Asheville, Tennessee 11/05/2013

NOVEMBER 5, 2013 (Tuesday)

Woke up around 8:00 AM to grey skies. We all had a cup of tea and some breakfast and then headed out to Asheville, North Carolina. We had an 11:30 AM appointment with the Toyota dealership to service our car. The Prius check engine light has been intermittently going on and off. Also, it’s time for an oil change. They said it would take approximately two hours. Our plan was to get the Prius looked at, oil change, etc., pick up the tickets for the Biltmore estate, and then go to the Biltmore once the Prius was done.

We left around 9:00 AM. The drive is supposed to take a little over an hour (it’s about 60 miles). The drive into Asheville was lovely but very curvy and some hair pin turns. Exciting. We wanted to get there a little early to go to Best Buy. After Best Buy, we headed to the dealer and got there around 11:15 AM.

Once done with the Service Department, we asked the shuttle driver if he could drop us off at a local restaurant, but we decided on a close Ryan’s Buffet (like the one we ate at in Crossville, Tennessee). We figured everyone could get what they wanted, it was reasonable for lunch, and we could linger as long as we wanted while the car was being worked on.

Ryan's Buffet for lunch. We had the Toyota shuttle driver drop us off here. — Ryan’s Buffet for lunch. We had the Toyota shuttle driver drop us off here.

Ryan's buffet for lunch. — Ryan’s buffet for lunch.

While we were having our lunch the dealership called and went over what needed to be done. They also said the Prius wouldn’t be done until around 4:00 PM. Also during this time, Tony (the guy with the tickets to the Biltmore) called and said he was close to the area. We met him outside Ryan’s and bought the tickets. He seemed like a very nice young man. His girlfriend works at the Biltmore and gets free tickets. He said it’s okay for us to use them, no problem, for up to two years. We’ll see on Thursday when we go back.

Around 1:30 PM, the shuttle driver picked us up and drove us back to the dealer. We had quite awhile before the Prius was ready so we decided to look at cars. Michael and I fell in love with the Avalon hybrid. What a beautiful car. Thanks Larry and Renee for us falling in love with your car. I think Michael and I have decided that when our Prius dies, we’ll go with the Avalon hybrid or the Prius V. Both larger and both pretty good mileage for their size.

We fell in love with this car and came so close to buying it. An Avalon Hybrid. — We fell in love with this car and came so close to buying it. An Avalon hybrid.

It really seemed deeply discounted to us.

Limited with all the fun bells and whistles.

At least they had a nice lounge area for the service customers.

Nice waiting area, had free wi-fi, couches and chairs, desktops, snacks and drinks.

Magazines, cable tv with a nice flat screen and remotes in the area, comfy chairs, card table, snacks and drinks. — Magazines, cable TV with a nice flat screen and remotes in the area, comfy chairs, card table, snacks and drinks.

After the Prius was ready (ouch – almost $600.00) we went to the dealer machine car wash and after that looked for a detail place the Service Department worker had told us about.

We got a free wash with our repair. The view of the front windshield at the height of the soap cycle. (Slow blog day)

Couldn’t find the place the employee told us about so we just decided to drive “home” before it got too dark. None of us like driving in the dark, even Lexi, as the roads are so curvy and narrow. We stopped at a store somewhere down the hill (forgot the name of the little town) because Lexi wanted to make taco salad for dinner.

Turkey Statue. On the way back to the resort. Really a slow blog day. — Turkey statue. On the way back to the resort. Really a slow blog day.

We stopped here for just a few fixin's for dinner. Lex made a bomb Taco Salad. — We stopped here for just a few fixin’s for dinner. Lex made a bomb taco salad.

"Red sky at night, sailors delight." A pretty sunset on the way home. — “Red sky at night, sailors delight.” A pretty sunset on the way home.

We got home around 6:30 PM and Lexi is busily making dinner. Michael is making a fire, and I am doing laundry.

Good ol' Presto Log. — Good ol’ presto log.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!