Flying Biscuits, Raven Rock, Bowstring

I almost went with another general journal entry yesterday. I seem to have a lot to say lately...hehehe Well, I decided I should wrap up my NC trip and finally journal about my day last Friday...LOL I have a lot on my mind. But I also had a really great day that day. So, it wants me to talk about it...hehehe I started to write last night and kinda gave up and pushed it off until today as I was very distracted last night. I'm finishing this entry today instead...hehehe

The Flying Biscuit

One of my favorite things about travel is checking out local eateries. On this particular day, I knew we would be out hiking for a large portion of the day. So I asked Tye if we could go to breakfast. She offered a list of places that included McDonald's...hehehe One of the options was a place called The Flying Biscuit Cafe. The name was enough for me to choose it...LOL Tye was grateful I didn't choose McDonald's...hehehe

The Flying Biscuit is this little mom and pop restaurant in a sweet little area in Raleigh. When we first arrived, I noticed they had outdoor seating. I immediately requested to be outside...hehehe All they serve there is breakfast/brunch food. It was almost perfect. The only thing lacking was...a flying biscuit...LOL j/k They do serve a biscuit with apple butter with your meal a a novelty starter. However, it arrives on a plate and not through the air...hehehe Sadly disappointing...LOL Again, j/k...hehehe The apple butter was freshly made and the biscuit was homemade as well. Okay...so it was as perfect as perfect can be...hehehe

I went with a protein bowl of grits that included two sunny side eggs and lots of shrimp. I had them include white cheddar cheese, peppers, mushrooms, and seasoned potatoes. When I was growing up, I hated grits. As I grew older, I learned I had just never had decent grits...hehehe Being in what would be considered a southern state, I trusted Tye and The Flying Biscuit. The grits did not disappoint at all. They were perfect!

The overall atmosphere and the quality of the food was amazing. It was a great way to start off the day. The protein and calories were just what I needed for a day of hiking through mountain like terrain.

Raven Rock

After breakfast, we set course for Raven Rock State Park. It was a short one hour drive from where we were. Short being relative to the three hour drive we had taken to the Outer Banks the day before and the three hour drive back...LOL It was another beautiful day. So, the drive didn't feel too bad. And it gave us plenty of time to chat without the distractions of nature...hehehe j/k

The first trail we hit was to a lookout area that overlooks a river. It felt like we were in the mountains. Technically, it is all just really large hills. Nothing like what I experienced in California. And nothing like the Smoky Mountains about three hours west of where I was staying for the week. But it definitely had that mountain feel for its beauty and the hiking. It was difficult to actually see the river below due to the amount and size of trees in the area. Tye mentioned that in the winter and early spring months, you can more easily see the river below. In one of the photos below, you can sort of see water among the trees. Although it sort of looks like a lake, it's actually the Cape Fear River.

Shortly after we arrived at the lookout point, a sweet family showed up. There was a mom and dad, grandfather, five boys, and a puppy (full grown dog). The littlest boy was just a baby. The other four boys were various ages. A few of the youngest boys showed us some rocks they had found. Why don't we adults show each other cool rocks we find!?! LOL I think that was my favorite moment that day. The rocks were cute, and so was the family. I offered to take their photo. I took both a portrait and landscape photo as I usually do in those situations. I managed to get everyone, including the dog, to look at the camera...hehehe

After we rested up there for a little bit, we ventured down another trail that led us down to the river below. Ooh my! I absolutely loved this river. You can see from some of the photos below that I went right up to it. I took a few videos. I think I've posted a video or two on this journal. I'm still not sure how to do that correctly. So I won't be posting the videos. But they show just how powerful the river is. I couldn't help but respect the sheer power of the rushing water.

One notable task I performed while I was standing next to the water is I touched it. I placed the tips of my fingers into the water as it rushed by. I was careful not to do anything that would cause me to fall in. It is difficult to put into words what it is like to touch a rushing river. There is something about being able to touch grass, dirt, sand, water, or feel the warmth of fire. God created these things. It was like touching the soul of God...if that makes sense?

The hike back to the car was a thing...hehehe Like any hike, the journey back is the hardest part. First, you are leaving a beautiful experience. Second, you are tired from the journey...hehehe I didn't quite have the experience I did on the mountain side in California. With that experience, it was just me and God. On this one, I had that one God moment of touching the rushing water. But the rest of the time was with a friend. Both amazing experiences. Both quite different. Both worth experiencing.

Bowstring

By the time it was prevening (late afternoon, but not quite evening), we were finished with Raven Rock but not finished with the day. I asked Tye if she had a recommendation for a place to just hang out and chat while we enjoyed a beer or two. She recommended Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard. She had eaten there before, but never had their beer. I was game for giving it a try. Once again, the name (Bowstring) was enough to intrigue me...hehehe

As it turned out, they don't actually brew any beer...LOL But they do serve up local beer. So it still worked out well. We had some wings and garlic knots. The beer was good. Fortunately, neither of us are drinkers in the common sense. So it was mostly just food and talk. And we talked for quite a while!

As it became evening and then nighttime, we saw that they were going to have a live band perform. So we moved over to the stage area and enjoyed about an hour of live music with a cover band. I'm sure I've mentioned this a few times, but I absolutely love live music...hehehe

Conclusion

It was such a relaxing and amazing day. Sorry it took so long to write about it. This journal entry probably doesn't do the day justice, though. That's okay. I'm happy to have had the day and the opportunity to write about the highlights. Like most things I do, I took plenty of photos and videos to remember it all by. And like always, I enjoyed the moments before I captured any of it.

Here is a small photo dump from the day. There were sooo many more...hehehe