Traveling America By Van: A Week In Flat Rock NC
By: John Kumiski
A wet morning found us at the campground at North Carolina's Stone Mountain State Park. A deluge the evening before precluded any exploration of the park's features. Our goal this day was to reach Flat Rock, where friends Jim and Kathy live. After a fast breakfast, we fired up the Sienna and hit the road. Again.
The Blue Ridge Parkway had never seemed like a good way to make time while driving; however, it and we were both headed toward Asheville. We picked up the parkway in Cherry Lane, heading southwest on its twisty and scenic asphalt ribbon.
The speed limit averaged 50 mph. No commercial traffic, no traffic lights, and spectacular views coming at you over and over again made the drive very worthwhile, though. We stopped periodically to briefly take in some especially scenic view, then continued on our way. This continued until we got past Mount Mitchell.
A long time ago, my 1973 Volkswagen bus blew its engine near the top of Mount Mitchell. This time, we drove past the turnoff. Shortly afterwards, a black bear, the only bear we saw on our journey, cavorted on and alongside the road for a while. We parked to watch. I'd discovered out west that driving and photography are mutually exclusive activities (!), so my cameras were put away. No bear pictures today!
Street art, River Arts District, Asheville.
The bear tired of us and disappeared into the woods. We continued on our way. Our next encounter was an unwelcome one. "Road Closed" the sign said. A few weeks earlier, hurricane remnants dropped torrential rains on this part of North Carolina. The parkway sustained so much damage that sections had to be closed. We learned about the closure the hard way.
We turned around, going past Mount Mitchell again, continuing to NC Route 80, one of the twistiest roads on the planet. Losing 3000 feet of elevation in only a few miles makes for a twisty road!
From 80, we got on Interstate 40. Ah, the joys of the interstate. Traffic! Big Trucks! Construction zones! From I-40 to I-26, through Asheville, to Flat Rock, to Jim and Kathy's house. Glad to be out of the car! Glad to see Jim and Kathy!
Oh, yes, we had some things to do.
Susan, Chimney Rock State Park.
A "must-do" to visitors anywhere near Asheville is a visit to Chimney Rock. A long staircase, 500 steps, brings one to the top of this famous rock, where wonderful views (and lots of other viewers) await. Some folks opt to take the elevator! We loved this place!
We visited Asheville. Lots of exquisite galleries and street art along the River Arts District help make this a delightful town. Hours spent perusing galleries made me want to say, "May I be excused? My brain is full!” Highly recommended!
If you get tired of galleries, you can watch the duck races.
Another Asheville stop was the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. This lovely 10-acre garden features native plants, the natural elements of a regional landscape. The Garden encourages gardeners to use native plants in their landscaping, because, "Using native plants in landscaping helps sustain native butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects; native birds, reptiles, mammals, and other fauna. They contribute to the health, and even the restoration, of an ecosystem by placing fewer demands on resources." Don't we all want healthier ecosystems? Go native!
Susan at the Botanical Gardens.
Another day found us heading toward the Blue Ridge, in the Pisgah National Forest, where we took a hike on the Pink Beds Trail. Cool, crisp air and fall colors made for a delightful hike, with fallen leaves swishing around our feet with every step.
Hiking on the Pink Beds Trail.
We also visited Dupont State Park, and took a hike along the Little River. Little River has big waterfalls! We watched a crazy man climb part-way up a waterfall, then slide down the falls to the pool at the bottom. I thought he was trying to get a Darwin award, but he seemed quite pleased with his illegal free ride.
Our last evening there, we visited nearby Hendersonville. As dusk fell, a band played on an outdoor bandstand. Some people sat in folding chairs, listening to the band. Others were up by the stage, dancing. An antique auto show was going on at the same time. Lots of beautiful old cars were displayed! I talked to the owner of an old VW bus, telling him about my Mount Mitchell VW experience. He agreed that the number three valve was a source of constant concern.
Little River, Dupont State Park.
While all this was going on, dangerous Hurricane Ida was approaching the Louisiana coast. Some projections had it visiting western North Carolina, something we wanted no part of. In the morning, as Ida made landfall, we said our thank-yous and goodbyes, got in the Sienna, and hightailed it for home, interstates all the way, a trip of about nine hours.
We pulled into our driveway, and except for the unpacking and clean-up, our 15,000 mile trip was over, just like that.
We'll soon be making another one...
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