Words for recovery
In March of 2021, I had just relocated to Asheville, NC. Living in the Southeast for most of my adult life, I had been to Asheville many times and fallen in love with its beauty, its history, and the access to abundant nature. The move was somewhat unexpected after some personal upheaval during the tumultuous year that was 2020 and I was so excited to finally call this place home.
I’ve moved quite a few times in my adult years and I’ve developed a pattern to learning my new surroundings that is much like how I travel. Frequently, it’s as simple as just getting out and exploring—turning down a street I’ve never been down before and seeing what’s next. I discovered the Mellowdrome much like this.
Carrier Park is one of Asheville’s few city parks and is situated along the French Broad River at the base of the city. Inside the park, the Mellowdrome sits just up from the river’s edge. When I first visited the park and saw this enclosed rink, I had no idea what I was seeing, I’d never encountered a mellowdrome before.
The Mellowdrome was full of cyclists logging laps on the track, roller skaters making their way around the edge, families languidly walking with strollers, and people crossing the foot bridge with sporting equipment in tow to access the playground, hockey rinks, and volleyball courts in the rink’s center.
I was charmed by the busy park and by how much the community seemed to love the Mellowdrome’s activities. I eventually joined the community and spent much time in the park during my tenure in Asheville. I spent many afternoons walking along the river banks, cycling the trails, and spreading a blanket to grab some sunshine in the hot summer months. But after a two-year stay, I have since moved away. And although I no longer call Asheville home, it will always leave an impression on my heart.
For those not aware, Asheville and many other places in Western North Carolina and Southeastern Tennessee experienced devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Carrier Park and The Mellowdrome were some of the countless places that unfortunately suffered major damage from the flooding. To my knowledge, they are both still closed awaiting cleanup and repairs.
I have yet to return to the Asheville area since the storm, but I do have plans to visit later this spring. I have mixed emotions about returning. I have a deep desire to return to a place I called home for two years, and to help the community heal and rebuild in any way that I can. But I don’t want to be mistaken for a “disaster tourist,” or someone showing up to gawk at the damage.
Recovery is a difficult balance. While many of the Western North Carolina cities and surrounding areas are open and ready for seasonal tourism to start up again, there is still a lot of destruction and pain in the region. It is a challenge to support the places I know and love by traveling there, yet also be respectful for all the life-changing damage that has been done.
Below is my first impression of The Mellowdrome in March of 2021. At a time when the world was collectively coming out of unprecedented disaster, I find my words to be fitting for the current recovery that Asheville and much of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee are still working towards.
Mellowdrome, Asheville, NC | 2021
I’m walking along the edge of recreational buzz — basketball, volleyball, a roller hockey game, rollerbladers, cyclists, families kicking soccer balls.
It’s the end of the day, the kids are walking off the rink, carrying skates and sticks, talking with their mom about dropping 6th period, listening to music streaming through a Bluetooth speaker.
It’s dusk, the streetlights aren’t on yet. The air is full of energy, that buzz that exists at the turning of a season, this one, winter into spring. It’s that energy that makes you feel like there is so much more to come, like there is so much good up ahead.
I observe all this in a few dense moments and suddenly I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, hope, and a renewed love for where I find myself. This is just another stop on my journey. It may be for longer than my last few stops, but that’s ok. I need some stability. And this place seems like a good place to spend some time.
The air is ripe with energy, there is so much good up ahead.
Lindsey A Miller | 2021
Thanks for reading along. If you’re interested in travel that’s a little less polished, a little less planned, and a lot more focused on the feeling of being in a place, subscribe to Waypoints. Paid subscribers receive an exclusive discount on all prints and products in the shop.
Let's wander a little slower, and see what we find.
Lindsey A. Miller