Asheville Mass Transit

Asheville Transit provides bus service throughout the City of Asheville and other local areas with 24 bus routes running from 6 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.  An overview of system routes is provided below but transit systems maps, individual route maps and schedules are available for downloading and printing at the City's Transportation Department website - the following link is provided for convenience (access to maps and schedules).   Asheville Transit also provides a Transit System Service and Weather Alert page which provides pertinent system status information useful when planning your travel.  And our public transit system is bike friendly, according to the transit website, Asheville Transit’s policy is to support and promote the use of bicycles. Bicycles shall have access to all transit vehicles whenever feasible in order to support more sustainable transportation options. Asheville Transit allows bicycles to travel on buses at no extra charge, and provides the greatest flexibility possible within the constraints of capacity and safety. Asheville Transit also offers a "hop and ride" service for commuters; details are available at the website.

Asheville Transit passengers are also able to ride Trailblazer routes through Transit's contract with Mountain Mobility of Buncombe County.   According to Mountain Mobility's website, there are three Trailblazer routes and these are deviated-fixed routes, which means the bus will be at preset locations according to a schedule but can deviate off the route by one-quarter mile to pick a passenger up from an address if the passenger is unable to get to the nearest street the bus runs on.  Each bus has a bike rack for passengers bringing a bicycle.

The City of Asheville is working to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced by its fleet of vehicles, this fleet includes transit buses.   On May 6th, 2008 the City of Asheville was awarded the The NC Mobile Clean Air Renewable Energy (CARE) award for its public fleet.  As stated in the 2008 award citation, the 2nd annual, "The NC Department of Transportation, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Air Quality, and the NC Department of Administration State Energy Office have joined together to sponsor these awards to demonstrate the importance of actions taken to improve air quality."

The award recognized The City of Asheville as a leader in the use of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles in Western North Carolina and fleet manager Chris Dobbins as the driving force in this green fleet initiative. With the help of grant monies, the City constructed the region’s first public compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station in downtown Asheville and will gradually convert most of their fleet to CNG, a clean burning, low carbon fuel. At the time of the award, the City already operated two CNG pickup trucks and six Honda Civic GXs, a dedicated natural gas vehicle.

According to the The City of Asheville 2008 Highlights and Accomplishments summary:

"The city continues to support the carbon reduction goals set by City Council by purchasing energy efficient vehicles. During 2008, Asheville purchased two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, five gas-electric hybrid vehicles, and 30 flex fuel vehicles. Overall, the city owns 76 alternative vehicles including 11 CNG Vehicles, 42 flex fuel vehicles, 15 hybrid vehicles, and eight electric vehicles.

In 2008, nearly 1.5 million passengers were served by the city’s public transportation bus service.  In an effort to partner with large employers in the Asheville area to promote public transportation, Asheville Transit continued its Transit Passport program, which provides bulk discounts for transit services for employees of participating organizations. Buncombe County government, Greenlife, and the Grove Park Inn & Spa all joined the Transit Passport program to encourage employees to ride the bus to work.

Asheville Transit received $2.1 million to acquire five hybrid buses, furthering efforts to develop a green transit fleet. In addition, Asheville Transit received a Federal Transit Administration grant to develop an Environmental Management System."

Asheville's trolley cars are long gone.  Today, Asheville's mass transit system is built upon buses and vans operated by the City and Buncombe County.  When Living in Asheville North Carolina, you have the opportunity to use mass transit - transportation provided by an increasingly green fleet of vehicles.

Natural Asheville

The Eden that surrounds Asheville is a totally unique environment.  It has been inhabited and appreciated by various cultures throughout its history: the post-glacial Archaic Cultures; the Cherokee, part of the Iroquois Nation; Spain under Hernando De Soto, Governor of Cuba, who traveled over the Blue Ridge and the Smoky Mountains in search of the city of gold “El Dorado”; William Bertram, who cataloged the region's flora for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew; Andre Michaux, who on his three trips to the area cataloged more species of trees than found in all of Europe; Josiah Wedgewood, who sought superior clay for his china; and John Fraser, who studied a native fir tree, which has become a popular Christmas tree in homes throughout the east, and the glorious rhododendron.

The area around Asheville, at 150 miles, forms the widest part of the great Appalachian Mountain range, which runs from Canada to Georgia and Alabama. Asheville lies at a gap in that range that connects the southeast to the mid-west plateau. Historically, this positioning enabled early Asheville to serve as a herding center for animals driven to and from Charleston to points northwest. Location, location, location!

Linville Falls Panorama

Of the 46 mountains in the East over 6,000 feet, 34 are in the area around Asheville. These mountains, born in the Jurassic Period, are among the very oldest on Earth, more than a quarter billion years old and counting. The mountains contain geological windows -  one being Linville Falls, on the Blue Ridge Parkway about an hour from Asheville.  The rock at the top of the falls is 500 million years younger than the rock in the pool below. Contrasts are common here - you can watch the sun rise on the highest peak in the east at 6,684 ft,  Mount Mitchell, before descending into Linville Gorge, the deepest gorge in the East (Mt. Mitchell State Park is about one hour north of Asheville).   Later you can hike on Grandfather Mountain (Grandfather Mountain State Park), the oldest of all terrestrial things at 620 million years.

View from Mount Mitchell summit - 30 May 2009

These mountains are rich in minerals - gold was discovered east of Asheville in Burke, Rutherford and Macon Counties and between 1831 and 1840 private mints coined $2,241,850 in gold and the United States Philadelphia Mint more than $9 million, all gold from North Carolina. North Carolina was called the Golden State, long before that other one!  For those interested in this aspect of our natural history, the Asheville area provides two mineral museums; the Colburn Earth Science Museum, in downtown Asheville, and the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine.

The area around Asheville - Western North Carolina, is larger than that of eight states.  Because of federal and corporate ownership, more than 50% of this 7,310,547 acre area will remain undeveloped.  Speaking of conservation, the area is the Cradle of Forestry (located 45 minutes southeast of Asheville), where the modern sustainable forestry movement began as by-product of the establishment of the Biltmore Estate.

Asheville is a climate center as well.  While traversing the mountains you can cross six climate zones, which work to keep our home gardens green.  Asheville is the "center" because it hosts the National Climatic Data Center, the world archive for weather data. Speaking of those gardens, they are everywhere.  With the Biltmore Estate, and its amazing botanical gardens, and the North Carolina Arboretum, the Estate's neighbor to the south, treasures of flora can be found around every corner.  Indeed, one can find abundant insights into the natural world when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Quilt Garden at the North Carolina Arboretum

Many thanks to Dan Keith Ray, Asheville resident, for contributing this interesting article.

17th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition and Display

The judging for this year's event took place at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa on November 16th. Winners have been selected and the gingerbread house entries are now on display and will be through January 3rd, 2010.   The display at the Grove Park Inn is accessible to non-resort guests Monday through Thursday only.  According to the Inn's schedule of events, “Stories of Gingerbread” guided tours are available at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, throughout the display dates.   Admission is $10 per adult; $5 per child (12 & under). For more  information, please call 282-252-2711, ext. #4094.  The Grand Prize winning entry is shown below and a nice gallery of all winning entries is available at the Inn's website. 

Grand Prize Winner - Jodie Stowe, Polkville, NC

Some of the entries can be viewed, free of charge, at the Grove Arcade.  According to the Arcade's website, 35 entries are displayed in Suite 115 - in a Winter Wonderland setting.  Viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.  Although one will need to venture to the Grove Park Inn to view the major prize winners, the Arcade's display provides a free opportunity to appreciate the work of some pretty talented contestants.  Some entries from the Arcade's display are provided below.

The Annual National Gingerbread House Competition and Display is a sure sign the holidays are just around the corner.  In addition to being a harbinger of the Season, the event provides and opportunity to appreciate the works of talented and imaginative craftspeople from across the nation.  I would recommend visiting at least one of the display venues over the next few weeks - one of the holiday traditions you'll encounter when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Western North Carolina Nature Center

The Western North Carolina Nature Center is located about 5 miles east of downtown Asheville at 75 Gashes Creek Road, not too far from the Asheville Municipal Golf Course.  The Center offer programs, workshops and exhibits consistent with the objectives stated in its Mission Statement:

"The WNC Nature Center is a living museum of plants and animals native to the southern Appalachian region. Our purpose is to increase public awareness and understanding of all aspects of the natural environment of Western North Carolina through hands-on and sensory experiences."

 

According to its website, the Center welcomes 100,000 visitors annually, many of these being school age children.  The Center is open 7 days a week, from 10am - 5pm.  Admission charges apply and they are provided on the website.

 

 

 

The Center's annual holiday event, A Winter's Tale, is scheduled for December 4th and 5th, 6pm -9pm - more details are available at the website.  During the summer, the Center provides Wild Weeks Summer Camps - information about the Summer 2010 schedule should be available in February.  Another upcoming event, which is of particular interest to me, is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Workshop scheduled for 27-28 March 2010.  According to the Center's website, completion of this 16-hour course enables one to register for a NC State Wildlife Rehabilitator's License.   The Western North Carolina Nature Center provides academic and up-close opportunities to study our region's nature, which is a ubiquitous aspect of life when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

 

Western North Carolina (WNC) Farmers Market

The WNC Farmers Market is found at 570 Brevard Road in Asheville and is easily accessible from both I-26 and I-40.  This market is one of five owned by the State of North Carolina and operated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  According to its website, the Market was first opened in 1977 and  is open year round, seven days a week.  Facilities include five open-air truck sheds which provide 194 individual spaces for farmers to display their fresh fruit and vegetables and other goods.  Admission is free.

 

The Market is a great place to find produce, not necessarily local, at good prices.  This past Sunday I purchased a 1/2 bushel of nice-tasting, Indian River (Florida) navel oranges for $8.  Compared to most local grocery store prices, this was a great deal.  Apart from selection and potential deals on produce, the Market offers another benefit.  Form the Market, looking to the east, one has an impressive view of the Biltmore Estate and, particularly, the Inn on the Biltmore Estate.  The WNC Farmers Market - just another place to explore when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Cultural Asheville: Arts and Crafts

There was a time when everything was handmade. As described in the diary of an early colonist in North Carolina:

“Men are of all trades and women the like within their spheres. Men are generally carpenters, joiners, wheelwrights, coopers, butchers, tanners, shoemakers, tallow-chandlers, watermen and whatnot; women, soapmakers, starchmakers, dyers, etc. He or she who cannot do all these things will have but a bad time of it.” The model citizens of the day were farmers or artisans, perhaps both, who stood or fell based on the use of the resources around them.

They, like their ancestors, valued skills with their hands, not only as a means to provide for the necessities of life, but as a means of independence, self-reliance, and pride. Archeological investigations show that every civilization on earth not only created out of need, but also imbued the objects with such artistic and spiritual qualities that the objects themselves embodied their culture. Out of that cultural climate unique arts are born.

"Purple City" by Michael Sherrill, Bat Cave, North Carolina

The Asheville area has had an interesting front row seat to the development of three unique strands of art in the 20th century:

Contemporary Craft: Objects created through an artist’s disciplined manipulation of materials from nature – clay, fiber, glass, wood, and metal. Generally contemporary craft objects are those created from the early 1920’s.

Folk Art: Objects made by usually self-taught craftspersons who created and decorated needed objects to express their own sense of beauty and style. These objects of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries include paintings, sculptures, textiles, and household items.

Decorative Arts: From its origins among the European elite, decorative arts enhance domestic objects, from irons to hatpins, that are handmade or machine-made, but finished with unique artistic qualities.

Fabric Curtain by Heather Allen, Asheville, North Carolina

Contemporary Craft:

Throughout the early part of this century, it was left to craftspersons and their patrons to keep the knowledge and love of handmade objects alive. At the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933, American craft was “rediscovered” when Lucy Morgan and a group of weavers from Yancey County, North Carolina demonstrated their skills and sold hand-woven scarves and bedspreads.

At the same time, others took note of the role of crafts in rural America and the need to reclaim indigenous crafts. As a result, organizations and co-operatives were formed, the first being the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Composed of hundreds of craftspeople, the organization juries  works from the nine states of the southern highlands of Appalachia into its galleries and shows. Their big shows take place in each fall and spring in downtown Asheville. Settlement schools were established to educate and train. Among the earliest, near Asheville, were John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown (1.5 hours west) and the Penland School of Crafts (one hour north). Both offer a unique range of classes for the serious artist. Both schools have first rate art galleries of their students' work.

This organizational groundwork was to give a new impetus to the “crafts movement,” giving rise to publications, organizations, and college and university degree programs. Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is famous for its extensive decorative arts programs and Haywood Community College (thirty minutes west of Asheville) has a nationally-known program for training artists in the marketing of their work. Near the Asheville Regional Airport is The Center of Craft Creativity and Design and its programs associated with the University of North Carolina System.

Today, with the emergence of Handmade in America, a project to bring craftspeople together, and its community colleges and independent craft schools, Western North Carolina draws many craftspersons who seek careers in the handmade industry. There are hundreds of miles of craft trails, that can be located through trail guides available on the Handmade in America website, on the region's best and most unique forms of art. In fact, the region's early industrial base in paper, furniture, wood, natural and artificial fibers, and ceramics all grew from handmade efforts. The area's natural beauty and wealth of raw materials offer the setting craftspersons need to create and thrive.

"just between you and me" by Julia Burr, Black Mountain, North Carolina

Asheville is surrounded by a ring of smaller towns with craft and art centered main streets that provide an opportunity to see and acquire local artwork - Hendersonville, Waynesville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Brevard, and many others.

Folk Art:

Folk art and craft share the stage together in the region, but not to be missed on their own merits are the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway a few miles east of Asheville, and the John C Campbell Folk School that preserves the best of regional and national folk art traditions. You will have a great adventure discovering our folk arts side by side with the best in contemporary crafts.

Decorative Arts:

At the dawn of the 20th century, the Arts and Crafts Movement expanded from its European base to influence American furniture and household object design and architecture. Through its origination in Germany in 1919, the Bauhaus was to have far-reaching importance worldwide. Bauhaus was both a creative center and an educational training ground for craftspersons and artists. Founder Walter Gropius aimed to break down the traditional barriers between artist and technically expert craftsmen by training students to be effective in both areas. In its statement of purpose in 1919, he wrote:

“Architects, sculptors, painters we must all turn to the crafts! Art is not a profession. There is no essential difference between the artist and the craftsman. The artist is an exalted craftsman. In rare moments of inspiration, moments beyond the control of his will, the grace of heaven may cause his work to boom into art. But proficiency in his craft is essential to every artist. Therein lies a source of creative imagination. Let us create a new guild of craftsman, without the class distinctions which raise an arrogant barrier between craftsman and artist.”

With the rise of Hitler, the Bauhaus was dismantled and its traditions followed its faculty around the world – most notably to Chicago, with its great architectural traditions, to the Cranbrook Institute in Michigan, and to Black Mountain College, where a “new experiment in education took root through the early 1930’s.”  Among the notable faculty were Buckminster Fuller and Walter Gropius.  The campus of the Black Mountain College and its faculty and student, who changed modern art and architecture for generations, was located about ten miles east of Asheville on Lake Eden, the scene of the annual Lake Eden Art Festival.

(This article was featured in the Sharing Travel Experiences "http://www.sharingtravelexperiences.com/inspiring-travel-monthly-roundup-christmas-2009-edition/">inspiring travel monthly roundup, December edition.)

Many thanks to Dan Keith Ray, Asheville resident and former President and CEO of the American Craft Council, for this insightful article, a good overview of the historical influences that have shaped the arts and crafts presence you encounter when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

The 2009 Asheville Film Festival is Underway!

Hi.  Here's a short, timely article about a current event - the 2009 Asheville Film Festival (November 12-15).  Click on the link in this article and it will take you to the festival website where you can obtain information such as a venue map, the film schedule and the film guide - as well as information on how to obtain tickets.  The festival is produced by the City of Asheville's Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department in conjunction with the Asheville Film Festival Committee and this year's event marks its 7th anniversary.  According to the festival guide, whose cover is featured above, the Asheville festival's venues are all within walking distance.  As the weather forecast for the weekend calls for sunny skies, strolling between venues should be a pleasurable experience. According to the guide, this year's venues are The Diana Wortham Theatre, the Fine Arts Theatre, the Asheville Community Theatre, 35 Below, and the YMI Cultural Center.   If you're already planning to attend, have fun.  If not, make plans to attend the event next year - another fun and interesting event you can enjoy when Living in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Outfitters/Sporting Goods Retailers

In this article I will give an overview of sporting goods retailers and outfitters in the Asheville area.  All the retailers highlighted, except Diamond Brand Outdoors/Frugal Backpacker, have stores within Asheville city limits.  Diamond Brand/Frugal Backpacker are actually just south of Asheville, in Arden.  I included them since they are easily accessible and since the Frugal Backpacker, Diamond's outlet store, is the the only outlet outfitter I am aware of in our area.  I do not intend to recommend one of these stores over the other.   I will share what I know of them, including personal experience, when applicable, in order to make you, the reader, aware of the main local players in this category of retail.  With this information, you should be able to determine which best suits your individual needs.

As I have already touched upon it, let me start with Diamond Brand Outdoors/Frugal Backpacker.  Diamond Brand Outdoors is located at 2623 Hendersonville Road, in Arden, about 10 miles south of downtown Asheville.  The Company's outlet store, Frugal Backpacker, is located next door at 2621 Hendersonville Road.   I do believe this Company is local, the website seems to support this understanding.  The one time I shopped at Diamond Brand I was looking for waders and I found the selection rather limited - I had to visit another retailer to find what I needed.  As for the outlet store, a friend recommended it to me.  However, when I visited I was not very impressed.  I found some attractive pricing but I also found the selection limited - when you can't find what you need, there is no bargain, right?  Anyway, as this outlet offers the potential for a great bargain, it's covered in this article.


Another local retailer is Black Dome, which is in its third decade of doing business in Asheville.  The store's name is derived from the Native American name for what we now know as Mt. Mitchell, a local peak that is the highest east of the Mississippi River. This store is located at 140 Tunnel Road, a short distance from downtown and easily accessible from I-240.  I have shopped this store several times and have found it carries a pretty impressive range of products, especially for a relatively small store.  In addition to retails sales, the store also provides some repair services - they replaced the bungee cord in some old tent poles, quickly and at a reasonable price.


Curtis Wright Outfitters has three small stores in the local area.  I have shopped the one in Biltmore Village and there are also stores in Weaverville and Saluda.  I found a pair of Chota felt-bottomed boots at this store and was impressed at the salesperson's willingness to keep the store open after hours so I could obtain the boots he had had transported by a Company employee returning from the Saluda store.  This effort got me out of a bind and I have not forgotten the exceptional service.  The store is located at 5 All Souls Crescent, in Biltmore Village.


REI recently arrived in Asheville and the store is located in south Asheville at 31 Schenck Parkway.  The new store is actually one of the "anchor" stores at the new Biltmore Park Town Square, a planned community to the south of downtown.  As this store is a new location of a well-known, national retailer, there's no need to dwell on it in this article.  The germane point, relative to this article, is that Asheville shoppers now have REI as a choice when looking to purchase sports and outdoor equipment.


Another national chain with representation in Asheville is Dick's Sporting Goods.  The local store is located at 107 A River Hills Road, in the River Hills Shopping Center.  This is probably the largest store on this list and it does provide a good range of products and brands.  Regardless of where I finally make a purchase, I think it's prudent to check prices and product availability here as part of a smart, local shopping methodology.


The last retailer I'll cover in this article is a regional player, Mast General Store, located downtown at 15 Biltmore Avenue.  This is an interesting store - it has "general store" feel and sells a wide range of products -  souvenirs, candy, clothing, and many products you would expect to find at an outfitter.  The store is regional, with most of the locations in Western North Carolina.  According to the Company website, the stores outside of North Carolina are in Greenvillle, SC, and Knoxville, TN.

I hope this article was helpful.  Asheville has many choices when it comes to purchasing equipment for outdoor activities.  With an abundance of local hiking trails, biking trails, lakes, and rivers, it is no wonder.    Locals may feel it's necessary, at times, to drive to another city to find a product offered at a Crate and Barrel, a Pottery Barn, or an Apple Store, etc.  However, when Living in Asheville, North Carolina, no such effort is required to meet your sporting and outdoor equipment needs!

Asheville Restaurants: Indian Cuisine

Asheville offers a wide variety of dining choices, especially for a city of its size.  Although I am often frustrated by what I perceive to be a lack of variety in retail, I find Asheville's restaurant range and diversity, on the other hand, pretty impressive.  From time to time, I will highlight Asheville restaurant offerings, by cuisine, in this blog.  Although it's limited to independent and locally-owned restaurants, I would suggest visiting the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) website to gain insight on that segment of Asheville's restaurant population.  As indicated at this organization's website it "... is a 501(6)C non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of our city’s wealth of locally-owned & operated restaurants."  Between the locally-owned restaurants and the regional and national chains, the restaurant industry is well-represented in our City.


I am a vegetarian and often find myself drawn to restaurants serving Indian food since these establishments usually have a good selection of vegetarian recipes.  In Asheville, two restaurants, Mela and India Garden, seem to be the most popular.  I frequent both and, although they differ in selection and setting, I enjoy each of them.

India Garden  is an Indian restaurant located at 156 South Tunnel Road, across from the Asheville Mall.  According to the website, India Garden is a a small chain with three locations - Asheville, NC, Blacksburg, VA, and Lexington, KY.  The Asheville location offers both menu selections and a popular buffet.  India Garden has a somewhat formal atmosphere, white table cloths and waiters wearing ties, but the clientele is generally quite casually dressed.  A plus for this restaurant is its shopping center location, which affords abundant, free parking and very easy access.

The other restaurant, Mela, is also a favorite of mine.  This restaurant is trendy and urban; it is located downtown at 70 North Lexington Avenue.  The restaurant offers both menu selections and a popular buffet, as well as a bar.  The location is a mixed bag; being downtown parking is a factor but, on the other hand, the location avails itself to other downtown experiences, such as pedestrian shopping and sight-seeing, in conjunction with your meal.

I recommend both restaurants.  Each has its own unique atmosphere and culinary style - check them out and see which suits you.  Maybe, like me, you'll find yourself frequenting both to provide variety in your dining experience.  What's clear is that your craving for good Indian Cuisine can be satisfied when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

French Broad River Park/Dog Park

This brief article will introduce you to the French Broad River Park/Dog Park, a beautiful, urban, riverside park with a great trails and a popular dog park.  This Park is located at 508 Riverview Drive.  At the City's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts website the Park's features are summarized:

"One acre fenced and wood chipped yard for off-leash dogs. The Dog Park features a large fenced-in area, with a water pump, perfect for exercising and socializing your dog."

 

This Park is a relatively easy bike ride from my place; I take Meadow Road off of Biltmore Avenue and follow it to Amboy Road.  After turning onto Amboy Road, you will find the Park entrance located a very short distance on your right, just beyond the bridge.  I enjoy visiting this Park, with its "on-the-river" views and its access to Carrier Park, only about a mile to the west on Amboy Road.  This is a beautiful Park and that fact alone is sufficient attraction.  However, the Park also provides a popular dog park.  I don't own a dog but if I did I would certainly consider taking it on regular outings to the facility provided here.

 

For a nice riverside stroll or a canine social event with Fido, this Park is a great asset to Asheville residents.  I visit it every chance I get and usually go by bike from where I live - a choice that provides a nice little work-out while enjoying the scenery.  By the way, the pictures provided in this article were taken on 11/5/09.  Hope you enjoyed your online visit to the French Broad River Park/Dog Park - another place to enjoy while Living in Asheville, North Carolina.