Smith Mountain Lake and the surrounding area were in the mood to break records this last weekend. Record breaking snow fall blanketed the area leaving some places with over 2 feet of snow! Lake dwellers saw more snow in this one monster storm than what they normally see for the year! Just as an example, in January of 2008, Franklin County saw a total of 4 inches of snow for the whole month! As residents dig out and road crews work to clear secondary roads, here are a few tips to remember for this wintry weather.
If you are going to be driving, take along a small winter weather driving kit. Make sure to include extra blankets, this really can be a life saver if you end up getting stuck in the snow. Keeping extra snack bars in your vehicle can be a good idea too. Of course you will want the basics of a small shovel, ice scraper, and booster cables. Candles and matches are always good to have on hand, but remember to crack the window open to avoid carbon monoxide build up. A bag of kitty litter or sand will come in handy if you run off the road. By spreading some in front of your tires, it will help you get the traction you need to get back on the road.
Smith Mountain Lake doesn’t normally get a lot of snow or ice. More wintry mix is being called for over the holidays, so make sure and plan ahead if you need to travel. Always let someone know where you are going and how you are getting there. Keep your cell phone charged in case you need to call for help.
While all this may seem like simple things, it is easy to forget when you don’t normally have to deal with this much snow. If you want to live somewhere that doesn’t normally get 18 inches of snow, come for a visit, if you like it then move here!
If you want more information on living in Franklin County and Bedford County Virginia, call Vicki Millehan! She is a long time resident of Smith Mountain Lake and a local real estate expert!
Summer is winding down and soon we will be blessed by nature’s colorful palette of fall leaves. No matter the season, there is a place where you can enjoy the beauty of Virginia with your family: Smith Mountain Lake State Park! From swimming to hayrides, there is fun for the whole family!
You can enjoy any of the 13 trails that wind through the park. Trails range from half a mile to three miles long, so there are trails for beginners and more experienced hikers! You can hike through hardwood forests, pine forests, beautiful vistas, and quiet coves of Smith Mountain Lake. You will quickly see why they call the area “Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains”!! Trails are open during daylight hours all year round.
If you are looking for swimming, you have found the spot! The park’s 500 foot beach can accommodate 1,000 people. There are some swimming fees, but in the summer, overnight guests can swim for free! Of course, there is also fishing and boating available; this is after all Smith Mountain Lake!! This weekend you can even enjoy a free Hayride by the Friends of Smith Mountain Lake Park!
At the Beach Pavilion this Saturday, August 22, you can enjoy Music in the Park! Starting at 8pm you can hear the music rendering of Linwood White and the Blue Grass Travelers. The Old Dominion Cloggers will also be there to entertain. The admission fees are $5 and kids 12 and under are free. So bring your family and your lawn chair and enjoy the music!!
This area has so much to offer! How many places can you go where you can visit a local winery one day and take the family to the Lake for Blue Grass Music the next? It is this kind of diversity that makes Smith Mountain Lake so unique! Come for a visit, if you like it, move here!! There are also diverse kinds of real estate in the area! From waterfront luxury Homes to a family winery for sale, Vicki Millehan can help you find your place in Franklin or Bedford County!
A new business will be opening its doors this fall in the Westlake area! The owners have one goal in mind: keeping the people of Smith Mountain Lake healthy!! Smith Mountain Lake Wellness and Fitness will be opening soon on Westlake Road. Members of the new facility will have access to many programs that will help keep them in shape on general principles and to enjoy the many recreational activities in the area!
Owner Rob Jordan has been a personal trainer in the Smith Mountain Lake area for over two years. He said SML Wellness and Fitness center has one focus, providing one on one training for clients. Every employee will be a certified personal trainer. They will offer their members expertise ranging in nutrition, weight training and fitness management. Unconvinced? Check out their 10 Reasons YOU Need a Personal Trainer.
The vision is to help the average person reach their fitness goals without getting lost in a crowded gym. Rob says, “As soon as a client walks through the door, we’ll give them a complete body composition analysis to show them where they are and where they need to be. Even if you don’t have a health issue, you can come work out in a classy place with no crowds and no big meatheads.”
Whether your goal is to look good while water skiing, fishing or kayaking on the lake or you just want to be healthier, SML Wellness and Fitness will help you reach those goals! Many even move to Smith Mountain Lake to enjoy retirement. Staying fit will only lengthen the time retirees will have to enjoy life on the Lake!!
If you are looking to retire to Smith Mountain Lake, call Vicki Millehan to help you find the home that is a perfect fit for you! Smith Mountain Lake has much to offer a retiree, from award winning golf courses to relaxing wine tastings at the local Virginia vineyards!! Come for a visit and if you like it, then move here!
In 1825 Silas Wade built a small 2 room, 2 story cabin on a beautiful piece of property that would one day become part of Bedford, Virginia. In the winter the beauty of the Peaks of Otter can be seen through the trees. Nearby, the creek babbles in its bed. I wonder if Silas knew his cabin would still be standing in 2009, keeping alive the tradition of American pottery. Emerson Creek Pottery and its artists have taken residence in this historic home and are creating hand painted masterpiece in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains!
From Tea pitchers to baking dishes, all the pottery at Emerson Creek Pottery is handmade and hand painted. The clay itself is made onsite. A gas kiln is used for firing. The artists use no stencils or templates. Whether it is the festive Cranberry Pattern or the popular Fields of Iris, the pattern is practiced and committed to memory. This is what makes each piece unique yet consistent! Sets of Emerson Creek Pottery have been featured from Mt Vernon to the Smithsonian Institute! You will probably find at least a few pieces in most of the fine homes in Smith Mountain Lake, Bedford, Roanoke and surrounding areas.
Just like most business owners in the area, the owners Jim and Priscilla, want to do whatever they can to preserve the natural beauty of the area. All of the pottery is lead free! They have even gone one step further to create a new line called “Go Green”. They even use cornstarch packing peanuts and use Recycled-Fiber Shipping Boxes!! Everything thing they make is lead free and non toxic. Emerson Creek Pottery has been making beautiful and safe ceramic ware since 1977 and don’t plan to change that tradition! They even make baby dishes!
So if you are enjoying your day at Smith Mountain Lake and realize you just must have a new Brie Baker, you are in luck because you can find one just a small drive away! From candleholders to jug lamps, you must check out Emerson Creek Pottery while you are in the area! You will yet again be amazed at what is available in the Bedford area!! So come and visit and if you like it move here! Local Real Estate Expert Vicki Millehan will be glad to help you find a home where you can embrace or create your own American traditions!!
Well, the month of August has begun and that means one thing at the Savoy-Lee winery: Harvest time!! Things are beginning to get busy at this award winning winery! The fall crush is when all the labors of spring and summer come to full fruit and marks the birth of this season’s wines!! You can feel the excitement building as the fall harvest is just weeks away!! That excitement can be felt all along the Bedford Wine Trail!
The wines produced from this harvest look to be as promising as the 2005 Johnson Mountain Picnic Series that won the Bronze at the 2006 Virginia’s Governors cup wine competition! It has completely SOLD OUT!! You can find other of their wines listed at the online tasting room! Just click on Start Shopping and you can see their complete wine list. Better yet, drop by for an unforgettable tasting. Our tasting room is open to the public Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday from 12pm – 6 pm or by appointment by calling (540) 297-9275
The 2006 wines are going to be released soon, so sign up now for the newsletter to receive pre-release dates! Before being released, our wines are available to sample in the tasting room. So far the 2006 are receiving rave reviews! The growing season in 2007 was remarkable and many cannot wait to see how those wines perform! Things just keep getting better at the Savoy-Lee!!
As hard as it may be to believe, the Savoy-Lee has become available to purchase! You can contact Vicki Millehan, a local real estate expert, if you would like a more personal look at the Savoy-Lee or view our virtual tour! The area is so beautiful it is hard to take it all in, with lake views and beautiful surroundings it can take your breath away! With harvest set to begin, you can be a part of this award winning vineyard! At the very least come visit us at Smith Mountain Lake, and if you like it, then move here!!
SmithMountainLake offers an array of lake front homes.There are cozy condos and magnificent luxury homes.You can find many different homes to suit your budget needs, too.
There are many benefits to waterfront property.One of the most obvious benefits is that you have the lake right there.You have instant access to the water.You can jump in or grab your boat from your own property. It is complete convenience.This is what most people think about when they start shopping for a lakefront home.
However, there is a flip side to a lakefront home.The thing that people do not consider is the responsibility that comes with living on the lake.You are responsible for upkeep.You have to keep the water and the dock in good shape.You have to do clean up and repairs often.It is your responsibility to ensure that your part of the lakefront is kept beautiful.While it may seem simple enough, it can be a lot of work.
If you are serious about owning a lakefront home then Vicki Millehan can help you out.She knows where to find the best deals and she can ensure that the home you buy is the perfect one for you.Let her help you and if you decide that lakefront is not for you then she will be able to help you find the right SmithMountainLake home that is.
The real estate market reflects the economy and times are very uncertain right now.However, for some buyers this is the perfect opportunity to find their dream home at amazing prices and in amazing locations.
Many people are taking the opportunity to buy a second or even third home.It takes careful consideration, though, to get the best deal.It is smart to use a talented and knowledgeable agent who can help you through the process and ensure that you will get the house you want for the price you want.
Vicki Millehan can walk you through every step of the process.Plus, she is located is the heart of one of the best areas for new home buying.Smith Mountain Lake is one of those ideal real estate areas because it is a paradise location that has not yet been discovered by the masses.
According to experts, areas like Smith Mountain Lake are the spots to shop for those second and third home purchases in 2009.The most popular areas have pretty much bottomed out and great deals are few and far between, but in lesser known areas, like Smith Mountain Lake, the deals are abundant.
Are you thinking about getting a second or third home in 2009?Have you set your heart on buying in an area that is perfect for vacationing any time of the year?If you said yes, then Smith Mountain Lake is your place to be.You get everything you want in a home and location, but at prices that can not be beat.Contact Vicki and let her get you that home you’ve been dreaming about.Smith Mountain Lake offers beautiful new and recently built homes right along the lake.If you’re looking for a business opportunity, there’s even a winery for sale!
SmithMountainLake is a beautiful area with a relaxing atmosphere so it is no surprise that many people want to buy a second home in the area.When buying a second home it is smart to shop around and really get to know about the area in which you are buying.After all, when you commit to a second home, this means that you also committing much of your future vacation time and lots of your future income to it.You better fall in love it withit! This will allow you to prepare yourself for making the purchase.
The other way to make purchasing your second home in SmithMountainLake much easier is to find a realtor that really knows the area.This will help ensure that you can get all the right answers to your questions.Vicki Millehan is the Smith Mountain Lake real estate expert that can walk you through buying your second home with ease.She has the experience and personal knowledge about the area to ensure you find the right home.If you live out of state, Vicki can work with you by phone, mail, or email or work through an agent from your area.
Once you start to work with Vicki you will need to be sure to work carefully to find and compare different lenders.Vicki can you find the best rates and get the best deal.As is the case with your first home, you should be pre-approved for your second home as well.
Since she knows the area, Vicki will be able to help you to find just the right home.You may be interested in the area because you’re a golf nut or love to fishing or boating.Maybe you just like the peace of the water.She will know what area will suit your tastes the best.If you are on more of a budget, then she can help you to find a home that fits into it.
When you choose a good realtor when buying your second home, you will find that it makes the whole process easier.So, contact Vicki today to see what SmithMountainLake home will become your second home.
Smith Mountain Lake is the spot for event #5 of the Virginia Triathlon Series. This event will be an amazing display of sportsmanship and physical endurance. It takes great strength and dedication to endure the grueling three legged race through varied terrain. This event takes place in a challenging course sat at the state park. The first leg is the 750 meter swim that finishes at the swimming beach. Then participants continue to the 20K bike path and finish off with a 5K run course inside the park.
There’s always something going on at this beautiful waterfront area. For more information about the homes and condominiums available at Smith Mountain Lake, please contact Vicki Millehan at Prudential Waterfront Properties.
Golfing is a highlight of the Smith Mountain Lake area and something visitors and residents love to enjoy at the beautiful Smith Mountain Lake courses.Recent renovations at the course at The Water’s Edge Country Club brought an esteemed honor to Smith Mountain Lake.This year The Water’s Edge Country Club was honored as an award winning project when the main contractor, The Aspen Company, won the Golf Course Industry Builders Legacy Award for Renovation of the Year.
The extensive renovations helped to revive the course to its former glory as one of the top golf courses in the state.The new look at the Water’s Edge Country Club includes all the latest innovations and technologies to help bring a level of excitement and challenge to the course.The renovations did not take anything away from the course’s historic look or its character, but enhanced it to make it a better place for golfers.
