Adventure Journal - Entry Date: December 2012

When visiting Maggie Valley, North Carolina in past years, the Richardson Tribe has stayed at Stone Bridge RV Park. We had a bad experience there last winter, so we thought we'd try a change of venue. We began researching alternative campgrounds and came across a place called Twinbrook Resort. The website made the place look promising, especially the large RV sites and indoor pool. A friendly phone call to the park sealed the deal (nice folks).

Our primary objective this Christmas break was snow skiing for all the kids. They attended ski school at Cataloochee Ski Area last year, and fell in love with it. They had a wonderful ski instructor that had a lot more patience than the little guys are accustomed to. One of the first things about Twinbrook Resort that caught our attention (besides the indoor pool), was the proximity to the ski area and other Maggie Valley attractions. From the camp site, it takes about 10-15 minutes (depending on traffic) to reach Cataloochee Ski Area's parking lot.

When we arrived at Twinbrook, it wasn't exactly what we pictured. The website makes it appear more remote than it really is. In actuality, it's just about a block off the main drag, yet it's RV sites remarkably private. One benefit of being this close to everything is... you're close to everything. We were very glad to have site #5 because the other four sites would have been tough to back into. Additionally, site #5 is very near the indoor pool and playground. All the sites back-up to a small stream. While we were there, they flowed strongly providing a nice ambient sound all night long.

Our first full day was spent at the ski area, and we couldn't have asked for a better day. We once again enrolled the kids in ski school, and once again hit a home run with a most excellent instructor. On Saturday, we drove over the mountain to Gatlinburg. It's a beautiful drive, and it always amazes us how much the weather can change from one side to the other. Once in Gatlinburg, reports began coming in about snow. When it snows in the Smoky Mountains, many secondary roads are closed, so we cut our Gatlinburg visit short to head back to Maggie Valley.

That evening at Twinbrook Resort was awesome. As the snow fell, we built a big fire. The snow was falling hard and fast, laying on the grass and the bed of our car carrier. The kids played in the snow for a while, then would return to the fire for a little warm-up. It was hard to keep the snow from accumulating in the camp chairs, but all was good. We stayed outside until late in the evening, then retired to the warm cozy camper for a movie.

The morning sun revealed about an inch of snow. Hardly anything to write home about, but much more than these southern kids are used to. We walked around the resort checking out the frost covered cabins and icy streams, playing in the snow, and enjoying the crisp clean air. Maggie Valley is beautiful in the winter.

Our stay at Twinbrook was very enjoyable, but there are a couple of negatives. Winter camping involves lots of clothing, and a laundry room is very handy. Twinbrook has none, but there is a small public Laundromat just down the road. Also, the RV sites are relatively new, so they have yet to be "burned-in." In other words, I expect little details to be corrected as time passes. The sites aren't very well dressed (bumpy, uneven, small gravel that gets tracked into the camper, etc). Each site's driveway is at a 90 degree angle of the road, making backing almost impossible without pulling into the grass (probably not a big deal in the summer, but in the wet winter... sloppy!). Beyond the resort, Maggie Valley has some seasonal limitations. Some restaurants and attractions are closed during the winter months. For instance, the motorcycle museum (Wheels Through Time) is closed until April. It's a shame, because it's a really cool museum.

In summary, we really enjoyed camping at Twinbrook Resort. It's not a state park, but the sites are private (relative to other RV sites in the valley) and it is very convenient. We would stay here again, and we would recommend it to a friend. 

The Richardson Tribe

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #1

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination
The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love.

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1 - Home Sweet Home

We hope our #1 favorite Christmas destination doesn't disappoint our readers. But the fact is, as much as we enjoy travel, camping, and adventure, sharing Christmas day at home with our extended family is most important.

As a rule, the entire Richardson family comes together at Granny and Paw Paw Richardson's home for a Christmas day brunch each year, exchanging gifts, and visiting with brothers. sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles. It's a lot of fun, and it's a family tradition. We live next door to Granny and Paw Paw, so it's really easy to have our traditional early Christmas morning at home, then walk (or ride) up the hill for our late morning meal.

We are fortunate to live in a rural north Georgia setting surrounded by family where we can run and play to our heart's content. Many of the outdoor things we like to do on the road are also available right here at home. We can shoot our bows and arrows, ride Herbie (our golf cart), fish, and play with our animals (we have four goats, three bunnies, two cats, and eight chickens). 

This year, we decided to add some new outdoor goodies to our stable. Santa brought two motorcycles and two ATVs, perfect for our little family. I suspect these new toys may lead to a whole new set of adventures.

So, there you have it. The Richardson Tribe's absolute favorite place in the whole wide world to spend Christmas day is home sweet home. Now, the day after Christmas, that's another story. We'll be heading for the Smoky Mountains and some snow skiing at Cataloochee ski area, maybe Dollywood, and maybe the Biltmore Estate. We are excited to be staying at a new place in Maggie Valley this year. Who knows what other adventures we might discover.

Merry Christmas everyone. Now, go somewhere and do something!

Twelve Days of a Dixie Christmas #3

A Countdown to our Favorite Christmas Destination The Christmas season is taken pretty seriously in the southeastern US, and the Richardson Tribe has a dozen suggested destinations to make your holidays more adventurous. Over the next 12 days, we will reveal each of our favorite RV camping and recreation spots until we reach our #1 Christmas Holiday Destination. Come back each day to see the places this southern family has grown to love. #3 - Cataloochee Ski Area - Maggie Valley, North Carolina We voted democratically, and the kids quite adamantly expressed their opinion: Snow skiing is awesome! Cataloochee Ski Area, just up the mountain from Maggie Valley, North Carolina (near Asheville), is a great southern snow ski destination. There aren't many that fit this category (southern ski area), but Cataloochee does a respectable job fitting the bill. Another benefit of Cataloochee is the snow. For our northern friends, this may seem strange. But southerners don't see much snow, so when we do, fake or not, it's a big deal. Last year (2011) we visited Cataloochee at Christmas Break, and the kids all participated in ski school. They were assigned an instructor that worked with just the four of them, and he was awesome. He was so patient and great with the kids. By the end of the day, they were going up the lift and skiing down the big slopes (cautiously). We expected that they would be exhausted and ready to go back to the camper, but they didn't want to leave. Cataloochee is a ski area, not a resort, so the "lodge" is actually just a place to rent equipment, eat, shop, and warm up. It's not a place to stay overnight. Don't worry, there is plenty of lodging available in Maggie Valley and the surrounding area. In past seasons, we have RV camped locally at Stone Bridge RV Resort, but we weren't pleased with the condition of the campground last time, so we're trying a new place this year (shhhh, it's still a Christmas secret). Locally, there are many other things to do. There is a snow tubing facility, a motorcycle museum, gem mining, restaurants, the Smoky Mountain National Park, Cherokee, Asheville, and another of our favorite Christmas Holiday Destinations, the Biltmore Estate. So, Cataloochee Ski Area is the Richardson Tribes third favorite Christmas destination. For lots more pictures and details about Cataloochee, click here. Come back tomorrow when we reveal our #2 pick. The Smoky Moubntains are beautiful here at Cataloochee.

Cataloochee Ski Area - Maggie Valley, NC

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: December 2011

The Richardson Tribe has been to Maggie Valley several times over the past few years, but never in the winter when Cataloochee Ski Area was open. This Christmas, Santa brought the children gift certificates for ski school at Cataloochee, so we felt compelled to check it out. When visiting Maggie Valley in the past, we have always stayed at Stonebridge RV, so we booked their best creek-side site for the week leading up to the new year.

When we arrived at Stonebridge RV park (now owned by NASCAR), we were extremely disappointed in the seemingly poor condition of the park. It turns out, it pretty much shuts down for the winter. No laundry, no game room, inner roads blocked, and on this particular holiday week, the office was closed and no one was around. We couldn't even get horseshoes for the awesome looking horseshoe pits. There was a tarp on the office's roof, and there was a busted water pipe at one of the sites where the water ran all week. Rebecca spoke to the manager on the phone once, but he told her "Lady, I'm on vacation this week." He never returned my call. So, here we are, six of us for six days, with tons winter clothes and no laundry room. Fortunately, Rebecca had over-packed, so we managed. In all fairness, campgrounds winterizing and shutting-down for the season is pretty common. However, prior to our visit, we were receiving daily emails advertising how wonderful the place is in the winter. We'll have to reconsider where to stay on our next trip to Maggie Valley.
 

On our first full day in Maggie Valley, we thought we'd survey the situation at Cataloochee to determine when and where we needed to be the next morning to enroll the kids in ski school. Unfortunately, we were turned away a the base of the mountain because the ski area was filled to capacity. We were told to get there very early the next morning, and that's just what we did.
 

The kids' ski day was on the Friday before New Years Eve. Cataloochee Ski Area was packed with folks on holiday, but that didn't hinder the fun. Even with the crowd of people, everything went off without a hitch. We had all the kids in some exceptional rental boots and skis in no time. Although Santa brought some silly ski hats, we put helmets on the kids. The helmets were to protect the kids from other klutzy skiers more than falls. There were a lot of beginners out there.
 

After registering the kids for ski school, we left them in the care of the competent ski instructors (as we lurked in the shadows). They spent the entire day spoiling the kids with snack breaks and pizza for lunch. By mid-day, our four kids were all working with a single instructor that gave them lots of personal attention. By mid afternoon, the entire Richardson Tribe papooses were loading-up on the lift and skiing down the big hill. They seemed like naturals rarely falling at all. We expected them to be exhausted and sore after so much ski time, but we practically had to drag them away (especially Lainey - see group picture as we were leaving).

For lunch and occasional warm-up breaks, Rebecca and I visited the lodge. This two-story structure is very much utilitarian with a cafeteria-like food service area, a bar, and lots of tables and seating. The place was packed though, and finding a seat was a challenge. In general, the ski area is quite different from some of the ski resorts Rebecca and I have visited out west. It's a ski area, not a resort. We have to keep reminding ourselves not to compare. After all, flying west, renting a van, and finding affordable housing with four kids in Colorado would probably require a second mortgage. Yup, Cataloochee will do, and do quite nicely thank you.
 

For a complete write-up and dozens of pictures click here.