Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By: BR Cornett

There’s just something about log home living. With their sturdiness and security, log homes feel more like a home than “just a house.” Today’s custom log homes offer a rustic and historic feel, but with the amenities and architectural grace of a contemporary home.

Log homes also seem at one with the nature that surrounds them. Imagine the sun rising over a log home on a brisk North Carolina morning, with the natural environment just stirring to life, and you’ll see the appeal offered by this way of life.

The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
“We had better design and build thoughtfully, sensitively, creatively, as we usher men and women into the presence of the natural gods…” So said Stanley William Abbot, architect of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and thus was born a 469-mile stretch of scenic roadway, carved through the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina.

The idea for the Blue Ridge Parkway was conceived during the Great Depression, and construction began in 1935. It was seen as a way to put people to work in a time when work was desperately needed.

Today, the Blue Ridge Parkway is practically synonymous with “scenic drive.” People flock from all over to enjoy the winding splendor the Parkway offers.

Log Homes in North Carolina – The Ultimate Combo
Log homes by themselves offer a majestic environment to their owners. But when you combine a luxury log home with a beautiful landscape like the Blue Ridge Parkway, you reach the “nirvana” of natural living.

Perhaps that’s why so many people build log homes in North Carolina. One area in particular draws a lot of interest for those interested in log home living. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and just minutes from the historic Blue Ridge Parkway, lies the town of Boone, North Carolina. To many, the woods around this town of 13,000 represent a Mecca of log home living.

By: John Ross

Ageless Smoky Mountain Tradition!

Folklore and whispering stories of adventure and mystery are as deep as the hills around the small Smoky Mountain towns. There have been legends born and heroes die, all carried by word of mouth and each telling, grander and larger than life tales, such as the story of Fines Creek.

A man by the name of Fines, not told to me as his first or last name, simply by Fines, traveled the Smokies of North Carolina and Tennessee several times during the1800s. During one of his journeys, Fines was robbed of his horses by a local band of indians.

Fines, along with his group of men, forcefully retrieved their horses and set up camp along a creek deep in the mountains. The threat of raids was ever present and resulted in ambushes in which Fines was mortally wounded. His men were not able to carry Fines back home and decided to bury him under the frozen creek until they could return to retrieve him.

Upon their return, they discovered Fines’ body missing and so named the creek, Fines Creek.

Now the creek lazily rakes along side I-40, some of the best road travel in the South. Large hardwoods infest the roadside and you feel as if the next 30 miles was taken up like a rug and shaken.

Our exit was a few miles inside North Carolina, and after traveling a windy dirt road a short stretch, we came into view of a now-a-day Xanadu. The sight was extraordinary. Soft outside colors blended with the mountains and the four large buildings framed the portrait of a great getaway that was much needed.

Llamas grazed in fields on both sides of the road as we trekked up the hill. The idea of using Llamas for hiking was a foreign idea to me, but not one for history.

Known as probably one of the first domesticated animals, early fossils have been found of these docile creatures in America dating back 5000 years. A member of the Camelid family, llamas are considered a burden bearing creature, meaning they are work animals.

The Livengood family, owners of WindDancers, have been breading llamas for decades and love the gentleness of the animals.

The sight of the surprisingly tall animals, made the lodge feel comfortable and laid back, much as their demeanor.

We first meet some of the Livengoods when settling into our room and they told us about the llamas and the lodge. There are hundreds of acres of wooded hillside that the family takes visitors on their hikes. We were not able to hike with the llamas due to weather conditions but we walked a small trail leading to a lunch deck.

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John Ross, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent ? Read Jetsetters Magazine at http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com to book travel visit Jetstreams.com at http://www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at http://www.beachbooker.com

About the Author

John Ross, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.