NC Accessible Waterfalls

 If you just want waterfall info, skip a few paragraphs.

Tossing my backpack in the rear of the Jeep, I climbed up behind the steering wheel and drove off in a Northwest direction, Casey Kasem giving me the top 40 countdown from 1977. The sounds of Fleetwood Mac, Andy Gibb, Rod Stewart and KC and the Sunshine Band carried me through the SC countryside.

I crossed the Little Saluda and braked hard at Bojangles. With my biscuit firm in hand, I zig zagged along the Saluda River and took a hard right North bound over Mulberry Creek. I caught my first glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains just prior to crossing Little Crowe Creek.

I took a nail-biting left at a hairpin turn at the notorious Bad Creek. Pulled over to take in the scenic view with some leather-skinned bikers, nodded Chevy Chase fashion and rolled on in to Cashiers NC.

I narrowly escaped all the gift shops and art galleries and motored out the other side towards a condo rental on Lake Toxaway where I later discovered both a waterfall and sunrise were right off my balcony. Being an early riser, every day was a new delight.

Family members descended and unpacked along with me, marveling in the luxury of this high-end condo, we of the hillbilly heart.

First on our agenda was an afternoon of waterfalls. Well, after lunch slope-side at the bottom of a dry ski slope. We drove out of Cashiers on 64W and visited four roadside waterfalls, mostly accessible for the elderly.

Bridal Veil was first with a small parking area. We could walk under the falls and we enjoyed stretching our legs. Wheelchair accessible. 

Dry Falls was next. Large parking area with an outhouse. There was a beautiful view of the falls just a few steps down a ramp, wheelchair accessible. Beautiful view where I first discovered the flowers of the Mountain Magnolia tree. (Fraser Magnolia)

There were ramps and steps to go down to the falls. At 60, 70 and 80 years of age, we avoided that.

Next on the route was Quarry Falls. There was room on the edge of the road to pull over, but no real parking area. We had to climb up rocks, 4 or 5 steps, to get a gorgeous view. The 84-year-old with a cane could not handle the rocks, but the rest of us easily did. Not wheelchair accessible.

And the last falls of this journey was Cullasaja Falls. Again, no real parking area, just pull over roadside. Beautiful view again, but perilously near traffic. Not wheelchair accessible due to traffic. I mean, you can try...... 

We went on into Highlands, NC and did a little shopping.

The next day found us taking a waterfall boat tour on Lake Glenville, a thirty minute drive out of Cashiers. It is expensive, but worth every penny. This was the highlight of our trip. In the first week of May, it was very cold on the lake, but the captain had warned us, so we were prepared.

Captain Mark is an excellent tour guide. He told us about lake history, the bald eagles that nest here every year, and all about the nature of the Highlands Cashiers Plateau. We saw eaglets peeking out from a huge bald eagles nest.

Captain Mark motored us around four private waterfalls that can't be seen any other way. We ended the tour and went to lunch at Happ's Place for the excellent Sunday Buffet featuring the best prime rib ever.

With full bellies, we hit the road back to Cashiers to find Whitewater Falls. The gps was a little off, but thankfully there were signs pointing the way. There is a 1/2 mile paved uphill trail to another view of beautiful waterfalls. There were 153 steps beyond that to a second view for those so inclined. The 20 and 40 year old in our group took the steps and reported a great view. The 60 year olds just went up the walkway to the first view. The 70 and 80 year olds waited in the car. Theoretically, you could push a wheelchair up to the view, but it would be difficult and you'd risk them getting out of control and rolling back down hill. So I'd say NOT wheelchair accessible.

After Whitewater Falls, we went back to our luxury condo overlooking the falls and relaxed for the night. All in all, this is a great itinerary for those who don't want to hike much.

If you like hiking, check out Gorges State Park. There is a tiny hike to Upper Bear Wallow Falls, but I only went halfway because I was alone and I thought a bear might get me. So I backed out slowly. Of course nothing would compare to the bear we saw up close in Alaska.

If you want to extend your trip, visit Brevard, NC and Pisgah Forest. 

All of these waterfalls can be found on your gps maps. 

Enjoy!

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge & Campbell's Covered Bridge

Editor's Note: The flowering bridge was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024. Check to see if they've rebuilt before you go.

The short story:  Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, 3070 Memorial Drive, Lake Lure, North Carolina. Great place to stop for an hour. We made this part of our day trip from Charlotte. We stopped for lunch and shopping at the Chimney Rock Village and also went over to the Campbell's Covered Bridge on the other side of Landrum, SC. This made a wonderful day trip for the mobile impaired. For those a little younger, go ahead and visit Chimney Rock.

I don't recommend Old Rock Cafe' unless you just getting a burger and fries or potato salad. All the other stuff we had was not good. It did have great outdoor seating over the river. Next time I will try Riverwalk bar and grill which also has great outdoor seating and looked much better.

Another two stops you might consider in this area is the Ellaberry Llama Farm and maybe getting some pictures of the giant bulls at Puncheon Camp Ranch. We didn't do either of these and I cannot review them.

Campbell's Covered Bridge is a must see for those who love the old bridges. It was updated in 2022 or 23. There are some picnic tables and a big hill you can climb with some benches around it. The walk down to the bridge is moderate but not exactly wheelchair friendly. It is paved, but it is steep. We had some 80-year-olds walk it with the use of a cane. The river is a great place for kids to stick their toes in the water.

The Long Story: So we jumped on 85 South heading out of Charlotte, quietly crossing the Irwin and Stewart Creeks and I finally crossed the Catawba again a little North of where I usually do. Thought about Nana and the many times I crossed the Catawba to see her.

We motored on and took a right on highway 74, waved to Eva out our left window at Gardner-Webb University and crossed the Broad River. We took a hard right on highway 9, sneaked over the Walnut Creek then we snaked around Lake Lure way up to the tippy top and crossed the Broad again.

When I firmly put the car in park, we were at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. The bridge was built in the early 1900s and then shut down when a new bridge was built next to it. Soon after that they revitalized the bridge and turned it into a garden.

We were there in early April and there wasn't a lot in bloom, but the gardens were adorable and beautiful. It was a lovely walk.

There is a Rainbow Bridge where you can memorialize your belated dog by hanging it's collar on the railing.

We then drove into Chimney Rock Village, driving perilously close to Bat Cave, NC, home of the North Carolina's Oldest Hillbilly.

We unfortunately ate at the Old Rock Cafe. We ordered the wraps (at the counter, no wait staff), but they were out of wraps. I got the pimento cheese sandwich which was spicy and just ok and I got the potato salad which was yummy. The burgers and fries were yummy. There's beautiful outdoor seating over the river with access to the Stony Riverwalk. Great place for kids to run around 

We shopped some of the cute gift shops and jumped back into the car to cross into SC, blow through Landrum, and zig zag into the Campbell's Covered Bridge parking lot. 

Mom and dad made it down the steep walkway and we enjoyed the shade and cool breeze inside the bridge as we walked through.

This was a great day trip from Charlotte. And you would even have time climb up to Chimney Rock if you so desire. I strongly recommend it as the view is outstanding.

Perfect Evening in London

Taking the tube to the Waterloo stop, my daughter and I began enjoying our first night in London. Buses to the London Eye include the 211, 77 and 381 and you can also get there via water taxi to the Millennium Pier stop.  It was appropriately drizzly out, not too bad.  We walked around the London Eye area snapping pictures of the Thames and Big Ben.  St. Paul's and Tate Modern are also in this area, but we didn't visit either.

We had reserved fast track skip-the-line tickets for the London Eye and got on quickly.  It was pretty awesome......

8 Top Things to Do in Linville Falls, NC

The town of Linville Falls, NC is an intersection, really, at Hwy. 221 and Hwy. 183, anchored by Famous Louise's Rock House restaurant.   The Linville Gorge is an awesome place to spend a few days.  My husband and his friends like to backpack in it for days at a stretch.  My brother likes to fly fish for trout in the Linville River, Wilson Creek and South Holston.

But there is something for everyone, including great grandma with her walker or wheelchair and the person with two toddlers and a baby stroller.

chicken pot pie at Spear's Grill

Here are my preferences on what to do in this area........

Grandfather Mountain, Boone NC

"5,946 feet up on a mountain, you enter a different world."

We visited Grandfather Mountain over Memorial Day Weekend.  The park is a great day trip for the family.  Easy to navigate for young, old and handicapped.  Great hiking trails, awesome views.  Entry is a little costly, but worth it for the upkeep of the park, $15 per person, kids are cheaper.

Upon entry, we received a CD which was a great audio tour as we went through the park. 


Take a picnic lunch, lots of water and wear comfy shoes.  Your first stop most likely will be Sphinx and Split Rocks, a 15 minute stop.  The views are just incredible....

Thankful for Family

- OK. Get a box of tissues.

I was cleaning out my recipe box (I know, right?!!) when I came across my neglected and battered and splattered "Recipe X" recipe. Memories came flooding back: laughter, tears, hand clapping. My sister-in-law, Nancy, loved Recipe X, in fact, I think she named it. And whenever I think of Nancy, she's got her head thrown back, laughing and smashing her hands together in a huge clap.
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Staring at my splattered Recipe X card I thought about it's inception. I had this odd concoction I'd throw together every so often when we needed something sweet, really sweet to eat. Nancy fell in love with it and required it almost everytime we visited. On one visit we decided it needed a name and together we settled on "Recipe X." Pictured: Glen, Marilyn, Bobby, Nancy, Tommy-
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Nancy had MS. She was already in a wheelchair when I entered the family. She enjoyed a perfectly healthy, lively life until around 18 or 19 when her legs started their own rebellion. By 21, 22? she was permanently in a wheelchair requiring, many times, her own brothers to assist her in public restrooms, among other things. Unspeakable humility and love.
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In the early years of my life as a Sliker, we took Nancy to hear her favorite band. I watched my new husband grab his sister's wheelchair, roll her onto the dance floor and dance, chair spinning, whirling and wheelie-ing to the tune of her laughter. Nancy laughed. A lot.
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I smoothed the tattered recipe card on the counter, pressing out the wrinkles, smiling, crying. Nancy was a party waiting to happen. Always "in" for a good time. Always giving you a "thumbs up" from across the room.
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My husband was pushing his sister down a grassy hill, trying to cross a muddy creek. Nancy was screaming at him, torn between laughter and fear. We were taking a short cut in our walk to the pizza joint (you know it!). "Tommy just take me back, I think we need to go back!" Tom kept tugging and pushing, "You said you wanted pizza, you're gonna get pizza."
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He sludged (is that a word?) the chair across the creek and pushed it up the opposite bank, mud squirting off the wheels. As we ate pizza across a table in a noisy pizzeria, I never dreamed this wouldn't last forever. That's me. Always thinking life as-it-is will last forever. I'm learning though, I'm learning fast that nothing lasts forever and life is short, people are precious.
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Tommy used to stack all his toys on "Nat Nat's" lap. I can't remember why. That's how she played, I guess. There's a new book out "Crazy Love" that everyone seems to be reading. When I think of Crazy Love, I think of the love Tom had for his sister. It was just crazy. The things he did were crazy. I remember once he rented a Hoyer lift and got her in our swimming pool. I can still see her in that lift, dangling over the water, swaying. We laughed so hard. Once in the water, she didn't like it and got out quickly. I imagine it was terrifying to be in the water knowing that if you go under you can't get yourself out.



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Nancy ended up in bed for her last few years, rarely getting up and out, still smiling, still partying and still giving the thumbs up. She had a strong faith in Jesus Christ and I know she's in Heaven now, she died in August of 2002, way, way, way too young.
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Here's her brother Bobby with some nieces and nephews at one of her last birthday parties, maybe the last one. We had no earthly idea Bobby would die just over a year later. And then Marilyn would die in May of 2009. Tom's 46 years old and has lost three siblings. His parents have buried three children.
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I wrote about grief after Marilyn died. And today, while this recipe has brought memories which led to grief, I am ultimately thankful and so grateful for family and for the times we have together. I appreciate time. For Christmas all I want is to consume the time, devour it, value it, cherish it, wallow in it.... spend it wisely, but spend it, don't let it pass by unnoticed and unappreciated. It's going to come and go, don't let it get past you - grab it and ride it like a maniac. I said it before and will say it again:
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"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming 'What a ride!!'"

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." - Jesus

Nancy knew that.
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I'd love to hear your Nancy stories, drop me a comment.

NC: Winston-Salem 18th Century Old Salem

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So I crossed the Catawba again, picked up my Nana, buzzed through Rowan County, crossed the Yadkin and didn't stop til we hit the Old Salem Tavern in the 18th Century Village of Old Salem, Winston-Salem, NC.

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I wasn't perfectly at ease until I got my Bratwurst Platter fully ordered. Then I leaned back in my 1784 chair and cut Nana loose.

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"Ohhh," she began, "We never made it up here. We started out one morning around 1979 with Becky and Harold, but we had to turn back because your grandfather got sick."

(Harold and Becky on a similar road trip, way,way before 1979, but way, way after 1784.)
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I loved hearing Nana talk about the old days. I had anguished whether I should take this trip. I thought Nana'd love hitting the road and busting out of the Assisted Living for a day or two. But gas... mileage... upcoming trips to Charlotte weighed me down. Cars breaking down at home, end-of-the-quarter work in my "to-do" pile... It didn't seem like I should go. But I did. It was the right decision.--

I had never been to Old Salem either. Gram had unusually high energy that day and we had a great time. Old Salem is not handicap friendly. In an effort to re-create 18th century life as it was, the buildings have not been altered for wheelchair accessability. The people at the Visitor's Center were extremely friendly and helpful in advising me as to which exhibits Gram could possibly get into and which had too many stairs for her to climb.

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We got into the Hat Shop above and barely made it into the Bakery, here to the right. Those were three, rough, high, wet steps for Gram to climb, but she did it.
Employees and other visitors were very helpful to us.

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"Founded in 1766 by the Moravians, a Protestant faith that began in what is now known as the Czech Republic, the restored town of Salem is a vision of life in a congregational community in the early American South. Costumed tradesmen and women re-create life by producing essential goods like tools, ceramics, furniture, and metals using traditional practices of long ago. The Moravian Church and Salem residents kept meticulous records and accounts of their lives, allowing Old Salem Museums and Gardens to accurately restore the remaining original bldgs. and to tell the stories of those who lived and worked in Salem." [oldsalem.org]

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Most exhibits in the historic area require an All-in-One Salem ticket which you can get at the visitor center. Children 5 and under are free. None of the buildings we went in required a ticket, they were all free.
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These final photos are from the Winkler Bakery. Bread, cookies and other baked goods are still made in this wood-fired oven. We watched a fellow bake and he gave us a bite from a hot loaf of Moravian Sweet Bread. To die for. He then handed me a whole loaf which I purchased upon exit.
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Lookey to the right, way back on the counter - those are the sweet breads.... cooling.
The town is set up within a few cobblestone blocks, worth strolling through on a leisurely day. It was raining and misty for us and we couldn't use the wheelchair on the cobblestone, so we drove through slowly, parked and got out several times.
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If you're within an hour's drive, take a little trip to Old Salem. It's a wonderful way to spend the day. I can't wait to go back and take Eva.

Asheville, NC, Ski Trip

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So I took the kids skiing last weekend. Isn't this shot of Patti ultra cool?!

We went north of Asheville, NC, to Wolf Ridge. First, let me tell you, the website looks better than the real thing, which is often the case. The trail map shows an entire world that doesn't seem to exist or maybe was closed. Or maybe we just overlooked it. And the tubing? No, honey, don't plan to tube. It's a mile or two away from the ski area and is a very short hill. Also, my son estimates the slope to be that of a wheelchair ramp. We just laughed & laughed & laughed about their idea of tubing.
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That said, I have to admit this ski resort had it's appeal. It seemed like a rink-i-dink mom & pop operation, but sometimes that's just what you need. We didn't have to wait in lines, didn't have to dodge people on the slopes, didn't have to fight for a table in the lodge, etc. The rates were far cheaper than what I saw on the website, so I was pleased.

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If you're looking for a family atmosphere with slopes adequate for a couple days of fun, this is a great place to go. If you want to spend most of your time actually skiing, go here. If you want to pack in your own snacks, go here. If you like canteen food, go here. If you are an expert skiier, don't go here. If you like fancy resorts and lodges, don't go here. If you like yummy grills and hot drinks, don't go here.


Since there was no tubing, Patti decided to put Eva on skis. I was amazed. Eva picked it up quickly. She never learned how to stop though.
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It was Eden's first time skiing also. She was unstoppable. She did the bunny slope just a couple times and went right up to the top, coming down the medium slopes. Then she did it again and again and again. She skiied the maximum amount of time. 1-10 pm, then 11 - 4 the next day. We left her with Tommy the first night at 5:00 when the slopes closed briefly. We went to dinner and Patti took Eva back to the motel for bed. Dad & I returned to the ski resort thinking we'd find Eden resting in the lodge, cozied up to the fire, while Tommy skiied maniacally. But no, Eden wasn't resting. She was a maniac, too.
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Here's Tommy when he was on the snowboard instead of skiis. He found this little bump where he could get some air.
Reminded me of when we were mountain biking in Utah, it's almost the same pose.
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And here's Marj. She had planned to snowboard, but decided to ski and loved it. But she was a little sick on day one and very, very, very sick on day two. She spent most of day two sleeping in the lodge with her head on a table, but managed to go out and ski a few times with her sister while I kept Eva.
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As soon as we got home, I got sick. I can't imagine skiing when I feel like this, but she did.

Click here if you'd like to see more photos from the trip.
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Mom and dad drove over from Charlotte and visited with us a little bit. We had quite an experience over dinner, but that's for tomorrow's post. Now, I hear, mom is also sick.

It snowed all day long on day two, it was beautiful. As we drove home, we could feel the excitement across the south as people braced for the big storm.

Let me tell you, we were in the eye of the storm and it was traveling east with us. It was a miserable drive. I kept thinking I'd have to pull over and spend the night somewhere, but I didn't. When we hit Spartanburg, over 3500 people were without electricity. Driving from Spartanburg to Newberry was the worst. Not much traffic and no plows or sand trucks. It was rough. The next day I found out there was a 35 car pileup on the interstate in Spartanburg sometime after we passed through. I'm just hoping it wasn't me. I'm hoping I wasn't like Mr. Magoo driving along, unaware of my trail of chaos.