North Carolina Trip: Day 5 - Asheville and Drive Back to Raleigh

I woke up a bit under the weather. The neighbors nearby were out late chatting, so I could not sleep for a while. I had a few eggs for breakfast, packed my bag and checked out. My first destination was Catawba Falls Trail. I didn't really think much about it as I planned the trip, but it exceeded my expectations. In fact, this probably was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen.

The trail itself was just over 2 miles round trip. Very easy and accessible to hike for anyone. On a Monday morning, there were only 3 cars in the gigantic parking lot besides mine. The trail was fully shaded. It was chilly, so I had to wear my heavier jacket.

The trail was rather mysterious from the very beginning...

I soon approached the old building...

It used to be a power house...

In a little while, I reached the stream...

...and the lower level of the waterfall.

I was finally there, and the picture just can't show how incredible it was...

I snapped a picture of myself, spent a few more minutes just staring at the water and hiked back to the trail head.

On the way back, I debated whether I should go back to Hawksbill Mountain Trail that had no parking available last time or stick to my plan and do a more boring trail nearby Pisgah Point Lookout Trail. After some consideration, I decided to stick to my plan, but kept Hawksbill in the back of my mind.

I arrived at the trailhead which was more of a side-of-the-street parking lot. The trail was fully paved (I knew that ahead of time - research!), but something just didn't feel right about it. There were two other cars parked there. I started the hike. The trail descended gradually, and there were not much of a view in the beginning. As I finished the first mile, I came across two benches that just looked spectacular in front of beautiful scenery.

The trail continued to go downhill. There was not a soul on a Monday morning. Kind of eerie, actually.

Ahead of me I saw a strangely acting man. Already not feeling awfully comfortable there (I really can't explain why...), I decided to turn around and head back. That idea to go to Hawksbill Mountain now really felt like a missed opportunity. An opportunity that I was not going to miss.

I got back to my car, ate half of a Kind bar and drove an hour and a half to Hawksbill Mountain trail head. I was worried that parking situation would be the same, but as I arrived there, I found several cars only. I knew I made the right decision and now felt at ease.

In just a mile, the trail gained almost 700 ft. Steep, but certainly doable. I was excited to see what was waiting for me at the top. The view exceeded my expectations. This was one of the best views I've ever seen.

I stayed there for a while. It was just me and another couple, so I had the mountain pretty much to myself. This was a wonderful conclusion to the trip. I celebrated my decision to return to the trail and promised that I would be back soon in the future.

I liked Asheville with its crystal clear waterfalls, clean air, and affordable lifestyle. 

I got back to my car and drove about two and a half hours to my AirBnb in Raleigh. I stopped at Trader Joe's on the way to get dinner. The AirBnb was the cheapest I've booked during this trip, and I knew that it won't be roses and sunshine. It sort of met my expectations, but with pre-travel-day anxiety and Raleigh traffic right outside the window, I could hardly sleep. I got up after a petty attempt around 2 AM the next morning, took a shower and headed to the airport. It was sad to return my car, but I was ready to go home. The rest of the trip was uneventful, and by lunchtime on Tuesday I was home. 

Lessons learned:

1) the change in time zone kicks your butt;

2) don't schedule more than 10 miles a day hiking, especially if it's multiple trails;

3) do the most popular trails either on the weekdays or really early on weekends;

4) stop buying so much food!

North Carolina Trip: Day 4 - Asheville

I have heard that Asheville was a very desirable place to live, hence, I wanted to see it for myself. Desirable for me means access to the outdoor activities, and there were plenty of those there!

I started the day with Looking Glass Rock Trail about an hour from my Airbnb. The trail was very well rated, so I could not skip it. The small parking lot still had a few spots available this early in the morning. I put on my hiking shoes and, layered in clothes, started the hike. There were a few other people arriving at the same time. I knew it was going to be packed later in the morning.

The trail was only 6 miles round trip with about 1,700 ft elevation gain. With cooler temperatures this was rather pleasant. I quickly removed the extra layers of clothing as I gained elevation. The forest was like from a magazine.

The first overlook area was hidden off the trail, and I would not have known about it had I not followed the trail on AllTrails. I took a detour, and within a minute or so there was an incredible view of the mountains densely covered in trees just starting to change colors.

For a few minutes I was all alone there in the midst of wilderness, such an incredible feeling. Soon I was joined by another group and decided to proceed to the top. Another 20-30 minutes, and I was at the top. The views were similar, although not as widely open. 

After a short break, I descended and instead of doing a 9 mile hike an hour away that I planned ahead of time, I picked a different one nearby. I was getting a bit tired of driving.

John Rock Trail was just 5 minutes away with plentiful parking. It was a shorter trail, but ran along a steam. Water sounds were coming from everywhere. I forgot what water sounded in nature...

Mushroom heaven

Supposedly, this trail had a nice view at the top, but for some reason I never found that top. I must have missed a detour along the way, so for me it was a hike in the woods. A bit disappointed, I still very much enjoyed the peace and quiet of the trail - not many people were hiking it at the same time.

I wanted more... Just 7 minutes away, I marked another hike - Moore Cove Falls. It was only a mile or so; I could not resist stopping by. Easy hikes like this are packed with people, and Moore Cove Falls was just like I expected - crowded. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the falls and took a few nice pictures.

It was around 2 PM, and on my agenda was a trip to the local winery. I often double book my trips in case something does not work out, sort of a plan B. I had the time and the energy today to go and check it out. About an hour and a half away, Addison Farms Vineyard reminded me of New York wineries. I could not do the tasting because reservations were required, but I did get a glass of wine and sat on the porch for a while.

It was definitely a worthy spot to relax.

Finally, as the day was wrapping up, I headed to Asheville. I found a nice lounge with a large outdoor area, got an expensive cocktail and sat by the firepit chatting with a few locals. It could not have been a better conclusion to the day.

As the sun went down, I finished my drink and got to the AirBnb. Tomorrow was my last full day in North Carolina and I wanted to get a good night of sleep.

North Carolina Trip: Day 3 - Charlotte and Asheville

 I finally had a great night of sleep, and was up ready to check out from my AirBnb by 7ish. I drove to Charlotte to see the city and grab some coffee. Smelly Cat Coffee did not disappoint with their double oat cappuccino.

It was starting to get cold, especially this early in the mornings. The dashboard of my car read 45 degrees, and it sure felt that way as well. I originally planned to explore Freedom Park, but for some reason the area was closed by the police. Instead, I decided to drive around downtown. Charlotte indeed is a diverse city. One area was filled with homeless people hanging out by closed auto shops, while other neighborhoods closer to the center of the city were filled with southern style large houses. I was curious of the home prices in the nicest area I drove through, and many were over $1M. So much for affordable cost of living, Charlotte. With that said, there are lots of houses that are more affordable, but certainly further away from the city center.

Charlotte reminded me of NYC somehow, but with trees. I am not sure that I would want to live there as it appeared a bit too large for my liking even compared to Raleigh/Durham area. Asheville was just 2 hours away, and my first destination was Crabtree Falls.

As I neared the area of hiking, I realized that I would be driving on Blue Ridge Parkway, a road from Virginia to North Carolina - one of the most picturesque roads I've been on, especially during the fall when the leaf colors are starting to change. The drive alone was so beautiful, I wanted to stop at every pull over spot to take pictures, but I needed to stick to my plan.

Crabtree Falls trail was supposed to be a short hike just under 3 miles round trip. There was plenty of parking, and after putting on a few layers of clothing, I joined several people looking for the trail head. It's great to have AllTrails, and the GPS typically is very accurate in tracking where you are and where you are supposed to go. 

It was a heavily trafficked trail, and at times I was stuck behind slow people "enjoying their hike". Really, who comes on a hike to enjoy it? It's a race! But seriously, the trail is great for any level, although on the was back the elevation gain was rapid, and a few people really struggled.

The waterfall itself was very beautiful. It's been a while since I've seen water flowing so rapidly. There was certainly no deficit in moisture in NC.

The way back was rather peaceful, and soon enough I was in my car eating a cashew yogurt deciding where to go next. Actually, I had a pretty defined plan, so I just needed to follow it. The next stop was Hawksbill Mountain Trail. After a beautiful drive on the main road, the GPS directed me to get off to drive on a gravel pathway. Typically, I would not take my car there, but with an SUV it was not an issue. 2.5 miles later, I was at the trailhead that was completely packed with cars parked illegally on the side of the road allowing only one car to pass at a time. There was no more parking left, and disappointingly, I decided it was not worth it to wait.

I skipped the hike to go to Mt. Mitchell - another cool spot with 360 degree views of the mountains. It was a cloudy day, so the pictures did not come out as good as I hoped they would. The crowds were pretty ridiculous on top of the mountain as well, probably because you could drive directly to the top instead of having to hike.

I really enjoyed the landscape. On Blue Ridge Parkway, I stopped several times just to take pictures of incredible views. I missed the greenery so much...

I was getting tired of driving and headed to check in at my AirBnb. I rented an apartment this time with a kitchen, so after checking in, I stopped at Trader Joe's to get some salads and eggs. I drove through Asheville on the way back. It was significantly cooler there compared to Raleigh. The average elevation was around 3,000 ft, and many people were wearing light jackets.

I decided to stay in for the night and get to know Asheville tomorrow after a few hikes I planned in the morning. The little apartment was really nice, although I had to wait for the small heater to warm up the 58F temperature inside. The landlords were away, so it was peaceful a quiet. I had another wonderful night of sleep.

North Carolina Trip: Day 2 - Raleigh and Durham

 Raleigh/Durham area is considered to be one of the top places to live in the US. It is relatively inexpensive, yet diverse and has lots of things to do. I wanted to see what's it like living there, so I decided to explore a bit. On my agenda were the Downtown of both places, parks and hiking trails, and food. Usually, this type of itinerary gives me a good idea of the town. Not during the pandemic!

Duke Gardens, one of the botanical gardens that I wanted to see, was closed until the end of the year. I knew that in advance during the planning stage of my trip, but was really disappointed regardless. My first stop after a decent cup of coffee at New World Cafe was William Umstead State Park located about 13 minutes from my AirBnb. Company Mill Trail was the trail I planned to hike. I didn't expect much since I knew it was a "city-like" park. Could you even call it hiking? Yes, you could!

The park was real woods that you could find after driving for an hour to find a remote place! I could not believe how green the park was. I guess I am not used to greenery anymore, just "golden hills" of California. Don't get me wrong, I love California, but I realized how much I missed the East Coast.

This bird was definitely fishing for something...

After a peaceful 6 mile hike, I decided to see what Raleigh downtown looked like and grab lunch. It was an actual city! With high risers and $1 every 30 min parking. I stopped by Manhattan Cafe and got a BLT that was raved about in reviews. Unfortunately, it was average at best.

My next stop was Eno River State Park and Cox Mountain Trail. Again, I was among trees with a few more people hiking in the afternoon. The swaying bridge made my fear of heights kick in, but it was a cool experience!

And the woods were all-consuming... Density of trees covered up any sun's attempts to peak through. Clean fresh air, crisp, yet very comfortable - several times today I thought this was a perfect hiking weather. I was really lucky that there was no rain in the forecast.

The foliage was still green, but some trees started to show signs of seasons transitioning. I knew that in Asheville in the next few days I would see some change in color just because of the elevation gain. Here, the weather was still 75F. And did I say fresh air?

I was done with my hike, and headed to Brightleaf Square in Durham, supposedly a hustle and bustle dining neighborhood, to get lunch/dinner before heading to Charlotte. It did not look like anything on the pictures. With the pandemic closures, many restaurants were closed as well or offered takeout only. Today was the first day when restaurant were allowed to open some indoor dining at 5 pm, but it was still too early for that. I was disappointed and saddened that I did not get to experience this neighborhood's vibe. Maybe next time...

I did get a baked scone and stopped at Whole Foods to buy some food before driving to Charlotte. The drive was rather pleasant, and I really enjoyed this car. I've never driven an SUV, so it was really fun. Plus this was probably the first new car I've driven as well.

I got to Charlotte, and my AiBnb was about 20 min from the city. My hosts were watching Trump getting in the car on his way to the hospitals. He was just diagnosed with COVID-19. I had to listed to them talking about the whole thing while I swallowed the salad I bought at Whole Foods. No food was allowed in my room. This experience was pretty miserable, but soon enough I was relaxing on a comfy bed after a great shower. I finally had a good night of sleep!