The countdown is on for the 14th annual Blood Sweat & Gears. The 100-mile bicycle route, scheduled for Saturday, June 23, sold out in seven hours, and the 52-mile route on the same day sold out in 10 hours.

The BSG is a challenging to strenuous full English century – 100 mile loop ride starting and ending at the Valle Crucis Elementary School, approximately 5 miles south of Boone, North Carolina. The route roughly circles Boone through the outskirts of Watauga County, the heart of North Carolina’s High Country. The terrain is constantly changing with hills of all lengths and curves too numerous to count. The cumulative climbing elevation is 13,000+ feet, with the climb up to the gap at Snake Mountain, milepoint 63, reaching an 18-20% grade near the top.

Ride Details

Read more at MountainTimes.com.

Music In The Valle Schedule 2012

MAY

25th • Ital Seeds, Sponsored by A.P.E.

JUNE

1st • Brother Gravity, Sponsored by Wren’s Nest Landscaping & Garden Center

8th • The Mountain Laurels, Sponsored by Rivercross Market

15th • Sound Traveler, Sponsored by Valle Crucis Conference Center

22nd • The Major Sevens, Sponsored by High Country Local First

29th • The Worthless Son-in-Laws, Sponsored by the Justus and Nettle’s Ridge ‘Hood

JULY

6th • Creekside Grass, Sponsored by The 1861 Farmhouse

13th • The Wild Rumpus, Sponsored by Peabody’s Wine & Beer

20th • Kent Doobrow & Midnight Sun, Sponsored by Stick Boy Bread Company

27th • High Standards, Sponsored by Holy Cross Church

AUGUST

3rd • Dashboard Hula Boys, Sponsored by Valle Crucis School PTSA

10th • The Neighbors, Sponsored by Mast General Store

17th • 8 Miles Apart

24th • Folk and Dagger

31st • Zephyr Lighting Bolts, Sponsored by Western Youth Network

May 29, 5:00 p.m.
Singin’ in the Valle
Holy Cross Choir
No Charge

July 3, 5:00 p.m.
Todd Wright Ensemble
Jazz

August 7, 5:00 p.m.
Whitetop Mountain Band
Typical Mountain Music

September 4, 5:00 p.m.
Cathedral Choir from Trinity Cathedral in Columbia, SC
A capella

Hunger is a major force in the High Country. Since 2008, food distribution by the Hunger and Health Coalition has increased 61%. According to a release from the Food Research and Action Center, 47 states and the District of Columbia had food hardship, meaning that survey respondents could not afford to purchase the food that they or their families needed, 14% of the time during the first half of 2010. There were sixteen states that had 20% or higher food hardship rates. “Over the last couple of years, the need has increased dramatically,” said Compton Fortuna, executive director for the Hunger and Health Coalition.

Fred Martin, vice president of the Mast General Store, commented, “Our Be a Sweetheart…Feed the Hungry event has helped provide food to the food banks serving our local communities at a time when donations are at a lower level. After the holidays, donations tend to wane, and in these challenging economic times, we need to help our neighbors whenever we can.” This year Mast Store will contribute $1 for each pound of candy purchased on February 12th and 13th.

“It is just amazing what these organizations can do with a dollar,” said Martin. “With the help of donations and contributions by restaurants and vendors, spare change can feed a person three hot, healthy meals. Any amount can help.”

Over 2,600 families were served during the last quarter of 2010, totaling 8,000 people. Each family received a food package containing canned items, fresh meat, dairy, frozen items, personal hygiene items, and other non-food items. Those being served can pick up boxes like this twice each month.

Like many non-profit organizations, the Hunger and Health Coalition relies on volunteers and donations for much of its success. There are many opportunities to get involved on a personal or group level as well as learning how you can fight hunger in your community. You can find out more at the organization’s website – www.hungerandhealthcoalition.com.

“We are excited about this partnership,” said Fortuna. “It is a creative way to raise awareness of the Hunger and Health Coalition and the work it does in the community, and it’s always good when you can give a gift to someone you love and have it pay dividends in other ways, too.”

For more information on how you can “Be a Sweetheart,” call the Hunger and Health Coalition at 828-262-1628 or the Mast Store at 828-963-6511 in Valle Crucis or at 828-262-0000 in Boone.

This feature journeys through five distinct regions of North Carolina: God’s Country in Valle Crucis, Pirate Country in Bath, Indian Country in Cherokee and Patriot Country in Kings Mountain. Written by Amber Nimocks and photography by Lissa Gotwals, you get a great look at the community of Valle Crucis and what makes visitors flock to our small mountain town.

Pick up your copy anywhere Our State Magazine is sold or if you would like to read the full article online click here.

Did you stop by Rivercross Market this weekend? We had dropped by the Mast Store to get a couple of those fantastic fried apple pies from the Farmers’ Market and noticed that Rivercross had people going in and out of its doors. Being the nosy people that we are, we dropped in. Wow! It looks so different inside. We found lots of ideas for gifts – it’s a great place to stop for wedding gifts in particular.

One of the most fascinating things we saw as a “sculpture” that hangs on your porch or in a window with a motor called “Levitating Marbles.” They are made of large glass marbles in a spiral with another smaller marble below it. As it rotates, it looks like the marble moves up and down in the spiral. Pretty creative stuff!

Here’s a good quote about light: We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own. – Ben Sweetland

I got some good news from my friend Tom at the Valle Crucis Conference Center. He told me that one of the little piggies from the sustainable farm is still with us. She was just moved to another place to have the pleasure of rooting up! Now, her compatriots, well, they are in piggie heaven.

I also heard some good news about Jillian Buchanan. She is recovering, but it is going to be a slow process. John says that she recognizes some things that are familiar to her, but she is not connecting totally with her environment. So, please remember to think of both of them – John and Jillian – they are in for an uphill battle as her brain continues to heal and she begins rehabilitation.

This week at the Park the concert will feature local favorites The Forget-Me-Nots. Once you hear them, you won’t soon forget them. These young ladies are very talented and have even written their own music in addition to playing traditional Celtic and classical pieces. Oh, and this week, the music begins at 6 p.m. Hope to see you there and remember to bring a jacket; it can get a little chilly.

Happy Birthday to Mike Taylor and Travis Donovan on September 1 and to Dede Workman on September 3. My best wishes to all of you for fine celebrations and lots of fun!

Ethel will be back with pen in hand next month. I’m sure there are lots of things that she will unearth to share with you. She’s always so good at getting the scoop. Please let us know about things that you know are happening. Just send us an e-mail at callieandethel@hotmail.com. If you need to send it by the postal service, mail it to:
Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607

Check out the hummingbird visiting the feeder.

Ethel and I enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon having a little porch sit with LC and a few other neighbors. We enjoyed a little breeze sitting on the front porch in the shade and watching the hummingbirds fight over who was in line next to the feeder. These birds are just fascinating. Did you know that they can live up to 10 years, but the average lifespan is 3-5 years?

It was nice to have a little rain yesterday. We certainly could use it. Ethel commented that she could walk across Dutch Creek without getting the tops of her feet wet. Currently, Valle Crucis and the rest of Watauga County is experiencing a moderate drought. There are 17 other counties in the state that are seeing moderate drought and another 66 that are abnormally dry. Who would have thought about that with the spring we had and the snow during the winter?

This week’s band at the Valle Crucis Park is Cruize Control. They play beach music. Ethel used to cut a rug doing the twist and the shag, which by the way, is North Carolina’s State Popular Dance. I hope you’ll join us at the Park for a night of fun and dance this Friday. Next week Southern Accent will be playing. Their repertoire includes Southern Gospel. When you’re at the park, make sure to make a donation, so we’ll be able to continue enjoying this beautiful area for years to come.

Here’s a nice quote that is sort of about rain from one of my favorite poets: A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain. Robert Frost. Have a wonderful week!

Don’t forget about the Farmers’ Market behind the Original Store on Fridays. Folks are there from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. or until they sell out. Our squash hasn’t started coming in yet, so we picked up a couple of crooknecks last week and they made a fine supper. We love fried squash, but it smokes up the kitchen so much we are hesitant to fix it any more. Ethel was experimenting one day and found a way to make it without the smoke. She slices the squash longways, dips it in egg, and then rolls it in cornmeal. Then she places it on a cookie sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray and then she sprays the tops of the squash after she seasons them with a little salt and pepper. Put them in the oven at 450 degrees, and about 15 minutes or so later, there you are….oven-fried squash. Slap on a little mayonnaise, and yum, yum, they are good!

If you’re around on Saturday, you may want to stop by the Park and take part in the Watauga Riverkeeper Festival. It starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. There will be activities for young and old including a nature walk, music, a fly-fishing clinic, and a watermelon-eating contest. It sure sounds like fun.

The festival is also dubbed “Hellbender Appreciation Day.” I caught one of those one time. It scared me so bad that I threw my fishing pole away.

We were sorry to hear of the passing of Catherine Taylor last week. Our condolences go out to her family, which includes the Jensens, and her friends.

The Valle Crucis Punkin Festival is looking for some craft vendors. The event is held on the Saturday after Valle Country Fair and is a kid-friendly festival. If you are interested in selling your crafts there or have a hands-on activity that might be good for young folks, contact Peggy at the Mast Store Annex (828-963-6511). The festival is a fundraiser for the Western Youth Network.

Happy Birthday to John Cooper and Alex Craig on July 22, Denise Ringler on July 24, Marcus Lehmann on July 25, Bob Darst on July 26, Sam Yates on July 27, and Ann Gerber on July 30. Happy Anniversary to Bob and Polly Capps on July 26 and to Jim and Muriel Moore on July 31. My best wishes to all of you for fine celebrations and lots of fun!

Please let us know about things that you  know are happening. Just send us an e-mail at callieandethel@hotmail.com or send snail mail to:
Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607