Outdoor Journal

Hey we just got a message from our friends at TopFloorStudio in Asheville, NC, the premier web design and SEO masters in the South. They moved around the corner from there old office into a bigger and higher level office! Check it out, I love the new space and artwork.

Dear TopFloor fans,
We’ve recently relocated business operations to 9 W. Walnut St. and we are looking forward to starting the New Year off in our new home. All contact information will remain the same; you can still reach us by phone at (828) 225-8124 and check us out at www.topfloorstudio.com.

Thank you for your continued support!
Jessica Stouder

Project Manager
TopFloorStudio, LLC.
9 W. Walnut St., Suite 3D
Asheville, NC 28801

Photo by Cynthia Potter after painting Jesse’s face at the Courtyard Gallery, Downtown Asheville, 9 Walnut St. Subscribe to True Home Podcast here.

It’s official: Jesse Barry of Asheville, NC has at least made it to Hollywood on American Idol.
Check out this link of contestants that make it to Hollywood!

AND check out this youtube link of Jesse performing at the Int’l Blues Challenge in Memphis TN. last year with her band Skinny Legs and All.

Congratulations Jesse!

Ace Whitewater, aka Ace Adventure Center or American-Canadian Expeditions Ltd, has had 2 deaths in three days of rafting the Gauley River this year. Previous to the three rafting deaths this year there had been 3 deaths in the last three years on the Gauley, two of which occurred on an ACE Whitewater Tour.

“It is sad and everyone is shell-shocked and searching and looking to see if there is anything we can do,” said Mark Lewis, president of the Fayetteville-based West Virginia Professional River Outfitters. “To have three in one season is unprecedented to us.”

ACE Adventure Center’s own website explains that “The University of Colorado studied rafting safety for the years from 1990 to 1997. The University determined that the total fatalities (drowning and health related) during this time period was 0.23 fatalities per 100,000 user days. That is 1 death occurred per 428,953 user days. The average rate from drowning per 100,000 user days is 0.15 or 1 death per 674,069 user days. Non drowning deaths, encompassing heart attacks, respiratory problems, and other health problems, resulted in 0.08 deaths per 100,000 or 1 death per 1,179,621 user days.

By these statistics, for ACE, the American-Canadian Expedition Ltd, to have 2 deaths in just 3 rafting days would seem to raise a red flag in the industry as an extremely high number of fatalities in a single season and very few user days. Checking ACE’s safety record is also disturbing, the last posted DNR required records for accidents during the season, show that the American-Canadian Expeditions, (ACE) have the highest injury rate of all outfitters in West Virginia year after year. (http://www.wvdnr.gov/LEnforce/White/RiverMgt/wvww_pubs.shtm ) And now they are responsible for guided trips on the Gauley resulting in 66% of all deaths on the river by commercial outfitters in the last 6 years.

Ace Adventure Center likes to paint themselves as pioneers of extreme rafting trips and unusual adventures. There websites reports about Extreme Upper Gauley, Trip #17 that
“ACE pioneered this whitewater rafting trip over 15 years ago. At that time, using 12-foot rafts on the Upper Gauley was unthinkable.” Ace Adventure Center also pioneered the technical summer Gauley Rafting trips for boy scouts and other youths that resulted in a death on a scout trip in 2006.

Jerry Cook, the major partner at ACE Adventure Center, also pioneered a
trip that ended at a Class VI rapid (Big Wesser Falls) on the Nantahala
River in North Carolina in the eighties. The ACE website defines
Class VI as:
“Class VI
Nearly impossible and very dangerous. Can be run only by teams of
experts with significant danger to life.”
(www.aceraft.com/rapids.html )

The three deaths this year were reported as follows:
In the first accident, on Saturday, Sept. 12, Eric Clark, 40, of Circleville, Ohio, died after going into cardiac arrest. In the second accident, on Sunday, Sept. 27, on an ACE Whitewater guided trip, Eric L. Hampton, 32, of Louisville, Ky., was on a raft that flipped at Pillow Rock, the largest Class V rapid on the Upper Gauley River. The rapid is sandwiched between giant boulders strewn into the steep, rugged canyon directly below Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park. In the third death, also on an ACE Adventure Center guide trip on Friday, Oct. 2, a 30-year-old Fishers, Ind., man, Shane Loveall, died at Summersville Memorial Hospital after he fell from a raft into the Class V rapid called Lost Paddle and became pinned under water.

These unusual amounts of injuries and deaths on ACE Whitewater’s commercial trips may force Jerry Cook and the ACE Adventure Center to re-prioritize its passion for pioneering for a passion for safety although that has not appeared to be its major concern after the previous season’s fatalities. Ultimately this extreme season may prove to provide a challenge to the limit of liability imposed by the West Virginia Legislature. It may finally lead to the much needed stricter regulation of the West Virginia’s whitewater rafting industry in the interest of safety and standards, to provide more consistent trips and the implementation of a guide license and standard training for guides, to help protect the state’s large visitor base.

Asheville, North Carolina is one of the nicest places to take a vacation. A vacation in Asheville is something people from all over the world are enjoying every year. There is so much to do in this lovely little mountain town, and the people are wonderful. The community is welcoming, creative and courteous. Asheville is a very diverse place, with many different kinds of folks all living together in a beautiful part of the Appalachian Mountains. The city offers a tremendous amount of different things to do and places to see. The history and geography of the area come alive and fill the region with an deep sense of peace and vibrancy. Asheville itself is a wonderful little city, and boasts all the things a larger metropolitan area has to offer while still retaining its small town roots and feel. Restaurants, night clubs, art galleries and boutiques are nicely juxtaposed against a mountain landscape full of outdoor adventures, hiking trails, beautiful national forest and breathtaking vistas.

One of the most enjoyable things about the area is the multitude of places that Asheville offers in the way of places to stay. The traditional bed and breakfast is a wonderful option, and there are many different choices for old fashioned places to stay in the city and outside of the city limits. Renting a mountain cottage is certainly another great option, and offers a little more privacy and closeness to the natural world. Enjoying a cabin rental is also another way to enjoy the proximity of the national forests and still have all the comforts of home. All these options have their benefits and it all depends on what kind of experience you are looking to have when visiting the mountains of WNC. Western North Carolina is more than just Asheville, but Asheville is the largest and most enjoyable city of the area and boasts all the luxuries and experiences of visiting a larger city without having to feel like you are in a metropolis.

Staying at a bed and breakfast is wonderful because you get to experience the luxury of staying at a hotel or motel, yet get the feel of a true country house. The food is usually out of this world, and the settings tend to be luxurious yet with a rustic feel. Having someone there to help you get a feel for the area and point you in the direction of places to go and things to do is very helpful, and it’s nice to get to experience true southern hospitality.

Staying at a nice country cottage rental is always a wonderful alternative. The stay can be a little more extensive and you can feel like you are on a retreat if that is your intention. Perhaps a great choice for someone who has already visited the area and knows their way around, a cottage rental in the mountains is a wonderful way to experience the tranquility of nature and get away from it all.

Renting a mountain cabin is another great way to truly sink into the experience of the area. Enjoy the bounty of nature in this rustic setting while being near the city to be able to enjoy all that the urban environment has to offer.

There are many options for people visiting Asheville, NC, but any way you choose to experience it, this town is magical. Of the many companies offering to assist you in choosing a place to stay in this lovely mountain town, there are few better choices than http://www.vacationinasheville.com/.

These days using renewable energy is extremely important. Solar power is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to power your home. Using solar power is a great way to reduce energy bills, increase the environmentally friendliness of your home and still lead a modern life with all the conveniences. Everyone is looking for ways to be greener and more energy efficient. There are many reasons to embrace alternative energy production methods. Reducing our dependence on oil and coal as fuel sources is crucial to the health and safety of our selves, our families, our communities and our country, not to mention our planet. Alternative energy and heating technology is a very important step in this process. Wind, solar and hydroelectric are all great options, but solar power is one that relies on an energy source that is available to everyone.

Photovoltaic cells are continually being improved and the technology being refined more and more every year. Using solar power has never been easier or more cost effective. There are many companies that are dealing with solar power and other alternative energy sources and finding someone who has the expertise to assist you in making the transition is easier than it has ever been. Green power is the way of the future, and it is only a matter of time before it is the standard. Our impact on the world is becoming more and more serious every year, and we must begin to find other ways to generate electricity. Heating our homes and powering our lives with oil and coal is not sustainable and finding alternatives is something we must consider to be the highest priority in our development as a people.

Solar power is great because it is so clean. The earth bombards us with so much energy every single day, and it just goes to waste. Harnessing that energy is just smart. PV cells once installed are simple, clean and effective. This method of generating electricity is so much safer in so many ways for everyone in the world. Wars need not be fought over solar energy, and it does not require the destruction of forests, mountains or rivers to be achieved. Using solar power is one way to take responsibility and change the way you effect the planet.

It seems only logical that solar panels will eventually be found on top of every building in the world. Supporting this technology and embracing it will ensure that further research and development will be undertaken and the technology becomes more and more available, effective and affordable. All buildings have a roof and this wasted surface can easily hold a panel to catch and harness that precious energy that is showering down on us all day long. Solar power is already there, we only need to reach out and grab it.

In places where coal mining is common, people are well aware of the destruction that goes along with using this outdated resource. Coal mining is a dirty and dangerous business, and the people and ecosystems in the places where coal is mined suffer a needless plight. Mountains are destroyed, homes are destroyed and communities are poisoned because of some of the methods employed by the coal mining industry. Solar energy is one way to end this horrendous practice and bring a cleaner method of energy production to people who desperately need it. There are now many companies such as http://www.atomicsolar.biz/ that are dealing with solar power and alternative energy.

When visiting Asheville, NC, the best way to find your way around is with an online map. An illustrated online map of Asheville makes enjoying this mountain town very easy. The advantages of using an online guide to the city instead of an old fashioned paper one are many. They are easier to read, always updated, available anywhere you can get the internet and often full of other information as well. Locations, points of interest, historic sites, tourist attractions and other things are shown on an illustrated map that others street and city guides do not always show. With a folding paper version, there is always the risk that certain things are no longer there, or roads have been changed or added. Cities are constantly changing and morphing as growth effects areas. Asheville is a particularly popular city, and as the population increases, so does development. This means that roads are being changed, highways are being altered and new developments are constantly taking place. Using an online map ensures that you always have the most up to date information.

Finding the places that you are looking for is easier and a lot more fun on an online map of Asheville. The ability to zoom in and out, scroll in any direction and see the names and places that much easier is a great thing. Sometimes using other kinds of atlases can be difficult because of the fact that they are written small and everything looks the same. An illustrated map of asheville is more enjoyable and simple to use. Even if the place you are going is not listed on the page, you can use other nearby landmarks to find that spot. Illustrated atlases help you get a feel for a city more than street versions, and often make the act of exploring a new city that much more enjoyable. A tourist map of Asheville can show you the neighborhoods as well. In the case of Asheville, finding Biltmore Village, the River Arts District and other important places and areas of the city is easy on an illustrated guide.

Another great thing about using a vacation map of Asheville, is that it that much easier to find Asheville attractions, restaurants, shops and other things like historic sites. These spots can be easily marked on the page and found with no problems at all. There are right there, and you can zoom in or out to get the specific street names or the big picture. Getting lost in a town you are unfamiliar with is scary and annoying. Making sure you can enjoy your adventure and get the most out of your visit is always going to make things more pleasant on a trip. Taking that stress out of the equation is important to making sure that everyone enjoys the city without worry.

The ability to zoom in and out on the atlas is a great convenience. Being able to see the city layout from a birds eye view makes getting a feel for the place that much easier. Understanding the shape of the town and how one neighborhood or area borders another is a great way to get an idea of where things are and how to get from one place to another. Seeing how the highway runs through or around and where streets intersect up close of from a larger perspective makes finding your way around so much easier. You can really get an idea for how a town is laid out this way, and it feels much more familiar when you are there navigating the city streets. You can use a lot of maps to navigate Asheville, but http://www.illustratedmapofasheville.com/ is a particularly good one.

Affordable legal help is something everyone needs at some point. Finding affordable legal assistance online can save you a lot of time and money. Many people can not afford to keep a lawyer on retainer or go out and hire a high priced law firm when things come up that require professional legal assistance. The system has become very complicated and trying to navigate the legal system on your own can be a truly daunting experience. Small details and major issues will come up that baffle the lay person, and only an experienced lawyer is going to be able to get you through certain situations. Nobody likes to think about those hard times that come up, but when they do, finding reliable and affordable legal help is absolutely crucial to keeping yourself sane and coming out of the difficult situation on top.

There are a variety of reasons a person might need to find and hire a decent lawyer at some point in their life, and many are not very pleasant to think about. Unfortunately, these situations come up, and the need for assistance in these difficult legal matters may arise. Needing a lawyer for family disputes is a sad situation, but it does arise, and when it does you will want to take as much stress off of yourself as possible. This situation is already difficult enough without having to add the challenge of dealing with expensive law fees. On the other hand, you want to make sure you are getting quality legal assistance, so that you are protected in the case and come out of it all on top of the situation.

Family disputes can come in many forms, and having affordable, quality legal assistance is important. In these difficult situations, having reliable legal assistance can help you get through it all. Child custody battles, alimony, divorce, visitation rights and many other family related legal issues are common things to have to deal with. It is unfortunate that they come up at all, but they do arise. When they do, having a decent lawyer can save you from serious problems.

Child custody disputes are some of the worst legal problems that can arise. It is very sad when this situation comes up, but it does and it is very difficult. Sometimes, parents will reach a point ion their relationship where they can not resolve the situation and legal help is required. Occasionally one of the parties will have resources the other does not, and then it is very important for the other person to be able to get a good, quality lawyer at an affordable price.

Visitation rights are another child-related legal situation. This is a situation where the custody has been settled, but one party is not satisfied with the outcome of the visitation rights. This can seem very unfair, and a parent is never going to be satisfied if they are denied the right to see their child. That is often not the best situation for the child either, but unfortunately this is not always taken into consideration by the parents in the moment.

Many of these situations arise in the first place from divorce proceedings, and having a decent lawyer at this point can stop problems before they arise in the first place. When the unfortunate need for a divorce lawyer arises, having an affordable lawyer can save your assets and your rights when it comes to many things.

There are many options for finding legal assistance, and finding help online is one way. The website http://www.bestlegalleads.com/legalhelp.html is a good example of a website that offers affordable legal assistance for a variety of different issues.

Fractional ownership clubs are a great alternative to traditional property ownership. There are a lot of advantages for people looking to buy a second home. Many people want to own a second home, but there are an awful lot of responsibilities that go along with purchasing a second house. Maintaining two properties is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility. There are many costs and a whole myriad of things that need to be done to keep up with a piece of land. Maintaining the home, the yard, the details and all the finances are just a few of the burdens associated with second home ownership. There are some options, and fractional ownership is one of the best for many reasons. Here are a few reasons why fractional ownership clubs are easier and more enjoyable that traditional second home ownership.

Maintenance is one of the main problems with owning a second home. The structure and the grounds must be kept up to keep the place in good shape. If you are only going to be spending a little time at your second home, then it becomes more of a burden to keep the place up. Instead of being able to just enjoy your vacation home or second property, you are constantly having to worry about taking care of the place. With fractional ownership, you have no worries where that is concerned. There is a dedicated team of maintenance personnel and landscapers to take care of the property for you. The administrators of the fractional ownership club take care of the planning and work that goes into the upkeep of the property, so every time you decide to visit your place, you can just go and enjoy it.

Having a personal concierge service team is luxurious. A good fractional ownership club will have top quality concierge service for you. This makes enjoying your home the best of both worlds. It is like having a private residence, but also like staying at a top notch vacation resort. Imagine arriving at your vacation house or second home and having the refrigerator stocked with all of your favorite foods. A concierge will know all the events and things that you enjoy and be able to make a note of it for you so that when you visit you can enjoy all the things the area has to offer. Every little detail will be attended to by a custom concierge and you would never have this in traditional second home ownership.

Security is never an issue with private residence clubs. When you are away from you home, the staff of the club will always be there to take care of the property, and vandalism and break ins are nothing to ever worry about. There is always someone there looking after your property.

The financial investment is sound. Property values will not fluctuate as much and you can know that your investment is safe. Being a member in a fractional ownership club is great because you get all the benefits of a first class resort and all the benefits of ownership of the property. You get the best of both worlds with less stress and worry.

Traditional home ownership and time shares are not nearly as good as fractional ownership. There are endless perks to enjoying this type of property ownership. There are many places of this kind around the world. You can go to http://www.thecharlestonclubdi.com/ to see an example of a fractional ownership club and learn more about it.

Summer is here and there are always too many outdoor projects to take care of. Lawn and yard maintenance can be so difficult and time consuming that hiring a professional is always easier. Figuring out which plants to put where, how to get that tree stump out of the yard, what to do with certain spots in the yard and other minor and major details can be overwhelming to someone that has little experience doing landscaping or little time to do it. Hiring a trained professional is the answer to these problems and can make your life so much easier and worry free.

Everyone wants to come home to a beautiful yard. Stepping out of your car or walking up to the door can be so much more enjoyable when your little sanctuary is beautiful. Before you even walk into your house you can begin to feel that sense of relaxation and peace of mind that comes with having an attractive and beautiful home. Backyard retreat areas become little paradises when you have a nicely landscaped yard. With a little stonework and some professionally designed plant beds, your yard can become a place that recharges and rejuvenates your spirit. The energy and spirit of your own property can become a place of peace and tranquillity, helping you to more fully enjoy your property.

Beautifying your property with simple things like a little weeding and mulching, or with major projects like timber work or tree removal can do wonders to improve the property value of your home and land. An attractive yard is the first thing people see when they arrive at your home and landscape restoration can be one of the things that increases the value of you house and the value of the property you own. If you are thinking about selling your property, then definitely consider doing some landscaping to increase the appeal of your property and to improve the likelihood that you will sell the property. Landscape design is one of those things that can almost be subliminal, but matters quite a bit in how someone feels when they arrive at your house.

Having a beautiful yard can also increase the attractiveness of your entire neighborhood. It’s nice to drive down a street that has beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. It gives the sense that the people who live in this neighborhood actually care about the place they live and take the time to make it a beautiful, attractive and inviting place.

Businesses can benefit tremendously from landscape design. A beautiful exterior can make a business much more inviting to customers and give a sense of professionalism to any building. It is like having an advertisement outside your establishment that conveys a welcoming message. Businesses that have beautifully landscaped exteriors are more likely to bring in customers because the entire feel of the environment is improved and people are naturally drawn to attractive places. Putting your businesses exterior on maintenance programs is a great way to have a beautifully landscaped property that you never have to think about.

Hiring a trained and competent professional is one way to ensure that your yard and landscape installation lasts a long time. Knowing which plants to put in what places is important to making sure that the plants thrive and flourish. Some plants do better near each other. Some plants do better with a lot of shade. Some plants do better in full sun. Some plants need to be trimmed in certain ways or at certain times. It’s hard to know all this information, and having a professional to make these choices will ensure that the hard work that goes into your lawn and landscape will last a long time. There are many great landscaping companies you can find online such as www.landscapesasheville.com.

The weather is getting warmer and it’s time to plan a summer vacation in Asheville, NC. Asheville is the ideal place to take a family vacation this summer. This beautiful little mountain town has something for everyone, from thriving downtown full of shops and restaurants to a vast array of outdoor adventures. Asheville, NC is the little gem in the heart of the Western North Carolina mountains. People from all over the world have made Asheville their preferred destination for vacations and there are many good reasons why. The creative culture, quaint downtown area, up and coming arts districts, lively music scene and beautiful natural landscapes make this an ideal place for anyone to take a trip. Asheville is an unbeatable location for a trip of any kind, and especially for a wonderful summer vacation.

Planning your summer vacation in Asheville is ideal because of the diversity of things to do here. Every member of your family will find this wonderful and exciting city welcoming to them. The city boats one of the most active arts communities anywhere in the country, some f the most beautiful national forests and parks anywhere in the world and a welcoming southern hospitality unrivalled by any city anywhere. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, Asheville offers something for every taste.

If a downtown experience is what you are looking for, Asheville is ideal. Choose to stay in one of the cities many lovely and inviting bed and breakfasts for easy access to everything in the downtown area. Boutiques specializing in local hand made items are waiting to show you the unique arts and crafts culture of the area. Stores and shops of every kind make Asheville a wonderful city to walk and shop through. The most eclectic variety of restaurants and cafes await any type of culinary tastes. A wide variety of diets and preferences can be satisfied by the diverse range of places to enjoy a meal in this little mountain oasis. Art galleries and studios are everywhere, and Asheville has long been known for its art community. Studio tours and strolls are a regular happening in all corners of the city.

If a more outdoor adventure is in order, renting a mountain cabin is perhaps the way to go. Enjoy the rustic peace and serenity of the WNC wilderness without sacrificing comfort in a beautifully renovated and updated cabin in the mountains. Everything from fishing to kayaking to hiking thousands of miles of trails in the pristine Appalachian Mountains await the summer vacationer who decides to come and commune with the natural world here. Rock climbing and other outdoor adventures are popular here, and there plenty of resources available to find everything you need to get outside and enjoy the woods and mountains.

Renting a cottage in Asheville is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Enjoy the rustic feel of the mountains while being close to the city for a trip in for the nightlife. After a wonderful day of hiking, boating or exploring the wilderness, come into town for a wide variety of nighttime fun and live entertainment. Asheville truly has something for every taste and is sure to please every member of your family. There is nothing in the world that beats a vacation in Asheville, NC.