We are extremely fortunate to live in a neighborhood where strong bonding between neighbors exists. We have a group of friends here that will always rise to the need of fellow neighbors to lend a hand. Also, as a group we are a rather adventurous bunch. On occasion we plan outings together for weekend adventures. Several in the group had been bouncing around the idea of a white water rafting weekend trip. Once we talked through some of the details we decided it was a go!
We set the dates for a weekend trip leaving on 7/29 and returning on 7/31. We would be staying at the Historic Calhoun House in downtown Bryson City. This is a quaint mountain town not far from the Nantahala Gorge and rafting points on the Nantahala River. The house has a rich history, believed to have been built around 1904. It is furnished with many original antique furnishings and still maintains the original hard wood floors and high ceilings that were part of the original construction.
Joining the group for this outing would myself and Lynn, Josh and Jen, Brent and Amy, and Mike and Michelle. A motley crew to be sure...
It's about a 3 hour drive from home to get to Bryson City. We arrived at the Inn around 6:00 pm on Friday. Once everyone was settled, we headed across the street to Mountain Layers Brewing Company for rooftop dining and cold beer.
Back at the inn in the evening we pretty much took over the porch and had our own neighborhood party. Brent had been perfecting his Smoked Old Fashioned. He nailed it!
The next morning we again enjoyed the porch for a bit with coffee and Lynn's "famous" Bloody Marys, and a family style breakfast provided by the Inn.
Ready to get over to the Adventure Center for white water rafting. We had made reservations with The Nantahala Outdoor Center for our group and the temps were perfect for a summer rafting trip. Our group was the perfect size to have our own raft for just us and our awesome river guide, Claire. They would taxi us about 13 miles up river to put in there, then we go down stream for the run and end where we started at the center.
And we're off!
The experience includes a stop at Pizza By The River for lunch. It's called that because, well, they serve pizza and they are on the river.
This young gentleman was there with his family training on the river. He is a 2028 Olympic candidate in Kayaking. Pretty cool to see this kid in his element. Watch for Carden in 2028!
After finishing up the rafting run we headed back to Bryson City, with a stop at Tommy's Paradise along the way. That's Tommy with us in the photo!
Back in Bryson City we had dinner at Derailed (Anthony's) and then explored a little more of the town. We spent the rest of the evening on porch enjoying good company.
A little bit about the history of the Inn. The owner of the Inn is a gentleman named Luke Hyde. He is a prominent attorney in NC and grew up in Swain County. Not far outside of Bryson City is a place called "the Road to Nowhere" (aka Lake View Drive). This is a stretch of road spanning the north shore of Fontana Lake. When the dam was built in 1944, the federal government had promised funding to Swain County to allow completion of this road. The intent was to replace old Highway 288 with a new road, since Hwy 288 was flooded when the lake was formed. This road was the only connection locals had between Bryson City and Fontana. Environmental issues arose and construction stopped. The federal government deemed it too expensive to continue construction and abandoned the Project.
Mr. Hyde formed a Coalition to settle the matter once and for all. To the dismay of many and to the pleasure of many others an agreement was finally reached and Swain County was paid for the loss of public land. Mr. Hyde orchestrated this agreement, bringing to resolution an issue that had been ongoing for 70 years.
Luke Hyde:
After checking out the next morning, we drove up to The Road To Nowhere to check it out. The original road was to be over 30 miles long but only less than 9 miles were ever completed. The road ends at a tunnel that goes nowhere. Hence the name.
From there we headed back toward home. The route home would take us through the City of Asheville, so of course, we had to stop at one of our favorite spots for lunch. The Wicked Weed.
What a fabulous and adventurous trip! We are so lucky to have such good neighbors and to be able to travel and spend time together. Such wonderful people!! Be sure to check out our other adventures with the neighbors including the Virginia Creeper Trail, Emberglow camping resort, Beech Mountain, and Cabo San Lucas.
"TRAVELING - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller." lbn Batutta
Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. Also, I can be reached at Rocky@Rocklyns.com should you feel the need to reach out.
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