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A few years ago, my daughter, Hannah, and I started talking about taking a "girlfriend trip" together.

At first, the idea of the two of us taking off alone was more of a joke, but the idea took hold, and we both decided it really was something we wanted to do.

Two weeks ago, we finally made good on our plans and headed out of town right after my daughter finished work. We drove west on I-40 until we reached our destination, Asheville.

We arrived at our hotel and found everything to our liking. I don't consider myself picky when choosing a hotel. As long as it is clean and comfortable without a lot of smoke or cleaning-supply smells, I am good. As long as there is a bed that will wrap you up and tuck you in at night and a TV with cable to enjoy, I am good. As long as there is free breakfast and a refreshing pool to swim in, I am good.

We were told that we would have a king suite. This means different things to different hotels, but in this case, it meant a three-foot-tall wall jutting out 12 inches from the main wall dividing the living and bed space.

After arriving, we quickly went to find dinner, settling on Taco Bell. It was close by, and we were tired. We stayed up late talking and watching TV. Happy and tired, we drifted off to sleep.

Waking up at 6:30 am, just 4 1/2 hours into our sleep, we decided we should try to beat the breakfast rush by going downstairs early.

We also remembered that the hotel staff had told us that breakfast was available only until 9:30 a.m.

We were happily surprised to find so much more available than just a few muffins, bagels, cereal and toast. After a quick survey of what was available, we made our way over to the waffle irons to begin making our own waffles. Neither of us had ever made our own waffles before. They were wonderful. The waffles alone made it worth getting up so early to eat. (This experience has prompted me to begin shopping for a waffle iron.)

We later found eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy available.

After eating, we drove to Biltmore Estate. Neither of us had ever been there. We arrived early in the day to make the most of it.

We began to make our way through each room, marveling at the grandeur and history surrounding us. We climbed the four flights of stairs as we made our way from one side to the next, enjoying seeing how this family and their many guests lived once upon a time.

We later made our way down to the basement (more stairs) to see the indoor pool and bowling alley among the other rooms tucked under the main floor. The opulence was mind-boggling.

With tired legs and feet, we made our way to the courtyard that separates the house from the stables to buy a soft pretzel and a drink.

We went in a couple of the gift shops before taking the shuttle down to the gardens. I was really spent and could not fathom the thought of actually walking down to the gardens at this point. Nothing tells you how out of shape you are like Biltmore Estate.

Strolling through the gardens next to the conservatory, we observed the butterflies flitting from flower to flower. We marveled at the variety of plants displayed.

Afterwards we caught a shuttle bus back to our car to freshen up a bit. We drove to the winery for the tour. After the tour, we went into the tasting area and asked for a nonalcoholic drink. They placed us in the kiddie area and handed us the best tasting-grape juice I've ever had. I'm not sure if it was just that good, or if I was just that thirsty.

We realized at this point we were done, and we wanted to go find some food.

We drove out of the estate and made our way to the first thing we saw, McDonald's. I was impressed at how nice this McDonald's was. Inside you did not feel that you were at McDonald's, and outside, it blended well with the historic area.

The rest of the trip was defined by our sore and tired muscles. We hobbled in and out of shops, laughing at ourselves as we enjoyed the rest of our trip in the southern mountains of North Carolina.

As we left Asheville, my daughter and I brought home new memories and the hope of having another girlfriend trip again soon.

Linda Vestal is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend living in Gibsonville. Contact her with comments or story ideas at lindavestal@triad.rr.com.