I just bought a plastic rain cover for my camera. Not even two days ago. And what do I do when I go on a hike straight downhill, through rhododendron thickets, and across creeks? and knowing rain is in the forecast?

That’s right, I don’t bring it. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

A misty road is viewed from the rolled down window of a car. There are green trees lining the drive and the road is dirt.
An inviting sign post leads guests into a vineyard.

 

I had spent the night at Rabun Beach Recreation Area campground, only 20 minutes from where I was planning to spend the day. I crawled out of the back my 4Runner (my backup vehicle for when the van is in the shop) and drove to the bathhouse to tidy up. As usual, a toad had gotten himself stuck, or maybe he just liked the warmer air and abundance of bugs within the bathroom, so I wrangled him out. I drove out of the campground and down the road, passing over Lake Rabun. As I started to wind up the mountain, the mist grew thicker and thicker. Perfect. I stop periodically to take a photo and get so caught up in the scenery that I drive right past my turnoff. I make a U-turn. The road becomes gravel and twists up through stands of beech and oak. I drive through a metal gate and enter a misty meadow scene with trees rising darkly through the fog. The tasting room is just ahead.


 

I park, get out, and walk towards the entrance, where the owner, Torsten, is waiting to meet me. He makes me a quick cup of coffee (black) and we sit and talk a little about the vineyard. Terra Incognita Vineyard is situated on several hundred acres on top of a mountain with expansive views of the vines themselves and the surrounding mountains. Beyond this, what makes this vineyard unique is their commitment to preserving and protecting the local flora and fauna. The tasting room is surrounded by native wildflowers and pollinators swarm the Goldenrod. The local bee man drives up and chats for a few minutes about his efforts to boost the population.The vines themselves are maintained with minimal artificial sprays. Modern techniques are used to effectively clear out specific trees, enabling the landscape from being exposed to drastic changes.


I start my day at Terra Incognita with a yoga session taught by Spencer Turk. The session takes place on the balcony with a view out over the misty vineyards. It’s an easy-flow style yoga suitable for all ages and flexibilities (perfect for me). I trade off between participating and photographing. I get a few laughs when I pull the camera out for the most flattering poses. Yoga ends with a complimentary glass (or in my case five different wine tastes). I’ve never been much of a wine person, but there is something for everyone here, with wines that taste like soft summer afternoons and others with a sharp bite of autumn.

A warm fire burns within a stove inspiring outdoor adventure, cozy accommodations, and travel memories.
A women smiles while doing a yoga pose on a balcony with green trees in the distance.
A man pours a glass of wine into a wine glass with a bottle of wine in front of him.
A man reaches for a grape off the vine. The vines are yellow and green and inspire autumn vineyard scenes.

Now that I have wallowed in wine, I get a tour of the property, passing by the vineyards, event center where a wedding is in preparation, and finally ending at the trailhead. Terra Incognita is partially modeled after a Swiss Alps style vineyard where outdoor recreation is hand in hand with the grapes. We start hiking down the hill towards an old springhouse. A spring salamander is cooling himself off in the cool water seeping from the walls. Further downhill, and by downhill, I mean pretty straight down, we pass through thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel. A little creek runs beside us. We start bushwhacking and wind up about a mile downstream beside a little waterfall pouring about 12 feet from the cliff above.

A trail through a mountain laurel thicket in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A waterfalls pours off a cliff with green ferns underneath the overhang.
A salamander is shown in moss and leaves. This photo inspires a sense of wildlife conservation and local nature.

Thunder rumbles. Torsten asks, “How wet do you think we are about to get?” Pretty wet. It starts with little sprinkles. I put my camera under my shirt like that is going to help any. We’ve got a 1 mile steep climb back up the bank to the safety of the ATV and tasting room. It pours. Rain starts running down my face and soon I am completely drenched. Torsten must be in better shape than me as he practically runs up the hill. I attempt to keep up as I hunch over my camera needlessly trying to prevent water from ruining it. We run into a shed at the top of the hill and Torsten goes to grab the semi-covered ATV. I dry my camera with a few paper towels lying around and hope it's fine. If it is ruined, it wouldn’t have worked for me anyway.


Back in the tasting room, I dry off, change my clothes, and settle down with a glass of wine. I’ve earned it.


P.S. My camera did survive.


Locations Mentioned:

Terra Incognita Vineyard

Rabun Beach Recreation Area

Spencer Turk Yoga

A tree is shown with mist all around it in a native meadow.
A bright winery tasting room is shown with leather furniture and metal accents inspiring a comfortable, cozy retreat
A yoga mat is rolled up and propped against a wire fence overlooking a vineyard with misty mountains in the background
A small house on a vineyard is framed between trees. The sky is misty.
A blurred photo inspiring adventure of a person driving an ATV in the rain.
A native butterfly pollinates a yellow wildflower.