Thursday started the last busy day of our trip. We headed to Mount Pisgah through the Blue Ridge Mountains, making several stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. We did a very small amount of climbing. (I realized that my legs could handle the climb, but my lungs were not into it!)

After heading back to Asheville, we made a snack stop at Hole Donuts. Everyone who worked there was super friendly. They explained how they made the donuts to order and gave donut and Asheville recommendations. The donuts were so tasty and we had some pretty tasty coffee, as well.

From Hole, our group split up, with Katie and Aaron heading to check out art and the rest of us going on the New Belgium Brewing Tour. We were 4/6 of the tour, so it was nice and personal. We also had a tour guide from Austin, Becca, who was really sweet and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about the business and brewing side of New Belgium. The buildings were all very artistically designed with found items by local artists giving it a very cool vibe. The company takes great care of its employees and they all took pride in their work. If I lived in Asheville or Fort Collins, CO, I would definitely want to work for them! Along the tour, we got to try several beer samples and even got to slide down a slide from one level to the next. With a beautiful campus and great beer, this was a really awesome beer tour!

From New Belgium, we headed to Urban Orchard Ciders to try some ciders and enjoy some appetizers. There were several unique types of cider, including some with hints of jalapeno or honey. We also enjoyed some pimento cheese, another treat of the South.

After a long day, we relaxed back at the cabin, preparing for the end of our trip.

The New Austonian