Asheville,, NC

Pouring rain and the thickets of greenery. If there was any doubt that this was the east coast, these should settle it once and for all. But the humidity abated. It's probably got to do with the altitude and cool weather of Asheville.

Today was my day off. I'm feeling OK after 9 hours of sleep -- no post-exertional sickness from the accumulation or anything, just the familiar ache and fatigue shooting up  the IT band and along the triceps. Only a year ago I spent most of my waking hours lying down. Now I'm mostly up even after a week of driving and walking. Amazing.

We spent the afternoon in downtown Asheville. The rain stopped while we sat in the coffee shop across Vance Memorial munching on a coconut macaroon brownie and the sun came out. We strolled for a while and then drove through Historic Montford neighborhood before heading to Biltmore. Biltmore was too expensive, so we turned around and came home. I wasn't the one to pay $130 for us to see some tycoon's indulgence. Nice estate though. I wouldn't mind living in one.

We missed the Great Smokey Mountain national park. We should've gone to Knoxville instead of Greenville and then to Asheville. I just followed the Scenic Drive book and I didn't pay attention. We'll drive to Knoxville via Smokey Mountain and back tomorrow. Four hours on the Blue Ridge park way and then 2 hours back, I reckon. We came too far to miss it. Yeah, I've been there before, but it was such a long time ago I hardly remember. Besides, I gotta make use of the national park pass that I bought in Grand Canyon. I would have given it up, but my condition has improved so much while on this trip, I'm confident I can handle it. Even with another 6 hour trip in the other direction on the Blue Ridge planned for the next day. My sister is in her Fancy Gap home, so we are going there instead of Raleigh on Wed.