Biltmore Estate Part 2

 Group photo before leaving the Biltmore House.

Woohoo!  I found a picture that included me!  

After touring the gardens we needed to find our way back to the car to make our way to Antler Hill.  The estate is huge and we really had no idea which way to go.  Luckily, we found a shuttle bus that gave us a ride back to our parking lot.

After enjoying a delicious lunch we joined our next activity--kayaking on the French Broad River that runs through the estate.  

The estate includes many agricultural crops, a dairy, a stable, produces its own beef and much more.  The beef that was in my sandwich was raised on the estate.  They have to do many things to stay afloat.  I read that although the estate is valued at $157M, it only has to pay taxes on $79M of that because it's classified as agricultural.  How would you like to pay that tax bill?

I love kayaking, but don't get to do it very often.  I've been wanting to buy kayaks for a few years years now, but Irv says we should just rent them.  The problem is that not many places rent kayaks.  By now we could have bought a couple kayaks with what we've paid in rental fees and from what I've seen, used kayaks sell for almost as much as new ones so we'd get our money back when we're through with them.  Different perspectives I guess.

They drove us about three miles down river and dropped us off, although a guide in a raft was following us because another couple had booked a rafting trip.  Sure a lot different rafting in North Carolina than what we see with the whitewater in Colorado.

We floated and floated and enjoyed the scenery and wildlife--geese, ducks, and blue herons.

It was a very enjoyable time.

The water was kind of low so we had to watch out for rocks that we could become high centered on.

They told us that when we reached the bridge we were about 2/3rds done.  I'm not going to lie, by this time I was ready to be done.  It was hot and humid and I was ready for a cold drink of water.

We didn't have to worry about bumping our heads on the low bridge because the water was so low.

In another mile the other guide was waiting to pull us ashore.  Fun was had by all!

We had booked our wine tasting time early that morning, but had some time to waste so we did what you do on vacation--we had ice cream and did some people watching.

Finally it was time for us to enter the tasting room.  We were given the wine list and told we could pick five.

I started with a couple whites, then the rose, and ended with a red and a dessert wine.

What I really wanted to do was keep this glass as a souvenir, but the sommelier pointed me to the gift shop where I could purchase my own.

It was a fun time with a very knowledgeable host.  The wines are very reasonably priced so we headed into the wine shop to purchase a few bottles to take home (the advantage of a road trip).

I picked out a couple bottles of Riesling and the Gewurztraminer which was my favorite.  I also got a couple stemless, shatterproof wine glasses that will be great to use in the camper.

By now it was time to go home.  We had a great day at the Biltmore and it's definitely another site I recommend if you're ever in the area.  It was a beautiful evening so we sat on the deck and played cards.  We all put in $5 and guess who the big winner was...me!  The person who never wins anything.  This was the last time being able to enjoy the outside of the cabin because starting late that night it rained continuously for two days.

Speaking of winners, I have to post a retraction to my earlier pool playing post.  I thought Irv was the big winner.  In reality it was Mary because Irv and Shiloh scratched repeatedly.  Sorry for publishing the wrong information, Mary.  You are the pool Queen!  Sorry no $$$ was involved in that contest.