Asheville, N.C. to Shenandoah National Park

Ah, Asheville I remember it like it was only yesterday, which means not at all, but not so long ago Austin was like you in so many ways.  Young and fun and silly and affordable.  Now Austin is like an obnoxious, ill-mannered teenager who steals twenties from your wallet and plays it's music too loud.

All too soon, Asheville I fear you too will succumb to the same fate but for now here are the things I think will sound the death nell because they are the things that will sing the siren song to the hordes looking for a cool place to hang.

1. Old Hippies/Crazy People/Hipsters - Check Check Check
2. Yummy Food Scene - Check (insert Southern instead of Mexican)
3.  Music/Art Scene - Check (insert Banjo instead of Guitar)
4. Yarn Bombing - Huh, what?

Oh, people don't yarn bomb in your town?  This is how it works, you go to bed just like any other night and when you wake in the morning you find the stop sign, fire hydrant, flag pole, etc. at the end of your street all knitted up like a tea cozy or swathed in a warm sweater.  Why, you ask?  Well, for the same reason people climb mountains of course.

This is the beginning of the end Asheville

All of this to say that I would love to move here.  It's greener than Austin and the traffic jams are laughable compared to an I-35 commute.  The houses are cuter and there are still fixer uppers here.  Also, did I mention the food?

That's a bowl of heavy cream, butter and grits with a few decorative shrimp and a fistful of bacon.  Nuf, said

 Another selling point, micro-breweries and did I already mention old hippies?

This was the view from our little RV camping spot, that's Asheville on the left

We ate, we drank, we ate some more then we walked around town and I tried to convince Fred that we should sell our house and move here.

He's mulling it over I can tell, or maybe he spotted a bird hard to say

But, at the end of day......our friends don't live here.  But, once those new property tax bills arrive I might be able to convince 'em.

Downton Abbey, I mean Biltmore

One of the things you simply must do while in Asheville is visit the Biltmore estate especially right now because they are having an exhibit of the outfits from Downton Abbey.  I know, right! You're bored already aren't you?

Well, lucky for you Biltmore does not allow photos, video, sketch books or anyone with a photographic memory.  So, you won't be forced to looked at sequin dresses from the 1920s or photos of the maids quarters or the Vanderbilt's privy.

I guess whenever they noticed an empty plot of land they just Built More

We also took a quick stroll of the gardens and the conservatory but honestly after looking at 145 rooms we were plum tuckered out.

I've got several grocery store orchids myself, so take that Mr. Vanderbilt

Next up the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.