The Blog

So my wife and I set off for Asheville, NC to celebrate our 5 year anniversary this past weekend. Off to see the rest of the Biltmore Estate we didn’t see last time because of the weather, and off to catch a glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains as the summer begins. We spent the afternoon touring the estate, the bass pond, the farmyard, Antler Village, and of course the Winery. We had a great time, relaxing and enjoying the slower pace this weekend had given us. As much as I loved learning about the history, chasing chickens around the barnyard, and tasting every wine they had to offer, the anticipation was mounting for what I had planned for the morning.

Before the trip, I had done a little research. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a sucker for sunrises. I’ve never witnessed one in the mountains before and thought this would be the perfect opportunity. So after a night of drinking and celebration, the time had come. The alarm clock sounded off at 5 am much to the displeasure of my wife. There was little time to get dressed, get out the door, and make the 30 minute drive up to the chosen destination. So off we went…with no coffee or breakfast. I had decided on Craggy’s Pinnacle. It was about 24 miles north of Asheville, along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It’s still dark outside as my headlights illuminate the winding mountain road. The GPS is telling me that we’ve got 37 minutes to the destination. Ok, no problem, we’ll make it in plenty of time for us to get up there, park and make the 15 minute hike to the summit before the 6:15 am sunrise. But as we get further along in the trip, instead of the minutes counting down on the GPS, they’re increasing! Well, that doesn’t make any sense. I didn’t get her up at 5 am, all hungover, to get there too late. So I started picking up the pace. I turned that leisurely drive into something resembling a record run on Pikes Peak. Lauren has now got a firm grip on the seat belt and the door. I don’t remember hearing her breathe from that point on.

We finally arrive at Craggy’s Dome. It’s light outside now, but the sun has not broken the horizon yet. We still have the hike to the top, so I grab my gear and start walking (briskly) up the trail. The trail is lined on both sides with thick brush, jagged rocks, and uneven surfaces (obviously). All I wanted to do was get to the top in time to see the sun come over the mountains. Apparently, Lauren did not share my enthusiasm at this hour of the morning. Me, being the gentleman I am, would stop every once in a while and let her “catch up.” After what seemed like an hour, we finally made it. The summit. Now, it being the middle of June and leaving 94 degree heat back in Raleigh, I had not anticipated the cool mountain air being this…well…cool. It was probably about 60 degrees up there, but with a constant 20 mph wind in your face, it felt much cooler. No worries for me though, I had warmed up quite nicely on the hike up.

It was worth every minute. The feeling you get when you’re standing on one of the highest peaks on the east coast, 6,000 ft closer to the stars, overlooking the rest of the world is surreal. We felt like the only two people on the planet. As we stood there drinking in the 360 degree view, the sun finally arrived.

Craggy Pinnacle overlooking the Swannanoa River Valley Elevation 5,892 ft

Our time up there was limited. We saw a cloud bank rolling in from the west drifting in rapidly. The view was going to dissipate soon, and Lauren had been holding her hands over her ears for most of the time trying to keep her ears warm. That was OK. We saw what we came here to see. It was time to start heading back down to the car and go get some breakfast. Craggy Pinnacle had been conquered…

By the way, if you’re ever in Asheville and looking for a place to eat breakfast, try Sunny Point Cafe. It was absolutely awesome. All of their ingredients come from local farmers. They open at 8:30 am and we got there at 8:20 am, just in time to put our names on a list behind 50 other people. I thought we were going to have to wait a full cycle for a table to finish their breakfast, but our name was called to take the very last table available. Talk about perfect timing. I had the Huevos Rancheros, and a local sitting next to us said that that dish had been featured on Good Morning America and was considered one of the five best breakfasts in the United States. I could taste why it got the nod, even though the picture doesn’t do it any justice…

Huevos Rancheros, Sunny Point Cafe