Today was the day we began this trip. I am calling it Travel Day since the only thing that occurred was that we arrived in Asheville.  The northside contingency started the day with Mom and Victoria meeting at my house around 9:30. We loaded up Mom’s car and set out for the long drive. 

The southside contingency had a little different start.  Linda Heuser’s day started with waking at 5:30 a.m. in Virginia Beach.  She left there by 6:30 a.m. to get home where she quickly unpacked her beach stuff, put away all the groceries from the beach and packed for this trip. All to be ready when the other two Lindas got to her house.  They pulled out a little after 10:00.  Linda H. called this the Linda Club since all three ladies in the car were named Linda. 

The plan was to meet for lunch at a little place in Reidsville NC about 3 hours away.  We took the scenic way, traveling on Route 288 to 360 connecting to Route 58 then picking up 29 into the town.  Lunch was at the Mayberry Restaurant in the middle of the town.  The inside reminded me of an old timey ice cream parlor with the high Formica topped lunch counter and glass case of all the different flavors of ice cream. The food was rather good, but the ice cream was scrumptious.

With lunch finished we climbed back into the cars for the remainder of our drive to Asheville which took another 3 hours.  The most exciting part of the drive for my car happened about ah hour after we left the restaurant.  As we were cruising down the road, the car in front of us suddenly swerved to the right.  I looked up ahead of that car to see a mattress and box spring in the middle of the roadway.  I had just enough time to swerve to the right myself.  Just a few feet up from that there was a red station wagon waiting on the side of the road.  I was wondering if the bed had just fallen from their roof. 

​The Linda Club reached the hotel before we did and started checking everybody in.  We are staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville for the week.  I was pleasantly surprised at how large and modern our rooms appeared. I did find out that this hotel was built only three years ago.  I am anxious to check out the fitness center tomorrow.

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After settling in our rooms, we meet in the lobby to find some dinner.  The ladies working the desk suggested we go to the Village Wayside Bar and Grill. It was a great suggestion. The restaurant is set in an old train station with an outside covered area to wait for the next train.  As we sat there waiting for our table a gentle rain started which turned into a torrential gush with rain cascading in buckets over the edge of the awning.  Someone commented that the area we are visiting for the next few days is almost a rain forest and that we should expect a rain shower almost every afternoon.   The food was awesome and extremely filling.
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Tomorrow we are heading to the botanical gardens and lunch at Tupelo Honey Café.