My Girls Rock!

Saturday was the girls first climbing competition at their home gym here in Brevard.  It was a great afternoon and the Austin Family put on a wonderful event.  Both girls were pretty nervous before things began. There were all new routes set so they were seeing things for the first time.  There were a few other kids their ages but most of the competitors were college age.

After a brief introduction to how things work, the girls started climbing.  Grace flashed her first route (meaning she completed it on her first try).  Anyone who was the first to flash a route was allowed to name it, so Grace called her route Gravy.  Lauryl also completed the same route so the girls had points on their score cards.  The routes are given a point value based on difficulty and then points are given based on how many times it takes to complete it.  The final total is based on the 4 best scores the climber receives and they are divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Lauryl Stretching to finish

Grace on a funky angle

The girls climbed hard for 3 hours.  It was awesome to watch them and all the other competitors.  It was definitely challenging for them, but they had a wonderful time.  Lauryl's biggest obstacle was her height.  Most of the routes were set for taller individuals so many of the routes were just too much of a stretch for her.  It didn't stop her though!  All in all, both girls did fabulous!  Lauryl earned 3rd place in the beginner division and Grace took first place, beating out a girl who was much older than she.  They are both looking forward to joining the competition team for Brevard Rock Gym in the fall!

Fun on the North Fork

We have been trying to enjoy the brief breaks in rain whenever possible.  The sun has peaked it's rays out of the clouds every now and again, but it has rained every day since we've been back in Brevard.  This is not typical for this area, although afternoon showers are common because it is considered a deciduous rain forest. 

Today we took the kids to a swimming hole on the North Fork.  They had a blast swinging on the rope.  The water is always cold regardless of the temperature outside.  It is suppose to be a great area for trout fishing too.

We also spend our time swimming in the pool at the campground and fishing in the pond.  There are big carp and catfish for the challenge.  We only have 3 more weeks of camping before we move back into the cabin.  It's been a great adventure, but we are all anxious for a little more breathing room.

This past week I started climbing at Brevard Rock Gym with the kids. I was looking for some other form of exercise and it was something I never thought I would do. I've learned to climb some basic routes and instead of sitting around waiting for the kids to finish, I am joining in the fun. Tomorrow the girls participate in their first climbing competition, so stay tuned for the update!

I also started taking yoga classes and simply love it! Many people encouraged me to try it over the years, but I never did.  I must say that it is one of the best additions to my life.  Lauryl also comes to class with me and she practices on her own in the camper.  I am becoming more flexible and I have less pain in my joints because of yoga.  I highly recommend it!

Finally, weBgypsies Photography www.alyciameile.wix.com/webgypsies has been doing well.  I've started selling my art in both store locations and I have two pieces in a local exhibit this month. It's slow but steady and I love having the creative outlet.  I've submitted my portfolio for an upcoming project in the area, so we'll see what happens.  I'm just going to continue putting my work out there and see where it takes me.

We hope all of you are well and enjoying your summer.  If you ever want to make a trip to WNC we'd be happy to share our quaint little town with you.

Rainy Days and Mondays....

After 3 1/2 weeks of traveling the coast, we made our way back to Brevard.  It felt so good to come home. We will spend the month of July at Adventure Village Campground here in town and then we move back to the cabin on Rich Mountain Road in August.  

The week started off beautiful, with gorgeous flowers throughout the campground.  It soon turned into a never ending deluge of rain and storms though.  Fourth of July festivities were spent under umbrellas with fireworks being postponed until tonight if the weather cooperates.

The kids went swimming in the pool and found some fun wildlife around camp.  We are really enjoying our time here at Adventure Village.  This little snake was hanging out on a branch just across from our camper and the the birds were nested in the gazebo at the pond.

If you want to check out our wonderful little town I highly recommend staying at this campground.  They have cabins as well as campsites and it's only 10 minutes to downtown.  We truly love this area and are so happy to call Brevard home.

Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC was on our radar from the very beginning, but there is only so much you can do at any given time.  So, although we drove through Charleston well over a year ago, this was our first official visit to the historic city.  We arrived to discover that Charleston is very hot and humid!  I guess I should have expected it, but somehow that humidity gets me every time.  I suppose that's why I love the mountains as much as I do.  Even when it's humid, it seems to cool down quickly and the weather is constantly changing.

We spent our first evening with friends we met while staying on Ocracoke.    They were so kind to invite us into their home.  We are truly grateful to know them.  We had a wonderful dinner of Frogmore stew (also known as Brunswick stew). It was a mix of red potatoes, sausage, shrimp, and corn on the cob all boiled in a big pot in old bay seasoning.  It was delicious!!!!  We stayed much too late, but enjoyed every second of the visit.  We hope to reciprocate sometime soon if we can get them to visit Brevard!

Today we went downtown.  We parked at the Battery and walked to the market.  It is truly a beautiful city, set beside the water, gorgeous homes and businesses line the flower filled streets.  It is clean and pleasant and not intimidating like other cities we've seen.  If you've never had the opportunity to visit Charleston I would definitely add it to your bucket list.  We still have much more to see, but that will have to wait for another visit.  Luckily it is only about 4 1/2 hours away for us.

The kids cooled off at Waterfront park.  The fountains are not only beautiful but fun!  I honestly could have spent the better part of the day just relaxing in the park there.  We did not stay long though since we had much more to see.

We made our way down to the market and enjoyed checking out all the vendors.  We filled up on tasty samples from various food places and we found the much anticipated pralines for which I had been longing.  By the time we got back to our truck we were ready to head to the camper to relax.  I don't think we'll make it to Folly Beach this visit since it's a holiday weekend.  We're not much for crowds and have had our share of beaches this past month, so we will save that for a future visit.

Next stop, home sweet home Brevard!

Back to the Beginning

When we began this journey a year and a half ago we first stopped at Myrtle Beach, SC on our way to Florida.  I find it only fitting that Myrtle Beach play a role in our adventures now as we prepare to return to Brevard and settle down.  We again stayed in Myrtle Beach State Park which is truly a wonderful campground.  This state park is one of the nicest we found during our travels and we will continue to come back here to vacation in the months and years to come.  Being here reminded me of how I felt the first time we came.  We were excited and scared with so much unknown in front of us.  Now, in retrospect, we have grown so much as individuals and as a family.  I can honestly say that this was the best decision we could have ever made.  Yes, we've made sacrifices, but in turn we've had immeasurable return.  We've seen new things, learned new things, made new friends, and we've discovered new dreams we never would have known had we not pushed past our comfort zone.  So, Myrtle Beach was filled with fishing and fun, but mostly it was time to reflect and smile, knowing we are different because of this amazing journey!

Southport - A "Safe Haven"

The next leg of our journey took us through the town of Southport.  If you are not familiar, Southport is the setting of the recent movie "Safe Haven".  It's a beautiful coastal town with similar attributes to Brevard.  The downtown stores were fun and busy going into the holiday weekend.  We also got to experience the weekly  farmers market.  It was a short stop, but definitely a place I would return.

Carolina & Kure Beach

After only two nights in Surf City, we were once again off down the Carolina coast to Carolina Beach, NC.  This area had much more build-up than Surf City.  The beaches were much shorter than we were use to and reminded me of visits to the Jersey coast.  The sand was also much coarser than the fine sand of Ocracoke.  


We spent most of our time on Kure Beach near the fishing pier.  It was perfect conditions for the kids to surf and they had a wonderful time.  We did hear tale of a gator in the ocean earlier in the day, but we didn't have any encounters. We were always under the impression that alligators stayed out of salt water, but we learned that isn't always the case.  It was a fun day, but not our favorite beach on the trip.  Regardless, it's still fun seeing new places.  Next up Myrtle Beach!