Tag: hiking

Smoky Mountain Vacation

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Distillery, Trips, vacations, whiskey1 Comment

There is a quote or something about man going into the woods to search for the meaning to life. I could look that quote up and get philosophical on you all, but let’s skip that part.

This past weekend my girlfriend and I took a trip to the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I went for the hiking mainly, well and the the variety of alcohol. The area has beautiful views (see picture below for proof), but I think many of the people visiting in downtown Gatlinburg could use a hike or two. I’m not a doctor, but I think a little exercise could do some good.

Ok end of my rant, now onto the drinks. There are so many places to do tastings in that city, it’s hard to hit them all. We didn’t even come close to getting to all of them. We did visit some good ones though. Doc Collier’s moonshine was a really great stop that will get you the cheapest buzz you can find. $5 for 18 sips of moonshine. That’s a deal I can get behind. If the 125 proof at the start doesn’t put some hair on your chest, the brandy at the end will.

If you’re more into beer, like I typically am, Gatlinburg has two breweries plus a craft hard cider maker. Both Smoky Mountain Brewery and Gatlinburg Brewing Company make very good beers. Make sure to try the pizza at Gatlinburg Pizza. That was a tasty late night snack. The Barleywine IPA at Smoky Mountain was a really great beer in the city too. And Tennessee Cider Company is a must visit. Such a wide and unique variety of craft ciders plus free samples. You had me at free. All in all, I definitely ate well and drank well and now need to spend a solid week in a sauna.

Escape to the Mountains

On By Chris ElliottIn Fitness, Random Thoughts, Trips, vacationsLeave a comment

Life gets really busy sometimes. It gets cluttered and confusing. We get pulled in a million directions. Some we want to do, some we have to do and some we feel we should. Sometimes we just need a break. Vermont to me is a great place to get away. Particularly, the mountains in Vermont. I spent the last week in Stowe, VT doing not much else but hiking, drinking beer and sitting in the hot tub. While I did have some great beer, even tried out the famous Heady Topper from the Alchemist (I’ll detail all the beer in another post), the mountains are my favorite part of being up there.

In the mountains, cell phones barely work, if at all. Modern civilization is not around you. It’s quiet. The only thing to listen to is your own mind. I hiked on average about 22,000 steps and over 150 flights of stairs per day. Don’t worry I drank and ate all those calories burned. It can be quite a climb sometimes. The views are worth it though.

View from the Summit of Mount Hunger

I hiked Mountains like Mount Hunger, saw three different waterfalls, and countless other trails such as the Stowe Pinnacle. Each view more gorgeous than the last.

Reaching your destination after a grueling climb, dripping in sweat is a self accomplishment you can take satisfaction in. From up there, you realize how small you are but how much you can accomplish. Getting away sometimes is exactly what you need to think clearly, to understand your next step. Or just realize you want to chase waterfalls.

Bingham Falls

Day 2 & 3 Asheville

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Restaurants, Trips, vacationsLeave a comment

Day 2 and 3 were each filled with more beer and some hiking on day 2. Asheville contains many breweries and we went to several. Wicked Weed Brewing and Blue Mountain on Day 2. Day 3 included Catawba, Burial Brewing and Green Man.

Wicked Weed had fantastic beer and the house chips and beer cheese were very good. Artery clogging cheese is one of my favorites. Their Riverkeeper IPA was a well done and consistent. A great beer.

Blue Mountain had some of the best pizza around and was right down the road from our AirBnB in Weaverville. The small little brew pub also had some good live music that we managed to catch the end of, plus the waitress was this nice sweet grandma type if your grandma smoked weed daily.

Day 2 we also did a bunch of hiking. It was a bit foggy but we still caught some great views at various overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On Day 3, we explored Downtown Asheville and did a mini brewery trail with Catawba, Burial and Greenman. The triple IPA at Burial Brewing packs a big punch and Greenman provides a no frills dog friendly tasting room with clean crisp beers. Additionally, the small batch brews at Catawba were delicious and unique. The Red Rhum IPA was a good one.

Asheville has great food, some of the best beer and hiking with majestic views. It is a fairly manageable city and doesn't overpower you or leave feeling like you didn't see much. A great weekend spot. The art was beautiful and this is coming from someone who has little interest in art usually. Take a trip to the mountains and see what you find. You'll enjoy it.