Road trip, spring 2013 was great. Our main destination was my brother’s new home in TN but we took some extra time to drive through the mountains and add to our portfolios on the way. We had never been in that part of the country. This was a terrific time to go—the mountains were still turning to spring and the base was summer, next stage up was all spring greens, further up was pastels of flowering trees and spring buds and the top was bare trees—we drove in and out of spring for days.

You can see spring creeping up the mountain!

We stayed in B&B’s (not a doily in sight, thank you) and Inns where we met very interesting people. The first was the Dutch Haus in Montebello, VA. Two Appalachian Trail hikers were also staying there, a man who was doing the whole trail in one shot and the other, a woman who was doing a part each year. We ate dinner there (family style) as it is up and up and up the mountain and far from anything—good food and great conversation.
The next night was spent in Boone NC as I wanted to go to Cheap Joe’s. We stayed at the Lovill House Inn (great southern hospitality), and had dinner at Char. Being a University town (Appalachian State University) and County seat, Boone and neighboring, Blowing Rock have lots of restaurants and shops. It is still high in the mountains and has great mountain air.
The last evening before hitting TN we stayed at the Hemlock Inn in a room with a private deck looking over the forest. Again up and up and up so meals come with the room, All meals were served family style so once again we met interesting people. (My reading of the area since has shown this family style eating was historically typical of remote mountain lodging.) The talk at breakfast was of the black bear who got into the trash the night before. From all our hiking etc, we slept through this adventure!
Then over the Smokies to TN. A tail for another post.

ps: Don’t expect much cell or internet service in the mountains—in fact on the parkways—NONE!