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Dear Traveler:
It is the bleakest hour of the night. Up the forbidding path to my lair, I can barely make out the gruesome forms of frightful creatures—an unholy trio of witch, werewolf and mummy, their eyes alit with wicked purposes as they maneuver their mountain bikes through the shadows. It is almost the witching hour, and when it comes we will set off into the blackness . . . because we’ve been un-dying to try out this singletrack over in DuPont State Recreational Forest. And the wolf man always knows the best trails where we can check out some views and meet delicious fellow cyclists!
But I get ahead of myself . . .it is October, a time of brilliant foliage, mild temperatures, seasonal ales and the weird, spooky, silly and scary events that make anyplace with Transylvania in the title worth haunting around Halloween. Whether young, old, human or otherwise, you’ll find something worth sinking your teeth into round these parts. Until then, I’ll lurk, hoping to make your acquaintance some dark and stormy night.
Fangs for the memories,
Count Adventurist
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They Came, They Sawed, They Conquered.
Forest Festival Day and John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen's Meet
Cradle of Forestry
Saturday, October 1
9am-5pm
Practicing lumberjacks and fans of the ax will certainly want to pull out their flannel and rush to this daylong festival of all things forest. Celebrate old time mountain living, enjoy demonstrations of traditional crafts and watch woodsman compete in impressive displays of archery, axe throwing, crosscut sawing and pole felling. For more details, ax here.
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Road Warrior
Dirt Diggler
Oskar Blues REEB Ranch
Saturday, October 1
7:45am
The 2nd Annual Dirt Diggler Event promises cyclists a rare chance to tackle tough trails, rocky roads and glide around smooth bends on a 50/50 meander over paved and gravel surfaces in Transylvania and Henderson counties. The event ends with two miles of single-track in DuPont State Recreational Forest. It’s a well-marked course with chip timing, fully supported rest stops with medical assistance available and SAG wagons.
Navigate your path here
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A Touch of Brass
First Mondays Concert
Porter Center for the Performing Arts
Brevard College
Monday, October 3
12:30pm
Hear the compelling sounds of celebrated French Horn players (and Brevard Music Center faculty members), Elizabeth Freimuth and Hazel Dean Davis as they perform at this free weekday chamber music concert. Hazel Dean Davis pictured.
Follow the music this way.
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Local Color
Hidden DuPont & Fall Foliage Tour
Pisgah Field School
Friday, October 7
10am-2pm
Looking for a little insider knowledge of some of DuPont’s secret gems? Need an excuse to get out there and immerse yourself in autumn color? You could do worse than spending a day hiking, exploring and soaking up the scenery with guides in-the-know from Pisgah Field School. The five-mile hike takes narrow trails across even terrain, so come prepared for adventure. Rain or shine.
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Ride On
Tour De Falls
Dupont State Recreational Forest
October 8-9
9am-2:30pm
A highly anticipated seasonal event, this twelve-mile journey (literally) over the river and through the woods provides families and folks with limited hiking abilities a chance to see some of the most spectacular sights in Transylvania County. Shuttle buses provide falls-to-falls service. And the days conclude with light refreshments in the lodge overlooking scenic Lake Julia. Buses are not handicap accessible, pets are not allowed. Bridal Veil Falls pictured.
For more information, steer this way.
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Shake A Tail
White Squirrel Cycling Classic
Blue Ridge Adventures
Start: Oskar Blues Brewery
Saturday, October 15
8:45am
Even the squirrels get psyched about this classic fall spinner, that begins and ends in the tasting room at Oskar Blues, where cyclists can rehydrate after 25, 40 or 63 mile distances down winding valley roads. This is a fully supported race with chip timing, rest stops with medical assistance available and SAG wagons.
Get yourself in gear here
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Hey Ho, Let's Go
Leaf Looking Hayrides
Gorges State Park
Saturday, October 15
10am-2:30pm
The ring road ‘round Gorges State Park offers up some of the best views around. Especially when the leaves are showing off their flamboyant fall colors. Catch it all in comfort on this tractor-pulled all-ages welcome hayride. Rides start at the Visitors Center.
Climb aboard here.
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Run For Your Life
Flight of the Vampire 5k and 10k
Downtown Brevard
Saturday, October 29
8am
There’s been no word from Frankenstein, but it’s pretty clear this event is the only race Dracula gets in shape for. This much-beloved, always congenial event gives competitive and amateur runners alike the unique opportunity to beat their personal best (and burn off those caramel apples) while trying out that new cape.
Get the blood flowing here.
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In The Trick (or Treat) Of It
Halloweenfest
Downtown Brevard
Saturday, October 29
10am-5pm
Halloween in Brevard is kind of a big deal. You don’t come from Transylvania County without pulling out all the stops, bells, whistles and plastic fangs this time of year. That’s why downtown Brevard will be full of folks of all ages showing their costumes, celebrating the season, collecting some candy and having a generally spooktacular time. Halloweenfest is an all-day affair with no age limits, no admission price and no dress code (though costumes are enthusiastically encouraged). Festival events include an apple pumpkin pie bake-off, costume parade, pet costume contest, a pumpkin roll, pumpkin-carving contest and afternoon trick-or-treating at stores, vendors and businesses downtown.
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