The River Flooded — jeremy p. mcghee

Asheville, NC, nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, is a charming and eclectic city known for its vibrant arts scene, rich history, and stunning natural surroundings. This picturesque city is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering hiking, biking, and breathtaking views along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Asheville also boasts a thriving food and beverage scene, with a diverse array of local breweries, farm-to-table restaurants, and a bustling farmers' market. Its unique mix of historic architecture, bohemian flair, and breathtaking mountain backdrop makes Asheville a must-visit destination for travelers seeking a blend of culture, adventure, and natural beauty.

My second time to Asheville landed me there in the middle of winter, much different than when was there in the Spring. Naked brown trees replaced lush greenery and there just so happened to be quite the storm...

The drive from Bentonville is about 15 hours, so I decided to break it up, stopping to have a beer with friends in a small town called Murfreesboro, just south of Nashville. I was tired, having just traveled from San Diego to Bentonville via Kansas City, just two days prior. It was a nice night , so I parked a few blocks away. Strings of white Christmas lights, lighting the town square with a warm glow, invited me for a cozy walk to the bar. I passed the capital building and crossed a street. A neon sign reading Whiskey Dix called me to peer into a frosty window. The empty floor inside told stories of packed Saturday nights. This was a Tuesday.

I opened the door of Boro Bourbon & Brews, the bar next door, and was met with a blast of live music and welcomed hugs. I’m lonely, when in Bentonville, and it was good to be with friends. I thought I’d be fine spending Thanksgiving, Christams, and New Years alone, but was wrong. We found ourselves shouting over the music, so moved to a table a little further away from the live musician singing country covers. We talked adventures and the beer tasted good.

After showing them my van, we said goodnight and I spent close to 30 minutes trying to decide where to park for the night. I use the iOverlander app and have never had an issue finding a spot, but was coming up empty handed in this area. I drove to a park. No go. I chose a random campground about 40 minutes away, along my route to Asheville, and started driving. On the way, about 20 minutes I to the drive, I saw a sign for Trailhead and decided to randomly pull off. I blew passed the No Overnight Parking sign and found a spot right on the river. No one around, pitch black, I figured this was safe and it turned out to be a great decision.

I love making a cup of coffee and hitting the road early. That is exactly what I did, the rising sun reminding me to clean my windshield sometime soon. I landed at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Asheville late afternoon and made new friends immediately. I made a little bit of a stink about the low spot at the bar being used as a service station, so the Onsite Events Manager, Rhonda, came down to make sure all was good. We ended up having a couple beers. Isn’t that what you do at a brewery!!!

From there, I drove about 40 minutes to Brevard, and met some local homies at a show. I ordered a seltzer, but didn’t feel well after drinking it. When everyone got up to dance, I took the opportunity for an Irish exit and made my way to the van, nestled in a parking space across the street. I felt bad instantly and texted each of my friends an apology from the toilet in the van, half expecting them to come find me. I fully intended on opening the door if they did. The vision of the laugh I would get, making me giggle.

The beauty of the van is that you can park alomost anywhere. This spot was a gem because it was completely flat, a big deal when you’re in a chair. Imagine rolling around in there, locking brakes, holding onto things with one arm, while performing a task with the other. I was grateful for this spot’s flatness. I felt better after going to the bathroom and, after nestling into bed, the rain on the roof lulled me to sleep.

In the morning, I met the boys in Dupont to ride a trail called Big Rock, but turns out it was closed due to wetness, so we decided to reconvene back in Brevard to ride a trail called Lower Black. Funny thing about every ride I have done in Asheville, is that they have all been pretty short. In the Spring, I rode a bike park called Kanuga, but it was more of a shoot for Sierra than a ride. We did two laps that totalled 7.99 miles. The first time riding Lower Black was 9.92 miles, but thats just because the route required a couple miles of road time from the staging area. That same trip, I did get a lap on Big Rock, but flatted and ended up only getting 4.25 miles. This ride was not going to be much different. After adding some extra credit on a trail called Sycamore, we maxed out at 6.49 miles. The next day I rode a spot called trace Ridge and that was only 8.27 miles.

I say all this to explain that mountain biking has become a secondary reason for traveling to Asheville. The people have quickly worked their way into my heart. Maybe it was spending the holidays alone and arriving with a need for connection, but I would consider my friends in Asheville to be some of my best friends already. Watch these videos of my ride at Lower Black with the boys:

The part that came next is not in the videos, but is probably the most exciting. That night, I planned on staying on my buddy’s property and had been driving for about an hour when I finally found it. I actually had driven passed it several times because there was really no telling that it was a camp spot at all. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed. It was tiny, right on the street, and very not flat. We all know how I feel about that!

Now, it was late. I was getting hungry and tired and needed to find home for the night. I wanted something near a body of water, a river or lake or creek or something. I found Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park and headed straight there. Keyword Riverfront. This turned out to be quite the mistake.

I arrived and cracked a beer immediately. A device mounted to the wall in the van that tells me what I need to do to get things level. It connects to an app on my phone and I maneuver the van around, trying to get her as flat as possible. I have blocks I can drive up onto to raise each wheel as needed, but if I don’t need to use them, I certainly don’t. Getting in and out of the van to place them is a lot of work, especially if it’s only for one night. Once flat enough, I shut the engine off and began setting up camp mode, pulling the curtain and swiveling the seats. I made dinner while listening to the Rich Eisen Show and nestled in for the night again. It’s nice having an actual camp spot. I know no one is gonna bother.

River flooding campsite

A loud crack shook me from my sleep. What was that? I opened the side door to realize that tree had been snapped from its roots and pulled into the swirling river, which now overflowing the banks and overrunning my campsite. An emergency alert sounded on my phone just then. Flooding!!! I needed to get out of there and quick. Another advantage of the van is that there is no dealing with a trailer or anything. You pull the curtain and drive. A man hobbled over to me as I pulled away. I stopped and rolled down the window. “Ok good. I was just coming to tell you to maybe move.” He seemed to be accustomed to sort of thing happening. I was not and chuckled in my head, looking back at my campsite which was now underwater. If I had waited for him to come knocking, I would have been in a serious situation. “Thanks man,” I acknowledged, “I’m heading to higher ground, driving passed other campers frantically hooking up their trailers.

The clouds parted

I searched RV parks nearby and in just a few minutes, had a spot up on a hill with a view. The clouds parted and the sun lit the distant mountains with gold. I sat and reflected on what was just an insane experience. I took the opportunity of being at an RV park to fill my water tank, clean out my toilet, and charge everything up to 100%. After a nice dinner with my friends that night, I hit the road in the morning, sad to leave, but excited to return someday.

Driving home into the sunset