French Broad River Bike Ride | Biltmore Estate

[Written August 9, 2009]

We spent one of the few torrid days this summer season outside in the back yard. Summer played with a bucket of water and her sandbox. Adam trimmed some low-hanging branches, and together we transplanted Summer's sunflower from a large pot on the deck to out in the yard. While Adam was digging the hole with the augur, Summer exclaimed, "That's cool! What's down there?" If you can imagine that in "Summer voice," it was quite humorous. Because of the heat, we didn't stay outside very long and soon returned inside to shower and thank God for whomever invented air conditioning!

Today also happens to be Crop Club. I have just one guest today, and she'll be arriving late. So, after I put Summer down for a nap, I use the time to peck away at the Biltmore Estate trip album.

The next few pages are among my favorites because the pics are of the bike ride Leslie and I took along some of the trails and French Broad River on the Biltmore Estate grounds. This bike ride ranks among the top ten most inspiring experiences of my life.

As we pedaled passed a field of corn towards the lagoon flanked by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, sprawling vineyards and timeless architecture, my spirit was freed. I was living in the moment without a care about yesterday or worry about tomorrow. I was grateful for Leslie's company because she truly got it. I would have rather been with no one else at that moment. As we rode along the Lagoon Trail, pedaling in time with nature, I remember commenting, "This is what life is all about." At the end of the Lagoon Trail, we were rewarded with a spectacular view of Biltmore House reflected in the lagoon, a gentle reminder to inwardly examine ourselves.

With these feelings in mind, I begin to layout the page. I saved a page completion kit just for this cluster of pages. The kit contains a double-dipped -- that's scrap lingo for double-sided -- border and two double-dipped journaling boxes. The page completion kit is aptly named Riverside and contains images of river rocks. I shuffle the three pics, border and journaling box around until I'm happy with their positions. I also want to leave room for a special vignette in the bottom right corner.

Next step is to crop the pictures with the personal trimmer. For a fleeting moment, I consider using the oval patterns to crop the pictures in shapes of rocks, which would have been pretty cool if I could pull it off. The intent wouldn't be immediately apparent. Also, I couldn't bear to crop out too much of that lush landscape. So, at least in this instance, it's hip to be square or rectangle, as it were!

The title emerges as the clear obstacle for this page. For one, I can't think of anything appropriate. For two, I have no idea how to craft it. I consider punching squares with square maker in dark green and sand card stock and embellish with cornflower ABC/123 stickers. I then remember I have dark green 3/8" ABC stickers in my stash. I try in vain to transfer "French Broad" to the page but the oval shape is slightly too narrow, and the stickers don't cooperate.

What will I do to cover up the mistake? you ask. I plan on cutting an oval with oval patterns to eclipse it. That's the least of my concerns. I'm still suffering from scrapper's block on the title. I thought "River Ride" and even "French Broad River Ride", but I'm not sold. It's missing pizzazz. So, I do what I always do when I hit a roadblock: go around it! No reason to hold up the entire page for one hurdle.

I know I have to cut an oval to hide my last blunder, so I grab the medium-sized oval pattern, my red blade and cutting mat. After slicing the oval from sand cardstock, I realize I have much more room to develop the title. I think: It would be sweet if I could cut/draw some outdoor elements (trees, river), add them to the oval, then put the title around 'em.

With my trusty pencil, I start by tracing the outline of a river fading into the horizon. I professionally cut some "evergreen" trees in - you guessed it - green cardstock then fill in the trunks with a brown fine-tip pen. The result is pleasing and will coordinate nicely with my planned vignette.

I complete the page with the vignette, professionally cutting trees and using the tearing tool to form the hill. I professionally cut an image of a bike and to make it look more like the bikes we rented, I color in various parts with the black round tip and silver metallic pens.

The final product is a fitting tribute to memory Leslie and I knotched out of the weekend.

Next episode: Bike Trail Map holder