back from the hills...

mountain driving is no joke...mountain driving at night is much different than I remember....there is a floating cross somewhere between Asheville and Cherokee that you can see on I40 going towards Knoxville that was really quite spooky in the darkness...always take alcohol with you when traveling in N.C. because dry counties and towns pop up unexpectedly....

all towns in Western N.C. are not Asheville, Hendersonville, or Black Mountain....evidently God is still pretty popular there because there are signs written to him or for him all over the place...actually that's true all the way through this state as well, but it's just more noticable when the towns are so far apart....there was a giant semi-trailer on the side of the road with "Jesus Saves" written in big letters, there were a couple of bill boards with the 10 commandments....crazy, devoted kind of stuff...

Cherokee is like a tourist trap wet dream...neon, 50's kitsch everywhere, serious Native American art, a huge park in the middle of town where you can play in the river...it has everything....except alcohol, which you must bring with you when traveling in N.C.....

Pina coladas are really best enjoyed at the beach...they don't translate well in the mountains...there are a tremendous number of 2 and 4 lane roads still being utilized all over the place...they haven't changed much in some spots, but they are still slow as hell...Walmarts strategically placed along the way don't help traffic either...

200 miles and going up 3000 feet in elevation makes a big difference in climate...duh...not everyone wears shorts starting in April and I forget that....we had beautiful but chilly weather the entire time....outdoor hot tubs are a good thing in these situations...we also discussed how easy it would be to turn into Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" if left in the woods for too long...

overall....an outstanding way to spend a week....a good milestone birthday for Jeannie...and best of all, it's good to be home...

Lots of pictures...Take a look

Cherokee, NC

Cabin

Gem Mining

Scenery

DUCKS!!!