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SpeakEasy's avatar
SpeakEasy
Explorer
May 25, 2017

OhBoyOhBoyOhBoy! We're Leaving Soon!

Getting really excited about a trip we'll be setting out on soon.

We plan most of our travels these days around Appalachian Mountain music (bluegrass and old time mostly). We've seen the Crooked Road in Virginia. We did the Mountain Music Trail in West Virginia. And now we're going to explore the Blue Ridge Music Trail in North Carolina.

We'll be on the road for most of three weeks, and we'll be seeing one of our favorite bands (Balsam Range) in concert, we'll be attending two festivals, we'll take part in at least two jams that we know of, there will be plenty of hiking, kayaking, and just plain relaxing. Plus we've left time for discovery and spontaneous stuff. We hope to be staying at three different Harvest Host locations. All in all it looks to be a great time.

I'll be blogging about it here. Last year's trip to West Virginia is there on that blog too. The previous year's trip to the Crooked Road is on a different blog.

We're going to be focusing on the area from Mt. Airy to Asheville. Are there any of your "favorites" in that area that we should NOT MISS?

-Speak
RV Lifestyle
  • Veebyes's avatar
    Veebyes
    Explorer II
    Jun 04, 2017
    Always on the hunt for bluegrass festivals. Have 5 lined up for trip starting early July. Don't need anything fancy, though we have seen Nothing Fancy more than a couple times. Best so far is Dumplin Valley. Again this year. Most spectacular, Rocky Mountain Hay Fever, Westcliff, CO.

    The after show CG jamming is always the best part. Prefer the small to mid sized festivals. Things like Grey Fox, NY. no thanks.
  • sljohnson1938's avatar
    sljohnson1938
    Explorer
    May 30, 2017
    hey Speakeasy - was at the Veterans park in Mount Airy today. quite a few rv already. surprised me. talked with a guy there and he said a bunch came in yesterday. I would think by Thursday it will be full.
    if you get this by Friday the wife and I will be there on Saturday. I will be wearing shorts, red t-shirt and cap with US Army veteran on it. hope to meet up.
    stuart
  • JimBollman's avatar
    JimBollman
    Explorer
    May 30, 2017
    We did two major bluegrass festival to anchor both ends and a few minor one day festivals on a trip back in 2012. We were on the road for a month in an 8 foot popup slide in camper. We covering the crooked road and all the way down to Cherokee NC. We had a great time and did another loop in 2014. We moved from Western NY to NE TN in 2015. This area is addictive. Was a great decision for us.

    Check for local music events, there are at least 4 places within 5-30 minutes to where we live that has a band or open stage every week but you have to ask when you are making stops to find them, only one advertises at all, they don't need to, they fill the space without even putting up a sign. All free. We try to make at least one a week in the summer time. They are not all on the weekends either. Lots of other paid events.
  • sljohnson1938's avatar
    sljohnson1938
    Explorer
    May 27, 2017
    hi - no we do not play anything , just listen. there are two private GG's here. plus a Wal-Mart. Beechnut CG and Mayberry CG. Mayberry is the larger of the two. I would suspect that both will be full. There is plenty of 'dry camping' at the Veterans Park fair grounds (where the fiddlers thing is). Also there is a Flying J truck stop.
  • PghBob's avatar
    PghBob
    Explorer
    May 27, 2017
    Consider visiting the Music Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway if you haven't yet. Just spent last week in Mt. Airy, and visited the Rex in Galax on Friday night for the third time. Big fun.
  • SpeakEasy's avatar
    SpeakEasy
    Explorer
    May 27, 2017
    Also - We did go to the one in Galax a couple years ago. Lots of fun.

    -Speak
  • SpeakEasy's avatar
    SpeakEasy
    Explorer
    May 27, 2017
    sljohnson1938 wrote:
    Mt. Airy NC is having fiddlers convention on June 2-3. Maybe we will see you there.

    Galax VA has one in August, not sure of the dates this year.

    Just checked and it is Aug 7 -12 .
    They say they are the oldest and largest fiddlers convention.


    We'll be at the Mt. Airy Fiddler's Convention. Couldn't get a reservation for a site with hookups, but will be pulling in to the "field" on Friday.

    Do you play any instruments? Will you be jamming? I am a guitar-player (rhythm; no breaks) and a beginning mandolin-player. On the mando I can do Whiskey Before Breakfast and Fishers Hornpipe. I can do Old Joe Clark and Soldiers Joy slowly.

    -Speak
  • sljohnson1938's avatar
    sljohnson1938
    Explorer
    May 25, 2017
    Mt. Airy NC is having fiddlers convention on June 2-3. Maybe we will see you there.

    Galax VA has one in August, not sure of the dates this year.

    Just checked and it is Aug 7 -12 .
    They say they are the oldest and largest fiddlers convention.

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