The Biltmore Estate, America’s Largest Privately Owned Home
We visited the Biltmore Estate in lovely Asheville, North Carolina, and had a great time. If you were a bachelor from one of America’s riches families and grew up in New York City, of course America’s biggest house on 125,000 acres (now only 8,000) in North Carolina would be a dream.
The Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
We visited the fairly land house and really enjoyed our time. We did manage to stay the evening prior to our tour at the newly constructed (2015) Village Hotel and loved the accommodations.
The tour the evening before included a drive around the grounds from an Estate driver (tour vans hold about 20 and we had it to ourselves), a walk on the grounds, and wine tasting in Antler Village. It was a perfect evening and the food, locally grown on the estate, was tasty.
We did tour the estate. Wow! We were up before the tours start and decided to bike on the estate. We were not the only riders out that morning. It was a fun time and we enjoyed the wildlife and the quiet scenes along the French Broad River.
After breakfast and checking out of our room, we took the van to the estate. George Vanderbilt, and later his wife and daughter, lived in Vanderbilt’s 250-room French Renaissance chateau after it was completed in 1895. The finished home contains over four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. We loved the in-ground pool with electric lights and the bowling alley. Our favorite rooms were the library with over 10,000 books and the porch that had great views of the country side.
After the tour we strolled through the conservatory and gardens and walked to the Bass Pond dam as well and saw the Glen Bridge on, of course, Glen Road. We needed a picture! Kim enjoyed the waterfall from the dam and we were all set to enjoy more waterfalls.
I did run into a former co-worker who had just completed the Rooftop Tour and loved it. Our tour was of the main house and it was almost overwhelming. We did the audio package and it was well worth it.
I said fairy tale house; I met a man whose 5-year-old daughter thought that the house was a fairy tale castle. She had on a princess dress as we went into the wine tasting. We did see the 5-year-old girl on the tour the next day and she was in heaven enjoying the house in her princess dress.
A few travelers shared their advice and thoughts on how they get along in retirement.
One of our van drivers on the estate was retired. He moved back to the Asheville area after retiring and loved the Biltmore.
- He was glad to hear we were not moving to town as he said too many already have.
- His thoughts were to find what you love.
- He grew up in the area and does not consider driving on the estate work. He indicated that the Biltmore will have to pry him out of his seat to get him to leave.
After our house tour we ate lunch with another retiree who had just come up for the day with his season pass.
- This gentleman had been retired for a year and was looking to get back into the workforce.
- He missed people and wanted to get back into society. He thought the Biltmore did not pay enough. Interesting contrast to the van driver in his outlook.
- Lesson learned–try things out and keep active. It is harder to re-start.
Other highlights: Several of the local residents have season passes and come often to the grounds. We can see why; we plan to come again for another season of the landscapes in the fall or for Christmas.
Trip by the numbers:
Travel days: July 18-19
Visited two states, Tennessee and North Carolina
Activity statistics:
- Biking miles: 8.3 miles, 1 ride.
- Hiking/Walking 3.4 miles, not including the house—all around the estate.
Early morning biking along the French Broad River at the Biltmore Estate.
Celebration, Certification and Caves
It is true; I am now retired and have begun traveling.
Celebrations:
My first travel begins with celebrations.
- Although not a far drive…Thursday night June 29th, after “work” saw many of us “pre-retirees” gathered at 300 Magellan. It was a great get together and I was unable to buy myself a drink.
- A fun time was had by all, what a great send off!
- Some, who retired earlier in the year, and others, who retired a few years before, came out to wish us well.
- On Friday, our official last day at work, I grabbed my last free cup of coffee and turned in my badge and work computer. It was official; I was retired.
- After going home briefly, I left town for St. Louis for additional celebrations with my in-laws.
- Yes, I spent my first night of retirement celebrating with my in-laws who took me out to a great dinner in St. Louis.
Webster Groves had the start of their local 4th of July celebration on Saturday near the in-laws and we saw a few good bands at the bandstand on Saturday. A good celebration.
- On Monday, after traveling to Arkansas on Sunday, I went
out to eat and celebrate retirement with my mom and sister at the Marketplace Grill. It was fun and tasty. Especially the desert we shared with my mom!
Certification:
The point of my travels back to St. Louis was to complete the Spinning® Instructor Certification class that was cancelled the month before on the biking, shooting and drinking trip.
- This month the class ran as scheduled from 8:30 AM until 5:30 PM Saturday with 30 minutes for lunch and 2 one hour Spins® included. A great day.
- After the class, I did manage a swim in their Olympic pool.
- Received my certificate after passing the on-line exam once I got back in town.
- I guess I have to apply for a job now…
Caves:
Since I was in St. Louis, I thought I would continue the celebration tour and visit my mom who is in Arkansas. She turned double snowmen this year and is doing great. On the way I stopped at Meramec Caverns in Sullivan, Missouri.
- I enjoyed seeing the Jesse James hideout and walking and exploring the caverns.
- The entire area was flooded earlier this year and water shut down the entire cavern for a week. Wow! Water is crazy.
The caverns are a great sight to see if you are driving along highway 44 near St. Louis—year around it is 58 degrees in the caverns. I wore a sweatshirt to keep warm. The tour moved us along and we walked for about 90 minutes underground.
Closings:
I returned on Thursday night (July 6) in time to close on our long time residence in Kentucky and move to a new (right size) home nearby. All went well on Friday and we moved into our new home on Tuesday of the following week.
Contemplation:
While on the road, I listened to a fun book on my drive: The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax .
- The unexpected part for me is that it had a great retirement question at the beginning of the story. A doctor asks Mrs. Pollifax: Isn’t there something you have always longed to do? Something you have never had the time or the freedom for until now?
- The doctor adds that it is terribly important for everyone at any age to live to his full potential, otherwise a kind of dry rot sets in. I thought that was great retirement advice.
- Spoiler alert, Mrs. Pollifax does have something she has always wanted to do, instead of living the sensible life she has created. Her response: when growing up she planned to become a spy!
- I recommend reading the book and pondering the questions she answered. I am still working on my answers.
As a part of the visit, I asked “How do you do this retirement thing?”
- My brother-in law, who has been retired for a few years, said to find something to do that you love. He also noted that it changes. He began a business and is now making plans to give up the part time vocation in favor of other ventures.
- My sister works for a bike trail organization; she said she needed to work once her husband retired to stay active. The key for her is finding the balance of time at home and at work.
I did go for a 42.5 mile bike ride with my sister on Monday (July 3) on the Razorback Greenway and went for a mile swim on Tuesday as it was raining all day on the fourth of July. I left Wednesday and I think she was pleased to take a day off of the activity.
Trip by the numbers:
Travel days: Friday, June 30, through Thursday, July 6, and Saturday, July 8, all by car (1700 miles all in).
First sinkhole, noticed by me, on the way to St. Louis in Indiana at the Nancy Hanks Rest Area on highway 64.
Activity statistics:
- Biking miles: 95.8 miles, 4 rides, longest 42.5 miles.
- Swimming: 1.5 miles
- Trumpet playing at Webster Gardens with their brass group at the 8 AM service and at Abby and Andrew’s wedding.
- Disc Golf in Kentucky while moving. Too much rain on the trip to make it work while on the road.
States visited: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas.
Biking, Shooting and Drinking in St. Louis
Last July, Kim went to visit her parents and had what we now refer to in the family as the St. Louis biking, shooting and drinking trip. Our daughter Sarah went on the same trip in April along with Kim’s brother, minus the biking.
For my pre-retirement/birthday trip it was time for me to go biking, shooting and drinking in St. Louis. Kim and I have ridden with the Bike MS team for several years and are behind in our miles ridden this year. Our biking portion was a ride from the in-law’s home to Grant’s trail.
On a few mornings we saw several of the Budweiser Clydesdales out grazing at Grant’s Farm along the trail.
Safety first.
My father in law Butch invited me to go to the shooting range for the shooting portion of my pre-retirement travels. He is currently qualified on the range and was an instructor for his fellow police officers. I took advantage of the safety briefing, about an hour, and the shooting at the range, along with another briefing on firearm safety. I eventually shot a 357 magnum, and the gun has a kick. My memory is seeing the flames shoot out of that gun as it was fired.
Many of you who know me well are surprised at the drinking aspect of the trip. Of course, if you know Kim, you are even more surprised. Here is how it went down… Still enjoying a great weather day in St. Louis, we went out to lunch in the Soulard area of St. Louis at a place called Hammerstone’s.
We ate out on the porch area in the shade and enjoyed a great taste of St. Louis. Kim had the toasted raviolis and that was a treat. Pat and Butch shared a meal; they apparently eat less as they do not bike the same way Kim and I do and we enjoyed ourselves.
After lunch we toured the famous Anheuser-Busch brewery. Yes, they still provide free samples as a part of the tour. We saw more Budweiser Clydesdales out enjoying the day. The tour was interesting; the samples were great! (Drinking!) Yes—I did the sampling of the beer and it was good. Kim passed this time as it was my drinking tour.
After the brewery tour we had to stop at the St. Louis icon Ted Drewes. I had the concrete and Kim and Pat had the hot fudge. It was good and we did not have any left over. Butch does not like Ted Drewes but still drove us to get our treat.
As part of the fun in St. Louis we went out to the Hill for a visit with some friends and relatives also in town for the same high school graduation. The restaurant, chosen by one of Butch’s brothers, was Rigazzi’s. You can see the small glass in front of Kim’s uncle (more drinking?). It was great for them to connect. Who knew retirement was so active!
Of course we went to St. Louis after Memorial Day to see my niece graduate from high school. The ceremony went really well and it was great to see her graduate. We stayed until Sunday to attend the graduation party, another day for friends and family (yes, more drinking). It was great to visit and be a part of the celebration.
As a part of the visit I asked “How do the In-laws do this retirement thing?”
Butch exclaimed they get all of the same things done in retirement that they have always done. Just not in the same hurry or the same day. Sure enough, he spent some time every day working on a project on his deck that is still not complete. Now, I do not think he was trying to prove a lifestyle point, I believe he was just doing what he does. He is one of the most optimistic guys you could meet. He is quick with a smile and always says hello.
Other highlights:
We had Imo’s pizza and took a walk to Webster University where I received my MBA. The campus has grown.
Yes–we did our bike ride in Webster University bike shirts–so it was only fitting to walk over to the campus.
A few lessons learned.
- Butch: Be optimistic. Take it slow, it will be there tomorrow and you are no longer on the clock.
- Pat (mother-in-law): Enjoy the time, be with friends and family.
- Natalie —now a senior in college, giving advice to her sister entering college: It is all about relationships. When the semester begins, go to the professor’s office on the first day of class and introduce yourself, be social. Know what you want and go for it.
Trip by the numbers:
Travel days: Tuesday, May 30, 2017, Sunday, June 04, 2017, all by car (350 miles one way)
Activity statistics:
- Biking miles: 54.8 miles, 3 rides, longest 20 miles.
- Hiking/Walking 19.9 miles, 10 separate walks in neighborhoods, longest 4 miles.
- Trumpet playing at Webster Gardens with their brass group at the 8 AM service
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