Letter from Roger and Judith Seager talking about their move to White Oak

We first came to the Tryon area over 10 years ago, Angela participated in a horse show at nearby FENCE and we spent a few days getting to know the area. We didn't return for several years, but then discovered the joys of the Western NC Mountains, coming back a number of times to savor the solitude and majesty of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the many other areas of natural beauty, as well as the town of Asheville, along with Biltmore and other local attractions. In addition, Judith, who followed our daughter in the love of horseback riding, started to come down to the Tryon area for its horse events.

The next step sort of happened almost 2 years ago, we started talking about the potential of a vacation home in the area ... the Tryon/Asheville area is a reasonable commute from Cincinnati, it still has four seasons, the people are friendly and the winters are a lot more bearable than Cincinnati. Our "must haves" were pretty simple, we wanted somewhere with horizon-to-horizon views, plus being either in or in sight of the mountains. We came back and forth, seeing the area at different times of the year, spending many hours just sitting in the car at different locations, soaking up the ambiance, before deciding on White Oak because of the easy access to our recreation interests, golf and horses.

We were just about to sign up to become landowners and engage with a builder, when my company asked me to take an overseas assignment in China! We briefly reconsidered, but decided to go ahead. My prior role was running our global sales team and had me on the road almost 200 days a year, so how much more difficult could it be with me based in Shanghai, China? So, we decided on a set of house plans and broke ground in May 2008. Fortunately, my new role brings me back to the US once a month and Judith decided to spend more time in Cincinnati than in Shanghai, so we got into a ritual of including a drive down to White Oak and back every time I returned to the US. We followed along with the construction, making the inevitable changes as we saw the structure taking shape ... we've picnicked on our balcony when it's been just bare framing, we've trudged untold amounts of red dirt back to Cincinnati on our shoes and tires, but we've been a part of the house coming to life, and also seen White Oak in all its seasons. The house was finished a couple of months ago, the builders are almost finished with their final tweaking and we're gradually furnishing the place ... oh, and also stocking the wine cellar! We celebrated Thanksgiving in the house, the family coming in from Georgia and Kentucky to be together, now three generations of our transplanted and extended family.

For me, the transition from living in a 32nd floor apartment in a teeming city of 21 million, to a beautiful development where the two of us have it all to ourselves is pretty incredible. The uninterrupted views and peacefulness are wonderful. The house and the views are everything we planned for ... and more! The splendor of White Oak's sunrise is indescribable, we get up before sunrise to sit with a cup of coffee and watch the sun lighting up the hillside and the distant mountains, while a bank of fog hangs over White Oak's lake. In the evening, the sunsets are just as spectacular ... silhouetted by the mountains and sometimes lighting the incredible cloud formations that come with mountainous geography. While I have played a number of the prestigious and famous golf courses around the world, I'm not a good golfer, so I find the course a challenge. I've played it a number of times, I think I'm getting better, although I've lost more than my fair share of balls in the mud alongside the second hole and at the creek crossing on number four! Despite the gloomy economic times, White Oak continues to present itself in a positive light and has been helpful to us as new residents. Within hours of finishing the house, we had all the services we needed, including a temporary Internet and TV service while the fiber optic system is routed along Sandy Plains Road and throughout the development.

For now, our plan is to use White Oak as a vacation place. Maybe that will change when I retire, or when I decide that China is no longer a challenge. Until then, we'd love to see some other structures coming to life around us ... we are gradually training the delivery services, etc so it should be a little easier for the next set of residents!

Back