Date: 2010-12-02
To: Blowing Rock,NC
Miles today: 0.0

Fri Nov 26thThe day after Thanksgiving...I'm off work for a week & a day...VACATION.......woooooooooo-hooooooooooo!...& we head to the western North Carolina mtns to our condo in Blowing Rock...that we co-own with Terry & Sharon Price...We head out of town abt 6:30am...& head East on I-40...while driving Donna checks in with Terry...(via phone)...Sharon's mother(Mildred Sanford...also a friend of ours)had fallen the night before & put their trip plans on hold...We found out later...good news... Mildred was treated & released from a Nashville hospital & settled into her home & then the Prices were on the road to NC as well a few hours later than anticipated...We arrive in Blowing Rock abt 4pm...check into our condo IVY-4....un-pack...then head back out...get fire-wood for the condo...etc...drive thru town...Donna has been fighting a nasty cold & cough the whole week previous...so, we dont attend the annual "Lighting of the Tree" @ the city park & the Singing Vagabonds...we did roll down the windows as we drove by & heard a few lines from one of the Christmas songs....ahhhhhh those OFF KEY Vagabonds....weeeeeeeeeee...they are a tradition.Back to the condo...we settle in for the night...7pm...the Prices call from the road...& said they will be here abt 10pm-ish...Saturday Nov 27th...Everyone stirs about 7am...the Prices arrived shortly after 10pm last night...Briley & Heather are with them...John & girlfriend Courtney arrived yesterday too...(Briley & John are now the proud owners of a condo timeshare week in Dahlia 6...not far from our condo)Its Sunny & expected to be in the low 40s today...& very windy...20+ mph winds the Blowing Rock Christmas Parade is slated for today @ 2pm...we were in the stores when the parade was passing down Main street...Donna & Sharon watched the parade from inside the Blowing Rock Super Market/gas station...(it has a Deli there too....good sandwiches!)...We all went to Bistro Roca for dinner...very nice...Sunday Nov 28th...All up by 8am...the coffee smells good brewing... i had a few cups in the condo before heading down to KOJAYS for a double BLOWING ROCKET (double espresso with dark roast coffee on top)...We left the condo & headed for Valle Crucis to stop by the Mast General Store & the Annex...(think old timey General Store complete with bluegrass band playing around an old wood burning pot belly stove)...after browsing...we headed to the top of Beech Mtn (5506ft elevation)to Fred's Merchantile Store (another old general store) to eat lunch...m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m...good chili & sandwiches...afterwards...checked out wreathes & Christmas trees...then back to Blowing Rock....Mon.Nov 29thwe all headed to Kojay's for coffee & munchies...we met the former Boone,NC mayor there...(he was having coffee & talking with us tourists)...we then shopped the local shopes...& for lunch we had...a trip to KILWINS ICE CREAM (some of the BEST ICE CREAM EVER!!!)...i had a 2 scoop (make that MONSTER SCOOPS) Tin Roof Sundae...yuummmmmmmmy! (is that on Weight Watchers???)Donna had a Monster 2 scoop Chocolate Peanut Butter waffle cone....nice!For dinner we headed to Los Aricoras Mexican Restaurant...good stuff....Tuesday Nov.30thSad day today...raining...the Prices leave today...we head to KOJAY's for coffee & breakfast munchies...then hit the shops in Blowing Rock for a few minutes...as the rain gets heavier...the Prices head out...we follow them til Banner Elk...they get a tree from Horney Hollow tree farm...& head home...we hit a few shops in Banner Elk...then drive back to the condo...we grab sandwiches from the Blowing Rock Market Deli...& chill out @ the condo...the rain continues...the fire is roaring...Life is Good!Wed. Dec. 1stUp @ 7am...made Blue Ridge Morning (KOJAYS blend) coffee in our room this morning...today we take our annual trek North to West Jefferson,NC (abt an hour from here)to check out the Art Galleries & shops...As we drive North thru Boone & several smaller communities...the scenery is beautiful...with lots of Christmas tree farms...some cattle farms..etc...We arrive in West Jefferson & it begins to snow...snow showers...very windy....but Sunny & cold...I emailed artist/friend Cher Shaffer to see if she might be available for lunch with us...but, she & Denny (her husband) had a "plumbing emergency" @ her house...so they couldnt make it.Donna & I had lunch @ Frasers...good eats...then shops & more galleries including the Artist's Theatre (where Cher's art is on exhibit)...one of the newer galleries in town...awesome place & great art...We hit an "antique mall" (aka junk shop) on the way outta town...i saw a few Silver coins for a good price (below silver spot price)but didnt buy...i'll probably regret that later...Drove back to the condo the back roads...thru Todd & Meat Camp then thru Boone & back to Blowing Rock.Its 25 degrees as the Sun goes down...the snow has stopped...In for the night...Donna makes a fire...Life is soooooo Good.Thursday Dec 2ndToday is our last full day in Blowing Rock...its very cold...a little bit of snow is left over from all the snow showers yesterday...the winds arent kicking as it was yesterday tho...nice...its Sunny...i enjoy some Blue Ridge Morning blend coffee (from Kojays)as Donna gets ready for the day...We stay close to the condo today...the shops all open abt 10am-ish...so we are there when doors open...we enjoy the local Art gallery (Blowing Rock Main Street Gallery)...many artists represented in this artists' coop...very nice.for lunch we headed to Canyons Restaurant...which is located on the side od a ridge & has wonderful views of the mountain ranges...close & distant...after lunch...we ride thru some of the older neighborhoods...(its a tradition)...checking out the old houses & guessing how many "millions" they each cost...We do some last minute shopping in the late afternoon...the temps start to drop...its 31 degrees now...& the winds pick up...back to the condo...just before 4pm...Donna builds a fire...i check emailits back to the real world tomorrow...we have a travel day back home...its been a great vacation...always over too soon...but we are very grateful!Life is so good!See ya'll up the trail!