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Archive for North Carolina

 February 9, 2022

Fall On The Blue Ridge Parkway

We’ve always wanted to catch the fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In early October, we got our chance as we left Lake Toxaway and headed to the North Carolina High Country, nestled in the northwest corner of the state. Driving the parkway while towing a trailer is surprisingly easy. The speed limit is […]

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Categories : National Parks, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Anvil Arts Gallery, Banner Elk, Beacon Heights Trail, Blowing Rock, Blowing Rock Art Museum, Boone, Driving Blue Ridge Parkway, Hiking Blue Ridge Trails, Linville Falls, Linville Falls Winery, Moses Cone Memorial Park, Over Yonder Restaurant, Rough Ridge Trail, Stick Boy Bread Company, Tanawha Trail, The Blue Ridge Parkway, The Speckled Trout, Valle Crucis
 December 21, 2021

Waterfalls Galore: Western North Carolina (& Happy Holidays!)

We’ve seen a lot of waterfalls in our travels, but we’ve never seen anything like the wealth of waterfalls concentrated in Western North Carolina. During our two month summer stay, we visited 22 different waterfalls. Most involved hiking, but some were very short hikes. And there was a not-to-be-missed waterfall that required only a quarter-mile […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Dry Falls, DuPont Forest, Gorges State Park, Greenland Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, Schoolhouse Falls, Triple Falls Trail, Turtleback Falls, Whitewater Falls
 November 9, 2021

Little Mountain Towns With Big Appeal: Western NC

During our two months at Lake Toxaway, we spent a lot of time traveling up and down Highway 64. It winds through thick forests, along picturesque rivers and beside roadside waterfalls, and passes through charming little towns, each with a distinct personality. Sounds idyllic, right? Ha! It’s scenic, but not relaxing—unless your idea of fun […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Brevard, Carl Sandburg Historic Site, Cashiers, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Highlands, Pickens, Whiteside Mountain
 September 25, 2021

Cultivated Nature & Wild Art In Asheville, NC

The bohemian city of Asheville has been one of our favorites in our travels. We’ve visited twice—in 2018 and 2019—and both times, had a blast. At only an hour away from our campground in Lake Toxaway, we were looking forward to a return visit. But with the ongoing pandemic (is this ever going to end?), […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Asheville, North Carolina Arboretum, River Arts District
 September 13, 2021

Gourmet Dining & Beautiful Hiking: Lake Toxaway & Gorges State Park

We like variety in our traveling adventures, from hiking in wild places to exploring cool towns and gourmet dining. I am so grateful that for our first trip out in 18 months, we’ve landed in a place that offers an abundance of things we enjoy. Granted, we’re still in a pandemic, and life is not […]

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Categories : Adventures With The Kitty, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Gorges State Park, Greystone Inn, Lake Toxaway, Rainbow Falls, Staircase Falls, Turtleback Falls
 September 1, 2021

Yosemite Of The East: Hiking In Panthertown Valley

We set out yesterday to do a hike in Panthertown Valley. It’s a wild, rugged place that’s often referred to as the “Yosemite of the East.” That may be a bit of a stretch, but our seven-mile hike delivered a beautiful creek, two gorgeous waterfalls, and a fabulous view from on top of a mountain […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Greenland Creek Falls, hiking Panthertown Valley, Little Green Mountain, Panthertown Valley, Schoolhouse Falls
 August 23, 2021

Summer In A Rainforest—And A Flood: Western North Carolina

When we planned our summer getaway to the mountains of Western North Carolina, we did not realize that we were plunking ourselves down in a rainforest that gets upwards of 80 inches of rain every year. And we certainly didn’t plan on a storm delivering six inches of rain overnight and flooding the peaceful little […]

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Categories : Adventures With The Kitty, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Gorges State Park, Lake Toxaway, Rainbow Falls, Riverbend RV Resort, Turtleback Falls
 July 10, 2019

Our Eastern Adventure Begins: Savannah, GA To Bardstown, KY

The first of April, just ahead of the heat, humidity, and bugs, we left Florida and headed north. This is the first time that we’ll spend an entire year east of the Mississippi in our travels. We’ve looked forward to this adventure—which will take us all the way to the Maritimes—for years. To ease into our […]

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Categories : Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Travel
Tags : All Soul's Pizza, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Collins Quarter, Curate, Fort Pulaski, Museum of Appalachia, North Carolina Arboretum, Savannah, Telfair Museums, Tybee Lighthouse, Willcox Hotel
 August 25, 2018

Mountains, Mansions, And Hippies: Asheville, North Carolina

You guys are the best. In the past week, I’ve been reminded of another important reason why I write this blog. It not only serves as a journal of our travels but has connected us with a community of wonderful people. I’d still write our blog even if no one was reading, but knowing that […]

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Categories : National Parks, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : All Soul's Pizza, Asheville, Biltmore, Brahmari Brewing, French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Mama Gertie's Hideaway, The Market Place Restaurant

Welcome to our blog!

Eric and Laurel

If you enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, birding, art, music, quirky towns, good food, and good friends—you'll enjoy traveling with us. Join us as we explore the backroads of North America—we love company and comments!

~Laurel & Eric

Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
~Mary Oliver

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Recent posts

  • Moving Forward
  • A Relaxing Week In Delightful Madison, Wisconsin
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  • Big Changes Ahead
  • The Fraught Life Of Abraham Lincoln: Springfield, Illinois
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  • Hot Times In Huntsville And Memphis
  • The Long Road To True Equality: Montgomery, Alabama
  • A Brand New Adventure (And The Challenge Of Leaving Home)
  • A Time Of Sorrow…And Anger

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