What to do in Montreat as an MYAE

Montreat Community and Friends, near and far,

We, the Montreat Young Adult Experience participants (MYAEs), are proud to announce that we’re in our seventh month of residence here in the valley. For more than half a year we’ve had the pleasure of working for the Conference Center, each of us now having had a rotation in three of the four departments. We’ve attended countless meetings, prepared for conferences big and small, seen the valley transition through seasons (hello spring!), and come to love our coworkers and community. As we embark on our fourth and final department rotation, we would love to share the places and things that have defined our time here outside of work- the things that make us call this place home, if only for a little while longer.

Welcome to the MYAEs Favorites List!

Here are our top picks for what to see, do, eat, and enjoy in and around Montreat!

Favorite Quiet Place in Montreat

Savanna- Atop Lookout.
Emma- The bench overlooking the creek behind Anderson Auditorium.
Zach- The fire pit between Campsite #13 and Ranger Hut.

Favorite Montreat Building

S- Walnut! Of course!
E- Assembly Inn, when the lobby fire is roaring on a cold day.
Z- Anderson Auditorium when it’s filled with people!

Favorite Quirk about Walnut Lodge

S- There is a small hole in one of the window screens in the living room where a bird will sometimes visit. Nothing is better than checking behind you while sitting on the sofa and seeing a little feathered friend there.

E- Seeing bear prints on our trash bin, knowing that one had come by in the night trying to get it open.

Z- During particularly intense winds, Walnut will rattle and whistle as it battles the elements outside. It’s during these times that it is custom to reach out to grab the nearest wall so as to thank The Nut, Marie Kondo style, knowing that while it has protected you thus far, the future is yet unwritten.

Favorite Rainy Day in Walnut Activity

S- Putting together puzzles.
E- Cooking a big meal that will feed me for the rest of the week.
Z- Playing guitar on the upper porch.

Favorite Montreat Memory

S- It’s hard to say, but it might be early autumn mornings when the sun was not quite up over the mountains, while I was working in Arrangements. We would always start the day by feeding the cats behind the kitchen in Assembly Inn. One morning we saw 17 slugs on the stairs out there!

E- Driving into Montreat after early morning swims as the sun rises and breathtaking sunsets viewed from the Ingles parking lot.

Z- One Saturday in October, I hiked up Lookout just as a thick fog was starting to roll in. I would have never thought that not being able to see such an iconic view would be such a fascinating experience, but being surrounded by dense mist while atop a mountain is something else.

Favorite Trails

S- Not exactly a trail, but I love looping around Lake Susan over and over again.
E- Graybeard.
Z- Big Piney/Little Piney.

Favorite Galax Meal

S- Breakfast! Specifically when they serve biscuits.
E- Pizza and the salad bar.
Z- Italian Night (15/10 for the veggie lasagna).

Favorite Hymn

S- Though I May Speak.
E- All Things Bright and Beautiful.
Z- Here I Am, Lord.

Favorite Saturday Afternoon Activity

S- Digesting a Blue Ridge biscuit, ideally while lying horizontal.
E- Swimming at the YMCA.
Z- Exploring the trails of Montreat with a hammock in my bag so I can take a nap whenever I find a particularly comfy looking pair of trees.

Favorite Restaurant Around Town

S- Worldly Wieners Wings and Things.
E- La Bamba Burrito Express.
Z- Okie Dokie’s.

Favorite Netflix Show We’ve Watched Together

S- Father Brown!
E- Re-watching Stranger Things before Halloween.
Z- Strong Girl Bong Soon.

Thank you for actively welcoming us these past seven months! Much like our aloe plant that we acquired back in October, we feel that we’ve experienced a great amount of growth, love, and lots and lots of water (can it stop raining now?). Keep checking back for more MYAE blogs over the course of our final two months in the valley! Until next time!

Your favorite Walnut-ers,

Savanna, Emma, & Zach