Mountains, Miles, and Meaning…A Year of Restless Adventures Chasing Sunrises
- Pam Buchholz
- Dec 30, 2025
- 8 min read
Life whispers its biggest changes often long before we're ready to hear them - through morning coffee contemplations, through that restless energy that won't be quieted, through hearts that just know it's time. When did you last trust that inner knowing enough to completely change your world? For us, this year became a testament to the power of saying yes to the unknown...♥️
On drafting this blog, there was simply too much to squeeze into one blog post, so I decided to split it onto two parts....Part II will be posted tomorrow on New Year's Eve.
As the year draws to a close, I find myself doing what I always do at this time of year - looking back through my journals and photos at the winding, wonderful, sometimes wild path that brought us here....and what a year it's been!
If 2025 taught me anything, it's that life's greatest adventures often begin with letting go of something beautiful to make space for something new...and August brought one of those compass moments I talked about in my very first Restless Adventures blog post from our mountain haven. After six incredible years of hard work restoring, owning and operating the Atlantic Inn in Hatteras, John and I made the decision to sell. It wasn't an easy choice - how do you walk away from a place you've poured your heart and soul into? a place you brought back to life? where you've watched countless sunrises paint the Atlantic in shades of pink and gold? where you've welcomed guests who became friends, and friends who became family?
But here's what I've learned about living a restless life - sometimes the very thing that once felt like home becomes the launching pad for your next great adventure. And darling, was I ready for what came next! By September, we found ourselves in the foothills of North Carolina, just 1.5 miles from the Tryon International Equestrian Center. After living at sea level for years, we were suddenly surrounded by mountains, rolling hills, and a landscape that took my breath away in entirely different ways than the ocean did. Who knew this Piscean could fall so deeply in love with elevations that don't involve tides?
With the mountains on our doorstep, it has been so easy for us to have spontaneous trips to revel in the timeless beauty of the surrounding area. Leaving early in the morning, Bodie loaded into the back of the Jeep (along with his bed and blanky :o), mugs of hot coffee and absolutely no specific plan - just a longing to explore, has been so awesome. Drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway, visits to the ski/snowboard areas of Sugar and Beech Mountains (although unfortunately our first trip was not to snowboard as I had fractured my ankle and was in the infamous boot!), breathtaking waterfall hikes, incredible mountain top open-air chapels, pretty mountain towns, spectacular views, along with discovering the many culinary delights of local pubs and restaurants, has made for some incredible and fun adventures!
Remember that carriage house sanctuary I mentioned in previous blogs? Well, it's become even more special as the seasons have shifted.....my favorite place to read, write, meditate or simply to relax in silence. Watching fall transform our property into an absolute riot of color - the reds, golds, and oranges, then winter coming along with its bare trees revealing more clearly the wild and beautiful ridge behind our home, where sunrises have their own special quiet magic. I hadn't realized how much I missed being surrounded by trees and their unique beauty.
There's something profoundly peaceful about mountain mornings when frost sparkles on everything and the world feels hushed and sacred. The butterfly bush that greeted us in September may be dormant now, but I know it's just resting, gathering energy for spring - a bit like all of us, really.
At the end of November, we did manage to get an RV road trip fitted in....heading to Pennsylvania to visit some incredible friends we met at the inn who have become like family. This trip was conceived a couple of years ago when it was announced that Penn State football team would play Nebraska, at the time it seemed a long ways off, but time flew by and before we knew it game time was approaching and it was time to head up to Pennsylvania! As most people that know us are aware, John comes from Ayr, Nebraska (and I'm from Ayr, Scotland :o), so is a lifelong Nebraska Cornhusker and our dear friends Dave and Mary Ellen are most certainly a Penn State family! Unfortunately for John the game didn't quite go his way and the less said about Nebraska's performance the better. But this did not detract from an absolutely amazing trip/visit.
Being free from the constraints of owning the inn means that now when we hit the road in the RV, we can travel for as long as we like, taking the long way, often the road less travelled, leading to many more adventures along the way! Our road trip took us up alongside the Blue Ridge mountains, through North Carolina, Virginia - staying overnight at a great little RV park in Luray, before heading through Maryland and onto Pennsylvania.
We had a wonderful time with Dave and Mary Ellen who were the absolute best hosts, so much great food, time with their family...and of course lots of laughs and hugs!!! It was such a privilege spending some time with them.
And then there was Niagara Falls - because honestly, how can you be that close and not visit one of nature's most spectacular shows....and it had been many, many years since I'd visited them. So, on leaving our friends, we headed northwards up to Niagara Falls - Standing there, in the chilly air, feeling the mist on my face, hearing that thunderous roar... it reminded me once again that this world is so full of breathtaking wonders if we're just willing to go chase them.
Dinner and an overnight in Buffalo were on the cards before driving along the shores of Lake Erie the next day. The weather started to close in and the rain began - up to this point we had been super lucky with the weather, sunny every day. The drive down towards Pittsburgh was wet and windy, making for a rather nasty drive and we were relieved when we crossed the state line into West Virginia and the rain subsided, although by this time it was starting to get dark.
We decided to grab dinner before arriving at the RV site we had chosen for the night's stay and luckily found a great pizza place....and who doesn't love pizza!!!! The reason for this particular spot to overnight was that it was close to the New River Gorge, where we wanted to visit the bridge and overlook.
The plan had been to watch the sun rise over the gorge, unfortunately due to the amount of rain the day previously (and the cloud cover), there was no spectacular sunrise, and the gorge was full of mist/fog. But it did make for a cool eerie looking scene, knowing you were so high above the gorge, yet unable to see the bottom. After our morning coffee, we hit the road again, travelling through West Virginia before turning South towards Asheville and then home.
What a great trip - another adventure in the bag! The whole trip was a beautiful reminder of why we bought that RV in the first place - freedom, adventure, and the ability to take our cozy little home wherever our restless hearts lead us.
Back home it was time to get ready for Christmas...
I spent a gloriously messy afternoon in my kitchen making traditional Scottish shortbread and tablet (for those unfamiliar, tablet is basically the most delicious, crumbly, sweet confection that Scotland ever gifted to the world - think fudge's sophisticated cousin, although best have your toothbrush ready!). The smell of butter and sugar filling the house, the satisfying process of getting everything just right... it connected me to my roots and reminded me of Christmases in my Scottish hometown.
Tryon International Equestrian Center transformed into a winter wonderland with its annual Winterfest - Christmas Lights, Breakfasts with Santa, Special horse events, an open-air ice rink, Christmas markets, Petting Zoo, drone shows, A Cowboy Christmas, Festive shopping and so much more. It was so cool having this little "Christmas town" only a mile and half from home.
I even managed to sneak in a lunch at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville with my son Lloyd. I've been fortunate to have stayed at this hotel and spa several times and I have to admit that out of all the hotels I've stayed at throughout the world (and there have been so many!!), this is one, if not the absolute favorite of mine. The history, architecture and beauty of this hotel is really like no other. It is also host to an annual Gingerbread House competition that is pretty amazing. But this was just a quick visit to enjoy lunch, check out the Gingerbread houses and the magnificent Christmas decor, then it was back home.
On writing this blog post, I suddenly realize how much we have squeezed into the past month or so...and there is so much more that didn't even make the post.
I've also discovered something rather unexpected about myself - I've become a sunrise gym person! Yes, you read that right. John has always been a morning workout person - I suppose having a Master’s degree in exercise physiology helps with this mindset, but me....not so, I've always preferred to ease into the day with my coffee in hand simply watching the sunrise, but surprisingly I love my mornings beginning at the TIEC gym - There's something magical about starting your day watching the sun rise on mountains while you're on the treadmill. (Although I'll be honest, some mornings my restless spirit is the only thing getting me there....and I always need to have a mug of coffee and time to write in my journal before I go!)
Christmas Day itself was wonderfully traditional - present opening around the tree and a proper turkey dinner with all the trimmings. John, Bodie and I spent Christmas in our new home with Lloyd, who lives and works in Asheville - Luckily for him, the restaurant where he is a chef was closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Although for me, it was a tad weird as it was 70 degrees outside, and back home in Scotland, it would have been decidedly chillier.
As Christmas Day wound down and the last of the turkey dishes were washed, I found myself settling into my favorite time of year - that magical in-between space where the world pauses to catch its breath. You know the one... those precious days nestled between Christmas and New Year when time feels different somehow, softer and more reflective. It's when I do my best thinking about the year that's passing and the one that's waiting just ahead. Tomorrow, I'll be sharing some thoughts about what 2025 has taught me, my intentions for 2026, and why the Year of the Horse feels like it was made just for restless spirits like ours.
Until then, may your own in-between days be filled with peace, reflection, and perhaps a little restless anticipation for what's to come...
Speak with you tomorrow,
Love and Hugs,
Pam, John & Bodie💕
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