Speaking Of Travel ®

The Asheville Art Museum is opening its renovated and expanded building in summer 2019. Big changes are happening during their major expansion and renovation project in the heart of downtown Asheville, NC. When the Museum opens, you’ll see fresh approaches, additions to the Collection, exhibitions, educational programs, and so much more. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Melissa Reardon, editor-in-chief of WNC Magazine, the regional lifestyle publication that captures the wonder of one of the most beautiful places in the world, highlights some of the top ways to experience summer in the mountains and explores fun travel opportunities in Western North Carolina from Lake Toxaway to Boone to Blowing Rock. Melissa also offers up some great ideas to begin planning your fall leaf-peeping vacation.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Much of what happens around us or to us happens rather by chance. You may initiate actions, but what follows depends upon many factors. Sometimes situations arise on their own, such as an accident or a chance meeting. Or in the case of Maestro Murry Sidlin when he happened upon a book entitled Music in Terezín: 1941–1945. And so began his journey to find out how Jewish prisoners at a World War II concentration camp staged 16 performances of Verdi's Requiem. The performances came to symbolize resistance and defiance and demonstrated the prisoners’ courage to confront the worst of mankind with the best of mankind. The remarkable story of how and why a group of overworked and underfed inmates sang the towering “Requiem” is told in the powerful concert-drama, “Defiant Requiem." Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín was conceived and created by Maestro Murry Sidlin. It combines the magnificent music of Verdi with video testimony from survivors of the original Terezín chorus and footage from the 1944 propagan

Johnny Morris hiked the entire Appalachian Trail to raise money and awareness for MemoryCare, an Asheville nonprofit founded by his mother, Dr. Margaret Noel, that provides services to caregivers and patients with dementia and other memory impairments. Find out how Johnny carries the experiences and lessons he had on the AT forward into a different lifestyle and how those experiences/ lessons changed or informed the decisions he makes today.From MemoryCare is Mary Donnelly, a daughter, caregiver, support group leader and now dementia educator and consultant, along with Becky Anderson, a member of the MemoryCare board and a recipient of their caregiver services. Discover what makes MemoryCare unique and how their model helps uphold the dignity of people with dementia who are too often neglected by a fractured health care system and helps their caregivers receive real help for how to deal with it.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you

Visiting with Michelle and Dale Isom at the lovely 1915 Historic Federal Courthouse and Post Office in Wilkesboro, NC, home to the Blue Ridge Artisan Center and The Artisan Café. Find out how they are expanding cultural horizons for children and communities through educational programs to help preserve traditions from one generation to the next and how they are supporting and promoting local and regional artists, musicians and performing artists through the sharing of resources.The Artisan Cafe is a local eatery and cafe also located in the 1915 building, serving amazing coffee and local, fresh products. A place to relax. For hours, exhibits and other news, including information about the 2019 Carolina in the Fall Music & Food Festival, visit blueridgeartisancenter.org. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Speaking of Travel is on location in the heart of North Carolina’s Surry County and the Yadkin Valley wine country. Discover all there is to see and do in and around an area rich in history, recreation and wineries. The Surry County Wine Trail is showcased in a full-color map brochure highlighting 16 wineries in and around the Yadkin Valley, along with five breweries and distilleries. The map simplifies the experience of spending time tasting wines and touring vineyards.The Yadkin Valley is home to NC's first federally-recognized American Viticultural Area, the Yadkin Valley AVA. The wineries are small, with intimate wine tasting rooms providing more access to the winemakers and owners (often one and the same). The wine is amazingly good, the hospitality is truly outstanding and there are miles and miles of trails and rivers to explore! Visit yankinvalleync.com for your free wine trail map, a recreational map of the four rivers and to plan your trip to the Yankin Valley. Thanks for listening to Speaking

McCall is ready for vacation. She is from Franklin, North Carolina, and is traveling to Florida for a sunny escape with friends. McCall lives an hour away from the airport, so she is a practiced hand when it comes to planning ahead.“Wherever I’m flying to, I have the app downloaded on my phone,” McCall said. “I check in before I leave and try to get here about an hour and 30 minutes early, just so I have plenty of time.”McCall loves flying AVL. “I love that it’s a small airport, so it’s very easy,” she said. “You know where you’re going and then you just get to your gate and wait.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Trevor is on his way to a coaching convention in Tampa with a unique accessory. As a director of basketball operations, his hat was prominently adorned with a piece of a basketball net — telling a story of its own. The piece was cut from a net the night before, symbolizing Appalachian State University’s Women’s Basketball Team’s victory in the Invitational National Tournament. As a professional tasked with arranging travel for the team, Trevor is a seasoned pro.“A big thing for us is making sure you always have your ID,” Trevor said. “People take that for granted. We’ve gotten into situations when it’s not necessarily where you think its going to be all the time. Make sure you always have that, even before you get in your car.” This marks Trevor’s first time flying AVL. “This is definitely one of the better regional airports I’ve ever been to,” he said. “It’s clean. There’s a great restaurant and a great shop inside once you get in. Getting through security maybe took… five minutes. It was great and this plac

Burt is to off Tampa. The trip has become routine, as he flies down most weekends to continue the process of becoming permanently settled in Florida. As a frequent flyer, Burt knows how to make the most of his time in the airport.“If you can get TSA Pre-[check] or Global Entry, you can get through security lines much, much quicker,” Burt said. “There’s usually no line, so that saves 15 or 20 minutes.”Burt loves the stress-free experience of flying AVL. “There is very little stress to fly here,” he said. “It is very relaxed. You don’t see a lot of people very nervous… it’s about as laid-back an airport as you’ll ever find.” Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Alice and Chuck meet up with friends in different locations every year, and this year’s vacation brought them to WNC. They are originally from Ohio and decided to explore Asheville after hearing that it was a great place to be. When it comes to taking vacations, Alice likes to be prepared.“I’m a great organizer,” Alice said. “I have things planned out. I start laying stuff out. By the time I’m ready to pack, it only takes minutes because everything is right there.”Alice and Chuck love the relaxed nature of AVL. “I like small airports. They’re much more comfortable and relaxing,” she said.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Joseph is heading home. Some might call it St. Petersburg, but Joseph calls it paradise. While he may not be a native, Joseph is a regular visitor to Asheville; and he has a few tips when it comes to smooth travel.“Depending on the airline… make sure you download the app,” Joseph said. “You can check in.”Joseph loves the ease of traveling through AVL. “The one thing about Asheville Regional is that it’s a smaller airport,” he said. “The rental cars are on-site… and baggage claim is a few yards away from the gate. Everything is concise and expedites the whole process — getting in, getting out and getting on your way.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Since 2006, the Blue Ridge Honor Flight, a non-profit organization, has been transporting veterans from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to Washington, DC on an all-expense paid visit to the memorials dedicated to their honor.Honor Flight Board VP Marybeth Burns and Fundraising Chair Lisa Parham share how the efforts of a community help to honor our veterans for the sacrifices they have made and how you can get involved. On May 4, 2019, they will fly again, giving those who have served our country a chance to experience the hope, healing, and welcome home they so deserve.   Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Speaking of Travel + Climate Listening Project Series continues with Dayna Reggero and celebrates Earth Day with guests Jill Kubit of DearTomorrow and Frida Berry from Parents Roar in Sweden. Dayna heads to New York to participate in the United Nations Women's International Forum (WIF) Leave It Better Than We Found event and Earth Day 2019 with women from around the world. Jill Kubit tells us about DearTomorrow, a digital and archive project for people to personally connect with the issue of climate change. Frida Berry called in from Sweden and is the founder of Our Kids' Climate, a global network of parent-focused climate organizations, and is the spokesperson for Swedish parent and climate organization Föräldravrålet (Parents Roar).      Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Bruce T. Martin is an American Fine Art photographer who uses photography to document the world, explore perceptions and question our viewpoints. Using his knowledge and imagination, Bruce blends a unique mosaic of visual details in his photographs to create a fresh perspective on the Maya's endangered worldview and disappearing legacy. His book, Look Close See Far, A Cultural Portrait Of The Maya, is a collection of images and ideas gathered while traveling throughout the Maya region of Central America. Since 1987, he has taken more than 10,000 photographs over a range of landscapes and attitudes in an attempt to make a distinctive portrait of the Mayan Culture. Bruce is also a leading architectural photographer, making photographs for the nation's foremost architects, designers and publications.   Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Speaking of Travel + Climate Listening Project Series continues with Dayna Reggero and guests. Artist/biologist Shannon Bodeau has a new Climate Listening Project – From The Same Soil, a collaboration with the UNC Asheville McCullough Fellowship. Shannon interviewed people from around the world and created hand-drawn graphite portraits, weaving science and storytelling through art. Also, two 9th grade students and their teacher Jerry Lubos from the Franklin School of Innovation in Asheville, NC. They are creating podcasts focused around relevant connections to the guiding question “how do small actions lead to big changes?”  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Daniel Young is a talented and highly successful badass of fun and travel and has created a lifestyle that’s truly coming from a soulful place. Daniel is known for his gift of spreading positive energy and charisma, and know-how, in whatever scene he chooses to show up. From 2012 to 2014 he worked as a guide to whitewater kayaking in Costa Rica and Ecuador. Also being a talented musician, he looked for drum and bass shows in Quito and San Jose. Eventually he was performing internationally. Daniel discusses how his new platform for promoters and musicians, Beatdrifters, was inspired and how he figured out how to connect artists with promoters while traveling. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Honor Flight Network flies WWII, Korean and Vietnam vets to DC to experience their memorials. Guests include Jeff Miller, president and co-founder of the Honor Flight Network, board member Marybeth Burns and Viet Nam War vet Warren Dupree. The Blue Ridge Honor Flight is dedicated to honoring our veterans for the sacrifices they have made to keep our nation safe by providing them with an all-expense paid trip to visit the memorials in Washington that symbolize the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of these American heroes. Jeff Miller has distinguished himself as an advocate for America’s veterans and his commitment has led to thousands of veterans being able to visit their war memorials in Washington, DC. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Hunter is headed back home to Maine after a busy semester at Brevard College. After locating his gate, he also found he had some company to help him pass the time. Samson, one of the airport’s Paws for Passengers therapy pets, was there to offer Hunter an enthusiastic greeting.“We have 23 registered therapy dogs who volunteer here at the Asheville Regional Airport,” said Karen, Samson’s handler. “They volunteer to help mitigate travel stress or boredom or entertain people who happen to be at the airport.”There are several things that Karen enjoys about the airport, but she thinks the therapy pets are a special touch to the AVL experience. “It’s a cool airport,” Karen said. “We have rocking chairs and wi-fi, but we also have 23 fuzzy little ambassadors who are here to make you appreciate your time while you’re at the Asheville Regional Airport.”Hunter echoes that sentiment, explaining that it was a great part of his travel experience. “It’s really unique,” Hunter said. “I’ve never seen a program like that. Whe

EJ is gearing up for the adventure of a lifetime. EJ works with a Christian outreach ministry in Brevard, and he is excited for his 15-day excursion exploring the history behind biblical texts in Israel. With an extensive packing list and a family at home, EJ understands the importance of preparation.“I needed to look over the packing list a million times,” EJ said. “This is a trip I have been preparing for [over] the last six months, so this week has been wrapping things up.”EJ loves his hometown airport. “I love flying in and out of Asheville Regional Airport because it is so efficient and quick,” EJ said. “I checked my watch when I came through security and… from the time my wife dropped me off until the time I came through security took 14 minutes. That’s really awesome. It’s also 25 minutes from my house which makes it extremely convenient.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Straw hat in tow, Wesley and Madison are ready for a sunny escape. The couple is flying to Fort Lauderdale for a tropical cruise around the Mexican Riviera. This adventure marks Wesley’s first-ever flying experience, so he is depending on Madison’s expertise to navigate the airport smoothly.“Always plan early. Traffic, TSA – you never know if they are going to get something in your bookbag or not,” Madison said. “Make sure you have all of your toiletries in your checked bag or in a quart size bag.”Madison and Wesley enjoy taking the easy way out at AVL. “It’s small,” Madison said. “I can park right outside and come right in [without having] to worry about getting a bus over here or spending two hours waiting in line at TSA. It’s in and out.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.