Hey, new friend! Stay a while at our indoor treasure in outdoor heaven, a gorgeous space for adventurers that don’t mind a lot of comfort and civilization at the end of a perfect day outside – especially for those looking to get out of the saddle and straight into a cold beer and hot, spacious shower.
The space
About the Space
An elevated single-story property with unobstructed porch views over Mill Creek and historic Old Fort, North Carolina, the home doesn’t really do “half-measures” – with two full, luxurious bathrooms and full sized amenities (dishwasher, washer-dryer, etc.) a stay at Hey, Old Friend compromises nothing in indoor livability and comfort. We stay here, too, and you’ll literally rest well knowing we aren’t cutting corners when it comes to the comfy life.
You can prepare any meal you want in the fully stocked kitchen and eat inside at the huge counter island, but we suspect you’ll prefer to take your coffee and meals out on the deck eat-up railing or firepit to soak in the scents, views, and sounds. Or maybe you’ll trade elevation for intimacy and go down to the stone patio and cowboy cauldron under the string lights at night.
In the two spacious bedrooms and closets, as with the rest of the home, you’ll enjoy minimalist, multi-media art inspired by our love for the Blue Ridge and the rest of the ancient Appalachians.
You’ll have plenty of protected parking under the house, not just for four wheels, but for two. Our thinking was: why have a home a quick hop away from the Fonta Flora trail project, Pisgah National Forest, Gateway Trails, and some of the best mountain and gravel biking trails in the country, and NOT have a fully stocked and equipped bike shop and secure hanging rack for guests to use between rides? So… we built one including lockable toolbox, mini fridge, and it comes fully stocked with bike specific tools and consumables. We hope you’ll use our tools and honor system consumable inventory to get on the trails faster or stay out there longer.
We built this property to be comfortable for four good friends, a family of four, or two couples. We accommodate up to six adult people if you’re not above sleeping on a couch, cot, or putting a tent out on one of Old Fort’s many pleasant nights.
Why Old Fort, Old Friend?
For you? Because in Old Fort, you can get into any kind of trouble you want. It’s a gateway to literally anything under the sun. We’ve set up the place for mountain biking enthusiasts, but MTB is just one option – walk across the Mill Creek bridge to Hillman Brewing (Charlotte Observer’s #1 Brewery in North Carolina 2023) and you’ll meet people (oh boy, will you meet people!) with all sorts of gear. Bikes. Tackle. Speckled spaniels napping after a long day at work. Canoes. Kayaks. Binoculars. Backpacks. Guitars. Easels. Where else on this side of the Mississippi can you get sendy, stoked, and shred, and then catch Billy Strings shredding at night?
For us? Because in Old Fort, we have a chance to implement our vision within a community that values stewardship and conservation of the breathtaking birthright of the Appalachians and their foothills – AND keep stays affordable for guests. We also love how easy it is to give directions: From the West (Asheville) – head downhill about 20 minutes and take the exit once you have to put your car back in gear. From the East: Keep going West with the window down, until the air smells perfect and you’ve forgotten at least one trouble.
About Your Stay
You’ll have a personal access code during the duration of your stay, and since we hate tedious check-out checklists on our adventures, we won’t put you through them on yours. We will be happy to connect you to local guides and resources for any of the many outdoor delights on offer in this part of the country – hiking, fishing, backpacking, game, and – of course – an inexhaustible amount of MTB options.
We have security/monitoring in place for outdoor areas of the property primarily to monitor bikes and the plethora of expensive tools we provide to guests and will share details as part of your booking.
This is a great place for a party of adventurers, but it’s not a place to party. Guests are limited to six adults per property and parking is limited to three motor vehicles. Quiet hours outdoors for amplified sound begin at 10:00 p.m. – stay acoustic, old friends.
About Us
We’re just some Old Friends with some space in Old Fort, you know? One of us even has an Old Ford. We love this state and this part of it, especially, and want to share it with more people. If you can’t tell, we like to show our love by grinding fat tires on our state’s face… but still.
We want you to have a great time in Old Fort and exploring the Appalachians nearby. Like… we really want that. Not just “leave a good review” good time. Not just a “book your next stay before your first one is done” good time. We want that “you had such a good time, you’re buying merch about the house” energy.
IG: @HeyOldFriend2023
Our Partners
We have tons of commercial partners for experiences in and around Old Fort – fishing guides, bike shops, hunting guides, etc. Let us know what you’re into, and we’ll make the connection. By “commercial partners”, we mean these people provide a commercial service and are good at it and we think your life will be better if you make them into Old Friends.
We forward some our proceeds to sustainment partners in the community. On check-in, you’ll have the opportunity to choose where your stay proceeds go:
• The G5 Trail Collective: An Old Fort based community of trail developers and maintainers. If you’re here for MTB excursions, these are the people making sure your next one is even better.
• Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail: If you prefer two feet to two wheels, the MST is an enduring footpath connecting connecting North Carolina’s natural, historic, and and cultural treasures.
• Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail: If you want to be more specific in your love for the North Carolina MTB community, these cool cats are connecting Asheville to Morganton right through Old Fort.
• American Daughters of Conservation, NC Chapter: Conservation of wild game habitat and education of women and young ladies in all things outdoors. Inspire. Hunt. Preserve.
Guest access
Entire house, bike shop, parking, and firepit area are for the guests use.
Other things to note
We are also offering two other adjacent creekside rentals. Look at our other listings for availability and booking of all 3 together in one package.
