A brrrr of a getaway!

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I believe that when I last left this blog, I mentioned looking for a job. I then tried my best not to dwell on that incredibly trying, painful, near-hopeless process, but alas, I have moved into the PT working world. I am still on the job search bandwagon and (slowly, slowly) striving to become a bona fide travel writer whose work can be seen in the newsstand section of the store in which I work. That is the big picture and main details that I’ll share right now, but 2010 is one of those “this is the year(s).” A networking group with which I enjoyed some writing/journalistic events has 2010 in its name; it has about died now that so many professionals and companies in our field are no more. Yet, I have an (small) income and I will travel! I simply have to put the wasteland that was 2009 behind me!

Now that the raising the arms to defend my love of travel writing is done, I will get into some sort of subject befitting of the art form (and this blog, as it were). Plus, I had a few weeks (or a month and a half) in between the beginning of this entry and where I’ve come to now; I’ve already found another networking group for media professionals! Okay, so the spring trip plans are definitely brewing and I’m counting on myself to make the main one in May happen. Then I’m plotting with a good friend about her birthday trip in June; perhaps she’ll come along with me for my birthday celebrations in ? Now that we’re in April and I’m practically aching from the transition of cold weather to pollen, the time to make decisions is here. I’ll let that marinate as I fill you in on the mini-getaways a little closer to home.

It won’t be too difficult to remember what I’ve been doing since December: working. My ‘weekends’ are now at the beginning of the week, so I arranged a full two and a half or so days for taking a short trip to Sky Valley. I haven’t been up to the mountains and my parents’ timeshare condominium in some time. Yet, I figured I’d get all the walking I needed to do in around the naturally picturesque valley and perhaps tour around Highlands, North Carolina. This occurred in February, so while some of my ideas were slightly delusional, I felt free as I sailed out of work around five p.m. and finally got on the road to the northeast corner of the state a little while later. I stopped by the Ingles store in Clayton, the main town for supplies, a hardware store, the fast food chains and a visit with a cat in a quaint bookshop. My parents have found all of that and more in the area, yet I drove further up into the mountains and settled myself in for a cold winter’s night in the valley. Naturally, my parental units had to call in (twice) and see how I was handling big things like the water heater and central heating unit, but I enjoyed the big screen television and some rare cooking…seems as though I rarely put together a full meal from pots and pans!

I reveled in my being able to sleep well and in outstanding quiet. After all, the nearest residents were two units down, and they were permanent dwellers of Riviera, the namesake for our home away from home. I discovered that some of the clocks around the condominium were not correct, yet a few preparations and some peanut butter later, I set off for North Carolina. Good thing that the state line is literally on the other side of the main entrance to Sky Valley. One does weave in and out of the state when traveling up or down the mountain. I knew for a fact that the GPS wanted to have some fun; I traveled through near-pastures and cowpokes, muddy lanes and roads that just weren’t comprised of road. I kept waiting for an actual state road sign or one that was slightly familiar—I’ve been to Franklin and the towns bordering north northeast Georgia multiple times. I traveled at a respectable speed, stopping to gaze out at overlooks and remaining wary of anyone who looked as though they wanted me gone from in front of them. The locals might be able to weave like a NASCAR driver on those turns around the mountain, but not I! I was pleased to see signs for the outskirts of Highlands, and once I found myself on the main street, I had to avoid the mounds of dirty snow leftover from the last fall. It had been big news to see snow a few times during the winter in Atlanta, but I suppose that it might be a little more common in the neck of the woods I was trying to explore. I walked up and down the street, noticed many things were not open, took a little while to gaze at shop windows and the fancy hotel on the other side of the traffic light.

I had been told that the stores were high-end and so forth, but I mostly wanted to see if anything was, well, travel writer worthy. Somewhat, yes, but the cold was permeating my need to stick around and walk to anything. I found a few sights that appealed to my photographic nature, yet I took a call from my Mom (yes, another check-in) and decided to head on west into North Carolina and look for a bite to eat. I also knew that the next leg of hairpin mountain roads held Bridal Veil Falls. I wanted to see one or two sets of falls, so these were right on the way. Back in someone’s idea of the days of old, cars were allowed to drive under the falls; the traffic was directed as such. Now that seems like more than a tight fit. I marveled at something the cold had created: icicles along the rocky wall that loped over my vantage point below the falls and nearby the pit-like exit for the rushing water. I meandered back through Franklin and watched the cloudy, dreary day turn into evening. I didn’t feel as though the walking opportunities (and the will to stop at a park or really go hiking) were as golden as originally hoped. As usual, I found my mind wandering to what life would be like in this town while munching a potato at Wendy’s (yes, I have quite the discerning palate). As fast-paced and relentless as my ‘city life’ can be (and NYC or not, it has those kinds of qualities at times), I knew I was currently programmed to take it slow every once in a while. And slow as in my walks by the river or hiking at Kennesaw Mountain. Plus, I had more of the winter to make it through from wherever I was. I enjoyed HBO and the comfort of the condo a second night, and I balanced it all out with some freelance work that I am likely STILL laboring over around the job mentioned above. Then, packing and cleaning preparations were on tap before leaving the next day.

I was conscientious in being sure we had trash bags; I bought a whole box at the Wal-Mart (south end of Clayton, naturally) and spent five minutes trying to unhook the door to the dumpster. It’s set up to discourage all of our friendly forest animals from getting in there, yet I was the one nearly shut out. I felt at peace with how I left the bedroom I had stayed in and the upstairs…I knew that there was no need to use anything downstairs. Plus, I don’t really play that much pool. It’s just a great house overall for a large group of people. I need to come back soon when my Mom has a group going. And grilling out in some warmer weather! I also wasn’t in a hurry, so by and by, I made it back. The grind had to start back up sometime, but at least I could take in a view of Tallulah Gorge and all the low-lying valleys and country stores or eating places as I drove. A simpler life can be found here, there, and lots of places, actually. Since taking that small trip of sorts, I’ve mostly just driven out to all corners of Atlanta or been back to visit the same parents I’ve mentioned in Augusta. It appeared as though the pollen arrived in town with all of the golf fans! Ah, but enough on the place that’s really just exciting during one week of the year. On to other Publix stores versus the same old one by my house, ritzy and eye-catching shopping districts and parks that I’ve severely missed since the winter hiatus! The countdown is also on for the week-after-my-actual-birthday trip. I’m sure that May 12th will come soon enough. You may even read about in on here in the next decade!

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Photos

Flower shop
It appears as though Valentine's Day would still come to this Highlands shop!

Icicles
The intriguing part about seeing falls in winter.