Mountain Retreat, Day One

For the past ten years, we've been going to Bryson City, NC, for at least one weekend a year.  If we can get away with it, we go more often.

More often than not, we've even rented the same cabin.  We do like our routine.

However, this year, we opted to go a different weekend (not New Years) and rent a new cabin.  All this change is a challenge for me, by the way.  But, we forged ahead.  We booked the new cabin, took time off work, bought food, bought beer, packed, cleaned and finally the big day was here!  We loaded up our friend's truck and hit the highway.

Then I read my emails.

In my inbox was an emergency email from the rental company.  It seems the ice storm had already gone through Bryson City and no way, no how, would we be able to make it up those roads to the cabin.

HUH? 

What began next was thirty eight miles of frantic phone calls and ipad use to try to find an alternative getaway.  All cities in the mountains of North Carolina were out.  ICE everywhere.  Charlotte had houses, but no hot tubs.  Should we go to Myrtle Beach?  Should we try Atlanta?  Turn around and go home?    Mike suggested Helen, Georgia; in the mountains, but a bit further south than the North Carolina mountains.  So, I found a house on my ipad while in the truck, Tracy called and booked it and we headed northwest.  We literally planned our weekend getaway in minutes.

Oh yeah.  We drove through the back half of that ice storm.  Ice covered the car, and of course the bridges.  But, we made it.  Listen, we were determined. 

And, I'm happy to report that the house was lovely.  It was nestled on the side of a hill, next to the Chattahoochee River.  There was plenty of room, a hot tub, a gas fireplace, and plenty of space to giggle and have fun.  That's really all we needed.

I mean, how perfect does the place need to be when you are surprising the boys with swimsuits?

Yeah, stay tuned for Day Two.