The Perfect Storm Thwarted

If you have lived in the High Country for long, and travel, you know the challenge of getting an Uber/Lyft to show up when you need them. Today's rider was understandably freaking out with two Ubers not showing up. Here is Dr. G's letter.

"Dear Richard,

I wanted to take a moment to share our experience and to say thank you—truly.

We were staying in the mountains, and the morning of our departure, we started noticing some challenges with booking Ubers. Requests were getting canceled, and something clearly felt amiss. This morning, we needed three separate Ubers for three different sets of family members, and every single one kept getting canceled. It quickly became anxiety-provoking. We were two hours from Charlotte, and it became clear that if we couldn’t even get out of the mountains, or in my case, get from returning my car at  the car rental place to the designated pickup location for our prepaid airport shuttle, we were at real risk of missing flights. Thankfully, we had all moved early enough that we still had some time buffer, but money had already been spent on the pre-booking the shuttles.

When I asked the car rental place for options, I was given three business cards. I tried all three, and you were the only one I was able to reach. From the very first interaction, you responded with care, compassion, and kindness. You offered practical tips for navigating the situation and showed up pretty quickly, especially for someone not “working that day”. I wish it ended there, but it got really worrisome when we arrived at the bus stop and I realized my 87-year-old grandmother and my aunt, also a senior, were not there. Neither of them has an Uber app, and I had pre-ordered their Uber the night before with clear instructions. When I called them, I learned that Uber had never picked them up. The reservation had simply disappeared. At that point, you immediately offered to go and pick them up yourself.

This was right at the scheduled time for the shuttle, and I told you I wasn’t sure whether, if you went to get them, you’d be able to make it back in time. You said you’d give it your best effort, and also reassured us that, worst-case scenario, you could take them directly to the airport since you also provide airport transfers. While not ideal given that we had already prepaid, it was the only viable option in that moment, and knowing there was an option mattered enormously.

Throughout both short drives that day, you were informed, calm, kind, and genuinely pleasant to be with. It made an incredibly stressful situation manageable, and honestly, reassuring. We are so grateful. In reflecting on the experience, one thing I will note in my review is that for visitors staying in cabins in the Blowing Rock–Boone area, especially during peak seasons like the Christmas holidays, it may be wise to pre-book transportation. We learned after the fact that Uber availability is extremely limited in the mountains, and there is only one rental car location with very high demand. That combination can easily create the perfect storm we experienced.

But what made the difference for us was you. Richard came through in a pinch in every possible way. He is trustworthy, responsive, and deeply compassionate—and we are genuinely thankful. I wanted to share this story not only to say thank you, but also for anyone considering private transportation services in the Blowing Rock, Boone, or surrounding areas. You are fantastic.

With sincere gratitude,

Giavana"