The End

This was it folks - the last official day of adventure! Tomorrow, I head north to Connecticut; I have a 6 am wake-up and a thirteen-hour drive ahead of me. Woooohoooooooo! So, what did I do on my last day? Well, if you've been reading along, you'll know I am in Asheville, NC - another possible spot for the parents' retirement home. Although I did get to check-out downtown Asheville (which is chalk full of shops, restaurants, and art galleries), I spent the majority of my day enjoying the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.

If you had to describe me, I doubt the first...second...or third word would be "outdoorsy". In fact, I'm not even sure that it would cross anyone's mind at all. Contrary to popular belief though, I do happen to have a great appreciation for nature and the outdoors. I often forget this about myself, which I suppose is why others don't readily see it. Luckily, yesterday, when browsing my travel books and the hotel's brochures about Asheville, I came across multiple ads for Chimney Rock Park. The park, located 45 minutes from Asheville, is home to multiple trails winding up a mountainside where a lovely little movie called "The Last of the Mohicans" was filmed. Thus, when I came upon those ads, that little corner of my being that loves bright sunshine, greenery and clean mountain air stirred, and I made it my mission to conquer Chimney Rock. I should add that I hate heights. I don't have a debilitating fear. For example, I don't start to hyperventilate or faint after climbing a few stairs, but this may be because I've mastered specific breathing techniques and eyesight lines to prevent both from happening.

Well, what happened? I spent two hours climbing Chimney Rock with no one else's help and with no one else's encouragement. I forgot to bring a second shirt (apropo if you're the daughter of Alex Rosten) and I only had Converse as footwear. While none of this may not seem like a big deal, once you see the photos of the mountain and the wooden stairs I had to climb, I think you will be impressed. Even if you're not, at the end of the day, I reached an elevation of 2, 480 ft. without giving up, and I can say that I am extremely proud of myself.