Learning life in Brevard

Yesterday I had the privilege of talking to someone who lived their whole life in this area of North and South Carolina.  I learned that the neighboring town of Rosman is actually prounounced "Rozman" by the locals.  It reminds me of how we can tell a non-local when they call Lancaster "Lang-caster" or "Land-caster".  I also got some good local history.  Brevard use to have two major manufacturing plants in town, Dupont and Ecusta Paper Mill.  Both left several years ago and therefore there are not nearly the jobs available that use to be.  According to my source who worked 35 years for the papermill before it closed, part of its demise was due to "that Glatfelter plant in Spring Grove.  After looking into things further, I learned from an old article in the Associated Press that the mill had been sold to Glatfelter in 1987 and they in turn sold it to Purico in 2001.  After a bitter labor dispute, Purico closed the doors to the Ecusta plant.

Today we took a 9 mile bike ride on the bike path through Brevard.  During our trip we passed the huge empty field that once held the Ecusta Paper Mill.  It's a strange moment when the life I knew growing up intertwined itself with this new place I am only beginning to experience.  As a teenager I toured the Glatfelter plant, and just a few short months ago, I watched my niece play soccer on the Glatfelter soccer fields.  Today, I got to experience just another moment in their timeline.


Our bike ride also took us into the Pisgah Forest along the Davidson River.  The Davidson is suppose to have wonderful trout fishing, although it is only catch and release in some areas.  We had a great ride and we weren't even tired when it was all said and done.  I don't think there is a bad view in the county.  It all is truly breath-taking.

For those of you who may not have heard, we will be renting a cabin here in Brevard starting in little over a week.  We will be up on a mountain nestled in the woods with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It will be the place we call home until the end of March.  Today we had the privilege of meeting the owners of the cabin and they seem like truly lovely people.  We also discovered that there is a mountain biking trail into Dupont State Forest only a mile or two up the road from where we'll be.  The only caveat will be based on the amount of snow we get this winter.  Our road is a series of switch backs up the mountainside.  It could make for interesting blog updates in the months to come.  We will at least be well stocked in our beer and wine.

My last update is on our activities and social life thus far.  I went to my first Zumba class at the Rec Center here and it was wonderful!  Everyone introduced themselves and I felt incredibly welcomed.  The instructor was wonderful too. She is 61 and no slouch.  She kept me sweating the entire time and I have no problem becoming a regular in her class.

All three kids tried a session at Brevard Rock Gym.  It was both challenging and fun for them, but Camden and Grace especially enjoyed it.  They are planning to join the youth club the have and we will going on a boulder outing with the club this Monday.  Camden said he already started making friends.  Grace's hands are sore and she is looking forward to the challenge of it all.  Lauryl is sticking to dance. She is scheduled to start a hip hop tap class at Pisgah Dance Academy on Monday.  She is so excited!  She got to take dance when we were in Destin and  she has missed it over the past month or so.

So that is life in Brevard thus far.  Dave has made some connections with some local kayakers and he is anxious to get on the water this weekend.

I'm sure we will have much more to post in the days to come.  Thank you for continue to follow our adventures!

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