The good thing about staying in a cabin rather than a hotel/motel room is the extra space. Right now I can be typing away while everyone else is sleeping. Yes, coffee wasn't as much of an adventure today since we set it up last night. The other thing is the ability to cook meals rather than eating out. I like eating out, but not every day.
Yesterday, got up. Had an adventure with the stairs to the kitchen (yes, two steps -- odd set up) to make coffee. Blogged (this blog hasn't been posted because I really want to upload the video and the photos that are on my camera for it. Read
The Dallas Morning News e-edition (I have really taken to this while traveling -- no newspaper stand nearby -- and not sure how good Asheville's paper is). I'm blogging a little early today because I discovered that with the time change that the e-edition isn't quite ready for download.
But, I do know that the Warriors won last night. Go Curry!
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| Golden State Warriors (this is game 1 vs. Portland) |
Mike got up and made breakfast yesterday. Think he thinks we're all "hungry men" because there were eggs, bacon, ham, pancakes, hash browns. But, making breakfast on our trips is key. Mike and Susan head off to meet Mike's cousin Bill at the Harley dealership so Tony and I can finish getting ready to head that way. Tony decides to put his rain pants on -- the are NOT side of the road rain pants to put on quickly. It's not raining, and it's a bit humid, so he wants them off already. Until we get on I-40 and it starts raining. I just pull my helmet visor down and I'm good (even though I don't particularly like I-40 on a Harley -- any interstate for that matter, but this is full of semis). Exit 59 to the Harley Davidson dealership in Asheville (http://www.hdofasheville.com). It's big. It's also not technically in Asheville, it's in Swannananoa, North Carolina.
They look at the bike and aren't as gloom and doom as we were. They'll check the wobble and fix it. They were more concerned with our front tire (we replaced it). While we were there, decided to wait and also get it serviced. It keeps on and off sprinkling anyway, and better to lose a day of riding and have a safe bike.
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| Harley-Davidson of Asheville for a Bike Fix up |
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| HD Asheville |
We sit on the park bench outside most of the time, sending Mike and Susan for a ride to the Biltmore to decide if they want to go (I would, but not on crutches -- lesson learned from Graceland) -- they don't, and then to a winery nearby. They went to Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards (588 Chestnut Gap Road, Hendersonville, NC).
Good time to plan our trip on Wednesday (Diamondback and Little Switzerland). Mike and Susan have to head out in the morning. Flight to catch back in Nashville.
Bike fixed and the guys at check out give us a koozie and a bottle opener for our trouble and tell us about some craft breweries nearby. Asheville is the town to be for craft beer (and pretzels with mustard). And then the guys in the service department give us some alternate routes back to the cabin from the dealership. One option was to take Tunnel Road to 25A (almost into Asheville, but I think before any tunnels). The option we decided to take was to take Tunnel Road (not sure it's called that near the dealership) and take a left onto Azalea (past the Arby's). Little side road, past the soccer fields, take a first left at the light (only light). After that, he didn't give us directions because we thought that'd be it. Well, we had to get Siri to get us the rest of the way. Couple of turns get us back on 25A (next to Moe's BBQ-- smelled good and just found out that it's been rated one of the Top 10 BBQ joints. The owners now live in Vail, but I think we drove by the original and from the looks of the neighborhood, not surprised. Http://www.moesoriginalbbq.com, 4 Sweeten Creek), kind of through an industrial area, but right back to the cabin.
On the way, we went to Ingles (local grocery chain) for dinner (steak, potato and tomatoes) and beer (local Asheville beer that I chose because of the name and the label). It must have been senior citizen discount day because I was chatted up by every 80+year old man in the store. One was very proud of his Harley Davidson Ford pickup truck.
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| French Broad, 13 Rebels |
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| Willow Winds |
Spend a little time on the hammock outside. If you ever have a knee injury, and you have someone who can help you get in and out of a hammock, this is GREAT. Your leg is elevated and your heel can sit in one of the hammock "grooves." Beer in hand, and get a little rest with my leg up (beer, OK, but a bit bitter for me -- probably just a poor selection based on can packaging -- I'm in advertising, so I'm a sucker).
Susan and Mike get back. They took 74A, one of the routes that the service guys recommended to Chimney Rock (the cause of my knee blow out -- don't think I told that story about how I hurt my knee, but will later. Oh, suspense) to a Winery, after deciding that spending $60/each to go to the Biltmore wasn't what they wanted to do. From what they say, 74A is quite a ride, with a lot of turns, and big drop offs and elevation. And the winery was good -- in particular the hard cider.
Sit outside (another great thing about the cabin is the outside areas to sit) while Mike heads to Walmart to get fish bait (the pond outside our backyard is stocked with trout and we can catch up to five a day). He bought this stuff called PowerBait Trout Bait that looks like Playdoh, with lots of colors. Does NOT smell like Playdoh. (If you want to check it out: http://www.berkley-fishing.com/berkley-bait-dough-berkley-powerbait/powerbait-trout-bait/1285475.html#prefn1=ZZFTYP&prefv1=Trout&start=2)
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| Tony practicing his fishing |
Mike's quite excited about this and cooking trout for an appetizer for dinner (in foil with onions, butter, salt and pepper). He gets back and heads down to the pond. 20 minutes later, he has three and is quite excited (like a little kid) about his catch and then proceeds to gut them (I think that's what you do. I can't eat it, but I'm intrigued by watching him do it), clean them and prep them for dinner.
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| Mike's catch from the pond (three rainbow trout) |
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| Trout: ready to serve |
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| Trout: ready to eat |
Nice dinner (the steaks from Ingles were good meat and forgetting about potatoes in the over made them super fluffy). This cabin has a good size table inside to sit and eat, which is nice. The Warriors and Stars games don't come on until 1030 ET, so I head to bed and Tony heads to the hot tub. (Singing Eddie. Murphy's skit on James Brown: Too. Hot in the Hot. Tub: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=USHPc90MPl8). Tomorrow is going to be a good riding day (weather permitting).
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