Photo #3 If you read today’s blog you’ll know what the photo is. But do you know what famous author grew up near there in Asheville and wrote fictionally about some Asheville scandals? His book was banned from the Asheville library for years.
Today was a day of beauty and antitheses…..The Biltmore and Cherokee NC! We met Mim’s friend Becca (our second “sixth degree of separation” event!) and had a delightful hour of coffee and chat. We impressed her with our use of the Internet on the road and then we left the coffee shop leaving our laptop behind. So much for good impressions! A Good Samaritan noticed and called out to us so we retrieved the laptop. Peter and I probably need these events for some external input into our 24/7 time on the road. After Becca confirmed that if we were to see only one attraction in Asheville, it should be the Biltmore, off we went! Upon arrival, I went in to buy the tickets only to discover they were cheaper on the Internet! So I went back to the car and we purchased the tickets online………..saved 8 bucks………..we’ll put it toward the cost of the laptop!!
The Biltmore Estate, http://www.biltmore.com/, is unbelievable! It reminded us of the Hearst Castle and more! The entrance is 3 miles off the road and there’s a 7 mile exit road through beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. We took a self-guided tour through many of the 255 rooms and were astounded at the treasures. Peter was especially impressed with the extensive detailed and varied trim. I loved the artwork……there were many John Singer Sargent portraits and even some original Renoirs and a Whistler. We loved seeing the basement with all of the kitchens, prep rooms, pantries and original copper pots. One of the many ovens was an indoor wood-fired grill but, alas, no brick oven! The indoor pool seemed utilitarian in contrast to the one at the Hearst. To think that 27 year old, unmarried George Vanderbilt undertook this project……but then what else did he have to do!!!
Even though it was going to delay our arrival in Montgomery AL, we then decided to take a side trip to the most visited National Park (the Grand Canyon being a distant second) in the US, The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Early in our preparations for the trip, I had marked a road listed in the 1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE IN THE USA AND CANADA……………Natural Bridge (see yesterday’s blog) and The Biltmore were also listed………..only 997 more places to go!!!
The weather was pretty good………60 degrees, partly cloudy………so we put the top down and off we went. The most populous town we went through to get to the Newfound Gap Road was Cherokee NC, the commercial center of the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Talk about honky-tonk and commercial!! The antithesis of the Biltmore!!! There was one high rise, a Harrah’s casino; Peter wanted to stop for a half hour to win back the rest of our ticket money from the Biltmore but instead held his breath and passed by!
Then we turned right into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and onto Newfound Gap Road. The Great Smokies are exactly what their name says……….great and smoky (it’s not smoke; it’s excess moisture in the air, generated by the old growth forest)!!! We drove 20 miles up to the crest of the road in utter awe at the magnificence. At 5000 ft. we had hoped to take an ancillary road to reach the highest point in the park where there was a lookout tower but the road was still closed. That was when we realized the sky was no longer PARTLY cloudy and the air had chilled to 48 degrees! So we turned around, put the top up and headed to Montgomery totally satisfied with our short tour of the Great Smoky Mountains.
On our way to Montgomery we went by the Chattooga River near Clayton GA where the movie “Deliverance” was filmed. But when we stopped, Peter was afraid to get out of the car!!! Further along and because of our side trip into the Great Smoky National Park, we encountered our first traffic jam. We were in Atlanta……..great planning!
To our commenters: Many thanks for your input. Since no one has correctly identified our first photo, here’s a hint. The picture was taken from our moving car along the New Jersey Turnpike. It was the background during the opening credits of one of the most popular TV shows, recently ended. Randy Babbitt correctly identified the second photo as the new Air Force Memorial right off 395 in the Washington DC area. So, Fuzzy and Sally, it’s not near the new Yankee Stadium! Rick, Connie and I BOTH contribute to the blog; can’t you tell when one stops and the other starts? Lize and Ed, so far we don’t need any therapy or legal advice but…………..standby! Suz, I’m surprised Pete 3 hasn’t guessed photo #1. And, Mame, we were there………..it’s the Biltmore!
Today was a day of beauty and antitheses…..The Biltmore and Cherokee NC! We met Mim’s friend Becca (our second “sixth degree of separation” event!) and had a delightful hour of coffee and chat. We impressed her with our use of the Internet on the road and then we left the coffee shop leaving our laptop behind. So much for good impressions! A Good Samaritan noticed and called out to us so we retrieved the laptop. Peter and I probably need these events for some external input into our 24/7 time on the road. After Becca confirmed that if we were to see only one attraction in Asheville, it should be the Biltmore, off we went! Upon arrival, I went in to buy the tickets only to discover they were cheaper on the Internet! So I went back to the car and we purchased the tickets online………..saved 8 bucks………..we’ll put it toward the cost of the laptop!!
The Biltmore Estate, http://www.biltmore.com/, is unbelievable! It reminded us of the Hearst Castle and more! The entrance is 3 miles off the road and there’s a 7 mile exit road through beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. We took a self-guided tour through many of the 255 rooms and were astounded at the treasures. Peter was especially impressed with the extensive detailed and varied trim. I loved the artwork……there were many John Singer Sargent portraits and even some original Renoirs and a Whistler. We loved seeing the basement with all of the kitchens, prep rooms, pantries and original copper pots. One of the many ovens was an indoor wood-fired grill but, alas, no brick oven! The indoor pool seemed utilitarian in contrast to the one at the Hearst. To think that 27 year old, unmarried George Vanderbilt undertook this project……but then what else did he have to do!!!
Even though it was going to delay our arrival in Montgomery AL, we then decided to take a side trip to the most visited National Park (the Grand Canyon being a distant second) in the US, The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Early in our preparations for the trip, I had marked a road listed in the 1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE IN THE USA AND CANADA……………Natural Bridge (see yesterday’s blog) and The Biltmore were also listed………..only 997 more places to go!!!
The weather was pretty good………60 degrees, partly cloudy………so we put the top down and off we went. The most populous town we went through to get to the Newfound Gap Road was Cherokee NC, the commercial center of the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Talk about honky-tonk and commercial!! The antithesis of the Biltmore!!! There was one high rise, a Harrah’s casino; Peter wanted to stop for a half hour to win back the rest of our ticket money from the Biltmore but instead held his breath and passed by!
Then we turned right into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and onto Newfound Gap Road. The Great Smokies are exactly what their name says……….great and smoky (it’s not smoke; it’s excess moisture in the air, generated by the old growth forest)!!! We drove 20 miles up to the crest of the road in utter awe at the magnificence. At 5000 ft. we had hoped to take an ancillary road to reach the highest point in the park where there was a lookout tower but the road was still closed. That was when we realized the sky was no longer PARTLY cloudy and the air had chilled to 48 degrees! So we turned around, put the top up and headed to Montgomery totally satisfied with our short tour of the Great Smoky Mountains.
On our way to Montgomery we went by the Chattooga River near Clayton GA where the movie “Deliverance” was filmed. But when we stopped, Peter was afraid to get out of the car!!! Further along and because of our side trip into the Great Smoky National Park, we encountered our first traffic jam. We were in Atlanta……..great planning!
To our commenters: Many thanks for your input. Since no one has correctly identified our first photo, here’s a hint. The picture was taken from our moving car along the New Jersey Turnpike. It was the background during the opening credits of one of the most popular TV shows, recently ended. Randy Babbitt correctly identified the second photo as the new Air Force Memorial right off 395 in the Washington DC area. So, Fuzzy and Sally, it’s not near the new Yankee Stadium! Rick, Connie and I BOTH contribute to the blog; can’t you tell when one stops and the other starts? Lize and Ed, so far we don’t need any therapy or legal advice but…………..standby! Suz, I’m surprised Pete 3 hasn’t guessed photo #1. And, Mame, we were there………..it’s the Biltmore!
3 comments:
I was just thinking about how technlogically connected you two are compared to when Jennifer went cross country at age 18 w/a CB. And we thought that was a big deal...times do change. Matt is having dinner tonight at Jennifer & Javier's new house w/Rick. I am enjoying your musings - keep them coming.
Is the first photo from the beginning of the Sopranos? I hope I'm right, my dad will be so proud of me! Happy blogging/traveling!
Emily
Thomas Wolfe was perhaps the most overtly autobiographical of this country's major novelists. His boyhood at 48 Spruce Street shaped his work and influenced the rest of his life. So frank and realistic were his reminiscences that Look Homeward, Angel was banned from Asheville's public library for over seven years. Today Wolfe is celebrated as one of Asheville's most famous citizens, and his boyhood home has become a part of our nation's literary history.
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