Road Scholar : Home
Trains, Native Americans, and Other Southern Appalachian Adventures

Program Number: 10403RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/23/2012 - 9/28/2012; 9/22/2013 - 9/27/2013; 9/29/2013 - 10/4/2013; 10/6/2013 - 10/11/2013; 10/13/2013 - 10/18/2013; 10/20/2013 - 10/25/2013; 10/27/2013 - 11/1/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Black Mountain, North Carolina
Price starting at: $732.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: History & Culture; Train Treks Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 14; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    

Amid the breathtaking foliage of the Appalachian Mountains, step back in time as you take an authentic ride on a storied railroad, experience a centuries-old Native American village and explore a gilded mansion that defies imagination as your extraordinary adventure takes you to the top peaks of the Blue Ridge Parkway — perhaps the most scenic road in America.




Highlights

• Ride the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad through rivers, valleys and the scenic Smoky Mountains themselves.
• Visit a living Cherokee Indian Village from more than two centuries ago, an existing reservation and an authentic craft market.
• Marvel at the incomparable beauty of the 255-room French Renaissance Biltmore House and Estate, the largest private residence in the United States.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one mile, some uneven paths. Elevations up to 6,000 feet.




Date Specific Information

9-22-2013, 9-29-2013, 10-6-2013, 10-13-2013, 10-20-2013, 10-27-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by Mars Hill College.




Black Mountain

Tucked into the glorious mountains of Western North Carolina, Black Mountain is an ideal location to take advantage of the history, culture and natural environs of Asheville and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Its historic downtown features local craftsmen demonstrating iron works, dulcimer making and hand-thrown pottery.
Accommodations
Conference center with glass-enclosed dining room offering beautiful views of mountain splendor and lush woods. Note: One night will be spent in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Kevan Frasier
Kevan Frasier is an enthusiastic lecturer with an amazing depth of knowledge of the local region, with particular interest in the Vanderbilt family and the Biltmore Estate. Kevan was as a member of the history faculty at UNC Asheville, teaching both United States and African history. Since that time, he has continued to teach but today serves as the university’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
  Blue Ridge Assembly 5 nights
 Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Type: Conference Center
  Description: Lodge has all the modern facilities, plus a nice lobby with a large fireplace, glass enclosed dining area to frame the beautiful views, hotel type rooms with private baths, and an elevator. All activities are in same building as rooms.
  Contact info: 84 Blue Ridge Circle
Black Mountain, NC 28711 USA
phone: 828-669-8422
web: www.blueridgeassembly.org
  Room amenities: Telephones, private baths, clock radio.
  Facility amenities: Tennis courts, trails, craft center, outdoor pool.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Check in time: 4:00 PM
  Check out time: 10:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Hotel Check-in begins at 3:00pm, Road Scholar Program registration and material pick-up begins in Conference Center lobby at 4:30pm. You will be staying at Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends after breakfast at 10:30 AM. You will be staying at Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Hotel type parking lot available.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Blue Ridge Assembly
  Nearest city or town:  Black Mountain/Asheville, NC
  Nearest highway: I-40
  Nearest airport:  Asheville, NC Asheville Regional Airport (828-684-2226) Paging Airport Lobby (828-687-7243) The Asheville Regional Airport offers a total of 20-25 flights a day served by four airlines, U.S. Airways, Delta, Continental and Northwest Airlines. The airport is located at 708 Airport Road off I-26 Exit 40 (Old Exit 9)
  From End of Program
  Location: Blue Ridge Assembly
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Diamond Executive
phone: 828-281-8139
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

call for rates
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

0.5 hours (1/2) 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Please call Diamond Executive at (828) 281-8139 to arrange for ground transportation from the airport or bus station to the program location. All transportation arrangements must be made directly by the participant. Please make ground transportation arrangements prior to your arrival. Please inquire at Diamond Executive about the Mars Hill College/YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly discount.
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Black Mountain Cab Company
phone: 828-230-1121
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

call for rates
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

0.5 hours (1/2) 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Please call Black Mountain Cab Company to arrange for ground transportation from the airport or bus station to the Blue Ridge Assembly Conference Center. All transportation arrangements must be made directly by the participant prior to your arrival. Please inquire at Black Mountain Cab Company about the Mars Hill College/YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly discount.
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Pegasus Airport Limo
phone: 828-281-4600
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

varies
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

0.5 hours (1/2) 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Participant is advised to make arrangements in advance.
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Marvels Upscale Transportation
phone: 828-280-1698
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

varies
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

0.5 hours (1/2) 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Participant is encouraged to make arrangements in advance.
 

Asheville, NC

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Customer Inspired Services
phone: 828-258-1623
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

varies
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

0.5 hours (1/2) 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Participant is encouraged to make arrangements in advance.
 
Driving Directions
  Asheville, NC YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly is located approximately 14 miles east of Asheville, NC. Follow I-40 E to exit 64-Black Mountain/Montreat and turn south onto Highway 9 at the end of the exit ramp. Proceed .5 mile to the fork in the road and veer right on to Blue Ridge Road. Drive .9 miles and look for the YMCA sign on your left. Turn onto Blue Ridge Assembly drive and proceed to the end of the road and our entrance. Please note, once on our property, the roads are all one-way.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: We welcome you to Western North Carolina in the beautiful fall season. Arrive, check-in, and prepare for a wonderful week of interesting and fun adventures!
(Sunday, September 23)

Note: Today you'll check-in to your room, register and pick up your program materials, have dinner, and attend a program orientation and reception.
   
 Arrive To: After a short drive on the beautiful, wooded entrance road, you will check-in to your room at the Blue Ridge Assembly Conference Center. Check-in begins at 3:00 PM, however if you arrive early, you will find a comfortable lobby in which to wait. Take advantage of this time to rest from your travels, take a leisurely walk around the landscaped grounds and streams, and enjoy the views. Program registration and material pick-up begins in Conference Center lobby at 4:30 PM.
 Dinner: Program begins with a full dinner buffet inside the spacious, glassed-in dining area of the Blue Ridge Assembly overlooking the Western NC mountains. A salad bar and an entrée bar are yours to enjoy, accompanied by drinks, coffee, and desserts. Sugar free desserts are available by request
 Evening: As we gather after dinner, you'll have time to get to know your fellow travelers and your program leaders! This is the high light of the Sunday evening orientation session, as well as reviewing the schedule and printed materials for the week, giving you information about the campus, and answering any questions you might have.
 Evening: The orientation/information session is followed by an informal reception in the hotel lobby. Wind down from your day and get acquainted with the new friends with whom you'll be enjoying this Western North Carolina/Asheville Adventure. There's a piano and a fireplace in the lobby; we welcome you to share your musical talents if you are so inclined.
   
Accommodations: Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Fabulous speaker and NC State Legislator, Ray Rapp, introduces Western North Carolina to you, the intriguing city of Asheville, Mountain Railroading, The "Hillbilly", and The Cherokee Nation in NC.
(Monday, September 24)

Note: After learning about the area and a few of it's secrets, you'll enjoy a visit to George Vanderbilt's 250-room French château. You'll have time to see the house and the beautifully landscaped grounds, designed by the renowned landscape architect of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted.
   
 Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast provided each morning in the Blue Ridge Assembly Dining Hall.
 Morning: Start the week off with a presentation on the historical and current events that have shaped Western North Carolina, Asheville, and the Southern Appalachian Region. It will provide a context for the significance of the areas we will visit during the week and broaden your knowledge of the economic, cultural, and historical factors impacting the area.
 Lunch: Full lunch buffet provided in the beautiful Blue Ridge Assembly dining room.
 Afternoon: See the incomparable beauty of The Biltmore Estate, built during the gilded age of opulence with shipping and railroad money and remains the largest private residence in the United States. Inside the house, see artworks by Renoir, Sargent, Whistler, Pellegrini and Boldini, a chess set belonging to Napoleon, Chinese goldfish bowls from the Ming Dynasty, 16th century Flemish tapestries, and more of Vanderbilt's original collection. See the fully electric and centrally heated mechanical system (complete at the turn of the century), the breathtakingly meticulous landscape, the original stables, the tropical conservatory, and other marvelous items too numerous to mention.
 Dinner: Full dinner buffet at Blue Ridge Assembly.
 Evening: Presentation by Dr. Anne Rogers, archeological expert on the "Cherokee Nation - Past and Present, Triumphs and Failures," in preparation for your visit to Cherokee on Tuesday.
   
Accommodations: Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Spend the day on the Cherokee Indian Reservation
(Tuesday, September 25)

Note: Spend today immersed in the Cherokee culture, from the modern to the ancient; hear their stories and see their dances performed; and see authentic Cherokee arts and crafts.
   
 Breakfast: Full breakfast buffet.
 Morning: Field trip to the recently renovated Museum of the Cherokee Indian, which tells the story of the local Cherokee people using innovative displays and extensive artifact collections.
 Lunch: Lunch will be provided during the field trip in Cherokee.
 Afternoon: Visit the living Oconaluftee Indian Village, an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community. Cherokee guides explain the history, culture and life-style of their ancestors. Watch Cherokee craftsmen demonstrate their skill in making arrowheads, baskets, blowguns, beaded belts, ceremonial masks, dugout canoes, pottery, and wood cravings. You'll also enjoy the 7-sided Council House and replicas of typical Cherokee homes as they were 250 years ago. You will also have the opportunity to walk through the woods and see a variety of trees, plants and flowers indigenous to the western NC area.
 Dinner: Full dinner buffet provided.
 Evening: Course related evening presentation. Program varies week-to-week and speaker availability. Presentations include the 13 time National Champion Winners, the Mars Hill College Bailey Mountain Cloggers, or Kat Dunham, Regional Naturalist's program on the flora, fauna, and natural medicines of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
   
Accommodations: Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Historical, Cultural, and Architectural Presentation about Asheville and the Biltmore Estate
(Wednesday, September 26)

Note: The stories are intriguing, the buildings spectacular, and the culture unique.
   
 Breakfast: Full breakfast buffet provided.
 Morning: During the morning presentation, you'll learn more about the history of the region and its first and only city, Asheville. You'll hear about the struggles to overcome nature and geography in this culturally rich, sophisticated, mountain city. Its transition to a hub for the arts and crafts, with a plethora of museums, galleries, and fine arts. Its national demand as a retirement destination in the center of the I-26 corridor, from Tennessee to South Carolina. Its well-earned reputation as America's favorite craft-beer city, with a dozen or more microbreweries downtown and more in the area.
 Lunch: Lunch provided.
 Afternoon: Afternoon field trip to Asheville, where you'll learn about the world and culture into which Mr. Vanderbilt brought his new home and his family to live. For example, The Basilica of St. Lawrence, designed by Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908), an architect and builder of Spanish origin, who came to Asheville to work on the Biltmore House in the mid-1890s. The Basilica contains the crypt of Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908), as well as two excellent examples of his unique building system. In St. Lawrence, every horizontal surface in the building is made of an ancient tile and mortar construction. You will also have some time on your own to explore downtown Asheville.
 Dinner: Dinner during fieldtrip.
 Evening: Southern Appalachian and Old-Time Music presentation - the fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, and bass!
   
Accommodations: Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Train Ride
(Thursday, September 27)

Note: Travel to the Great Smoky Mountains and see the the beautiful fall foliage from the (enclosed) train car!
   
 Breakfast: Full breakfast buffet provided.
 Morning: As a guest on board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, you will enjoy the scenic beauty of the area as the train journeys across fertile valleys, through tunnels and across river gorges in a spectacular region called the Great Smoky Mountains. This section of western NC offers a wide array of ever changing vegetation and fantastic landscapes, especially beautiful during the fall color change period. With the romance and mystique of an era gone by, you will ride a real train! The Murphy Branch of the Western NC Railroad delivered thousands of mountaineers from the wilderness of their landlocked hills. A year after iron rails reached Asheville in 1880, workers scattered to the west of the city, digging, filling, and blasting an extension of the line that stretched 116 miles to Murphy, providing thousands with a path to reach the outside world.
 Lunch: Lunch during the field trip.
 Afternoon: After departing the train and having lunch, we'll return to Asheville via the Blue Ridge Parkway! Seeing the fall colors from the highest peaks of Western NC is an amazing experience that you don't want to miss! We'll stop for pictures, so be sure to bring your camera!!
 Dinner: Full dinner buffet provided.
 Evening: Free evening for attendees to explore the area on their own, visit with nearby friends or relatives, or make preparations for departure on Friday. Video, books, etc. available for those staying on premises.
   
Accommodations: Blue Ridge Assembly - Blue Ridge Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Check Out/Presentation and program wrap-up
(Friday, September 28)
   
 Depart From: Program usually ends at approximately 10:30 AM.
 Breakfast: Full breakfast buffet provided.
 Morning: Last morning wrap-up presentation, followed by opportunity to ask any questions, and say good bye to your new friends.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Blue Ridge Assembly Local Attractions
Many sightseeing opportunities, art galleries, museums, arts and crafts, natural attractions, National Parks, shopping areas, and more in the area. For additional information, visit www.exploreasheville.com
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.



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