GalVladi Mountain Inn…on Top of the World
The road seemed to go on forever… climbing up the mountain high above Balsam, North Carolina, just 45 minutes outside of Asheville. At the top, the Galvladi Mountain Inn welcomed us, a beautiful log and stone structure that represents the realized dreams of transplanted Chicagoans Dave Stubbs and Terry Matre, whose "retirement" in the mountains of Western Carolina has turned into anything but. At 4000 feet up the mountain, on 250 acres, this retreat delivers breathtaking views, local wildlife and birds, (and Max and Tinker, the family dogs) gourmet cuisine prepared by Terry in her professional kitchen, and the kind of kick-back relief from the hectic working world that is sure to recharge your batteries.