Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is the largest city in Western North Carolina. It is a beautiful mountain city on the east side of the Smoky Mountains. The University of North Carolina, Asheville has a campus here which gives the area a college vibe. The beauty of this area is indescribable. It certainly didn't hurt that we arrived just at the peak of the fall colors.


We stayed at Bear Creek RV Park & Campground
81 South Bear Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 253-0798
camping@ashevillebearcreek.com

Amenities include…
Full hookups
Tent areas
Wi-Fi (signal was hit and miss)
Cable TV
Swimming pool (seasonal)
Playground
Laundry

All of the sites are paved and you will find that some are wider and/or longer than others. The majority of the campground is on a hill but the bottom is mostly flat and fully wheelchair accessible. We chose a spot at the top to take advantage of the view. The entire campground would be accessible in a scooter. The campground is located at the South-West corner of Asheville. Other than freeway access, there is nothing close by and a vehicle is necessary.

There are quite a few interesting and fun things to do while you are in Asheville. Although our primary mission for the trip was to find a new location to live, we did manage to do a few touristy things.

THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY


The Blue Ridge Parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parkway is America's longest linear Park. It runs 469 miles through North Carolina and Virginia. Although the Blue Ridge Pkwy. is not an actual "National Park", the land on either side of the road is owned and maintained by the National Parks Services. Construction began during Pres. Franklin D Roosevelt's administration, September 11, 1935.  It took 52 years to complete. Originally called America's Scenic Highway, the name was changed by Congress to the Blue Ridge Pkwy.

While in the area make sure you take an amazing scenic drive through the Blue Ridge Pkwy. It's hundreds of miles of jaw dropping gorgeous. Be prepared for nonstop picture taking. We couldn't get enough and did the drive twice. Once at the beginning of our stay and one at the end. Each time was completely different. My husband is a cyclist and went back for a long ride through the breathtaking beauty.

Along the route you will find several designated viewpoints to safely get out of your car. The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center is accessible to wheelchairs but some of the amenities may not be. There is a Park Ranger there so you can learn more of the history and buy plenty of souvenirs. Parking, scenic views, and the visitor center are easily accessible. There are also hiking trails and a picnic area(unsure of accessibility). Due to freezing of the bridges, certain areas of the park are closed to vehicles during winter. I recommend a visit during Fall(Leaf Season). Make sure you bring proper attire as it gets cold as you go up the parkway.  Make sure the camera is fully charged with plenty of disk space.






BILTMORE ESTATE

The Biltmore Estate is the largest privately owned residence in the United States. The mansion was built by George Washington Vanderbilt in 1895. The architecture, antiques and gardens are stunning.



* Advice… If you are a wheelchair user or someone with limited mobility, you will be told to have someone drop you off at the mansion and then drive back down, park your car and take the shuttle back. The trip will take that person up to 45 minutes. After touring the mansion someone will have to take the shuttle back, get your car and take you to the gardens. In the rebel spirit we parked in the lot behind the Gardens and toured the gardens first. We walked from the Gardens to the Mansion. A scooter could easily navigate the walk but a manual chair would probably need assistance on the hills.

The mansion does have an elevator that was built for Vanderbelt's mother. However, one of the floors is inaccessible and another is closed to the public. They have a video tour of what you missed (It is more of a slideshow and it feels a bit cheesy). The wheelchair discounted price is around $50. A two day pass is available but personally I don't think it's necessary. Also, if you have hearing or visual limitations you are able to take the audio tour for FREE. Wine-tasting is also available. You have to drive a couple of miles to the winery, which was originally a dairy farm. The wine tasting is really more of sampling before you buy. THE GOOD NEWS IS… they don't seem to limit your samples. The winery, mall, and parking were easily accessible. There is an elevator in the winery to get to the tasting room and store.

 Arrive early to avoid the crowds.

BILTMORE MALL

The Biltmore Mall is an outdoor mall with shops, restaraunts, book store, movie theatre, and more. It is completly accessible and even has a water fountain for dogs.

DUPONT FOREST
The Dupont Forest is in between Hendersonville and Brevard. It has amazing beauty, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. There are trails of all types. From narrow trails that can be difficult in spots to groomed fire roads that would be no problem for a scooter and mostly accessible to a rugged manual chair with assistance. I am not 100% sure but my understanding is that some of these roads are opened to vehicles as well.

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS
Neo Burrito – Biltmore mall, Asheville
Vinnys Italian restaurant – 641 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville
Flat Rock Wood Room BBQ - 1501 Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville




BLACK MOUNTAIN
Black Mountain is a small town close to Asheville. You will find a lot of shops and restaurants. I highly recommend lunch at Black Mountain Bistro. They have a killer chicken berry salad. I swear that I would drive across the country just to have that salad again!

Nashville, Tennessee

A MUSIC LOVERS DREAM…

We stayed at the Nashville KOA

Nashville KOA
2626 Music Valley Dr.
Nashville, TN
(615)889-0286
(800)562-7789
www.nashvillekoa.com






I feel so fortunate that we found this place. It's friendly, clean and the sites are large.

Amenities include…
Full hookups
Large big rig sites
Cabins and tent areas
Wi-Fi
Cable TV
Pool and playground
Showers
Café
Shuttle (the shuttle DOES NOT have a wheelchair lift)

** Try to arrive during daylight because the park is dark.

They don't call this music city for nothing. The RV park is located around the corner from the Grand Ole Opry. Downtown you will find The Country Music Hall of Fame. (When you visit the Hall of Fame I recommend using the audio tour). With the use of an elevator, the entire exhibit is fully accessible. Carve out at least four hours in order to take it all in. The cost of the Hall of Fame is approximately $30. You can add a visit to the famous RCA Studio B for about $10 more.





The Country Music Hall of Fame
222 Fifth Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
(615)416-2001

RCA Studio B

1611 Roy Acuff Place

Nashville, TN 37246
(615)416-2001

Downtown is full of great honky-tonks, bars and restaurants, where you will find great food, fun people, and free live music.

Word of advice...
Downtown is full of steep hills. Try to get dropped off at the door or be prepared for quite a workout. If you do not use the shuttle, public parking is about $7.

Other Nashville attractions include...
The Andrew Jackson museum
Civil War sites
The zoo
Shopping
And of course, FOOD

Located just steps away from the RV park you will find
Cock Of The Walk (Southern fried... Everything)
I highly recommend this Nashville gem. 

 

We stopped in Nasheville for a day, to break up the cross country drive. Next time through, we plan to stay longer, to take in more of the numerous attractions.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

It was an easy drive on I-40 from Albuquerque, NM, until we got to Oklahoma City. The freeway junctions had multiple options and even with gps it was difficult at times to pick the correct one.

We stayed at the Twin Fountains RV Resort.
2727 NE 63rd St, Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 475-5514
http://www.twinfountainsrvpark.com/directions.html

The amenities include…
Full hookups
Pull through and back in cement spaces
Each space includes barbecue, picnic table,large grassy area and trees
Wi-Fi
Seasonal pool and spa
Playground
Miniature golf
Fishing pond
Laundry
Convenient store
Pizza
Shuttle

I found this park to be very clean and quiet. The staff. was super friendly.

**  Note for people with accessibility issues
This park is on rolling hills however they do have spaces available at the entrance which are perfectly flat.

RV in rolling hills spot

Lower flat spots

And the absolute must see is The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
1700 N.E. 63rd Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111
(405) 478-2250

It is extremely close to Twin Fountains RV Resort.

The entire museum is completely accessible and all on one level. Arrive early, there is a lot to see.

Don't be afraid of eating at the museum. The prices are reasonable and the food was pretty good.

Ryker

This post is left in memory of our beloved family member and best traveling buddy.

 
Rest In Peace, Ryker. (November 2000 – April 2014 )
You were an extraordinary friend!

Ryker was born at Guide dogs of America in Sylmar, California. He was breed  and taught to be a guide. After successful completion and graduation he became a working guide dog. He became a seeing eye dog for a blind man in Southern California. After Ryker's retirement he came to live with us. It took some time, but he soon learned that he could just be a dog and have fun! He loved people, other dogs and cats. His favorite snacks where apples and carrots. His favorite activities were going for walks and swimming. However, Ryker's most favorite thing of all was (his baby) a stuffed monkey!!
 
Ryker always knew when we were preparing and packing for a trip in the motorhome. When he heard the motor of the RV he became so happy and excited. He loved to travel to new places with his family

 
After Ryker's  passing I realized that he never actually retired he only change careers. He spent every moment with me. His eyes were always glued on me as I pushed my wheelchair through doorways, over bumps and up ramps. He made me laugh and was always there to kiss away tears. He was my constant companion and extraordinary friend. I am forever grateful and feel completely blessed to have shared time with such a wonderful boy!  Ryker will be forever missed…

Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins is a wonderful city located on The Front Range in Northern Colorado.  It is found about 60 miles north of Denver, Colorado and 40 miles south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Originally, Fort Collins was founded as a military outpost for the United States but today it is the home of Colorado State University.

Money Magazine rated Fort Collins as "The best place to live". I can see why! Everything feels a bit slower and relaxed. Everyone I ran into was extremely nice. You will see Christmas trees growing in everyone's front yard. The air felt so clean, and the sky is the most intense shade of blue with big white fluffy clouds. You would think it was created in the Walt Disney Studios.

I had been here before but loved it so much I had to come back. The first time I  stayed at the Hilton. I would highly recommend that hotel but this is a blog about RV travel. So this time we stayed at…

Fort Collins Lakeside Resort
1910 Lakeside Resort Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80524
800-562-9068

It is a KOA and they seem to have it all.
Full hookups
Large sites (75 foot max length)
Wi-Fi
Cable TV
Cement patio
BBQ
Picnic table
Dog Run
Convenient store
Propane
Laundry
Snack bar
Lake
Paddle & Bumper Boats
Pool
Volleyball
Basketball
Miniature Golf
Playground
Bike rentals
and more

This facility offers everything from camping right on the lake to a more private sites. We had a site with a view of the lake. My impression is there is not a bad site in the place.



My advice to a wheelchair user or someone with limited mobility…
Gravels roads in the RV park were a bit difficult with my skinny tire chair. My chair with fatter tires was much better. A scooter might be even better.

Also, the dog run does not have a light so at night, watch your paws.


If you seriously want to do something special that most places don't have anymore… Visit the drive-in movie theater. Yes, Fort Collins still has a drive-in movie theater.

Holiday Twin Drive-In
2206 Overland Trail, Fort Collins
(970) 221-1244

When We got to the ticket booth to pay for the movie our dog was spotted in the backseat. After being asked "Do you have a dog"? We were sure that we would be asked to leave. My husband came clean and send "No, we have two". We were given our tickets, two dog cookies and told to enjoy the show. It was truly a great night for all of us!!

Turns out that Fort Collins is an extremely dog friendly town. People take their dogs everywhere. At most places dogs are welcome to join you for outside dining. There might even be water bowls for them.

Don't miss Old Town Fort Collins.



All types of wonderful restaurants, bars and fabulous shopping.
Day and nighttime fun!!

The sidewalks are well-maintained and completely accessible. Most restaurants and shops are also accessible. A lot of the restaurants have outdoor dining. There is plenty of accessible parking on the street.

If you are a beer drinker or just curious, Fort Collins is the place to be.
From beer tasting to touring the breweries. Fort Collins even has beer tasting bike tours!!

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs is a beautiful city with incredible outdoor activities. Its located on the south east side of the Rocky Mountains in the state of Colorado. From almost everywhere you can enjoy beautiful views of Pike's Peak. This is a big city that gets congested during peak hours, so plan your outings accordingly.

We stayed at:
Garden of the Gods RV Resort.
3704 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs
(719) 475-9450

Amenities:
Full hookups
Wi-Fi
Cable TV
BBQ
Picnic table
Dog friendly
Off leash dog park
Convenient store
Lounge
Tent area
Cabins

The sites are large, level and well-maintained. The staff is super friendly and very helpful.

** Be aware that if your a wheelchair user or someone with mobility issues that although the roads are paved, the sites are gravel.


A couple of the attractions:

The Olympic Training Center
1750 E Boulder St, Colorado Springs, CO
719-866-4618

The Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center rests on a 35-acre complex located near downtown Colorado Springs. The center has sport venues and support facilities for fencing, gymnastics, judo, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling. Athletes live and train at this facility.

I highly recommend this interesting stop. It is completely wheelchair accessible. This is a FREE experience. Guided tours run all day long. Also, free parking with a lot of handicapped accessible spaces.


Garden of the Gods National Park
1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, CO
(719) 634-6666

This beautiful park is completely accessible by foot, wheelchair, scooter or car.
The terrain is completely paved however some spots are quite steep. There is also a lot of unpaved area for hiking.

 
"Wonder how the Garden of the Gods in Colorado was named? In August, 1859, two surveyors started out from Denver to begin a town site, to be called Colorado City. While exploring locations, they came upon a beautiful area of sandstone formations. M.S. Beach suggested that it would be “a capital place for a beer garden,” when the country grew up. His companion, Rufus Cable, exclaimed, “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.” The name stuck.

How did an area of such national significance become a city park? The answer to that question is a story of friendship, of strong commitment to the common good and of children fulfilling their father’s dream. This part of the story begins in 1879 when General William Jackson Palmer, founder of the city of Colorado Springs, convinced his good friend, Charles Elliott Perkins to buy 240 acres of land known as the Garden of the Gods. In 1899, Perkins purchased another 240 areas and in his letters to General Palmer, expressed his desire to donate his 480 acres to the City of Colorado Springs. Perkins was undoubtedly influenced by General Palmer, who already had donated more than 1,000 acres of his own land to become public city park lands.

In 1907, Charles Perkins died before he had officially arranged for the Garden of the Gods in Colorado to become a public park. However, knowing their father’s wish for the Garden, Perkins’ children deeded the 480-acre Garden of the Gods to the City of Colorado Springs on December 22, 1909, with the stipulation that it remain “free to the entire world".

Mammoth Lakes, California (2013)

It's always helpful to have multiple drivers…



We made it back to Mammoth Lakes in the beautiful High Sierras of California. I have blogged about this area before so I will try not to repeat myself.

Once again, we stayed at the Mammoth RV park. The park offers everything from tents to cabins to full hook up RV camping. In the wooded section you will be on dirt with a little gravel, pine needles and pine cones. Rolling would be easier with fatter tires or a power chair. However, they do offer sites that are on cement and are much more accommodating to someone with mobility limitations.

Mammoth RV Park
www.mammothrv.com

We arrived at night. The RV park was not well lit and the hookups are hard to see. Fortunately, an RV park employee happened to wander by and offer his assistance.

Mammoth Lakes, California has paved trails throughout the town. There are also an abundance of dirt trails. Some are very rugged but many are smoother hard pack. A rugged manual chair, scooter or power wheelchair would be helpful. Remember this is a mountain community. The up and downhill grades vary.

On this trip we toured the lakes in Mammoth. We went to and drove around Lake Crowley, Lake Mary, Convict and June Lake. Outstanding views everywhere.

We also spent time visiting some favorite restaurants…

The Smokeyard BBQ in the village
Giovanni's Pizza
Roberto's Mexican restaurant

All three restaurants are yummy!!!. At Roberto's, if you want to try a margarita I recommend the pomegranate.

Travel day. Bend to Mammoth Lakes

For the drive from Oregon to Mammoth Lakes, California we decided to take US-97 to OR-39/CA-139, to US-395. This was the route recommended by the Good Sam RV Route Planner.

We were wrong! My recommendation is not to take this path. Oh, it was great at the beginning but is soon as we hit Nevada the fun stopped! More often than I could count, the freeway diverted through some sort of pop up town. Highway speeds became 20 mile an hour school zone speed. At one point, the freeway completely ended and the rest of the drive was through the mountains with semi-trucks on a single lane road.

Because of all the different diversions our 9-hour trip took over 12-hours.
So unless…
* You enjoy highway names and numbers changing at a whim.
* You never want to use your cruise control because of the speed fluctuations.
* You enjoy never ending pop-up towns.
* You want to drive the scary mountain road with semi trucks in the dark.
* You don't mind spending an extra three hours on your drive.
And, most importantly…
* You don't mind the possible trip to DIVORCE COURT.

Then I highly recommend an alternate route or just "Keep calm and carry on"

Bend, Oregon (CrownVilla RV Resort)

If I said nothing else it would be..…"WOW"!! Oregon is so beautiful you would swear it was kissed by God. Bend is located in Central Oregon. Although, when I think of Oregon I also think of rain. That is not so much the case in Bend. They enjoy all four seasons but it's relatively moderate.

We stayed at the Crown Villa RV Resort. It is 5-Star amazing! The entire facility is wheelchair friendly. The landscaping is perfect. All sites have brick pavers and a large grassy area with beautiful trees on both sides. However, the resort is located in a residential area and you will need a car to get to restaurants and everything else.

The amenities include:
Full hookups
Bistro table and chairs
Lockable brick storage garage
Daily newspaper delivered to your front door
Wi-Fi
Tennis court
Horseshoes
Shuffleboard
Spa
Lounge
Laundry facility
Etc.

Crown Villa RV Resort
60801 Brosterhous Road

Bend, Oregon 97702
(541)388–1131 or (866)500–5300
www.crownvillarvresort.com

** Important info.
Get directions from the resort. Don't use your GPS directions because it will take you under a low bridge.

My only gripe about Crowne Villa was the Wi-Fi was hit and miss.

WHAT TO DO:

* Take a beautiful drive up Cascade Highway to Mt. Bachelor and Twins Lakes.

* Explore the Deschutes River Trail. The upper part is paved and easily accessible. There is also a dirt trail that goes along the river. From what I could see it looked smooth and accessible.

 

* Visit The High Desert Museum.

It is a rehabilitative facility for injured animals that can longer survive in the wild. They have wonderful exhibits, fascinating wildlife, living history and riveting educational programs. Have a close-up encounter with eagles, owls, and other birds of prey. You can also see a lynx, a bobcat and more.

** The upper main building is completely wheelchair friendly. In this building you will find tours, exhibits, a gift shop and plenty more. Outside the terrain is rough and steep. I recommend a strong assistant or a power chair for the outside parts.

* Spend a day in downtown Bend
You will find ice cream, pizza, great restaurants and lots of shopping. I recommend Pizza Mondo. Downtown Bend is easily accessible with a wheelchair or walker. The area is relatively flat with good curb cutouts. In the middle of downtown you will find the Tower Theater. It's a beautifully restored Art Deco building where they still show live theater.

* Drive to Sisters
Sisters, Oregon is beyond beautiful. Make sure you get some yummy stuff from the Sisters Bakery.

While driving through sisters we took a wrong turn. It was the most wonderful mistake ever! We found ourselves in the middle of the Deschutes National Forest.

The Dee Wright Observatory at the top of the lava field