My parents were offered a week away at a mountain cabin owned by a friend, and they in turn (with permission) invited us to join them. We happily agreed, though I was a little anxious about the trip. Mountains and I don't get along very well. We attempted to drive some of the Blue Ridge Parkway when I was a kid, and I got so sick. I don't think I was ever actually physically ill, but I know I would have thanked you if you'd offered to shoot me. It was awful. I don't know what it is about the hills and the switchbacks and the grade of the road, but we do not get along at all. I had hoped I might grow out of it, but about every 10 years, I've had occasion to go up into some mountains for some reason, and it has always been the same. If it would stop as soon as we stopped moving, I might could tough it out, but it lasts for hours after.
I knew that most of this trip should be okay since it was on interstates or major highways nearly the whole way, but the 4-ish miles leading to the actual cabin might be tricky. But, I love my family, I knew my parents really wanted us to join them, and I knew Luke would likely love it. I also knew the cabin would be really nice and quiet, and it was likely cooler in the mountains than here in Hot-lanta, especially lately. So I agreed to go and decided to seek medical intervention for the drive. And pray!
To save wear and tear on the cars (4 miles are at a 6% grade), and because we thought it would be more fun to all be together, we decided to rent a vehicle large enough for the 5 of us (and all our stuff) to fit in comfortably. We actually rented a minivan, but it wasn't back on time, so they gave us a Suburban (which is what Dad really wanted but couldn't justify the cost) at the same price. Ha-ha! Good thing, too, because there is NO way all of our stuff would have fit in a van. Took us two hours just to pack it up (didn't want to leave it loaded out in the driveway all night, just in case). How can just 5 people need so much?! Anyway, we strapped in, and off we went.
We stopped for lunch at Olive Garden in northern South Carolina, then 4 out of 5 of us napped through most of North Carolina until we reached the closest town to our destination. Not wanting to risk the drive up and down the mountain if I didn't have to, they dropped me off at Wal-Mart to start the grocery shopping. Everyone else went up to the cabin and unloaded, then came back to get me. Sounded like a good plan, but it actually took nearly 2 hours to accomplish, which is why I only got non-perishables and waited on the cold stuff. (BTW, for as solid as the Verizon network map looks on television, there is a *huge* gap over this part of NC. Calls were spotty at best and texts took forever to get through. I was on extended network with no 3G the whole time!) Of course, after they got back, I discovered there were benches back in the refrigerated section where I could have rested instead of aimlessly wandering the store for so long. Ah well. At least the nausea medicine had time to kick in. We loaded up the Suburban and headed up the mountain.
I actually did quite well with the meds on board. I felt a little tiny bit queasy near the end of the 4 miles, but it went away as soon as we stopped moving. Usually I'm still sick for several hours, so it was a relief for it to dissipate so quickly. Most people think I must be scared of heights or mountains or something. Generally speaking, that is not so. The views were beautiful! I really enjoyed the scenery on the way up, but 4 miles is about my limit on such curvy and steep roads, even with meds. It was worth it, though, for this!
You were expecting something more rustic? Sorry, I'm a city girl; I don't do rustic. Six bedrooms, six full baths, full kitchen, two 50-inch flat screen televisions.... you get the idea. We guesstimate that it was about 6000 square feet. Yeah, this is *my* idea of roughing it! LOL
This is what you see as you enter the house through the door on the right, which I would really consider the front door.
The stairs lead up to the two bedrooms we and Luke used, each housing a king-sized bed. Standing in the den in the above picture, looking down this "wing" of the house, you can see the dining room about half way down with a 6-foot round copper dining table. And at the very end is the door that leads to the 2-story master suite that I think has more windows than wall (and that I completely forgot to photograph!). That's where my parents slept.
The ceiling of said dining room. This timber look was repeated throughout the house, on both stairwells, the fireplace, the front porch, and other various spots.
This is the kitchen. The doorway at the far end leads to the junction of the den and dining room, and just in front of and to the left of the tall table there is a large wide "hall" with three closets that leads to the back patio made of flagstones (you'll see it later).
Here, I am standing about where Mom is sitting in the above photo (roughly center) looking back towards where I was standing to take the kitchen photo. I wanted the door open to show that it leads to a garage that could hold two Suburbans and then some.
The stairs lead up to the other two bedrooms, each with two full beds and their own attached bathroom, and a small sitting room (with one of the televisions; that's where we set up the Wii). The two upstairs sections do not connect to each other. You could sleep 20 people in this house, easy. Yeah, I think we can handle this!
So, by the time we got there and got settled and toured the house and ate dinner (sandwiches), it was time to put Luke to bed. By the time we got the kitchen unpacked and changed into "comfy clothes", it was nearly 10 PM and we were exhausted! So we all went to bed. Not a bad trip so far.
Currently feeling:
relieved to be feeling good while up on the mountain
I totally agree with your idea of roughing it!
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