I Cannot Endure to Waste Anything as Precious as Autumn Sunshine
by Staying in the House,
So I Spend Almost All the Daylight
- in the Open Air.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
"The painters/drywall guys can't "work" on Friday." "What?!" I said. "Nope" they can't work Friday. " "Well if they can't work Friday, then I can't work Friday - then whose going to do all the work????" Nobody - at least not on Friday.
That was the conversation between my husband and I last Thursday. 
So rather than freak out at the thought of getting even further behind schedule, we decided to take advantage of the situation (Sabrina was away on a class field trip to Williamsburg). So we set the clock for 5:00 a.m. Friday morning, grabbed two changes of clothes, jumped on the Harley and rode to one of our favorite North Carolina destinations - Maggie Valley. Maggie Valley is a popular haunt for Harley riders and it just so happens -- there was a pretty big biker rally there this past weekend. Nothing like Sturgis in South Dakota, or Bike Week in Daytona, but a rally none the less. Beautiful bikes - 
everywhere you look. A few weekends a year (there are two rallies in that area - Thunder in the Smokies and Rally in the Valley) this little valley nestled between the Smokies and the Blue Ridge, gets consumed by the rumble of Harley engines and music.
Blaise found us this gorgeous Cabin -- complete with a fireplace, off the beaten path where you couldn't hear the noise from the rally. We like to attend the rally, but typically don't stay long as we like spending time driving through the mountains even more.
Saturday, after getting a good night's sleep we decided to head on up through the Smokey Mountains to Tennesee. What a stunning day it was with beautiful blue skies and crisp, cool temperatures. I tried talking Blaise into taking me to "Dollywood," but no such luck. We had a long ride back, and those mountain roads are 
trecherous after dark - so we headed back around 4:00. After a good night's sleep and having breakfast around 6:30 a.m. with hundreds of other bikers who wanted to get home early -- we began our eight hour ride home.
We made it --safe and sound, refreshed and ready to finish what we started last week. The worst of the job is over - we're 1/2 way there. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
13 comments:
Beautiful pictures of the ridge. Glad you had a nice trip. Love the Hawthorne quotation.
Love the pictures!! What a wonderful romantic getaway you must have had. Now you are ready to get back to the job at home. What a wonderful choice you made. The weather must be beautiful there! Sorry I had to delete the previous post. Misspelled words. I am good at that.
what a lovely weekend - better than hangin around the house smelling paint fumes.
Dear Cathie!
It' s always good to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! I love the pictures of the landscapes but also the motorbikes. I think I can hear the sound of the engines.
I think it was a great weekend?!
Have a good week Wurzerl
Great pics of your getaway... next time hook the sidecar on for me,eh ?? LOL
Looks like you had a SWEET ride and got out of 'dodge' and the house! Good for you both to pack up and just go...doesn't that feel good! Being spontaneous is 'always' a good thing!!!
xo-Lisa ;)
P.S. Oh, I meant to say...Congratulations ACEY...you LUCKY girl!!! What a sweet and thoughtful gift from a heartfelt Cathie!!! ;-)
now I want to see North Carolina even more....glad you got out into the fresh air and sunshine...Good idea!
Sounds wonderful. I'm glad the two of you got away for a couple of days and I hope you could leave the mess at home, at home.
I need to keep up with blog reading better. The two of you picked some wonderful prizes and someone is going to be so inspired by them.
Enjoy fall.
North Carolina really is beautiful. Every BIT as beautiful as my precious Colorado - just in a different, "greener" way. I took all those pictures myself, and the one of the "ghostly" mountains was from the back of the Harley as we were cruising by. Sights that like at every turn. Just stunning! I'm a lucky girl, I know.
so you took lemons and made LEMONADE.
GOOD for YOU!
I love this post!
Recently we had the trail of tears ride through .. you familiar with this event?
THOUGHT of you as each bike passed by..
varoom,
varoom.
That's over a thousand HAPPY THOUGHTS of you.
xo, Monica :)
ah, the joys of construction. you certainly did the right thing: mount up and motor out of town;) and to think you were within spittin' distance . . .
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