Behind, but Catching Up

I wasn't able to write the Roaring Fork Auto Trail post as I'd hoped before we had to pack up again and head to Pennsylvania for a conference. The Internet connection at the hotel wasn't the best, and—you guessed it—we did a little bit of exploring during free time.

As we did during our last visit to the state, we drove to Lititz to pick up some pretzels at the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in the 1860s. I learned about this place from the Travel Channel, but never expected to buy a hot pretzel right out of their ovens. They're hot, buttery, and delicious, and worth the drive. The charming little town that's Lititz is an added draw. A few photos:

And of course we had to visit Hershey. FYI, the triple chocolate brownies in the food court are great. Just don't expect to want chocolate for a few days.

To avoid drivers swerving and weaving between cars at high speeds (DC traffic, not NASCAR), we came home through Shenandoah National Park. Like the Blue Ridge Parkway, one main two-lane road cuts south through the park, and visitors can stop at overlooks to view the Shenandoah Valley, and also search for wildflowers. We spent the night at one of Skyland's rustic rooms and ate in a dining room that reminded me of the Pisgah Inn. Thankfully, a storm blew out some of the smog that hampered our view the first day.

It was worth the $15 entrance fee.

And that's why I'm behind. I hope to get caught up soon.

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Back from Ridgecrest

If you've never heard of it, Ridgecrest is located near Montreat, NC, and the city of Black Mountain. Nestled beneath peaks just off I-40 at Exit 66, Ridgecrest is also one of Lifeway's conference centers, and home to the annual Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

View from Mountain Laurel Inn

For over twenty-five years, authors both published and hopeful have gathered at Ridgecrest to learn, to fellowship, and to meet with editors and agents. Courses cover subjects such as noveling from start to marketing (there is no such thing as finish), Bible studies, poetry, greeting card writing, and more. After a three-year hiatus, I returned to Ridgecrest and found the conference even better than I remembered. We stayed in the Mountain Laurel Inn, and throughout the week, I attended classes and workshops taught by members of the industry. Lunches were spent at tables hosted by the faculty. I caught up with people I'd met in the past, and had the privilege of meeting others I connected with on Facebook and other online groups. To round out the experience, my novella took first place in that category in the annual contest, and one of my short stories, second.

After the ceremony with author Deborah Raney. So the wrong night to dress comfy!

But that was last week. This week, it's time to get caught up on writing. In my next post, I'll cover the trail to Rainbow Falls and the Place of a Thousand Drips (I just love that name), located along the Roaring Fork Auto Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The mountains and writing. Great alone, but even better when combined.