Are you ready for the ride of your life?

This ride starts and ends just outside of nearby Boone, NC, near our Blue Ridge Mountains cabins. If you plan to participate, you’ll need to sleep well before and after the race. You’ll also need mounds of food. Our N.C. vacation cabins have fully equipped kitchens where your supporters can easily prepare feasts for you. You, of course, should do nothing but rest and prepare for – or recover from- one of the most beautiful and challenging bike rides in the country.

Register for Blood, Sweat and Gears soon, before all the spots are full.

The New River’s North and South Forks gently meander 100 + miles through a wonderland of dense woods and pastoral valleys, until they join just south of the Virginia border. The South Fork is generally a forgiving river; it tends to be shallow, and it’s rapids are most exciting for the faint of heart. In short, it is an ideal place to canoe no matter your age – toddlers, parents and grandparents will all feel at ease once settled in a secure canoe.

New River Outfitters opens for the season in April. It isn’t too early to start planning for a trip, for advance reservations of at least two days are required. You design the canoe trip you want; it can be as brief as two hours, or as long as several days. You can float down river, or paddle up river. Many folks opt to float for a while, stop for lunch, and float a while longer. Bring your own lunch, or purchase it at the General Store at New River Outfitters.

Time spent on the New River is always time well spent. True, it may be too cool yet to jump in the river, or float in a tube. It is also unlikely to be uncomfortably hot. In the event excessive rain or snow creates dangerous conditions on the water, New River Outfitters will schedule rainchecks.

Plan to spend some time this spring at our Blue Ridge Mountains vacation cabins. Ride your bike, take a hike, or paddle the New River. Bring the whole family, or plan a romantic retreat. Either way, you’ll be happy you did.

Hope to see you at the 2010 Wine and Food Festival

Friday, April 16th, will be a day full of wine tastings, wine seminars and cooking classes. Learn about pairing wine with spicy foods, chocolate and cheese. Learn the basics with Wine Tasting 101, or delve into Bordeaux wines. All seminars and classes are relaxed, with the hope that they will be as enjoyable as they are educational.

Taste wines from North Carolina, the greater region and the whole world at the Grand Wine Tasting on Saturday, April 17th. You may also watch the Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge on Saturday and Sunday, as chefs take the stage and do battle with their finest creations. Taste what they make, and you can help decide who’ll be the victor.

They’ll be live music throughout the event, and art shows. Blowing Rock takes on a festive air for this festival, so it is a fun time to browse the shops and explore the town.

Close to 20 wineries are expected to participate. This is a great opportunity to sample a wide variety of regional wines all in one place. You’ll probably want to pick up several bottles to bring back to your Blue Ridge cabins, where you can enjoy them at your leisure.

Sculpture by R.T. Morgan

The gallery is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm. R.T. Morgan has devoted most of his life to the creation of one and two dimensional art. Camille Morgan is a glass artist who stretches the boundaries of what can be done with glass. Their gallery is full of their own work and that of artists from around the country, some of whom are internationally recognized.

Visit the R.T. Morgan Art Gallery in the heart of downtown West Jefferson, where you’ll find several good restaurants and many nice shops. It makes a great outing from our NC vacation cabins.

The conservatory at sunset

If you are visiting our North Carolina cabins from out of state, you may want to consider a scenic drive to one of North Carolina’s gems – Biltmore Estate, in Asheville. It is a bit of a drive, to be sure (just under three hours), but the route is lovely and the estate fantastic.

The Biltmore Estate was built by George Vanderbilt in 1895. The mansion is one of the largest private homes ever made in this country, and its luxury and craftsmanship are unsurpassed. The grounds of the 125,000 acre estate were designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

One of the first forays the Estate took in order to remain self-sufficient was into the world of wine. Today, the wines of Biltmore are award-winning, and tasting wine is one of the most enjoyable aspects of a visit to the estate. Two events are held daily, and free with admission. At 2pm, learn why wine and chocolate are a heavenly match (bring your tastebuds). At 5pm, enjoy a tour and see how and where these fine wines are made.

So if you have a day to spare during your stay at our Blue Ridge Parkway cabins, meander on down to Asheville and the Biltmore Estate. Stroll the grounds, tour the mansion, and taste some wine. You will find it well worth the trip.

Hiking the MST couldn't be more convenient.

Unlike the enormous and often cumbersome snowshoes of the past, modern snowshoes are small and light. Many of them are adjustable, allowing you to extend them for hikes in heavy powder, or shrink them as needed. Strap them to your backpack, so they are always there if you need them. With these true friends, you can go just about anywhere.

Winter is a great time to stay at our NC cabins and tackle the MST. For starters, it’s not hot. Bare trees make for bigger views. Snow is pretty. And there is the promise of warm drinks by the fire at the end of the day – always better during the winter!

So gather together a group of friends, or tell your family to cancel all their other plans. Grab your cold weather gear, and head to our NC Blue Ridge Parkway cabins for a much needed winter break.

Music makes people feel good.

Many people think of music when they think of North Carolina, and with good reason. There is a long, rich tradition of Mountain Music here, and it is still very much alive and well.

Now through March, on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, there is a Mountain Music Jamboree in Glendale Springs. If you love to listen to music and dance, you should try to schedule your next stay at our Northwest NC cabins over one of these Saturdays.

Arvill T. Scott started the Music Jamboree back in 1987 in an old school house. Over twenty years later, the Jamboree is now in a 7,200 square foot building just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is plenty of room to dance here, and boy, do folks dance! Although operating on a slimmer, winter schedule now, the typical week at Mountain Music Jamboree offers Square Dancing and a variety of social dances, sometimes called “mixers”.

Bring your grandma and bring your children. Everyone is encouraged to dance here, and that’s what makes it so darn fun. When you return to your Blue Ridge Parkway cabins, you’ll spin each other around and around until dawn.

The Blowing Rock Winterfest will be fun.

First up is the Blowing Rock Winterfest, January 28-31, 2010. Just about an hour from our cabins, the 12th annual Blowing Rock Winterfest is guaranteed to plunge you into good times. The fearless (or foolish?) will take the Polar Plunge into frigid Chetola Lake. Then they’ll have to wait until nightfall to warm themselves by the bonfire in Memorial Park.

Watch professional ice carvers magically bring forth art from ice. Enjoy a nostalgic hay ride. Take the Chili Challenge, and cool your mouth with wine tasting.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? So be spontaneous and call our NC cabins today!

May we humbly suggest a romantic weekend at our Blue Ridge Mountains lodge?

We have cozy one-bedroom loft cabins, ideal for couples. These are pet-friendly cabins, so you are welcome to travel with your pooch and free yourself from the hassle of boarding him/her. From this home base you can head out for a day of skiing or hiking. Or perhaps you prefer more leisurely activities, such as antiquing or visiting NC wineries. No matter how you choose to spend your days, remember to leave time for lazy mornings together.

Nature's contribution to romance.

Perhaps you want to get together with a group of couples. Sharing lodging can make travel more affordable and even more festive. Our NC lodge can house quite a large group comfortably. Explore the region with your beau/belle during the day, and come together in the evening. The spacious kitchen is easy to work in – take turns cooking for each other, or see how many cooks can fit in the kitchen at once!