Asheville

Asheville Waterfalls

/ Cate Spader / Leave a comment

In 2014, I saw some of the largest, most beautiful waterfalls in Asheville, North Carolina. During my most recent visit (I returned to Chicago with Linley late last night), I knew I had to revisit DuPont State Forest—and finally see Looking Glass Falls.

DuPont State Forest is a free, extremely large park with multiple trails and options for everyone to enjoy. Linley and I wanted to spend the majority of our time at High Falls—arguably the most magnificent of the bunch. I distinctly remember this from my first time in Asheville nearly eight years ago, and haven’t been able to forget it ever since. We hiked down to the river beneath the falls, found a great rock to sit on and enjoyed some quality time together.

Once Linley started getting antsy, we started to head east to get a better, closer view of the falls. The trek wasn’t necessarily the safest, but Lin and I were able to practice some fancy footwork and find a good spot to enjoy the mist from the falls.

Once we were pretty covered in sprinkles, we headed north and hiked another hour or so to Grassy Lake Falls—another waterfall in the park. This fall is significantly smaller, but much more peaceful and tranquil, making it the perfect spot for a quick picnic. There was a big rock that seemed like it was made specifically for Lin and me. We munched on some cheese sandwiches and dog food, and relaxed before the next hike.

On our way back to the visitor’s center, we met a lovely couple and chatted with them for a bit—which is one of the many reasons why I love the Asheville area so much. Linley even started to fall asleep as we visited with them! We finally made it to the car, and headed north to Looking Glass Falls.

Looking Glass Falls sits halfway between Asheville and DuPont State Forest, and is one waterfall I’ve always wanted to see. It’s not necessarily a “hike,” but it is a beautiful place to park your car, walk down toward and hang out for a little while. Linley and I sat in a “sandbank” type area with the best view of the falls, people watched and enjoyed hearing the sounds of the waterfall and the creek flowing near us.

I’m beyond grateful to have visited some of my favorite places with one of my best friends 😀

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram westiepoo.linley and adventureinspades

Media taken Wednesday, April 13

In Awe of Asheville

/ Cate Spader / Leave a comment

Asheville, North Carolina has held a special place in my heart since December, 2014—when I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and built homes in the area. The mountains, people and unique energy pulled me in, so much so that I almost moved there in 2021. I accepted a position at a smaller company and met some amazing coworkers-turned-friends, but ultimately relocated to Chicago instead.

I know what you’re thinking: How can a city girl be so outdoorsy at the same time? Truthfully, my only reasoning is that I’m a Libra and enjoy balance 😂

In all seriousness, when I knew I would have a seven week sabbatical between jobs, I knew I had to visit—Linley in tow. One of my best friends, Carolina lives in the area with her boyfriend and dog, giving us the perfect excuse to come visit. Nature is beautiful and all, but there’s nothing better than enjoying it with friends—human and four-legged!

Linley and I drove through Chicago, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Western North Carolina on Sunday, April 10 to get here. Linley was great in the car, but I knew I had to make it up to him – and myself – with some major hiking the next day. On Monday, April 11 we decided to hike the Rattlesnake Lodge trails while Carolina was busy at work. The trails were roughly four miles and approximately four hours for us to hike, but the sun peaking through the trees and the light breeze motivated us to keep going. The views weren’t as “open” as other hikes in the area, but it was still a great trail for us to start with. Between the hiking and long drive the day prior, Linley and I were so exhausted that we napped in the afternoon—something he often does and I rarely do. Carolina, Matt and I grabbed dinner and drinks downtown, watched some Impractical Jokers and went to bed.

The following day wasn’t looking like a great day for hiking; rain and light thunderstorms were predicted for the morning, which turned into the afternoon as well. Me being me, I thought leaving around noon would be smart to avoid the worst of the rain, but Lin and I were disappointed when we arrived at the Craggy Gardens trail and were hit with quite a bit of rain (guess which one of us was more disappointed than the other!). We stuck it out under it became unbearable, dried off in the car then headed back toward the city of Asheville for better luck.

Well, we didn’t have better luck at the North Carolina Arboretum, but we still made the most of it. After another rainy hike, we headed back to Carolina’s place. Carolina, our friend Jes and I headed to downtown Weaverville for s’more tacos and drinks. It was great to catch up with them—especially a long day of not being able to do much!

Don’t forget to follow Linley and me on Instagram @westiepoo.linley and @adventureinspades

Photos taken Monday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 12

July Gratitude

/ Cate Spader / 4 Comments

July was full of spontaneity, love and laughter. Here are some of my favorite moments from last month:

-my teammates are excited to meet me, and have been giving me pointers on where to live in the city

-good phone calls with great friends, and my favorite cousin

-going to an indoor party for the first time since February 2020

-exploring downtown Detroit; admiring the architecture and fireworks while Linley kept running into things with a big smile on his face

-hanging out on the lake with my best friend and her family (+fast boat rides!)

-overcoming family bullying and past trauma

-finally meeting my former coworkers and spending a lovely weekend with them in Asheville

-a lovely evening stroll through a local riverwalk with Juan and Linley

-my supervisors asking how the move is going and expressing their excitement to meet me in September

-spending the entire morning floating and drinking on the Huron River with one of my best friends

-long conversations with old friends

-taking Linley on spontaneous adventures

-becoming closer with coworkers

-Linley’s kiss attacks!

-laughing and catching up with my home girl Donna on a weekly basis (never a dull moment!)

-when a friend can turn a terrible day into a phenomenal one

-productive mornings

-Linley made an appearance on a company Zoom photo collage

-Linley trying to earn treats simply for being cute on a hot day (and sitting by Sommer and his treat bag on the bench!)

-spending time with the three sweetest kiddos who call me “Aunt Cate”

-Jaclyn saying “well, you’re my sister, so…” ☺️

-girls nights with a best friend in Ann Arbor (strong drinks in new places with old friends!)

-tolerating less bullshit

-a lovely day with Juan and Linley, full of walks and relaxation

-knowing that I will always overcome what’s ahead

Babbling Brook

/ Cate Spader / Leave a comment

I felt like F. Scott Fitzgerald this morning as I meandered along the babbling brook at the Grove Park Inn. Asheville, North Carolina is known for its breathtaking views and enchanting scenery – a wonderful place in which to be immersed in nature. Reading my book and sipping my dirty chai latte was the perfect way to start my day 🙂