The Happy Nomads

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Rocky Broad River

Hanging out by the river in Chimney Rock, we got to see something amazing. The trout were swimming upstream! We had been laying on a big rock, warmed by the sun, at the edge of the river, when we noticed movement in the water. Squinting our eyes, we realized the water was full of huge fish, and they were swimming upstream! It was remarkable thinking about the energy they must have been expounding to swim against the current for such an extended period of time.

It's difficult to see, but this was the best picture we could get. You can see the black stripe on the fish, but otherwise, they blend almost perfectly into the pebbly riverbed.

We assumed the fish we saw were trout, but our notion was confirmed when we saw this Hatchery Supported sign. "Designated Mountain Trout Water. No Lure Restrictions. Daily Limit: 7 Fish."

We will admit, we know next to nothing about fishing, except for the YouTube videos we've watched about how to gut and prepare a fresh caught fish. However, we do have a North Carolina fishing license, two fishing poles, a bag full of tackles and lures, and an excitement to learn. We were ready to go get the poles out of the car; we were hungry after all the stair climbing and exercise at Chimney Rock Park, and these trout were HUGE and looked delicious. Unfortunately, the sign also listed the fishing season: First Saturday in April to Last Day of Feb.

One of the things that really amazes me is the curiosity nature inspires. Since seeing these fish, I've spent the morning trying to learn more about trout. Why were these fish swimming upstream? Were they spawning? What kind of trout were they? I'm still not clear on all of these answers. It is agreed that, yes, trout do swim upstream to spawn, but according to the NC fishing website, Fall is spawning time. So what were these guys doing? They were distinctly swimming upstream; we watched them for hours. There is still so much to learn. Traveling, even for just these few weeks so far, has made me realize how little we know about so much. It has also made me excited for all the knowledge we will gain through this trip.

Some shots of the Rocky Broad River where we saw the trout.

And finally, there are more and more signs of Spring popping up everywhere!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Adventures in Chimney Rock- Part 2

After the amazing drive, we couldn't wait to see how great Chimney Rock would be. According to the National Parks app on our phone, admission was going to be $9/person for the off-season, which is a little out of our daily budget, but we were willing to splurge. We've decided we're just going to have to be selective with the things we choose to go to with an admission fee. We were feeling good about our decision. There was about a mile drive from the main road to the ticket booth, and we were treated to the sight of a beaver scampering across the road from one side of the creek to the other. Yes, this was going to be fantastic.

However, things began to look not so fantastic once we reached the ticket booth. Admission was listed at $15, and the bottom trail to the base of the waterfall, something we were really looking forward to, was closed. When it was our turn to purchase our tickets, we asked the gentleman if we could at least get a good view of the falls from the higher trail leading to the waterfall's top.

He looked bewildered. "That trail's been closed for at least 8 years. It must have been a long time since you guys have been here."

"We've never been here. We got our information from the National Parks app on our phone and a brochure we picked up at the official State Parks Visitor's Center." I handed him the map.

Looking at the back, he said, "This map is from 2004. However, since the lower falls trail is closed for repairs, I can offer you $1 off admission. $14 each, please."

I looked at Dave. "You still want to do this?"

"Why not. We've driven all this way."

I reluctantly handed over the money.

Once in the park, things kept getting worse. Dave wanted to use the restroom before climbing the stairs up the mountain, but it was closed for the season.

I wanted to stop in the gift shop, but it was closed for the season.

I'm glad we aren't disabled, because the elevator up the mountain was closed.

$1 off admission? Really guys? Really? As it turned out, half the park was closed. But hey, at least we saved that ever valuable one dollar for our troubles.

The views were so amazing, though, we were able to just laugh about the absurdity and enjoy our time, though we did learn a valuable lesson. We loved Chimney Rock, but it felt much too touristy, and, after only climbing a series of stairs, we didn't feel like we'd earned the view from the top. Hiking on a trail to the summit of a mountain feels far more rewarding. So, it looks like we won't have to stress too much about admission fees- we much prefer staying off the beaten path and forging our own path to the mountain's summit. That's not to say we didn't enjoy Chimney Rock, though...we did. The commanding views were the definition of breathtaking.

Elevation on Chimney Rock.

After being on top of Chimney Rock proper, you can climb higher for even better views. It was dizzying!

Even further up at Exclamation Point, elevation 2,480 feet.

It was really windy up there!

Amazing.

Adventures in Chimney Rock- Part 1

Yesterday, we took a drive to Chimney Rock, about 25 miles away from Asheville. As we're often noticing with trips to hiking spots and national parks, the drive is half the fun. The drive to Chimney Rock took us up winding hills with switchback roads lined with picturesque farms and civil-war era wooden fences. We kept pulling off to look at things and take pictures, and also to let other cars go by since we were driving about 15 miles an hour!

We loved the green moss covered roof of this cabin.

This place was actually called Peaceful Retreats, and it was aptly named. The lake really did appear this color in the sun. And that's an adorable outdoor oven by the lake. Looks perfect.

More of this mossy cabin.

The rolling green hills of one of the many farms we passed.

It's too bad this place- a little market selling homemade apple butters, jellies, and all kinds of other goodies- wasn't open yet for the season. I liked their clever way to make a few extra dollars: $1 to use a picnic table by the river!

We followed this water source as it turned from a creek into a full-fledged, breathtaking river further up the mountain.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Tennis without Rackets

Today, we played tennis without a racket using some tennis balls someone had left behind on the court.

Thinking about it, that's really a metaphor for our lives currently.

Every week, we've been trying to pare down and get rid of even more. Condensing a house full of stuff into a van hasn't been easy. We've gotten rid of some stuff we really could have used, like the tennis rackets I gave away for free in our yard sale, and saved some things we'll probably never use, like a tool chest. However, we're learning there are very few things you really need. It's easy to make do with the resources you have available. You just have to use a little creativity and think outside the box. You might just discover a fun new game, like handball tennis.

We're grateful Asheville has been our training wheels for the past week and a half as we've been on a learning curve for this new lifestyle. This week, we're looking forward to doing a few day hikes around the Asheville area and then moving on. We've also been busy working to get our Etsy shop up and running where we'll be selling our upcycled art, business card blanks, vintage magazine prints, and Dave's artwork.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Sunshine Naps and Laundry

Today was amazing weather...75 degrees and sunny, with a breeze blowing- the perfect day, especially after several days with a high of 35! We got up early and wanted to go to the farmer's market. To avoid paying for parking downtown, we parked about a mile away and walked, only to discover the market hasn't yet begun for the year. It was too nice of a day to be disappointed, though, and we wandered into a few stores. We met an incredibly nice lady who gave us suggestions for brunch and a map of Asheville. We've been here for over a week, and we've begun to feel pretty confident with our knowledge of the roads and can get around most places without our GPS. Or so we thought. As we followed the shop owner's directions to brunch, we discovered an entire part of Asheville we didn't know existed. In fact, we realized we had only been skirting the outside of downtown and had not really gotten to the heart of it. What a pleasant surprise!

We waited about 35 minutes at Tupelo Honey Cafe for brunch, but it was so worth the wait. The food was amazing. We're realizing you really do appreciate things so much more when you don't have them as often. In Orlando, we were used to going out to eat good food quite frequently. This was only the second time we've sat down to eat somewhere since we've left, which probably contributed to our enjoyment of brunch. There were warm biscuits with homemade blueberry jam and Tupelo honey before our food was brought out. And then there was the food: local sausage with the best breakfast potatoes ever and free-range eggs for me, and a breakfast bowl with local bacon, homemade salsa, and eggs on top of a bed of grits for Dave. Yum yum yum.

Another thing I'm always amazed by is how much more you notice when you're on foot. People just weren't meant to go as fast as they do in cars; it makes you miss so much of the world outside of you and really causes a disconnect. As soon as you park your car and start walking, a whole new world opens up to you.

After taking in as much awesomeness as we could handle in all the downtown shops, we headed to the UNC Asheville campus, which has become one of our favorite places. We spread a blanket out on the grass in the sunshine and napped and listened to the birds. We could have made a bird song CD just from laying there for a few hours. The birds really do love the trees on that campus. It was so relaxing. The more we do it, the more I think bird watching is a really great activity. Just like walking, it makes you slow down and pay attention to and engage in the world around you.

Something I didn't have time to mention when it happened a few days ago was our laundry mat experience. We found a fantastic laundry mat here called the Bar of Soap. It is genius, really: a laundry mat with books you can buy or just look at, and coffee, wine, and beer. It turns doing laundry into a public, social experience, which I think is great. We met some really cool people, including a guy who's conversation we overheard. He was planning a trip exactly like ours, so of course we had to strike up a conversation with him. I love when people socialize and reclaim public spaces. Why wouldn't you get a coffee and chat with someone new while your laundry is washing? We need more spaces that foster this kind of social interaction. That was actually the first time I've ever had to use a laundry mat, and I know every other one we visit is going to pale in comparison.

I hope that wherever you are, the birds are chirping and you are having a wonderful, sunny day, too!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Mountains to Sea Trail

Yesterday, we planned to go to Mt. Mitchell State Park, but we ran into a road closure. We had been driving a harrowing, winding road up through the mountains, and weren't sure what to do. Thankfully, there was a kind lady who had been walking her dogs who sensed our confusion and stopped to talk to us. She told us the area we were in was full of trails, and great for hiking, so we parked the car on the side of the road and set out to find the trailhead.

Ice along the side of the road as we drove up into the mountains.

It turned out we had happened upon the Mountains to Sea trail, which you apparently could hike along for a very long time. It was unusually busy...it was strange running into other groups of hikers and dog walkers in the middle of the mountains. I guess at only about 25 minutes outside of Asheville, it is an understandably popular choice. It allowed us to find someone to take a photo of us together!

The views were gorgeous. We were somewhere around 3,100 feet elevation. It was a clear day and we could see for miles; we could even see smoke and a town a few mountains over.

We hiked for about 5 hours in total. Dave found us great walking sticks, once the roots of an upturned tree. They made us feel like explorers.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but this was a brilliant purple-blue plant located all along the trail. We're not sure what it is; anyone have any guesses?

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Birdwatching and Signs of Spring

I've been interested in bird watching for years, but I really got excited about it after attending a class about the Language of Birds at OGS last weekend. You can learn so much about the world around you by listening to the birds. All the animals and other birds listen to them. Is there a predator? Do they sound alarmed? Are they just checking in with each other to say hello? I'm still a long way away from identifying the birds by their songs, but I can start by learning to identify birds by sight.

On the last night in our house in Orlando, a new neighbor, without knowing about our interest in birding, gifted us with a pair of binoculars. (If you're reading, thanks Jon!) Today, Dave and I set out on a walk to use them for the first time. It's way more difficult to find things through their lenses then you might think, but with a little practice, both Dave and I were able to spot some birds up in the trees.

According to my Bird Language class, one of the best local spots for bird watching is right here at the UNC Asheville campus and the surrounding area because of the amount of local foliage the grounds keepers took care to plant. The class instructor wasn't kidding; standing in one spot along the trail, we were able to identify many robins, some downy woodpeckers, and a gorgeous pair of Eastern bluebirds, along with some small brown and white birds and a yellow bird we can't yet identify.

Of course, we couldn't identify those birds while we were on the trail today because we didn't yet have a birding guide. In another moment of serendipity, we found a copy of Eastern Birds for $7 in our favorite local used bookstore this afternoon, and quickly set about identifying the varieties of birds we saw today.

In addition to bird watching, we've been enjoying watching the plump local grey squirrels. Also, I've failed to mention this before, but most all photos on this blog are by Dave.

We've been totally in love with this little creek that runs along the Greenway between Weaver park and UNCA. Some of the things we both really missed living in Florida were creeks and streams and rocks, which are in abundance here.

Although it's still pretty cold, signs of spring are popping up everywhere. I didn't realize just how much I missed the change of seasons until rediscovering all these beautiful gems of the transition from Winter to Spring. There are daffodils blooming, trees covered in buds just waiting to burst open, robins on the ground, and that feeling in the air that tells you Spring is near.