Before visiting Blackberry Mountain, I read Kris Beall's memoir, The Great Blue Hills of God. It was nice to know the family's story and compare the version of the property I had built in my imagination to reality. The trip itself was a surprise birthday gift, and as someone who had spent plenty of time admiring Blackberry Mountain from afar, it was hard to imagine a better way to celebrate turning 29. I knew it involved a spa, great food, robes and slippers, mountain views,