at the best spot with only about a 20 foot drop. His bike skinned trees on the way down while he tumbled through the brush until being stopped by wrapping his torso around the trunk of a tree. He had survived what could have been a deathly accident, walking away with a few broken ribs, torn cartilage and a collapsed lung. The bike was in pieces but my husband was in tact. I couldn't have been any happier at that moment.
Despite his injuries Doug was happy and thankful, as were the rest of us. We celebrated by sticking to our plans of going to Beer Fest. The next few hours were filled with fun and laughter. The joy we felt that Doug was okay made the day incredible! We sampled local brews, met interesting folks, hung with the hipsters in the water fountain and truly enjoyed the good company.
After a day of fun we set out to experience Asheville at night. The small town with metropolitan-sized buildings became bustling at night. Locals played music on street corners while we strolled past shops and enjoyed dinner on the patio of Carmel's Restaurant and Bar.
We ended the weekend with a hike on Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. We soaked up the views and reveled in the beauty of the vast mountains before us. The weekend was eye-opening and simply wonderful.
We picked our destination, rounded up some friends. The plans were set and we were ready and eager for the 6 hour trek.
We rolled up to our cabin at about 1 a.m. with 1 car-full, 1 truck, 2 dogs and 2 motorcycles. The pleasantly rustic cabin was a quaint place to rest our heads, although we didn't hit the sheets until about 2 hours later after several mojitos and 1 shaved head (I'm practicing my fade). The company was ideal with the perfect mix of friends.
The agenda for Saturday was to set out early to the Blue Ridge Parkway to drive fast and enjoy the turns. Pat and Doug geared up in their full leather suits. I started the ride on the back of Doug's bike while Ashley rode in the GTI with Jonathan.
Winding through the Blue Ridge Mountains is difficult to describe. The air was crisp and the scenery simply breathtaking. Each time the mountains opened up and a beautiful view was revealed I immediately felt small, humble and amazed. Still, we were able to cram in a quick 90s rap pose at a scenic overlook.
We rode for about an hour until Doug and Pat decided to hammer down through the Diamond Back Loop. I hopped in the car with Jonathan and we were off. This particular road consists of nothing but hairpin turns and blind corners. It's not uncommon to hear squealing tires and screaming exhaust.
After about 15 minutes Doug and Pat were no longer on our tail and we began to worry. Climbing back up the mountain towards where we last saw them I began to panic. My heart sank deeper and deeper with each moment we didn't see them. We finally came around a turn and saw Pat's bike on the side of the road, kick stand down. No Pat, no Doug, no Doug's bike. Naturally, I freaked out but was quickly calmed when I looked over the ledge and saw Doug standing on a gravel driveway next to a destroyed motorcycle. He was standing. My husband was okay. He had crashed at the best spot with only about a 20 foot drop. His bike skinned trees on the way down while he tumbled through the brush until being stopped by wrapping his torso around the trunk of a tree. He had survived what could have been a deathly accident, walking away with a few broken ribs, torn cartilage and a collapsed lung. The bike was in pieces but my husband was in tact. I couldn't have been any happier at that moment.
Despite his injuries Doug was happy and thankful, as were the rest of us. We celebrated by sticking to our plans of going to Beer Fest. The next few hours were filled with fun and laughter. The joy we felt that Doug was okay made the day incredible! We sampled local brews, met interesting folks, hung with the hipsters in the water fountain and truly enjoyed the good company.
After a day of fun we set out to experience Asheville at night. The small town with metropolitan-sized buildings became bustling at night. Locals played music on street corners while we strolled past shops and enjoyed dinner on the patio of Carmel's Restaurant and Bar.
We ended the weekend with a hike on Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. We soaked up the views and reveled in the beauty of the vast mountains before us. The weekend was eye-opening and simply wonderful.
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