We noticed last night that street signs around here were bi-lingual. Here we look around the Museum of the Cherokee Indian before heading back to the road.
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One advantage of taking smaller roads is seeing these old motels. I just liked the sign.
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A classic car rally from Indiana was passing through Cherokee while we were there.
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We had hoped to find Fry Bread for breakfast in Cherokee, NC. But the restaurant that had breakfast didn't do Fry Bread till lunch. So we did some shopping this drizzly morning at souvenir stores and farmer kiosks, scoring some local apples and local honey to have with our fry bread, as Paul's only provided Smucker's.They had some charming products here. Toe jam (Tangerine, Orange, Elderberry) and Frog jam (Figs, Raspberries, Oranges and Ginger) and rat cheese (actually what they use to trap rats, but a good aged sharp cheddar)So back to Paul's Family Restaurant in Cherokee at 11:30 for brunch. Here Karen brandishes frog legs. They taste like fish. I had the Indian Taco, again.We sat on the porch to enjoy the gentle rain, before getting in the car on twisty mountain roads to be annoyed by it. Hot coffee and crispy fry bread with local honey are good mood modifiers.
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Another day of the Blue Ridge with scenic overlook signs emerging from the gloom.
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I mostly took pictures from the car as we rolled eastward.
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At noon we pulled into the Waterrock Knob Visitor's Center (invisible from its own parking lot). The big news is: It's Open! Yes, the obstructionists relented and allowed the government to function again. Until January.So there are now trash cans and toilets along the parkway.
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At this scenic overlook, I got out to look around and Karen stayed dry.
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Do you see what I see? In our years of travel, we've watched the demise of pay phones. In the last few years, we usually see phone kiosks without actual phones. Here, they still have a working pay phone!Not for very much longer, is my guess.
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So we hop off the foggy parkway in the afternoon and head straight to Asheville on the interstate.
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I appreciate decorative sound walls separating residential areas from the noisy roads.
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We spent the afternoon at the house of our hosts doing laundry, showers, and catching up on email. They drove us to dinner in their brand new (triple digit mileage) new car! This is how contradance gypsies roll: Invite strangers to spend the night even on the day of a decadal purchasing event.
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Karen watches the beginners workshop at Asheville as she dons her shoes.
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The Asheville dance was big, crowded, and energetic. It turns out that LEAF \(http://theleaf.org/\) was going on this week! Many musicians and other sorts from all around joining this dance.
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As the dance was winding up and clearing out, school athletes took over the gym to practice.
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