North Carolina!

Welcome Back Ya'll! (I think I've been in the South for a while :)...) Checking in here from Knoxville,TN after a beautiful day trip through the Great Smoky Mountains, and a great couple days trekking across the gorgeous state of North Carolina. I've got lots of updates, so sit down, grab a cold beverage, and lets catch up.

Last time you heard from me I was in Charleston, and from there I headed up the coast to Wilmington, NC. Wilmington is a nice little town that straddles the Cape Fear River, and is minutes from the coast. After a great night's sleep, I started the day the day off with a visit to Airlie Gardens - a spectacular area that dates into the mid 1800's. They are most notable for their ancient oak tree (the oldest in America as I remember) as well as their azalea gardens. Although the azaleas had already finished blooming, I was able to visit the oak tree as well as the rest of their spectacular grounds. Beautiful foliage and gardens abound, and one could easily spend the entire day exploring the 55 acres of splendor.

After a great morning exploring Airlie, I headed downtown to grab a bite to eat at the Front Street Brewery. This place is widely known for their delicious brews, but also for their tempting eats. I indulged in a little bit of both, ordering a pulled pork sandwich (coleslaw included on sandwich!) with potato salad and a hoppy IPA to wash it down with. Everything was spectacular, and my server informed me that it wasn't frowned upon to order 2 beers before noon - I laughed, but declined. After lunch I headed down to the beach (about 10 minutes away), jumped in the water, and smiled excitedly having swam on both coasts within a month of each other!

After a great day in Wilmington I headed West to Durham to stay with a family friend who has a beautiful home there, just outside of Duke Woods. I got in fairly late, and after a couple hours of conversation about the trip, I retired for the night. I woke early and put in a couple hours of labor on the property (the least I could do for such hospitality) before heading out into Durham  to see Duke Gardens, another spectacular urban oasis for all sorts of flora and fauna. I spent a good couple of hours exploring every corner of the garden, snapping all sorts of great photos, again words can't explain the beauty of this area - head over to the flickr site for all the goodies.

After a gorgeous afternoon at Duke Gardens, I was instructed by a reputable source that I had to eat at an out of the way little cafe called Allan and Son BBQ. I was a bit skeptical when my GPS led me out into the middle of the woods and announced "Arriving at Destination", but as I drove a few blocks further I came upon a ton of parked cars crammed into a tiny lot. This must be it, I thought to myself. Indeed it was, and this is the kind of local place that warms the soul and fills your stomach to bursting capacity. A cafeteria style restaurant with about 10 or 15 tables, Allan and Son serves the kind of food momma used to make - Ribs, Potato Salad, Fritters, Lima Beans, Salad w/ Ranch dressing and bacon bits (and don't forget the sweet tea!) -- all for about 7 bucks -- it couldn't have been better!

After filling my tank on southern hospitality and delicious food, I once again headed West to Asheville, a little hippie town on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. I arrived, strolled around the downtown (Think Boulder without the pretention) and found the last lodging in town at a campground just outside of town. After setting up camp, I headed back into town for the Asheville Tourists baseball game, where a hometown hero, Todd Helton, was supposed to make a rehab start. Unfortunately Todd didn't make it, but it was still a great game, and with dollar beers and hot dogs, I really couldn't complain. The stadium is historic (Babe Ruth played here!) and beautiful. Asheville Tourists 13, Hagerstown Suns 4.

After a great night, I headed back for camp, excited for what the next day held in store: The Smoky Mountains! The night wasn't quite as restful as I would have liked (sooo hot!) but I woke early with renewed energy, ready for my hike! I headed South to Mountains, and selected a nice day hike (about 5 miles) that displayed some spectacular views and led through some really interesting trails. These are not quite the Rockies, but absolutely gorgeous none-the-less. After a great day in the mountains, I headed West once again to Knoxville.

Its that time again blogosphere -- Hope you enjoyed the update -- We'll talk again soon.

A.S. Bloom
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