Day Trip: The Orchard

Trip number two of our day-trip series, and this one is a full day in the Blue Ridge mountains. We are keeping it simple: we carpool down together, pick apples, spend the middle of the day in Blue Ridge, and drive home. No train on this one.

WE ARE CARPOOLING: that is the whole reason I need your name early.

• We ride down together from Sportsman's Warehouse
• It is about an hour and forty five minutes each way
• Once I know how many of us there are, I will sort out who rides with whom
• If you are willing to drive, say so on the form and it helps a lot

AT THE ORCHARD: Mercier Orchards, 8660 Blue Ridge Dr, Blue Ridge, GA 30513.

• Apple U-Pick runs 10 AM to 4 PM on Mondays, subject to the crop and the weather
• Your picking starts with a tractor ride out through the orchard
• The market and bakery are open all day, and the fried pies and apple cider donuts are the reason people drive up here
• There is a winery on site if you want to take something home

LUNCH AND SHOPPING IN TOWN: downtown Blue Ridge is just a few minutes from the orchard.

• We will sit down and eat lunch together
• Then there is time to wander the shops at your own pace before we head back
• It is a small, walkable downtown, so nobody has to hike

HOW THE MONEY WORKS: Awaken is not collecting a single dollar up front for this one.

• No trip price, no deposit, nothing to pay when you sign up
• You pay your own way for what you choose to do that day, your apple picking, anything you buy at the market, and your lunch
• All I need from you right now is a head count so I can sort out the carpooling

ABOUT THE TRAIN: you may have heard us talking about adding the scenic railway to this day. We looked hard at it and it is not going to work for October 12, so we are saving it for another time.

• It is not part of this trip, and there is nothing to buy
• If a train day is something you would want to do down the road, tell me on the form
• If enough of you want it, I will build a proper trip around it

Add your name below so I know to save you a seat in a car. This is a sign-up, not a booking, and there is nothing to pay yet. We are gathering names first so we know how many cars we need.