On Saturday (5-18-19) Karen and I set out to do some hiking at McGalliad Falls Park in Valdese, NC. Karen saw pretty pictures of the place in a photo shoot and we were looking for a new location to explore.
We arrived to find the 39th Annual McGalliard Falls Park Kids Fish Fry and Fishing Tournament in full swing. This year 500 rainbow trout from Kentucky were purchased by the City of Valdese to stock the event. The original organizer gave us a ride across the creek to keep our feet dry and also a history lesson on the park and surrounding area.
The kids get awards for catching the heaviest fish in their age brackets and they can have their trout fried up on the spot for free. For many of these kids this was their first time to fish and they were excited.
There were two hiking paths along the banks of McGalliard Creek. They led through dense overgrowth on one side and knee-deep grass on the other. It was hot and buggy so we opted to forgo hiking and eat lunch with a view of the falls.
From our perch alongside the 45-foot falls we could view the mill and swimming hole, which is very popular on hot days.
Fred Meytre built the Grist Mill in 1906 and Valdese rebuilt it in 1982. It operates for tourists the first Saturday of each month.
With time on our hands we headed for nearby Six Waterpots Vineyard & Winery in Hudson, NC. The sign at the front door said, “We’re open 1-5pm. Knock loud or call.”
We were ushered into the basement of the Sullivan’s beautiful, Tudor-style home for our wine tasting. Dawn makes all her wines in very small batches, “So I can lift the pots by myself in the kitchen.” Her husband Jim played beautiful love songs on the grand piano upstairs while we sampled 18 wines at a table set for a big party. Dawn’s wines were superb! This was the most intimate and personal wine tasting we’ve ever experienced. We felt like friends had invited us into their home to try their latest creations. Karen even helped Dawn prune vines out back.
We swung by Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyard in Fallston, NC on the way home. After spending time with the Sullivan’s it was a bit of a letdown. The wines were not as remarkable but they do have a lovely facility for parties and events.
There was a wedding in progress inside the big, red barn while we were there and the patio was set for dinner and dancing afterward.
We didn’t get to hike much, but we had a great time and met some wonderful folks along the way. We did very little research on these places and they turned out to be fun and interesting. When people ask why we travel to so many different locations, I like to tell them, “You just never know until you go.”