We had been talking amongst the neighbors about taking a weekend ski trip to a local ski resort. At this point in time (Feb 2021) the local ski resorts were open since COVID restrictions were less restrictive locally. Jen had scoped out a rental house large enough to accommodate a big group about a 45 minute drive from Beech Mountain so we jumped right in. We have a wonderful group of neighbors and are fortunate to share these types of experiences with them.
We locked in the dates of 2/5 thru 2/7 for the house. Joining this trip would be Lynn and myself, Brent and Amy, Robert with his teenage son, and Jen and Josh with their teenage daughter and adult son. Fantastic group and we were looking forward to the adventure.
The day arrived and we were loaded up and ready to go. We would caravan in multiple vehicles so we all arrive at the house at the same time.
Ready to roll!
Well it did not take long for issues to arise. We were not even half way there when my Range Rover showed it's ugly side. The dreaded "Suspension Failure" message popped up and the Rover lowered itself to access height and was limited to 10 mph.
I have a long history with Range Rovers and this is unfortunately common with vehicles of a certain age. Eventually the air suspension will have problems. Bad timing! I tend to take things in stride, however, and pivot to plan B to keep things going.
So we pulled into a Mexican restaurant basically right where the Rover failed. I called a tow service and we all had a great lunch while waiting for the tow. Josh and Jen were driving a Yukon so they still had room to pack all of our stuff as well as have Lynn ride the rest of the way with them. The plan was for Lynn to go on ahead with them and I would go back home with the tow truck, get the other car, and meet back up with them at the rental house.
It was only about a month after this that I bought a newer Rover (after repairing this one of course). I outfitted the new one with more capable off road accessories. This one was getting a little tired... You can see that story in detail on our Range Rover Overland Project page.
Anyhow, the tow showed up and we reloaded and went our separate ways.
I eventually made it to the house and met back up with the group. Upside of this was I was able to grab a few things at home that we had forgotten to bring.
The house was fantastic! Jen did a great job when choosing this one. Everyone had plenty of space, the kitchen and common areas were large enough for a big group. We cooked, ate, drank, played games, and enjoyed a wonderful evening.
The next morning we all got loaded to head out to Beech Mountain. Josh seemed particularly enthusiastic about making sure he stayed warm...
It was pretty crowded when we got there. We had to park at a lower lot and take a bus up to the lifts. I guess folks were tired of being couped up and this was a perfect weekend for getting out to ski since the slopes were open. The lines were long but we had a great day on the mountain.
After a day on the slopes we re-grouped and headed back to the house. Another great evening with good food and good friends!
The next morning we awoke to snow on the ground! A couple of inches overnight. This is common in the NC mountains but the rest of the state rarely sees snow.
After enjoying a good breakfast and relaxing in the quiet that a new fallen snow brings it was time to start our way back home. We had a little bit of an issue related to the snow. The driveway had an incline to get out and the new snow made that a challenge. Due to the way we were parked Brent went up first in his Jeep, no problem. Next was me in the Panamera which has AWD so no problem. After that it was Josh in the Yukon with 4WD so he had no problem. Then it was Roberts turn. He had FWD and we just could not drive that thing up the driveway without spinning and sliding back down. We used Brent's winch to pull him up. Nothing like team work!
After we got everyone up to the road we started back toward home. The new snow made for a beautiful drive down the mountain.
A little way down the road after going through Burnsville, where the house was, I turned off south on Hwy 80. This is a twisty scenic road that I have travelled many times by motorcycle. I knew the sun would be shining and the roads dry a little farther along and since we were in the Porsche I thought a drive off the main highways would be enjoyable. I also had a brewery in mind to stop at about half way home.
Robert knows me well enough to know that if I turn off from the beaten path I must have plan. That plan usually includes a brewery. He couldn't call me to see what's up as there was no cell service right there. So he just fell right in behind me to join us in whatever we had in mind.
We had a great drive and met new friends at the brewery as well!
We got home about 3:00pm but the weekend was not over yet! We all gathered, along with other neighbors, in Josh and Jen's garage (we call it The Dojo) that evening for food, drink, and football. Lynn's Charcuterie was a hit, and Josh manning the grill never disappoints!
What a fantastic weekend! We are so fortunate to be part of a neighborhood where everyone enjoys each others company, even enough to take trips together. We love these folks and look forward to every opportunity to spend time together. Be sure to check out our other adventures with the neighbors including Bryson City, Emberglow camping resort, Virginia Creeper Trail, and Cabo San Lucas.
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