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I made a promise to Vivian that we would do a trail ride, and kept that promise during what turned in to her birthday celebration month. We went to the mountains — in Waynesville, just outside Asheville — to visit her Papa John and do a 2-hour trail ride.

It was a beautiful trip up an old logging trail. A husband and wife team led the way on a perfect day with few signs of civilization aside from power lines near the top of the trail. It was a wide trail and shaded most of the way, though we did stop at a small clearing for photos.

We arrived in Waynesville on her actual birthday (Friday, Oct. 7) and Papa John produced an awesome birthday cake and cooked dinner. On Saturday after the ride we took her to an arts and craft show in downtown Waynesville, and later to a pretty cool burger joint in Asheville for dinner. On Sunday Papa and I dragged her to a bar with good TVs for lunch so we could watch the Lions game — just what every girl wants for her 11th birthday.