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Tag Archives: hiking

Maggie Valley; Have Breakfast With The Locals – Carver’s Maggie Valley and Joeys Pancake House

Restaurateur, Carver poses with a cardboard image of now deceased Popcorn Sutton, a legend now in Maggie Valley!
Restaurateur, Carver poses with a cardboard image of now deceased Popcorn Sutton, a legend now in Maggie Valley!

DSCF4326APtravelnews-September 19th–Maggie Valley, N.C.--You “gotta” eat, eh?  Well we had a great appetite enjoying  all the outdoor things to do in Maggie Valley such as hiking and identifying mushrooms, trees and plants, visiting museums such as the Shelton House in Waynesville, browsing a weekend Farmer s Market full of jellies, cheeses, veggies and crafts too!  So we headed to Carver’s Maggie Valley Restaurant. We met with owner, James Carver. The Carver Family has owned and operated the restaurant for 50-years. Did you ever watch the White Lightening TV Show about the North Carolina Moonshiners, with “Popcorn Sutton?” Well Carver knew this curmudgeonly man quite well. Actually,everyone did know this old time local character-he was a true one-of-a-kind personality, as some mountain folks are known to be when they hard-scrabble their way through life, bereft of a steady, 9-5 job– hard to find in the wild mountain regions of NC and other areas of the Smokies. Lets just say; they were as independent as one could be. Our eggs, pancakes, bacon and coffees were far above reproach. We’ll definitely go back again and again to Carvers place!

Located at 2804 Soco Road., Maggie Valley (828) 926-0425.

Great exercise walking the wild, scenic trails of the Cataloochee Hills and mountains.
Great exercise walking the wild, scenic trails of the Cataloochee Hills and mountains.
Hiking with a naturalist who showed us mushroom identification methods.
Hiking with a naturalist who showed us mushroom identification methods.

 

While hiking gorgeous water features make themselves known loudly and clearly along the way in Haywood County!
While hiking, gorgeous water features make themselves known loudly and clearly along the way in Haywood County!
Miss Maggie visits businesses along the main Street of Maggie Valley. A continuing hostess representing This vacation paradise!
Miss Maggie visits
businesses along the main Street of Maggie Valley. A continuing hostess representing This vacation paradise! She stopped in at Joey’s to welcome us and have a chat!

A day later, we enjoyed excellent pancakes and eggs (I had  their special of eggs, pancakes,  real, really good corned beef hash and coffee that tasted like the high priced mocha)!  Barb had the same, but her meat was Country Ham.  Frankly, the pancakes were fluffy and far above the average cakes we eat on our travels to and through the USA. Joeys Pancake House, 4309 Soco Road, Maggie Valley – www.joeyspancake.com (828) 926-0212

 

 

The Swag Resort and Inn-A Maggie Valley Jewel in a Golden Mountain Setting!

A common room at the Swag-ultra comfy and country gorgeous!
A common room at the Swag-ultra comfy and country gorgeous!
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Rough wood crafted gazebo fits the environs so nicely at the Swag Inn!

American Press Travel News, The Swag, 5000-feet up in Maggie Valley-makes a fine tale, if you will; “a tale of two mountains” would  be appropriate to call our experiences at both the Cataloochee Ranch perched high atop Fie Top Mountain in Maggie Valley, where we lived, enjoyed ranch style breakfasts and wonderful barbecue dinners for 4-days as we visited and experienced the pleasures of Maggie Valley. We visited and had a wonderful al fresco lunch at the Swag Resort, high atop another mountain ridge also called Cataloochee. The views were astounding, witnessed and making for indelible memories as we lunched near a beautifully crafted gazebo by an esteemed New York Architect,  who also did one in the most famous park in New York; Central Park.  Everyone in the “know” would like to have their wedding at and in the forever views of the Smokies.  We hear the regular sit down fare at the Swag is gourmet all the way,  we looked over one of the rooms with copper bathtub on the porch with a view that was purely astounding from the giant bed, or anywhere else in the suite!   We are looking forward to return and fully experience this special place in time and space, designed for hikers and trail blazers from around the world, as well as Americans.

Dan and Deena Mathews developed this property as a vacation home in 1971. They originally had no intentions of becoming owners of an Inn, but now and for the past several decades they have put together a treasured  (cool low 60’s even in August) environment where things are low key, but always very special for their guests, their employees and for themselves as well!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON A SCALE OF 1-10 THE SWAG IS AN 11!  800-789-7672  E CONNECT IS  TheSwag.com

A crafted wood cut gazebo by the Architect who did the New York natural wood work in Central Park.
A crafted wood cut gazebo by the Architect who did the New York natural wood work in Central Park.
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So relaxing and beautiful a view from the gazebo at the Swag Inn!
Barb looks over a map of the Cataloochee Mountain Range of the Smokies!
Barb looks over a map of the Cataloochee Mountain Range of the Smokies!

StreamLight Hits a Home Run With Their New Siege AA Magnetic Light

This Siege AA Lantern light is a tool for all seasons and all emergency and outdoor reasons.
This Siege AA Lantern light is a tool for all seasons and all emergency and outdoor reasons.

APtravelnews-Product reviews October 29th, 2015-Over the past few years I have featured several flashlights and battery powered lighting units and here’s another from StreamLight: The Siege AA is a 6-inch high light operating up to 36-hours on three AA size batteries. It offers three white powers and a red steady and blinking light as well. The base has 3-magnets that allow the light to be used as an auto-emergency blinker, it sticks strongly to any iron part on a vehicle. It has a top and bottom hanger hooks, can be dropped from 3-meters up, its IPX Waterproof and it floats. This light is for the outdoors-man and woman, campers, hikers, kayaker’s, hunters take heart; this is your light-period! On low light setting it can go for 37-hours straight on three AA batteries. I love that it floats, and is waterproof, but I also really like the fact that it can be an excellent red S.O.S emergency light that can save lives too! With Five modes of different operational abilities, this light is a must have in, or out of the home to light your way, in or out of emergencies during blackouts and from storm outages. Go: www.streamlight.com and also ask your sports store if they are available and if the salesman or owner says they don’t have it, ask “why not?”

Climb Aboard, No More Little Ones Falling Behind on Any Trip When Using the PiggyBack Rider

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Safe and sound, the young “bar rider” is standing pretty on his dads back area. Supported by dads core strength the weight is so perfectly distributed that dad can do this all day long!
Contact PIGGYBACK RIDER for your own brochure with all details@ info@fullsailintl.com
Contact PIGGYBACK RIDER for your own brochure with all details@ info@fullsailintl.com

APtravelnews– December 27th, Port St Lucie, FL – Bob & Barb —we were at the International Gift Exposition in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and met a dad comfortably walking the aisles with his son. What immediately came to mind was: “No dad, my feet are tired” “OK  where is my son now” the young boy was riding piggy back while standing up just behind his dads back. I chatted with this father and asked him where he purchased this PiggyBack Rider and why? He confirmed what I was already thinking: He said that these days, when out on the trail or going shopping (when he has to) he wants to know where his child is at all times. He takes a ferry, he travels, goes kite flying, fly fishing and enjoys a whole array or outdoor pursuits and wants to share this with his son. When his child gets tired and complains his feet are hurting, voila this PiggyBack Rider allows him to stop the whining and let them both enjoy the journey, short or as long as it might be.

At this writing, I now can think of dozens of reasons why this dad invented it and mom approved! American ingenuity at its best, this item is great for children 2 and half years old, and older kids up to 60-pounds in weight. The PiggyBack Rider is the worlds first and only, standing child carrier, and it functions similar to a standard backpack. The unit has a shoulder-strap mounted sturdy aluminum foot bar. With integrated grab handles and a safety harness for security. The excellent idea works just excellent! In use, the child’s weight is distributed at your body core, allowing a natural upright walking posture, while children love the height advantage, rest and quality time with their mom, dad, or relative.  A great reason for using this carrier is that it’s also a platform for a child to be able to bond and learn about all manner of outdoor pursuits, safely! Dad and mom can show and tell in hobbies such as bird watching, fishing, archery as just a few examples as well as a child have a great advantage in viewing street events like parades and visits to the zoo, etc.

The padded unit with a chest strap,  features four secure hand holds, and a child safety harness that tethers to the carrier as well as also sporting a wide spaced bar for stability. This carrier is designed as a unisex item, so mom or dad can use it. The whole item is only 3-pounds-about the size of a rolled up towel and fits in a custom carry bag.

See my next post showing some Hollywood movie folks enjoying their unit, while their kids are enjoying being up close with mom and dad and loving it!  Take a look at their website: www.piggybackRider.com or go ahead and order at: 301-541-3744 also go info@piggybackrider.com  and go “ride the bar.” They have new colors and there are Deluxe models and standard models.

Imagine never have to stop and wait while your child dawdles and doesn't keep up on hike or at the zoo!
Imagine never have to stop and wait while your child dawdles and doesn’t keep up on hike or at the zoo!