Western North Carolina

So, now after near a week here in the western part of the state here I felt I needed to put some reflection down on paper, or at least tap it into my Pad. I have never spent much time here before. I come from the Deep South so this here is enemy territory. Well, it was 150 years ago, but still this was always the fringe. I had spent some summers in Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and of course the outcast Florida (mostly on the Red Neck Riviera, the Panhandle). So, coming here for a week with the extended family was a great idea but also a journey into a place I had only thoughts about. What I have seen has been really refreshing.I had expected to see mostly toothless folk, sipping shine on the stoop of their doublewide. Yes, there is some of that here but I have seen much more, fun, outdoors friendly, nature loving people. Interesting part is how many of them do not seem to be originally from here but more transplants from other parts. Some from further up north, others from nearby States all here seemingly enjoying the time here. Now I have not googled anything about the region to see if there is some economic reason for this here but I found it really different.Yesterday we went whitewater rafting on the French Broad river and while the guides working there were mostly from the area they could speak in complete sentences. Actually our guide was really knowledgable about the history of the river, the last 100 years of over development and the backlash to that and the regulatory changes which came afterwards. I thought we were just on the river for some waves! No sirree! We had asked one guide for a suggestion for a lunch place and he suggested to go to a nearby town to a pizza place called Bacchus. That had me curious.We came off the main road heading there, passing the doublewides where those toothless types probably live, heading down to the river again. Once at the bottom of the hill the sign welcomed us to the historic town of Madison. Yippee. Here must be those shine drinking folk. But no, they were nowhere to be seen. Guess hidden away from the tourists like us. Heard us coming down the hill it seems. We found Bacchus on the main street. May only have been one real street here along the river anyway. The town looked like something from a 1920s movie set. Court house, red bricked buildings lining the road. An old Gulf gas station complete with pumps, but with a sign saying there is no gas. Only the drivers license office was in a trailer and that seemed really out of place here. It was really pretty.We had a lunch buffet of pizza and salad, with locally sourced organic vegetables, mozzarella cheeses. Pizza came from a wood burning oven as well. Really good food and we all really enjoyed it. Our waitress from a bit older and from Jersey. I had guessed it from her accent. I went across the street after lunch to grab a coffee for the road. Opening the door I felt I had just entered an off campus joint near San Francisco; big, open, airy place. Lots of offerings all written up on chalkboards, coffees, chai tees, muffins etc. Plus paintings on sale hanging on the walls. People with teeth at tables with PCs, notebooks, on the sofas talking about who-knows-what.Back on the street I felt I had just left a time machine. About a 100 year span just through those doors. Seems there are many artists in the region, still a bit far for a commute to UNC Asheville so it still has me wondering what they are all doing there. This area of the state is really interesting. Has me really curious why it is like is, but still, don't really care. It has been a great place to visit and make new experiences. That is what holidays are all about. Tomorrow we are off to the south, South Carolina that is. There I expect to feel more at home. More welcomed by folk I can relate with, southern comfort. Bring it on!