Bluegrass to Blue Ridge 5-10-21 (Asheville, NC)




Breakfast this morning was a little odd.  With the hotel under renovation, they have limited services and space, but the dining room was not really ready for us.  We were the first ones down at 7am and were told to take a seat.  We found plenty of open tables…in the dark.  It took several minutes before anyone could figure out how to turn the lights on. The young girl that took our orders was also working the Starbucks kiosk and running back and forth.  She did not write anything down when we gave her our orders and then she had to come back and get them again.  When the orders came out, only one order came, and that was packed in a bag as a “to go” order.  When other orders began coming out, they were in the “to go” containers, minus the paper bag.  Oh the joys of COVID travel; until our tour, they have only been doing carry out!


Heading to Asheville, NC today, so the bus trip started with a Ken Burns video.  This short movie focused on the importance of the Cumberland Gap in the westward expansion of the young United States.  Once discovered, it allowed the Scotch Irish to move West into what is now Kentucky and Tennessee and much of Appalachia.  Daniel Boone frequented this route as he made his living as a hunter and helped to improve the route to make travel easier.


Our first stop was at the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea, KY.  Home to Berea College, a small Christian school that provides a four year scholarship to every admitted student.  Each student works to support the college, serving meals, landscaping, etc.  The school also provides opportunities for students to learn a craft that assists in financially supporting the school and includes woodworking, weaving, and ceramics.  The fruits of their labor are for sale at the Visitor Center.


Lunch today was in Corbin, KY.  In case you don’t know, and I certainly didn’t, Corbin is home to Colonel Harlan Sanders and his first KFC.  Before discovering a method to shorten the time to make fried chicken, Sanders delivered babies, practiced law, and owned a hotel.  Using a pressure cooker, he was able to produce fried chicken in about 7 minutes, making it something that could compete with the growing hamburger chains as America took to their cars and fast food.  The Colonel actually only owned one location, the one in Corbin; his actual fortune was the result of franchising his concept.


We ate at the Season’s Restaurant, and the decor alone is worth the visit. The venue is filled with “stuff”.  There are books, statues, stuffed animals, crystal, everywhere.  They even have a Christmas room.  The menu was limited but had something for everyone and no one left hungry; many took their dessert to go, in addition to the cookies offered as we left.


Leaving Corbin, we headed towards the Great Smokeys and the Cumberland Gap.  The Gap is not really something you can visit, but you can view its’ opening in the mountains from the roadway.  The mountains lived up to their name with clouds hanging around the peaks.  We made a quick pit stop at an overlook to Cherokee Lake before arriving at the Inn at Biltmore.


We dined in the Inn dining room with another couple.  This is one of the few included dinners the is not a group event.  The meal and service were fantastic as the Inn lived up to their four star rating.  The hotel itself has awesome views of the surrounding mountains.  The bed linens were luxurious although the bed was the least comfortable so far.


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