Too bad we didn’t have a pedometer – it would have been interesting to see how much we walked in 3 days…
Wells Fargo PGA Golf Tournament – We received a complimentary parking and entrance pass for Friday. (Note – pics below from the golf course are from various websites as no cameras were allowed).
Although we are not really “into” golf, it was a great day. We have a new appreciation for pro golfers.
Quail Hollow is a private member-owned club in an exclusive neighbourhood in Charlotte. The size and grandeur of houses on the perimeter of the golf course make our house look like a garage….
A hilly landscape with unusual contours creates this challenging course. Water comes into play throughout the golf course with its many creeks, ponds, and waterfalls.
Since we weren’t following anyone, we walked the course (in no specific order….a lot of walking). Even though we don’t follow golf, there were some definite names that stood out – Mike Weir (tied for 57th L), Vijay Singh (tied for 30th), and Phil Michelson (tied for 11th).
Kings Mountain National Military Park SC – The mountain location of the battle is said to have been the turning point of the American Revolution in 1780 which until this point was at a standstill.
The Battlefield Trail is a 1.5 mile (2.4 km) paved trek through the wilderness where the Loyalist and Patriots clashed. Winding slopes guide you along the ridge detailing both the Patriot and Loyalist perspectives. (The simplistic version follows….)
The British were banking on the support of the southern colonies, who along with loyalists believed they could sway the reluctant patriots to swear allegiance to Britain (often it was neighbour against neighbour).
But past actions (like unnecessary torture and slaughters) in the Carolinas by the British, created a band of angry men from the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia who set out to kill the renowned leader, Patrick Ferguson, of the Loyalists.
A cocky Ferguson took the battle to Kings Mountain expecting an easy victory. But, using guerilla tactics, the patriots surrounded the loyalists. Ferguson was shot and killed and his remaining battalion was captured.
Ferguson’s rifle. He was considered an excellent marksman.
Fort Mill SC Strawberry Festival – While this was more of a fair than a festival, it was still a great way to spend an afternoon in the 27°C sunshine.
Numerous food vendors and artisans set up camp for the day. We tried the bbq brisket and beer brat for lunch along with a couple of local beers. Everyone got ID’d if buying beer tickets and they were so pleased that people from Canada came out to their festival. (Both Todd and I had our ID….note from past trips).
Two stages at opposite ends of the park supplied music and fairground rides entertained children. Numerous shows were on through the day – from strawberry eating competitions to wrestling matches.
The highlight for us was the car show.
Over a hundred cars lined the street.
…Made me think of my Dad – he has always loved going to car shows when travelling….
Todd’s favourite.
Biltmore Estate in Asheville– WOW! (Seriously boggles the mind….). The home styled after Loire Valley chateaux was built over a six year period and opened on Christmas Eve 1895. The 250 room house with its 178,926 square feet of floor space has 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces complete with an underground swimming pool, gymnasium, bowling alley, and kitchens. (Makes our house look like a garden shed….).
It is decorated and furnished with paintings, porcelains, bronzes, carpets, and furniture from Europe and the Orient. The Banquet Hall has a seven-story high ceiling and is where the family hosted celebrations. (The next 2 pics are from a website as pictures were not allowed inside the home).
The Library contains more than 10,000 books in eight languages (apparently George loved reading…).
Seventy-five acres of gardens adorn the landscape.
The conservatory shelters a collection of Palms, tropical plants and orchids as well as the bedding plants for Biltmore Gardens.
The entire Biltmore estate was originally 125,000 acres. After the death of George, his wife, Edith, sold about 87,000 acres to the US government (for $5 and acre) so the estate could be maintained.
Today, the Estate open to the public comprises of the home, gardens and trails, ponds and forests, farm and village shops, restaurants, and a winery. After a full day, we still didn’t see everything.
That said, we did make it to the winery. Biltmore Winery was opened in 1985 by Bill Cecil (grandson of George and Edith Vanderbilt).
The estate winery produces 75,000 cases of roughly 15 varieties annually. While some grapes are grown on the property, most are brought in from Washington state and California.
The Biltmore Estate is definitely a “must see” to truly appreciate its splendour and to learn the history of the man behind the vision.
Stay tuned for our next Adventure….
