by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Mar 17, 2019 | North Carolina, Travel
Saturday (3-16-19) we hiked the Rocky Face Recreational Area in Alexander County, North Carolina. The 316-acre park on the southern edge of the Brushy Mountains was once a quarry and the sheer cliff face the cutting created is now used by qualified rock climbers....
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Mar 17, 2019 | North Carolina, Travel
Following an afternoon of hiking over the stone outcrops of the Rocky Face Mountain Recreation Area we were ready to kick back and eat our picnic lunch with some North Carolina wine. We chose Daveste Vineyards in Iredell County from a random search on the iPhone and...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Feb 22, 2019 | Beach, boats, Travel
Friday (2-15-19) Karen and I took a day off from our harried trip to south Florida to visit friends and relax in Bimini, Bahamas. Bimini has changed dramatically since the first visit aboard our sailboat in 1996. A casino, the Hilton Hotel and vacation housing have...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Feb 3, 2019 | North Carolina
After three days of subfreezing temperatures, it warmed to the 60s in Charlotte on Saturday (2-2-19). One of the great things about living in this city are the many outdoor recreation opportunities. Big Rock Nature Preserve (BRNP) is just an 8-minute drive from our...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Dec 28, 2018 | South Carolina, Travel
Hiking in December can be a challenge but Karen requested a three-day waterfalls expedition for her birthday. We stayed in a little town called Easley, just east of Greenville and explored the Blue Ridge escarpment of Upstate South Carolina which is blessed with...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Nov 23, 2018 | Events, North Carolina
Standing next to a cold street waiting for people and attractions to shuffle past saps my enthusiasm. Karen and I have discovered that checking out parades prior to their start is a great way to see everything and get to interact with the participants while avoiding...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Nov 6, 2018 | North Carolina, Travel
Sunday (11-4-18) on the way home from Lake Lure we revisited Pearson’s Falls. It snowed last winter when we were here. Nature’s Fall show was even prettier.
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Nov 6, 2018 | Uncategorized
Karen and I are fortunate to live within a ninety-minute drive of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Saturday morning (11-3-18) we drove to the Bradley Falls trailhead. It is always best to do your homework before wandering in the wilderness. The sign marking the trail to Big...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Oct 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
In 1783 the Montgolfier brothers flew a sheep, rooster and duck as the first passengers in a hot air balloon to impress Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Little was accomplished for the next 182 years when Ed Yost teamed up with the U.S. Air Force to develop modern...
by jeff@lyonsroar.com | Oct 17, 2018 | Travel
To celebrate my birthday Karen and I headed to Roanoke, Virginia to hike the waterfalls along Hwy. 81. I planned to visit five of the twelve-must-see-waterfalls in this beautifully rugged area. We managed to find two, but they provided great hikes and sights. We ate...
