This past weekend, we were blessed with the opportunity to share a beautiful cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains with our daughter's family. The ride through the hills offered breathtaking views around every turn. As we made our trek up the final mountain, we were very lucky to drive up to a mother black bear and her cub meandering along. After a mile or so, we had to slow down to let several deer cross the road. It was an awesome welcome committee, culminating in our arrival at the log home rental we would share with six of our grandchildren.
Exploring the Cabin
The visit started with hugs and a tour of the house and grounds. It was a beautiful all-wood finished home with three floors. On the first floor was a living room and kitchen with a dining area in an open space. Down a hallway, there were two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There was a back balcony that ran the entire length of the house, equipped with lounge chairs and a picnic table. All the furniture was wood and leather, and the decorations were very rustic but modern.
Fun and Games
On the top floor there was another bedroom with three beds and a bathroom. From the hallway on the mid-floor, a staircase led into the basement game room. There was a large air hockey table, a pool table/tennis table, a foosball table, and board games. Every floor had a flat-screen TV, and the game room had a gaming console. The funny thing about the TV situation was, only the baby watched TV the whole time. Wi-Fi was also available.
Outdoor Relaxation
Off the game room was a back porch with more lounge chairs for relaxing, and it overlooked a fire pit with Adirondack chairs. The view from either of the back decks looked down through the wooded backyard to the lake with its own wooden dock. The sound of singing songbirds filled the air with beautiful music. We had several encounters with deer while we were there. The kids couldn’t show us everything fast enough. It was really great to see them enjoying the experience.
Fishing Fun
We made our way down to the lake and got all of the fishing poles rigged with hooks and split shot so we could use live bait to catch some fish. It didn’t take long for the kids to start reeling in catfish and bluegills. We had some overhead tree fish and some underwater snags, but it just gave us the opportunity to teach them how to tie on a hook or apply a split shot to the line. We showed them how to catch bait and put it on the hook. It was fun teaching them how to cast open face and closed face reels. They were old pros in just minutes. By the end of the trip, they could do everything without help from an adult. It makes us feel very proud to be able to share our outdoor experience with them and to see their passion grow with each cast of the line.
Family Time and Thunderstorms
We cooked and ate together on the back deck for every meal. We sat out on the deck for a big thunderstorm that refreshed everyone with the smells of summer. We played games, talked, and laughed for hours until we were all starting to yawn.
Hiking to the Waterfalls
The next morning, we went to a park with hiking trails and a really high waterfall. The park had a magnificent set of stairs built of wood and steel on an almost vertical hillside. We were strategically smart enough to walk from the top to the bottom and not the other way around. We also parked a car up and down for an easy ride back up the mountain. The waterfalls were impressive, and the trees were mature and lush, making for a great experience for us all. After our hike, we went to a picnic area to have our lunch and let the kids play for a while.
The whole trip was amazing, with the sights and sounds of the Blue Ridge Mountains giving our family get-together that outdoors experience.
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