Bring Cyclo-cross to Asheville

Photo courtesy of Lightbox Productions

This week Asheville got a special visit from organizers of the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships. Asheville is very excited to be on the short list of cities considered for hosting the event. Other cities in the consideration set include Austin, TX and Boulder, CO. 

Check out this beautiful video showcasing the Asheville mountains as the perfect backdrop for the Cyclo-cross Nationals. Even if you're not into cycling, the video shows what to expect when you travel to this vibrant mountain town.

Want to show your support for Asheville? Then visit the USA Cycling page and let them know you want Cyclo-cross to be hosted here! 

Snowy Mountain View

Photo of the Day: John Livingston sent in this gorgeous shot of Haw Mountain. We haven't seen much snow this winter, but when it does fall, it really adds dimension to the mountains. If you're interested in seeing more winter photos, check these out. To see more of John's awesome snow shots, check out his blog.

Photo © John Livingston

Do you want to submit a photo for consideration in our Photo of the Day? Please email the image to dholston@exploreasheville.com

Ski in the Spring?

With the spring-like weather pattern Asheville is experiencing this winter, one would think that skiing and snowboarding would be a bust. However, Cataloochee Ski Area and Wolf Ridge Ski Resort are open for business and have been blowing snow to build up a strong base. Some slopes are running daily, and both resorts have night skiing available.

For people who aren't too keen on snow sports, snowtubing is a great alternative. Tube World opens this week over at the Cataloochee Ski Area. Another option is Wolf Ridge Ski Resort which opened a second snowtubing course just this year.

Follow our weekly ski report!

Sierra Nevada is Asheville Bound

BIG NEWS: Brewtopia is adding another purveyor of tasty beer to the list. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. made an announcement that it's expanding its operations to the East Coast and has chosen the Asheville area to call home.

This brings the brewery count in Western North Carolina and the foothills to 18! Asheville has received a lot of national attention for its craft brew scene having won the title, Beer City USA, three years running. Add that to the fact that Western North Carolina provides access to locally farmed hops, malts and fresh mountain water, and it's no wonder that breweries have their eyes set on this region.

From their press release:

CHICO, Calif. — Jan. 25, 2012 —Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is pleased to announce that it has chosen a site in western North Carolina for the future home of an East Coast brewery. The site, approximately 90 acres in the Henderson County Town of Mills River— along the French Broad River, 12 miles south of Asheville — will be home to the new production facility, as well as a proposed restaurant and gift shop. “We are thrilled to have found an ideal location in western North Carolina for our second brewery,” says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. “The beer culture, water quality and quality of life are excellent. We feel lucky to be a part of this community.” The new facility will add much needed capacity for Sierra Nevada, and will allow for the quick shipment of brewery-fresh beer to consumers in the east. The East Coast brewery will start with a capacity around 300,000 barrels, with room to grow. The added barrelage will accommodate wider production of the myriad of seasonal beers and bottled specialties Sierra Nevada has produced in recent years, as well as an expansion of the brewery’s well‐known flagship product: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Sierra Nevada began the search for a new location several years ago. The brewery looked at hundreds of potential sites, eventually narrowing the search down to a handful of locations. The list of criteria was long and included quantifiable factors such as ease of shipping and water quality, as well as quality of life issues for its employees. Sierra Nevada has a reputation for a laid-back brewery culture and a love of the outdoors, and the new facility will retain this same tone. The Asheville area offers Sierra Nevada Brewing the perfect confluence of community, recreation and craft beer culture. Sierra Nevada’s eastern brewery site is expected to employ approximately 90 workers, with additional staff in the restaurant to follow. The brewery anticipates being operational by early 2014. About Sierra Nevada Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and ingredients of the finest quality. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including the flagship Pale Ale, Torpedo, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis, four seasonal beers, Estate Ale, Harvest Ales, Ovila Abbey Ales and a host of draught-only specialties.

All That Jazz

Asheville's biggest weekend for jazz starts this Friday, and if you love a great jazz show, then make plans now for the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa. This weekend is a milestone for the event as Grove Park will be celebrating 20 years of the "All That Jazz" weekend. 

It's not too late!

Tickets for the individual shows are still available and the Inn is offering special package rates as well.

This weekend you'll enjoy special performances by The John Pizzareli Quartet on Friday evening, Jessica Molaskey & Aaron Weinstein Trio on Saturday evening and a special Saturday afternoon concert with the Lenore Raphael Duo featuring Herman Burney.

The Grove Park's Jazz lovers' weekend has earned national recognition as one of the premiere jazz festivals of the Southeast. Evening and afternoon concerts take place in the Grand Ballroom along with fun activities and live music throughout the rest of the resort make this a weekend that will satisfy even the most discriminating jazz enthusiast.

Be Asheville's Valentine

Do you consider Asheville to be swoon-worthy? Have you and your sweetheart ever shared a romantic moment in our city streets? Perhaps you were swept off your feet by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Whatever the case may be, if you feel Asheville is deserving of a romantic destination designation, then we would love for you to cast a vote in our favor.

Show some heart and head over to About.com to vote Asheville the Most Romantic Destination.

While you're at it, make plans now to discover your winter romance in Asheville.

Asheville's Warm Winter

Asheville's climate has been relatively mild this year making for a very comfortable winter. That means right now is a perfect time to get outside to explore the forest. Here are some of the top places to go for a winter hike, complete with incredible views. (Also see What to Expect in Winter in Asheville.)

Speaking of climate, our friends at the AB-Tech Institute for Climate Education sent over an interesting new study that provides scientists with a ton of information about forests across the United States. This report shows Western North Carolina having one of the highest concentrations of biomass in the country, and as you'll read below, this plays an important role in the Earth's carbon cycle. Here's the full report: 

Where the Trees Are  . . . and Aren’t

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory map by Robert Simmon, based on multiple data sets compiled and analyzed by the Woods Hole Research Center

For the first time ever, researchers now have a detailed view of the forests across the lower 48 states. Taking 6 years to complete, the National Biomass and Carbon Dataset project mapped our nation’s forests at the highest resolution ever (30 meters), providing baseline information about tree height, forest structure and carbon storage capability in the year 2000.

It’s believed that as much as 45 percent of the carbon stored on land is tied up in trees. Western North Carolina’s unique climate has produced amazing biodiversity across our region and our important role in the Earth’s carbon cycle is evident in the dark green colors on the national map above. The map depicts the  concentration of biomass (a measure of the amount of organic carbon) stored in the trunks, limbs, and leaves of trees.  The darkest greens reveal the areas with the densest, tallest, and most robust forest growth.  

And while it’s interesting to see the important role that our forests play in the role of carbon storage - it’s the details of the new maps that will leave you stunned.

The image below is an up-close look at Western North Carolina/Eastern Tennessee taken from the national map. Heavily forested areas are dark green, lakes are light blue, and areas with less trees are lighter in color.  Can you make out the major population centers in the region?  If you look carefully – you can even see the corridors formed by major roadways such as I-40 through Buncombe County and Highway 19 through Madison and Yancey Counties.

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory map by Robert Simmon, based on multiple data sets compiled and analyzed by the Woods Hole Research Center

I’ve labeled some of the major points of interest in the image below to help you find your way around.

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory map by Robert Simmon, based on multiple data sets compiled and analyzed by the Woods Hole Research Center with annotation by Pamela McCown

You can find NASA’s story on the project here.

Want to learn more about our amazing planet?  Check out the classes offered by the Institute for Climate Education. They offer a variety of classes that will help you understand how the weather and climate of Western North Carolina have helped to create this region’s amazing biodiversity.

New Celebrity Sightings in AVL

From Colin's Fansite

According to Asheville insider, Ashevegas, there were two celebrity sightings this week. One is Sandra Oh of Grey's Anatomy fame - spotted in South Asheville. The other is Irish actor, Colin Farrell, who has appeared in a number of Hollywood titles including Horrible Bosses, Alexander and In Bruges.

Full details on these sighting can be found over at Ashevegas. Also check out this roundup of recent celeb sightings around Asheville, plus find out which celebrities call Asheville home.

Finding Winter Wildlife

Photo of the day. Cold weather couldn't deter this curious squirrel from playing in the snow. Winter is actually one of the best times to spot wildlife due to lack of natural camouflage. Locate wildlife with these helpful tips for a self-guided mountain safari.

Photo by Del Holston

1. Asheville offers a number of fantastic birding sights. Look to the tree-tops to see how types of birds you can find. 

2. Take a day trip to watch the majestic Elk at Cataloochee graze through the fields (one of the top 12 items of must-do experiences for 2012). 

3. Be on the lookout for bears. Sure they hibernate in the winter, but that doesn't mean they just sleep for three months (although that does sound nice). Look for them to be foraging about through the woods, especially during mild winter days.

Have fun exploring, but remember to always remain at a safe distance from wildlife. If you cause the animal to change it's behavior then you are TOO CLOSE!

Do you have a photo you would like considered for Photo of the Day? Send it to dholston@exploreasheville.com

Asheville B&B's Top in U.S.

TripAdvisor.com users have once again shown their love for Asheville! In this year’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, three of our Bed and Breakfasts appear in the “Top 25 B&Bs and Inns in the U.S.” 

They are:

 #2 – Reynolds Mansion

#8 – Biltmore Village Inn

#20 – 1900 Inn on Montford

This comes on the heels of other recognitions by the popular online travel review site. Asheville was recently ranked one of the top 15 destinations on the rise for travel and tourism. Before that, Asheville's booming culinary scene was featured on the top ten list of favorite foodie destinations.


You can find a complete list of Asheville Bed & Breakfasts here. 

Warm Up With A Cold One

The annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival will celebrate its fifth year this coming Saturday, January 21. Festival-goers will enjoy the finest in craft beer from around the southeast plus a special appearance from a northwest brewer, Deschutes, out of Bend, OR. The festival takes place at the Asheville Civic Center from 3:00 PM through 7:00 PM. Tickets are $39.

UPDATE: The event is close to being sold out. If you're interested in attending you must check with French Broad Brewing to see if they still have tickets available.

This festival is one of many that showcases Beer City, USA. Asheville has earned this title for three year's in a row thanks to an online poll hosted by Examiner.com. Much to the ire of other craft brew destinations such as Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California, Asheville's fans have consistently voted for the thriving mountain town solidifying it's place as a premiere craft beer destination. 

This attention has garnered the attention of big name breweries such as New Belgium and Sierra Nevada. Both have their sights set on Western North Carolina for possible east coast expansion. More details will be forthcoming.

Asheville Dance-A-Thon

If you plan on being in the Asheville area on Saturday, February 4, be sure to pack your dancing shoes for the Asheville Dance-A-Thon. This non-stop event will have you learning new moves in a number of different styles of dance. It all takes place at the UNCA Justice Athletic Center. 

From their website:

The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (BMCM+AC) invites you to the inaugural Asheville Dance-A-Thon!, featuring a talented crew of Asheville's most dynamic dancers and instructors. Sixteen genres of dance under one roof, in one day, all for a great cause!

LOVE TO DANCE? Take advantage of the opportunity to dance for 12 hours straight! With two dance floors jam packed with excitement, you'll be itching for an after party. 

NEW TO DANCE? This is a great opportunity to be exposed to many different genres of dance and to find out which genres you'd like to pursue. Whether a beginner or seasoned dancer, the Ashevile Dance-A-Thon! invites you to dip your toes into completely different styles of dance. Dance away with new knowledge, excitement and the confidence to keep on dancing!

Can't make it to this event? There's plenty of other places to shake what your mama gave ya. Check out out our live music events calendar. You can also plan a trip around one of our many music festivals across the region.

Where To Be This Weekend

Need some ideas on things to do this weekend? There's plenty of live music happening around the area. Here are some best bets for the weekend.

January 13, 2012: Local Favorites Friday

Steep Canyon Rangers: An American Bluegrass Band based out of Brevard, NC. The group has received a lot of notoriety, due in part to their musical partnership with Steve Martin. Together they won Entertainer of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. Find them playing at The Orange Peel.

RBTS Win: Winner's in the Mountain Xpress Best of WNC contest, these guys took home the number one spot for best electronic music group in town. They're hosting their CD release party tonight at Emerald Lounge. Joining them are The Luxury Spirit, Contraverse and Leeann Grimes.

January 14, 2012: Saturday's Best Bets

B.B. King: Universally hailed as the reigning king of the blues, the legendary B.B. King is without a doubt the single most important electric guitarist of the last half century. His gritty voice and staccato picking style will be filling the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

Now You See Them: Now You See Them's sound can be described as Super Fun Indie Folk-Pop. Live, they are a explosion of unique, goo-time energy, captivating crowds with catchy tunes. Their first big break came when they won the WNC Magazine's Last Band Standing competition in 2009. You can find them playing at the Black Mountain Ale House.

January 15, 2012: Jazz up your Sunday 

Like Mind Trio: Featuring Matthew Richmond, vibes, Mike Holstein, bass and Justin Watt, drums. Find them at Barley's Taproom starting at 7:30 PM.

Bob Zullo: Head up to the Great Hall Bar inside the Grove Park Inn. Enjoy this jazz and pop show while warming your toes by one the largest fireplace in town. Starts at 6:30 PM.

Jerome Widenhouse & His Roaring Lions: Head over to 5 Walnut Wine Bar starting at 7:00 PM to catch this jazz performance.

Leo Johnson: Listen to the sounds of hot club jazz at the Lobster Trap. Show starts at 7:00 PM.

Don Aquilo: A saxaphonist with a "fluid and articulate flow of always surprising ideas, sophisticated with a dexterous technique and an incredibly smooth tenor sound that seduces rather than shouts." He's performing alongside pianist Michael Jefry Stevens at The Altamont Theater. Show starts at noon.

March Madness of the Mountains

• The Southern Conference basketball tournament is less than two months away and the excitement has building around Asheville. With twelve schools participating, there will be multiple alumni meet-ups planned around town. Be sure to check with your alumni association to find out where.
• 
  
• Many of the area hotels have room blocks set aside for specific schools. Check this list of fan hotels to make sure you stay around good company and not a  bunch of bitter rivals.

Secure your tickets now!

Exclusive Music For Our Fans

Moog Music is once again heating up the music scene in Asheville. Hot on the heels of their Moogfest success comes Asheville's most exclusive new music venue, AHA AVL. This concert series highlights emerging artists in the music industry and the only way to get in the door is by invitation only!

Wanna go? We've got the inside scoop! Enter here for your chance to win tickets to tomorrow's big show by The Critters - it's their album release show! Ten lucky people will win two invites to gain entry to the show being performed at the Moog Factory adjacent to downtown Asheville.

We'll announce winners by e-mail tomorrow at 11AM. Be on the lookout and good luck! 

With multiple AHA AVL shows on the horizon you should follow us to make sure you never miss a chance to win. Also be sure to check out this great video from the first AHA AVL show by Kovacs & The Polar Bears.

Enter Here to Win!

46 Days To Glory

In Her Own Words: If Being the Fastest Hiker Was Never the Ultimate Goal Then What Truly Motivated World-Record-Shattering Jennifer Pharr Davis? 

Photo by Maureen Robinson

Self-determination and a passion for long distance hiking were the driving forces behind the incredible adventure undertaken by Asheville resident Jennifer Pharr Davis. In 2011 she blazed through the Appalachian Trail becoming the fastest person to ever complete the 2,180 miles stretching across 14 states.

With help from her husband Brew Davis, she completed the trail in an astonishing 46 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes, breaking the previous record set by Andrew Thomas by one day, two hours and 11 minutes. 

The feat garnered the attention of National Geographic who nominated her for Adventurer of the Year; a big honor that took her by surprise. We interviewed Jennifer to get her insight into what inspired her to take on such a lofty goal.

Q: You hiked the A.T. seven times faster than the average person. What motivated you to do such an amazing feat?

A: It was my third time to cover the entire distance of the Appalachian Trail, so I wanted to do it a little differently. The first time I hiked the path it took nearly 5 months to complete the 2,180 mile journey. The second time I was newly married and I liked to hike quickly, so my husband supported me along the journey and we set the women's record on the trail. After that trip I knew that I had the ability to set the overall record. I didn't want to look back and have regrets or wonder what if, so we decided to try for the overall record this past summer. It was amazing and it was a very unique and special way to experience the trail. But my ultimate goal is not to set records it is to have a life long relationship with long-distance trails. It is never about how far or how fast you hike, but simply what you take from the experience.

Photo by Melissa Dobbins

Q: What would you say was the most challenging part of the hike? Was it weather? Fatigue? Terrain? Something else completely?

A: The A.T. is a very difficult trail! (Regardless of how quickly you hike it.) The terrain was challenging and the weather was challenging, but you have to expect that. I think the most difficult part of trail records is maintaining your mental focus despite how you feel physically, it is a constant battle of you body yelling, "Stop, stop, stop!" and your mind saying, "We can do this." I dealt with horrible shin-splints, stomach sickness, nausea, and overwhelming fatigue, yet I believed I could work through those obstacles if I stayed positive and just thought about taking one step at a time.

Q: What was the most challenging part for your husband Brew?

A: Brew will tell you that he doesn't miss much from this past summer. He felt a lot of pressure the entire time. Most people don't realize how these attempts are really a team effort and the support crew is 50 % of the equation. Brew had the right ability, knowledge and temperament to do a terrific job, but it was still very hard for him. He kept thinking that if at any point, he missed a road or messed up then it would ruin my chance at the record. He is definitely glad that we were able to attempt the overall record, but I'm not sure that I could talk him into it again.

Photo by Christoffer Sjostrom

Q: Knowing what you do now, what would you (and Brew) do differently if you had to do it over again?

A: We would have structured our support crew (the extra helpers) a little differently, and I wouldn't have tried for such high miles in Maine and New Hampshire, but overall, I think we planned and executed very well. Part of going after a trail record is realizing that you are not in control. the ability to adapt and remain flexible is very important.

Q: Describe the moment you learned you were nominated for the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. What was going through your head?

A: "Are you sure you want me?" Ha ha. I was honored to be nominated, and I was excited about the positive attention that it will bring to hiking, women in the outdoors and the Appalachian Trail. Looking at the other adventures they all survived a lot more danger than I did. I like to think that adventure doesn't have to be reckless. The key is exploration, and Brew and I were certainly exploring what was possible for humans on the Appalachian Trail. I think the fact that we believed that a hiker and a woman could hold the record when it had always been held by men and mostly by trail runners, will continue to impact other adventures and adventurers.

Q: What's next for you? Any other record-breaking attempts?

A: Life is pretty normal for us most of the time. Brew is a teacher in Asheville and I started my own hiking company, Blue Ridge Hiking Co, that I run out of our house.  We try to get out on the trail as much as possible during the year, and next summer Brew will choose our hiking adventure. Fair is fair, right?! (I think right now he is learning toward exploring some long distance trails in Europe and maybe even Iceland.)

Q: Your husband Brew has written the book, 46 Days, chronicling the trek. Where can people pick up a copy?

A: Well they just came out, so while I hope they will arrive on the shelves of most local book stores and outdoor stores very soon, I know that Diamond Brand put in an advanced order and has some in stock.

Q: Is there anything else you care to share?

A: I feel very fortunate to have grown up in Western North Carolina and reside in Asheville. People come to our mountains from all over the world to go hiking. We are very close to the Smokies, and we have the Appalachian Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail running through our back yard. We also back up to Pisgah National Forest - what a jewel! I hope that I can help other Asheville residents and visitors appreciate the amazing natural gifts that surround us, and learn to enjoy them – on their own terms.

We agree Jennifer and congratulations on your success!

Mountain Views From Space

Space station alert! The skies over Asheville are so clear you can see snow on the mountains from space. Pretty cool huh? But that's not all, tonight you should be able to see the satellite that took this image. Our friends at the AB-Tech Institute for Climate Education sent us this:

The image above was taken today (1/5/2012) by the Terra satellite, part of NASA’s Earth Observing System. It shows that the skies are so clear over Western North Carolina that we can still see the areas of snow left from the snow event earlier this week.

These clear skies should make for excellent viewing this evening of the International Space Station as it makes a pass over our region beginning at 6:33 pm.  Look to the WNW. You’re looking for a bright light, similar to Venus, that is visibly moving toward the south.  Traveling at a speed of over 17,000 mph, the ISS will be visible for over 6 minutes as it crosses relatively low on the horizon – at about 30°.

Grab a pair of binoculars, if you’ve got them, and watch this engineering marvel as it orbits the Earth at an altitude of over 230 miles.

You’ll find more information about spotting the International Space Station here.

Reminder: the Institute’s class How the Weather Works: How We Observe and Predict It starts next week! You’ll find more Information here. Join us!

Asheville On the Rise

TripAdvisor has announced that Asheville is one of 15 destinations on the rise for travel and tourism. According to their website, travelers are raving about this mountain town, and creating quite a buzz. This comes on the heels of another designation by TripAdvisor in October, 2011 when Asheville was voted by the website's users as being a Top 10 Destination for Food & Wine.

Here's what TripAdvisor had to say about Asheville:

There's something about Asheville that makes its blend of remote Appalachian charm and cosmopolitan sophistication seem perfectly natural. The city abounds in cultural attractions and events, many stemming from the literary greats who have lived here. Thomas Wolfe, Carl Sandburg and O. Henry all once called Asheville home. The city has historically been a resort for the wealthy. But there's also a friendly, small-town atmosphere; the city has a way of making visitors feel right at home. Located at the confluence of two rivers and nestled in the mountains, Asheville is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts, who have their pick of hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, hot air ballooning and many other activities. So breathe in the fresh mountain air, take a spin along "America's most scenic drive," the Blue Ridge Parkway, and soak up the beauty and spirit of this lovely mountain city.