North Carolina Mountains - Beautiful Vistas & Great Retreats!

[giradman]

Museum of the Cherokee Indian & Qualla Arts and Crafts

After lunch and our gambling adventure, we headed to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian first, followed by a visit to the Qualla Arts & Crafts Store - both places are just across a street (see aerial map). The museum is a MUST visit - well done w/ excellent exhibits, including much on Sequoyah, who invented a syllabary for the Cherokee language (see quote); plus, a great gift shop. Qualla Arts is highly recommended - baskets, masks, pipes, and many other items for purchase, plus a gallery of arts & craft works on exhibit. Dave

Sequoyah (ᏍᏏᏉᏯ Ssiquoya, as he signed his name, or ᏎᏉᏯ Se-quo-ya, as is often spelled in Cherokee; named in English George Gist or George Guess) (c.1770—1843), was a Cherokee silversmith. In 1821 he completed his independent creation of a Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. This was one of the very few times in recorded history that a member of a pre-literate people created an original, effective writing system. After seeing its worth, the people of the Cherokee Nation rapidly began to use his syllabary and officially adopted it in 1825. Their literacy rate quickly surpassed that of surrounding European-American settlers. (Source)

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[giradman]

Oconaluftee Indian Village

Another MUST stop is the Oconaluftee Indian Village - description below first quote; we had done the tour multiple times in the past, so did not go on this visit to Cherokee, but again highly recommended. The Cherokee people were sedentary, living in villages - cultivation of corn, beans & squash along w/ hunting and fishing supplied their dietary needs, and furs/hides served many other needs. They lived in 'houses' and had a complex culture - more below in the second quote. Dave

At the Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee, you can step inside the world of an 18th century Cherokee village and see a dugout canoe under construction, pottery and baskets being crafted, and a blow gun demonstrated. Tours are led by guides whose interpretation of Cherokee culture is based on both scholarly research and oral tradition. The pathways of the Oconaluftee Indian Village take visitors through rhododendron thickets and along stream beds to houses constructed of woven saplings plastered with mud, as well as to other, more modern dwellings. At the council house and dance grounds, a guide presents a talk on Cherokee traditions. (Source)

When encountered by Spanish explorers in the mid-16th century, the Cherokee possessed a variety of stone implements, including knives, axes, and chisels. They wove baskets, made pottery, and cultivated corn (maize), beans, and squash. Deer, bear, and elk furnished meat and clothing. Cherokee dwellings were bark-roofed windowless log cabins, with one door and a smoke hole in the roof. A typical Cherokee town had between 30 and 60 such houses and a council house, where general meetings were held and a sacred fire burned. An important religious observance was the Busk, or Green Corn, festival, a firstfruits and new-fires celebration. (Source)

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[scifan57]

I like how you can still discover new things about sites you've already visited many times.

 

[giradman]

I like how you can still discover new things about sites you've already visited many times.

Hi Scifan.. - thanks again for your interest in my travelogues! There are always some 'new' attractions (e.g. the Chihuly exhibit & visiting Harrah's Casino for the first time) to see and enjoy, but returning to the North Carolina (and the VA & TN) mountains and driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a joy to be repeated on a regular basis - the same in going to the Carolina shore and its historic towns - Susan grew up in New Jersey and they always had a place on the Jersey shore, so for her going to the 'water' is almost a physical need - in a few weeks, we'll be doing a short visit to Florida, so will yet again be near water - of course, the other travel attraction for us is the food, especially from the sea. Dave

 

[giradman]

Seven Devils - Deerwood Retreat - Near Banner Elk & Grandfather Mountain

Off on a 4-night mountain vacation to escape the 90º+F heat in our home town (we're just 700+ ft above sea level) - choose a mountain cabin (3-bedrooms) called Deerwood Retreat on a mountain in the town of Seven Devils (between Boone and Banner Elk - see maps - just a 2-hr drive) - a Virtual Tour of the cabin convinced us this was worth a try!

Now we usually go to Blowing Rock this time of year but wanted a change and a higher elevation. From the description link, we are about 4700 ft above sea level w/ fantastic views of Grandfather Mountain (see pics below w/ several from the inside great room and kitchen - virtual tour link source). NOW, the good part - we left Winston-Salem in 93ºF heat, upon arrival at our mountain getaway, the temperature was 72ºF - boy, what a relief! Not sure that we'll do much but relax and enjoy the views, plus there is a hot tub on the lower deck. More to come - Dave
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[giradman]

Deerwood Retreat - At Dusk

Well, while I was sitting at the kitchen table typing the post above - a look from the windows showed some beautiful sunset colors, especially over Grandfather Mountain - went on the upper deck w/ my new iPhone XR and took the pics below including a beautiful panorama (impressed w/ this phone and its camera). Hopefully, the weather will participate so we can enjoy this scenery the next 3 days - Dave
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[scifan57]

Deerwood Retreat - At Dusk

Well, while I was sitting at the kitchen table typing the post above - a look from the windows showed some beautiful sunset colors, especially over Grandfather Mountain - went on the upper deck w/ my new iPhone XR and took the pics below including a beautiful panorama (impressed w/ this phone and its camera). Hopefully, the weather will participate so we can enjoy this scenery the next 3 days - Dave
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The sunset alone was worth the trip!

 

[giradman]

The sunset alone was worth the trip!

Thanks Scifan.. - Grandfather Mountain from the deck is due south (using the compass app on my iPhone), so the sun rises to the left and sets to the right - but expect some more spectacular views.

The next morning about 8 AM - a brisk 60ºF - another couple views w/ the sleeping grandfather in silhouette - by the way, the 3 clearings in the mid-ground of my pics are ski slopes - Beech mountain, in particular, along with a number of other mountains here is the 'winter ski center' of North Carolina (of course, not as dramatic as out west, in Canada, or across the pond in the Alps) - Dave

ADDENDUM: Siri tells me that we are at 4, 705 ft!
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[giradman]

Tuesday evening on our return from dinner - Grandfather Mountain covered with clouds - just a beautifully changing panorama - next up, a number of posts of our activities today. Dave
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[giradman]

Otter Falls Trail

For my first activity Tuesday morning, I drove about 10 mins to the Otter Falls Trail paved parking area - Susan did not come along and I'm glad - description below - in my mind, the trail is overall moderate, easier going to the falls, but more strenuous coming back - I had my hiking stick and boots on. The video better describes and shows the trails and falls - most of the pics are my own (taken w/ my new iPhone) except the last two from the web showing a lot more water over the falls than today - was gone just an hour, so a nice beginning to the day. Dave

The Town of Seven Devils invites you to enjoy the Otter Falls Trail, an outdoor adventure right here in town. The trail debuted in summer 2015, and in 2017 an observation deck has been built to offer wonderful views of Otter Falls. This moderately strenuous hike starts from a trailhead parking area at 825 Skyland Drive and descends to scenic Otter Falls on Valley Creek. The 0.6-mile hike to the falls creates a round trip of about 1.2 miles. The path is graded, relatively gradual, and has a smoothed surface—but it is steep in spots. The hike descends about 230 feet to the falls—so you will have an identical climb back to your car. Sturdy hiking boots or shoes are recommended. Don't forget to dress properly and bring plenty of water when going on a hike! (Source)

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[giradman]

Banner Elk Winery

Banner Elk Winery established in 2006 was once the highest winery in the eastern United States (now second according to the tasting hostess during our visit) - just our second time there and after many years - situated in a beautiful mountain area outside of the main town of Banner Elk. A variety of wines (and fruit) are made - I bought several, their Seyval Blanc & Merlot, the latter made from California grapes. One of the other wineries near our mountain cabin is the Grandfather Vineyard at the base of the mountain - we've made several visits in the past, which have been posted in this thread for those interested. Dave
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[giradman]

Apple Hill Farm - Alpacas & Many Other Animals

After our visit to the Banner Elk Winery, we drove a little further to the Apple Hill Farm, also a second visit. We took the 2 PM tour w/ a knowledgeable young lady as our guide. The story of the farm is summarized in two of the pics below - although alpacas and several llamas draw most people to the farm, there are a wide variety of animals to see - there is also a small store that sells a variety of fiber products from the animals and also imported from elsewhere. Susan bought several skeins of alpaca yarn (she's getting back into knitting) and I a pair of alpaca socks for my hiking boots. Highly recommended to those in the Banner Elk area and a must if you're a 'camelid' fan! Dave
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[scifan57]

Apple Hill Farm - Alpacas & Many Other Animals

After our visit to the Banner Elk Winery, we drove a little further to the Apple Hill Farm, also a second visit. We took the 2 PM tour w/ a knowledgeable young lady as our guide. The story of the farm is summarized in two of the pics below - although alpacas and several llamas draw most people to the farm, there are a wide variety of animals to see - there is also a small store that sells a variety of fiber products from the animals and also imported from elsewhere. Susan bought several skeins of alpaca yarn (she's getting back into knitting) and I a pair of alpaca socks for my hiking boots. Highly recommended to those in the Banner Elk area and a must if you're a 'camelid' fan! Dave
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A very nice visit. Maybe there's a hand knitted alpaca sweater in your future.

 

[giradman]

A very nice visit. Maybe there's a hand knitted alpaca sweater in your future.

Probably our 4th+ visit to see some alpacas and llamas up close - love the alpaca faces, especially when some 'hair styling' has been done - posted some cute alpacas in our trip to Canada a few years ago (just one pic below). The two skeins she purchased will make something small, so I'm out of luck (unless I want a pair of socks or mittens?).

Actually, she is making baby clothes (e.g. sweaters, hats, and small blankets) for consignment at our local Cricket's Nest Craft Shop - soon after retirement, I tried to 'sell' some small kitchen items (trivets, paper towel holders, and picture frames) but only a few were purchased - larger woodworking items would likely sell but the low pricing usually placed on them hardly justifies the cost of the wood and the labor spent. Dave
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[giradman]

Artisanal Restaurant - Banner Elk

Last night, we ate at the Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk and must say despite being expensive was one of the best eating experiences we've had in the North Carolina Mountains (up there if even not more innovative than our other favorite, the Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate). We both started with the octopus over squid ink bucatini pasta (a long hollow tubular shape) followed by smoked duck for Susan and halibut for myself (see below) - the wine list 'by the glass' was short but well selected - I had an excellent Austrian Grüner Veltliner (rarely on the wine lists in my area). Desserts were light and consisted of a created peach dish for Susan and several sorbets for me.

For those visiting or living in the Banner Elk area who are reading this thread, then a big 'thumbs up' to this restaurant; not sure when we will be back, but the owners have just opened a branch called Peppervine in Charlotte, the South Park location, which we will definitely try on our next visit to the Queen City! Dave