Mount Airy NC and the Mayberry Days Festival

Do YOU dare descend into the Cave of Doom?...

I just noticed that this is page 9 of my trip report, yet I'm still working on day #3 of an eight day trip. I have a real bad feeling about this...

nocarolina

. What I'm really sorry about is just how unimpressive several of the meals have been so far, both for myself and for all you roadfooders who look at this thread to see photos of delicious roadfood-type meals; instead you're getting pics of inferior fast food crud like I got stuck with at Bojangle's. .   

Yeah, well I used to travel a lot more than now and when you're ready to eat and the road is kind of empty as far as food choices you take what comes up. I was going through Virginia on my way home from Texas and came across a Bojangles. I thought, how bad can it be? I learned exactly how bad it can be and when I saw the Bojangles photo come up on the screen a slight "oh no" went off in my brain. The funny thing about a lot of these places is that no matter how much the headquarters spends on getting the system workable  it still comes down to someone at the store caring just a little. In a lot of these places caring just a little is way too much effort. You see that in non-chain places as well. Makes the really great places that really care about what they do that much more special. 

Looking forward to better meals in the pages ahead.

Allan

Nancypalooza


wh--I will agree with you about pizza, although ayersian doesn't agree with me.  It's just crap in the South.  We've started making it at home.  I think that the Triangle in particular has a lot of really great places to eat, and you're right, a large variety.  It's tougher in smaller towns.

Lovely pictures of Chimney Rock, Bob!

Nancy,

I agree with you about the pizza in the south.  Growing up my first recollection of pizza is the Chef Boyardee stuff from a box.  I don't remember much about how it tasted, but I don't think it was the greatest in the world.  Funny thing is I still see it in the stores but am never tempted to buy any (wonder why?).  Later on we had a Pizza Inn come to town, but it doesn't set any marks for wonderfulness either.  Now, of course, we have good pizza here in Buffalo, and of course I have been blessed enough to visit the motherland with its apizza places in CT, so I can only say that life, pizza-wise, is pretty good.  Funny thing is that now my hometown has a pretty good independent Italian place with great pizza - who would have thought it in Eastern NC?  Of course like a dope I didn't take any pictures during last Christmas's trip, but my time with Roadfooders this year has emboldened me to document my trips in better fashions.

Bob,

Sorry I waited so deeply into your report, but it is great as usual.  You are giving me a serious case of homesickness for the Tarheel state (and it hasn't even starting snowing here yet!)

Yep, I did have fun today, and someday I'll be back.  
                      www.chimneyrockpark.com
                                                                    

Leaving the park, I turned right on ALT US 74 and headed east, passing through the touristy but still charming town of Chimney Rock.

As it was now early evening, it was time to start thinking seriously about dinner, especially since I wanted to get to Mount Airy and be settled into my motel room by 11:00 PM ( I'm a TV news junkie. ) Remembering what I learned the night before about Butch's relocation from Hickory to Morganton, I got onto US 64 and headed north. Butch's new place in Morganton is just a short distance from the interchange of US 64 and I-40.

My dinner at Butch's consisted of the same menu items as the lunch that I had at the old Hickory location a few years ago: Lexington-style pork, barbecue slaw, hush puppies, and sweet tea with lemon. Everything was very good and I really enjoyed my meal, although I wasn't quite as impressed with the slaw and tea as I was on my previous visit. Still, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place.

Bob, I wouldn't worry about how long these trip reports take--whether they have plenty of food pics or few.  They could be 50 pages, and I would read them and savor every one of the photographs.  And I'm sure others feel the same.  You've taken us to places that many of us will probably never visit and captured the experience as if we were walking in your shoes.  You may be one of the best photo-journalists on the web today!  All of your trips this year have been well-done, full of humor, and never boring.  So put those qualms away.

Louis, thanks so much for the kind words, and especially for reassuring me that I'm not boring the heck out of everyone with my book-length trip reports. As time-consuming as they are, I'm still having fun doing these detailed reports, as I really enjoy sharing my travel experiences with everyone. Whenever I'm putting one of these "travelogs" together, I'm always a little concerned that my report might be overstaying its welcome, but so far I've recieved nothing but positive feedback from roadfooders regarding the length and level of detail in these things. If someone does get bored with one of my trip reports, well, I guess it's just like TV; if you don't like what's on, then change the channel. You mentioned that you'd have no problem with a 50-page report, and the way this one's going, that's what y'all might end up with.

nocarolina


As it was now early evening, it was time to start thinking seriously about dinner, especially since I wanted to get to Mount Airy and be settled into my motel room by 11:00 PM ( I'm a TV news junkie. ) Remembering what I learned the night before about Butch's relocation from Hickory to Morganton, I got onto US 64 and headed north. Butch's new place in Morganton is just a short distance from the interchange of US 64 and I-40.

But the important question is:
 
Can you get BBQ for breakfast???
 
Brad

Brad, I was so preoccupied with the BBQ menu at Butch's that I don't even remember seeing the breakfast menu. I may have though... after three days on the road, I was pretty zonked.  BTW, do you remember the request that you made after my NC trip in May? If you do, you'll have a pretty good idea what I have for you sitting in my fridge.

Great report. Looking forward to the rest of it.

Bob, I'm loving this report and all of your reports in general!  I've never known anyone to take more time than you to explore what makes this country so great -- it's truly inspirational.  Two big thumbs up!    Chris

Chris, I really appreciate your very thoughtful comments, but the travels and photos that I've shared with my fellow roadfooders pale in comparison to the well-documented odyssey that you and Amy embarked on this past summer. I'd dearly love to drive out west as you two did, at least as far as Yellowstone, and now I'm starting to think that I was a bit hasty in writing off such a trip as impractical. Definitely not next year, and probably not 2011 either, but maybe after that. In February, I'm driving down to Texas in search of great 'que before swinging east to Charleston SC for the Glee Club gathering, so I'll get at least as far west as central Kansas... it's not Seattle but it's a start.

By the time that I left Butch's and got on the road to Mount Airy, I was so exhausted that I just wanted to crawl under a rock and take a nice long snooze. That had to wait though ( the snooze, not the rock ) as I still had about ninety minutes of driving time ahead of me. After three long days on the road, I finally arrived in Mount Airy, and after stopping at my aunt's place just long enough to let her know that I'd arrived safe and sound, it was off to the Microtel Suites, where a beautiful sight awaited me. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like bed...  

After a badly needed night's sleep, I got out fairly early so that I could meet my aunt for breakfast at the Olympia Restaurant in Mount Airy. This is a tradition that we've had for quite a few years, and I always order my usual: country ham, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, biscuit and gravy. I'm sorry now that I didn't take pics of the meals that were identical to ones from last May; this photo from that trip report will have to suffice. A great meal as always...

Before getting on the road for a day of picture-taking in Surry County and beyond, I went through the car wash and got rid of a three-day accumulation of dirt and dead insects... and then I washed my car!   From there I drove up the mountain into Virginia and then headed east on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the oddly-named community of Meadows of Dan.  

There's nothing out of the ordinary about this sign, other than the fact that there's a row of tall trees behind it that makes viewing Pilot Mountain from this spot impossible.

Arriving in Meadows of Dan, I drove a couple of miles past the US 58 exit and arrived at my destination, Mabry Mill.  

Mabry Mill, located in Floyd County VA, is a working gristmill that was built in 1903 by blacksmith E. B. Mabry, and completely restored by the National Park Service in 1945.

A system of wooden flumes carries water to the gristmill.

There are a number of other restored buildings adjacent to Mabry Mill. This one is an actual working blacksmith shop...  

... and inside is an actual working blacksmith.

Inside the sawmill...

I love walking around among these beautiful old buildings. My lifelong dream of having my own time machine is never going to happen, but at least there's places like Mabry Mill where I can capture the feel of yesteryear.  

This is probably the same "recipe" that Granny used to make her lye soap even after the clan up n' moved to Beverly Hills. Making this stuff sure kept poor Jethro and Elly May busy. 

Here's one final photo from this wonderful piece of American history.

Since you enjoy history, can I assume you have explored two historic locations closer to your home?
 
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg, IL
http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/
 
Pine Creek Grist Mill @ Wildcat Den State Park near Muscatine, IA
http://www.pinecreekgristmill.com/
 

6star


Since you enjoy history, can I assume you have explored two historic locations closer to your home?
 
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg, IL
http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/
 
Pine Creek Grist Mill @ Wildcat Den State Park near Muscatine, IA
http://www.pinecreekgristmill.com/
 

  
 
I've never been to either Muscatine or Petersburg, but I'll keep them in mind for my future travels. Many thanks for posting these links. 

Leaving Mabry Mill, I drove west on US 58 to have lunch at one of my favorite places in the area, the Hillsville Diner.

I try to get over to the Hillsville Diner for a meal every time I go down to NC, although it doesn't always work out that way. Today it did, but I was disappointed to learn that I missed out on getting to see Mac, the owner, by about ten minutes. Oh well. I ordered my favorite meal at the diner, hamburger steak with mashed potatoes ( real! ), pinto beans, and cornbread... and of course sweet tea with lemon. Nothing fancy, but I enjoy it.

After lunch, it was down to Fancy Gap to get back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway...  

The parkway took me several miles west to Pipers Gap Road, which winds its way down the mountain and eventually leads back to Mount Airy. Here, the road crosses under I-77. I was told that a new truckstop is planned for this interchange. 

NC, I'm in a hotel room in Gatlinburg TN as I am typing this.  Today, I did this route.  I highly suggest you do it but only if the brakes on your car are in good shape....

http://www.cherohala.com/location.html

Cheesehead, I'm very envious. I'd love to be sitting in a hotel room in Gatlinburg right now ( there's no country ham anywhere near where I'm sitting. ) That Cherohala Skyway website is a real eye-opener. How is it that I've never heard of this road before? I really appreciate this information, and now I've got to figure out how to work a drive on this incredible highway into the itinerary of my NC roadtrip next May.

Now back in Mount Airy, I had a few hours to kill before it was time for the Dillards concert at the Andy Griffith Playhouse; this concert is the event that kicked off the Mayberry Days Festival that weekend. I'd bought my ticket for the concert back in December and had really been looking forward to it. Since I did have time to kill, I headed over to a major Mount Airy landmark that I didn't find time to photograph back in May. 

Besides the Andy Griffith/Mayberry connection, Mount Airy is famous as the home of the world's largest open-faced granite quarry; in fact, "Mount Airy white" is considered some of the best quality granite available. North Carolina Granite Corporation has been in business since 1889, but the actual operation of the quarry goes back to 1743.
 
                                                   www.ncgranite.com   

Anyone care to guess what material NCGC's headquarters building is constructed from? You have five seconds... 

NC Cheesehead


NC, I'm in a hotel room in Gatlinburg TN as I am typing this.  Today, I did this route.  I highly suggest you do it but only if the brakes on your car are in good shape....

http://www.cherohala.com/location.html

Any good eateries in the area? I've driven a good amount of this several times but never had time to experiment:-)