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Published: August 29th 2019
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It’s been a while since our last vacation, but two weeks ago, my family and I had to get away. Between the sweltering sun and the molasses-slow days, it seemed we would melt if we stayed put any longer. Plus, the community swimming hole was becoming over-crowded, too expensive and a precursor to red cheeks and sore shoulders.
So, my husband and I decided to pack up the kids and head up to the mountains! An avid camper and an Eagle Scout, he loved the idea of setting up a little camp stove and telling ghost stories under the stars. Me? I just wanted to breathe in the fresh, chilled mountain air and escape for a little bit.
I didn’t grow up camping, but my parents did, as did their parents. This love of exploring has stuck with them. Now that my parents are retired, they’ve planned trips to Houston and the Outer Banks over the course of the next few months, eager to see all that this country has to offer. Even my paternal grandparents still love to travel! They just returned from a 24-day trek out west! Since they have
Medicare coverage that travels within them around the
United States, they don’t think twice about packing a bag and booking a flight. I hope I have their same sense of wanderlust when I’m that age!
For the past five months, we’ve been living with my husband’s parents as we renovate a family property next door. It’s been a challenge, a lesson, and a great experience all around, but I think all of us were itching for some time apart. So on Friday, we loaded down the back of my husband’s truck and we hit the road.
Our destination was Raccoon Holler. It’s a sleepy little campground right outside of West Jefferson, North Carolina. We got a fairly late start so we pulled in right at dusk. To our great surprise, there was a gorgeous lake right on the campground property, with two oversized playgrounds and jungle gyms on the field beside the water. The kids took off running toward the equipment, laughing and shouting like only kids remember how to do. We spent that first evening just sitting on the bench watching them play joyously. That night, we went to find our designated campsite. I should mention at this point that we did not bring traditional
camping gear. Our tools of choice were a blow-up mattress and plenty of blankets. While we all started out comfortable, by the next morning the mattress had deflated to the point that we all had sore backs, but we were happy, nonetheless!
On Saturday morning, we headed to Shatley Springs. This little spring is heralded to have healing powers, and it connects to a country-cooking restaurant that’s like none other. They serve family-style meals for every meal and you can never leave hungry. Unfortunately, my husband and I have been attempting a vegetarian diet for the past few months, so we couldn’t indulge in the delicious-smelling bacon or sausage, but we did enjoy our biscuits!
From there, we took in the surrounding towns. We started by exploring Mount Jefferson National Park. The kids got a stamp in their NC State Parks passport and our son took a little tumble down the hill shortly thereafter! From there, we visited nearby Mollie Chomper, a hard cidery owned by some family friends. We sampled the fare, played cornhole with the kids and enjoyed watching the sun sink a little. We also visited Ashe County Cheese to see how they make their
delectable cheddar! After we finished our drinks, we went to walk around the West Jefferson waterway. This is a little stream that runs parallel to West Jefferson’s main drag.
We enjoyed the outdoors together and then headed to the local pizza shop, called Pie on the Mountain, for an early dinner. Dusk and nightfall that night were spent back at the Racoon Holler campsite, where each of our kids made a new friend! We were pleasantly surprised to find that the campground had updated, modern bathroom facilities, so we all enjoyed our first hot shower of the weekend!
The next day was Sunday, and we were headed home. We tried a local mom-and-pop breakfast spot down the road. It was fine, but we all decided there were better options if you’re willing to drive a little outside of the campground. Before we went too far away, we wanted to make sure and check out the fresco paintings at three churches nearby. These are oversized, realistic paintings completed decades ago by a traveling painter who visited the area during his college years. They’ve stood the test of time and we absolutely stunning to see. It was a great way
to cap off our trip!
We didn’t just head straight home, though! We wanted to get the kids another stamp in their state park passport, so we visited Stone Mountain State Park on the way home. What an incredible experience! The hike was a little longer than we anticipated, but at the end, it opened up into what used to be a sprawling family farm. You could still tour the original farmhouse and outbuildings, and this was the perfect spot to take in the view of the rock face that gives Stone Mountain its name.
Before leaving the park, we followed a group of people who were headed to a local swimming hole on the grounds. We figured if everyone else was headed this way, we ought to check it out! I’m sure glad we did. It led to a giant waterfall, which cascaded onto rocks below, creating the perfect spot for a makeshift water slide! We all put on floaties and had the best time sliding down into the cool, shallow pool below.
All in all, I kept telling everyone it was one of the best weekends of my thirties, and I truly believe it. No
we weren’t always comfortable, and squeezing four people into the back of a truck is a little tight, but I wouldn’t trade this time with family for anything in the world. We can’t wait to go back and camp again soon! Maybe this time, though, we’ll bring a tent!
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