Little Guy Teardrop Trailer Travels--Biltmore Estate Revisited

My afternoon started, with beautiful sunshine, at another Biltmore Estate attraction: Deerpark. I had mistakenly thought it was a "deer park" but actually two restaurants--and carrage rides (for a fee, of course). In a wooded area near the parking lot, I ate salad greens (purchased the day before at Earth Fare, and preserved in the ice chest). Then I drove to alternate attractions, the gardens and conservatory, and deliberately parked there for another walk to the Biltmore House.

I had a ticket (from Tuesday) allowing me to obtain the audio tour again (free of charge). I had my pedometer and wanted to retrace my route. Tuesday I had freedom of movement in the corridors; Wednesday was a single-file mass of visitors. The number of steps (on the pedometer) was 703 and I believe it isn't a true reflection of all the climbing and descending of stairs. Only .28 of a mile inside the house. I walked 1342 steps from the car!! Oh well, my curiosity was satisfied by the return... and I feel "I got my money's worth."

There was torrential rain in this area of North Carolina. At Biltmore Estate there were hundreds of wet visitors!! I was inside the house before the storm but spent two hours waiting for rain to stop so I could get back to my car. Two hours that I would have spend leisurely strolling the gardens and the conservatory!!

Hundreds gathered near the pastry and ice cream shops, and in the corridors near gift shops hoping the rain would stop. Some visitors paid $3.50 for a light-weight plastic pancho. Call me "cheapskate"; I had already spent enough money at Biltmore!! Can you see the water pouring off the roof?

It did not appear the rain would ever stop!! Finally, at 4:15, I took a shuttle to the Conservatory and Garden Shop. I browsed there until 4:55--when the sky cleared and I walked to my car.

Left the Estate at 5 (arrived at noon) and encountered "getting off work" traffic. At 5:45 I was at my next scheduled event: Laundromat (about 5 miles from camp). That took one-and-one-half hours and cost $3.50. Back at camp at 7:30. I had walked a little over 5500 steps so only two-and-one-half miles all day (and health experts say we should walk over 10,000 steps per day).

The campground hosts said "torrential rain"--and it was apparent from the mud and broken tree limbs.

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To follow my trip chronologically--to see the next blog--click Little Guy Teardrop Trailer Travels--Folk Art Center.
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