Autumn Times 2010 by Mountain Times Publications

2010

The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

PAGE

2010

The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

Growing Fond of Boone Native Gardens

As the seasons transition, the beauty remains steadfast at Daniel Boone Native Gardens, where autumn’s spectacular parade of blooms is as brilliant as in any other season. As summer flowers and plants give way to those more familiar to the fall pageantry of deep, warm contrasts signaling yet another transformation, the splendor of nature remains prevalent at the gardens. While countless breathtaking blooms are easily found “in the wild,” these gardens remain among the area’s most beautiful sites for a congregate group of native shrubs and flowering plants. Long known as being “dedicated to the preservation of Earth’s treasures,” Daniel Boone Native Gardens is a spectacular, carefully tended attraction named for the great frontiersman who traveled through the area hundreds of years ago. Located in the Daniel Boone Park, adjacent to Horn in the West and easily accessible from all incoming highways, this beautifully landscaped garden collection is home to a rare assembly of North Carolina native plants. Designed in 1965 by landscape architect Doan Ogden, who also designed Asheville’s Botanical Gardens in 1960, the Daniel Boone Native Gardens provide a safe haven for some endangered plant species and other wild plants unique to this higher elevation of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Opened in 1966, the three-acre gardens serve as an educational and conservation effort to nurture rare or endangered Appalachian plant species. The gardens’ outstanding collection of native Appalachian trees, shrubs and wildflowers, included in hundreds of plant varieties, provide a progression of blooms throughout the growing season. Many are marked for easy identification and serve as material for education and conservation of the native plants that are fast becoming extinct. The gardens also host a few nonnative species, but mountain plants are the primary focus. Additional highlights of the gardens include a bog garden, fern garden, rhododendron grove, rock garden, rock wishing well, vine-covered arbor weddings pond alongside the historic Squire Boone Cabin, and several grand vistas. Wrought-iron gates at the entrance were made by a descendant of Daniel Boone. Sponsored by the Garden Club of North Carolina Inc., the Gardens are maintained primarily by a host of local volunteers who work diligently throughout the year

to protect and preserve its wondrous beauty. Group tours can be arranged, as well as weddings and other special events. The beauty of the gardens does not come without a price. Many hours of volunteer labor are dedicated to the project during the year, and donations for supplies are always appreciated. Gifts are tax-deductible and can be made unrestricted or with stipulations (plants, garden equipment, statuary, etc.) In-kind donations of native Appalachian plant materials might also be made from nurseries or other garden-related businesses, with prior arrangements made with the gardens. Many visitors often wish to honor the memory of a loved one by making a memorial donation through such gifts as a bench, birdbath, sundial, or other landscape feature, or donated plant materials for a special flower or shrub bed. Again, prior discussion and planning is necessary with garden representatives. The gardens are located adjacent to the Horn in the West outdoor drama (591 Horn in the West Drive), convenient to downtown Boone and the Appalachian

State University campus. Operating hours are daily May 1 through October. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours during the outdoor drama season. Admission is $2, ages 16 and up. Dogs are not permitted, except service animals. For more information, call (828) 2646390, e-mail dbgardens@danielboonegardens.org or visit danielboonegardens.org.

Daniel Boone Gardens Bloom Chart September - October Rhododendron Goldenrod Stewartia Witch hazel Devil’s Walking Stick New England asters Clematis Turtlehead Ironweed Joe Pye weed Poke, Jewelweed (Touch-me-not) Stiff gentian Jerusalem artichoke Sourwood tree

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide The MounTain TiMes auTuMn Guide

A Host of Answers Visitors Center Can Answer Just About Any Question

ant to know where you can eat and sleep in the High Country and what there is to do and see here? Then stop by or call High Country Host in Boone. It’s the host with the most – the most information on area hotels, restaurants, parks, shopping, recreation, businesses, activities, events and more. High Country Host is a regional visitor information center and marketing organization designed to promote travel and tourism in Watauga, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany and Wilkes counties, the mountainous area known as North Carolina’s High Country. The center attracts visitors to the area and helps guide them once they arrive. To entice potential visitors, High Country Host places ads in several magazines ranging from “Southern Living” to “National Geographic Traveler.” The center also uses television and newspapers. Once people are interested, they can obtain

information about the area 24 hours a day through High Country Host’s phone system and web site. For those with Internet access, the center sports a new and improved web site that includes information about area lodging, real estate, maps, golf, parks, skiing, group tours, weather and much more. It also includes a direct link to all members with individual web sites. There’s even a link with the Blue Ridge Parkway web site, which provides a milepost-by-milepost itinerary for the parkway. Once visitors arrive in the mountains, they can stop by the center seven days a week for some High Country hospitality and personalized help from hosts and hostesses. The center’s staff can answer just

about any question about what the High Country has to offer and how to get there. There are also hundreds of brochures and pamphlets about High Country Host member organizations available at the center along with a 66page High Country mountain guidebook. The guidebook is also available at North Carolina welcome and visitor centers. Brochures available at the center range from attractions such as Grandfather Mountain, the Mast Store and the Blue Ridge Parkway to events such as ASU’s An Appalachian Autumn Festival and Banner Elk’s Woolly Worm Festival. There are also several pamphlets about area outdoor activities such as fishing, camping and hiking.

Contact Information Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Location: 1700 Blowing Rock Road (Highway 321 near K-Mart and beside Kentucky Fried Chicken.) Mailing Address: 1700 Blowing Rock Road, Boone, N.C. 28607 Phone: (828) 264-1299 & (800) 438-7500 FAX: (828) 265-0550 E-MAIL: info@highcountryhost.com www.highcountryhost.com

Chambers of Commerce

he High Country of Northwestern North Carolina is the h o m e o f n u m e r o u s communities, many represented by Chambers of commerce and visitor centers. Stop by one of the establishments listed below for maps of the area, brochures of attractions and places to visit, stay, or dine, and information on just about any conceivable topic relating to the High Country, its legends and lore, and its people.

Boone The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce is one of the High Country’s most active, with both a very dedicated membership and an overall commitment to the betterment of the area as both a vacation destination and business hub. Located in downtown Boone on Howard Street, the Chamber of Commerce is the ideal place to stop for information on area activities and brochures and maps of the community. Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Location & Mailing Address: 208 Howard Street, Boone, NC 28607 Phone: (828) 264-2225 & (800 )852-9506 FAX: (828) 264-6644 E-MAIL: info@boonechamber.com WEB SITE: www.boonechamber.com

Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock is one of the crown jewels of the

Blue Ridge Mountains. The Chamber of Commerce knows this tight-knit-but-friendly community as no one else, and its representatives are always happy to share this knowledge with visitors. Aside from general information, lists of camping and fishing sites, and brochures, the Chamber of Commerce also

has a good stock of menus from the town’s many fine restaurants. Hours Of Operation: Monday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Location: 7738 Valley Blvd., Blowing Rock, NC 28605 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 406, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 Phone: (828) 295-7851 & (800) 295-7851 FAX: (828) 295-4643 E-MAIL: info@blowingrock.com WEBSITE:www.blowingrock.com

Beech Mountain

The highest town east of the Rocky Mountains, Beech Mountain is the wintertime hub of skiing, but it’s also a fine place to visit in the spring, Autumn, and autumn months, when activities abound in this “coolest town in the High Country.” Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Location: 403-A, Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain (Located next to Beech Mountain Town Hall.) Mailing Address: 403-A Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain, NC 28604 Phone: (828) 387-9283 & (800) 468-5506 FAX: (828) 387-3572 E-MAIL: chamber@beechmtn.com WEB SITE: www.beechmtn.com

Avery-Banner Elk

The Avery-Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, located just east of Banner Elk’s one and only stoplight, assists visitors with information concerning all of the county’s activity offerings and special events. It’s also a great place to visit for brochures and special publications on such annual happenings as the Grandfather Mountain Highland

Games & Gathering of the Scottish Clans and the Woolly Worm Festival. Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Location: #2 Shoppes of Tyne Castle at the corner of Hwy 105 and 184. Mailing Address: 4501 Tynecastle Highway, Suite 2, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Phone: (828) 898-5605 & (800) 972-2183 FAX: (828) 898-8287 E-MAIL: chamber@averycounty.com WEB SITE: www.averycounty.com

Banner Elk The Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce is located in the heart of Banner Elk (at the one and only traffic light where Highway 184 intersects with Highway 194). Our mission is to “concentrate our resources in serving the membership and promoting Banner Elk as a unique village to visit, to live in, to work in, and to enjoy.” The Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce has volunteer committees that put together events and activities to promote the area, and it is staffed entirely by volunteers that are dedicated to serving the members and the Banner Elk community. Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Location: 100 West Main Street, Banner Elk, NC, 28604 Mailing Address: P. O. Box 1872, Banner Elk, NC, 28604 Phone: (828) 898-8395 FAX:(828) 898-8395 (call ahead) E-Mail: bechamber@skybest.com Web Site: www.bannerelk.org

Ashe County

Ashe County, with its dual communities of Jefferson and West Jefferson, is just about as far as you can go in the High Country before entering Southwestern Virginia. The county is, in many respects, “a step back in time” to the way the Appalachian Mountains use to be. The Chamber can direct travelers through this sparsely populated area of Christmas tree farms and rugged mountain landscapes and offers a good selection of brochures and maps. Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Location: 303 E. 2nd St., West Jefferson Mailing Address: P.O. Box 31, West Jefferson, NC 28694 Phone: (336) 846-9550 & (888) 343-2743 FAX: (336) 846-8671 E-MAIL: ashechamber@skybest.com WEB SITE: www.ashechamber.com

Elizabethton, TN

Nearby Elizabethton, Tennessee is often referred to as “A Place For All Seasons”. The Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce is the one-stop-shop for information on all activities and events taking place at Roan Mountain State Park, Watauga Lake, along the NC - Tennessee state line, and in all of Eastern Tennessee. Days & Hours Of Operation: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: 500 19E Bypass, Elizabethton Mailing Address: P.O. Box 190, 500 19E Bypass, Elizabethton, TN 37644 Phone: (423) 547-3850 FAX: (423) 547-3854 E-MAIL: eccchamber@earthlink.net WEB SITE: www.tourelizabethton.com

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2010

THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

2010 Autumn Times We hope you enjoy the 2010 edition of

the Autumn Times. Our mission every year is to provide visitors and residents alike a comprehensive, easy to read, and entertaining guide to the North Carolina High Country. And while leaf looking remains the season’s main attraction, inside these pages you’ll read of the wide range of activities our region offers. From the fine dining and entertainment possibilities, to world class shopping, or how to find that vacation getaway you’ve always wantedit’s all here in the Autumn Times. Have a ball this fall! And to make sure you don’t miss a thing, take this copy of the Autumn Times along for the ride. You’ll find it a good companion on your travels through the High Country. Gene Fowler, Jr. ............ Publisher Jason Reagan ..................... Editor Jennifer Canosa ... Graphics Manager Charlie Price..............Advertising Director Tim Robinson ....Circulation Manager Garrett Burkett ....... Web Designer Front page design by Jennifer Canosa and photo by Rob Moore. 474 Industrial Park Drive • Boone, North Carolina 28607 828-264-6397 • mtfrontdesk@mountaintimes.com

www.mountaintimes.com

A publication of Mountain Times Publications & Jones Media, Inc., Greeneville, Tenn.

2010

THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

Numbers of Note Ashe County

LAW ENFORCEMENT: SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT: (336) 219-2600 JEFFERSON POLICE: (910) 246-9368 WEST JEFFERSON POLICE: (336) 246-9410 FIRE & RESCUE: CRESTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 3856500 FLEETWOOD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 877-5100 GLENDALE SPRINGS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 982-3539 HELTON TOWNSHIP, INC. VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT : (336) 384-2420 JEFFERSON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 246-9149 LANSING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 3844545 NEW RIVER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 982-4700 POND MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 385-6090 TODD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 8771234 WARRENSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 384-3700 WEST JEFFERSON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (336) 246-3551 ANIMAL CONTROL: (336) 982-4060

Avery County LAW ENFORCEMENT: SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT: (828) 733-2071 BANNER ELK POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 898-4300 ELK PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 733-9573 NEWLAND POLICE: (828) 733-2023 SEVEN DEVILS POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 963-6760 SUGAR MOUNTAIN POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 8984349 FIRE & RESCUE: AVERY COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD: (828) 733-2607 LINVILLE CENTRAL RESCUE SQUAD: (828) 733-2346 BANNER ELK FIRE DEPTARTMENT: (828) 898-4623 CROSSNORE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 733-4304 ELK PARK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 7330516 ELK PARK FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 733-5555 FALL CREEK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 898-5021 FRANK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 733-

9336 GREEN VALLEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 765-9465 LINVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 7332188 NEWLAND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 7334011 ANIMAL CONTROL: (828) 733-6312 Avery County has no county-operated animal control office; the number listed is for the Avery County Humane Society.

Watauga County LAW ENFORCEMENT: WATAUGA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: (828) 2643761 BOONE POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 262-4500 BEECH MOUNTAIN POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 3872342 BLOWING ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 2955210 APPALACHIAN REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM POLICE: (828) 262-4168 APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT: (828) 262-2150 FIRE AND RESCUE: BEAVER DAM VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 297-4393 BEECH MOUNTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 3874612 BLOWING ROCK FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 295-5221 BLOWING ROCK RESCUE: (828) 295-3504 BOONE FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 262-4520 COVE CREEK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 297-1375 DEEP GAP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 2620635 FOSCOE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 9636305 MEAT CAMP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 264-3668 SEVEN DEVILS FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 963-5343 SHAWNEEHAW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 963-4180 STEWART SIMMONS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 2641112 WATAUGA RESCUE SQUAD: (828) 264-2426 ZIONVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: (828) 2974812 WATAUGA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL: (828) 2621672

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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

GO CLIMB A ROCK!

he High Country has long been a destination for outdoors enthusiasts, from the weekend ﬁsherman to the hardcore skier. But in the fall, some of the best views aren’t ones that can be seen from overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway or the ﬁre tower high above Boone. However, getting to them requires a bit of adventurousness. The real adrenaline junkie in the family has only one option to scratch the itch and experience the beauty of the mountains while hanging off of one: To grab a rope and start rock climbing. As a result of the region becoming a hot spot for climbers, there are many services that offer help getting amateurs off the ground. At Rock Dimensions, which has partnered with Footsloggers in downtown Boone and maintain the climbing wall there, the professional guides and instructors offer half-day climbs, group climbs and intermediatelevel training. Half-day climbs are based upon catering to climbers of all different skills levels. Groups of, at most, 10 to 12 participants learn the necessary safety guidelines, terminology and knots for completing a successful basic climb. Most half-day climbs take place in the mountains surrounding Boone, but Rock Dimensions also has a permit that allows guided tours through Pisgah National Forest. Climbers are instructed in basic skills like communicating with their climbing partner, rappelling, climbing movement, and belaying. SEE ROCK, PAGE 9

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GO CLIMB...

the climbing wall at Footsloggers is a place to test out skills before applying them in the real world. The 40-foot tower is perfect for the casual climber, but a trip up it can be purchased in conjunction with a class and a half-day trip to an actual climb. Footsloggers also sells all the gear necessary for a climb. Edge of the World in Banner Elk offers climbs out of Avery County. Theses tours are for even the novice climber and teach the basic skills needed to complete a first climb. Guides teach rappelling and safety techniques, and help to build the confidence of their climbers to ensure a fun experience. For an unforgettable experience and the opportunity to feel “one” with the mountains, it’s hard to beat a good rock climb. Luckily, the outfitters and guides in the High Country have an unbeatable passion for their sport, and provide an experience that is hard to forget. Michael Gebelein

FROM PAGE 8

Group top-rope trips involve many of the same skill sets, but as a result of restrictions limiting access to the mountains by large groups because of their environmental impact, the destinations are different, including the Linville Gorge Wilderness and Wilson Creek areas of the Pisgah National Forest, Pilot Mountain State Park and Crowders Mountain State Park. Top-rope climbing involves the setting of anchors at both the top and bottom of a climbing route, and running a rope from the bottom to the top and back down to the climber. Top-roping is generally considered the safest kind of climbing away from a jungle gym, and is the best form for amateur climbers to learn the basics. Up to 17 climbers can participate on some expeditions and will experience climbs that are for beginner to intermediate skill sets. Intermediate climbs travel to the same locations as the group sessions, but involve skills that are only developed after several beginner-level climbs. Climbers still use the top-rope technique, but on several climbs that take tougher routes than the other levels. The instructors also teach more advanced climbing movements, advanced knots and advanced belaying, in

OUTFITTERS

Footsloggers 139 S Depot St. Boone (828) 262-5111

which a climber is stationed at the base of a route to ensure that if the lead climber falls, it isn’t too far. If actually climbing a mountain seems a bit too risky,

Edge of the World N.C. 184 Banner Elk (828) 898-9550

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

2010

HIKING the High Country T

he best way to experience the High Country is to get outside and enjoy the area’s mountains, woods and waterways. The region provides some of the best hiking in the eastern United States. Here you can walk alongside rivers and sit by waterfalls, traverse grassy hills and open meadows, or climb to the rocky peaks of mountains. The local forests are home to a wide variety of trees, both deciduous hardwoods and evergreens. Wildlife is plentiful, and there are great opportunities for birdwatchers. Sightings of deer and wild turkey are common, while the fortunate few may even catch glimpse of a black bear. In the vicinity of Boone and Blowing Rock are numerous trails that allow you to experience the High Country outdoors. Ranging from short and easy pathways to more rugged mountainous paths, these trails provide something for everyone. Whether you prefer a leisurely walk or a more strenuous trek, the High Country has a trail for you. Many local trails are accessible along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of these trails are easy and ﬂat. If you’d like to walk the large level pathway around a tranquil SEE HIKING, PAGE 12

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HIKING

FROM PAGE 11

lake, then head to Price Lake. Located at Milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the lake hosts both a campground and a boat ramp. Beginning at the Price Lake parking area, a 2.7 mile trail loops around the shore of the lake. At the lake’s far corner the trail brieﬂy disappears in a short 20-foot stretch of swampy shoreline, but the majority of the trail is a smooth and well-maintained pathway. Although Price Lake is larger, Bass Lake offers an arguably more scenic walk. Situated at the bottom of the Moses Cone Estate (Milepost 294), 22-acre Bass Lake provides a beautiful view of the Moses Cone Manor House and the surrounding deciduous forests, especially when the trees are in full autumn color. Used by both hikers and horse riders, a well-maintained gravel road leads down the hill to the lake below. Hiking down to Bass Lake from the Moses Cone Manor House means a roughly 5-mile trip down and back up the hill, but even if you are not up for a 5-mile hike, you can still visit Bass Lake to stroll the half-mile gravel road that circles the lake. Just follow U.S. 221 South from Blowing Rock and turn into the marked Bass Lake parking area. If you prefer a bit more challenging terrain, then try the Boone Fork Trail or the Green Knob Trail. On these trails, you will climb hills, traverse occasionally rocky and uneven ground, and perhaps get your shoes a bit muddy. The Boone Fork Trail is a 4.9-mile loop whose trailhead is found at the Price Park Picnic Area (Milepost 296.5). In a relatively short distance the trail crosses a variety of landscapes. At various points, the trail leads along the riverbank of the Watauga River’s Boone Fork, runs up the rugged hillside beside a mountain stream, and crosses the grazing pastures of tame cattle. The terrain along the Green Knob Trail is similar to Boone Fork, but the Green Knob Trail is only half the length of Boone Fork. The Green Knob trailhead is located at Sims Pond (Milepost 295). Starting at the small pond, the marked trail is a 2.4 mile loop that enters a rhododendron forest and follows a small stream. Emerging from the rhododendron, you then cross a fence and continue on the trail up a hilly pasture. The trail leading down the other side of the hill can be a bit steep, but a small clearing provides a picturesque view of Grandfather Mountain in the distance. For those who crave a more rigorous hike over sometimes rugged terrain, the 13-mile long Tanawha Trail runs from the Price Lake campground (Milepost 297.3) to the cliffs of Beacon Heights (Milepost 305.3). The trail can be accessed at many of the overlooks between Price Lake and Beacon Heights. The section of the trail that runs from Rough Ridge (Milepost 302.9) to Linn Cove Viaduct (Milepost 304.4) provides panoramic views of Grandfather Mountain and

the foothills to the east. When hiking, it is always important to use common sense. A few years ago, a local university professor was hiking on Rich Mountain at the Moses Cone Estate. From the top of Rich Mountain he glimpsed the lookout tower on Flat Top Mountain in the far distance. The tower appeared to be about a mile and a half away, on the other side of a large valley. Although it was about ﬁve o’clock in the afternoon, the professor decided to cross a fence, cut through the thickly wooded valley and hike to the distant tower. By sunset, he was bogged down in a swampy rhododendron thicket without a ﬂashlight and had to be rescued by a search team.

So remember: •Stay on the trail. Attempting shortcuts through mountain woods is not a good idea. You never know what kind of terrain you are going to encounter off-trail. Described as “laurel hells” by early settlers, rhododendron thickets can be virtually impenetrable. Falling from a rocky cliff can be fatal. •Always have the essentials. Carry enough food and water. Because of the giardia bacteria, the water from mountain streams should be filtered before drinking. Mountain weather is notoriously fickle, so pack a rain jacket. And always carry a flashlight. Kevin Young Photo by Todd Bush

2010

itnessing the autumn changes in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a fascinating experience. Orange, red and yellow blaze over hillsides and mountain peaks, still mixed with the area’s mysterious blue, accentuated by crisp nights with a clear patchwork of stars. But some of this is lost while you watch HBO and eat Doritos on your hotel bed. The Boone area is situated right next to some of the best camping and hiking in North Carolina, and most people miss its sights once the sun goes down. One of the best ways to more fully experience the fall colors is by camping. So, if you’re tired of four walls for awhile, but don’t want to hike for days into oblivion, here are two of the area’s most accessible camping areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Price Park If you’re looking for a relaxing setting without much upkeep, consider camping at Julian Price Memorial Park.

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Let’s begin by entering the parkway from the U.S. 321 entrance between Boone and Blowing Rock. From the U.S. 321/N.C. 105 intersection in Boone (at the two-story Wendy’s), travel on U.S. 321 South. This becomes Blowing Rock Road, and you will see the parkway entrance on the right at 5.6 miles. Drive one tenth of a mile and turn south onto the parkway. At 4.3 miles south, you will see Price Park on the right. Continue on the parkway two-tenths of a mile and you will see the campground, also on the right. Be sure to stop at the ranger’s station for a permit, which costs $16 per site. This camping area allows you to camp from your car, and features ﬁre pits and bathrooms close by. You can also easily access the 4.9-mile Boone Fork Trail. This trail will take you through a rich variety of mountain landscapes — from an open ﬁeld with a wide view of some of Grandfather Mountain’s peaks, through thick rhododendron-lined paths, to a walk next to small rapids on the river, and through beaver-diverted streams and swampland.

Nuwati Trail to Storyteller’s Rock If you’re looking for something a bit more rugged than car camping, the free sites near Storyteller’s Rock will provide a secluded spot away from the trafﬁc noise of the parkway, as well as a fantastic place to view sunset, the stars on a clear autumn night, and sunrise, if you’re up early enough. This trail is fairly easy, but is rocky and slippery in places, so be sure to wear good shoes that will grip well. From the U.S. 321 entrance of the parkway, drive 8.0 miles south to the Boone Fork parking area on the right. You will access the trail at an unnamed trailhead to the left of the parking lot (marked by a “Hiking and Camping” information sign) that you will follow 0.4 miles to the Nuwati trailhead. About 300 feet in you will see a registration station. Camping is free, but you are required to register. Be sure to record the license plate number from your vehicle, as the form asks for this information. SEE CAMPING, PAGE 14

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CAMPING THE BLUE RIDGE FROM PAGE 13

After the one-mile marker, go two-tenths of a mile to the ﬁnal two camping areas. Go straight to get to The Refuge campsite, and turn left to camp at the base of Storyteller’s Rock. All four sites have tent platforms. If you explore around the base of the rock a bit, you will notice a small trail going up its right side. If you follow this to the top, you will get one of the most pristine views in the general area: The Boone Bowl. Full of trees and no structures or roads cutting through, this spot allows for a spectacular view of the fall colors. Also, with no light pollution from towns, this setting provides a remarkable view of the stars on a clear night.

Bear Safety in Mind

Turn right onto the Nuwati Trail, which is blazed blue. At 0.6 miles you will see the sign for the Cragway Trail on your left. That alternate route would take you up to Calloway Peak and the top of Grandfather Mountain, as well as provide a shelter and camping spots if you were to follow

the Daniel Boone Scout Trail. To get to Storyteller’s, continue on the Nuwati. After about two-tenths of a mile past the Cragway sign you will see the Stream Side camping site on the left, and The Hermitage site just a little farther down the Nuwati, also on the left.

Just because the fall brings cooler weather, don’t assume that you’re out of the woods when it comes to bear safety. Though usually timid, encountering one of these creatures in the wild can be a hairy experience. In general, bears just want to eat. So, simply be smart about your food: Don’t cook or eat in the same spot that you sleep, don’t keep food (or bags that have held food) in your tent or lying around the campsite, and be sure to bring rope to safely bag your food and raise it off the ground. Though rare, when bear attacks do happen they are usually the result of human error. Keep in mind that if a bear does attack a human — even if due to human mistakes — the bear is usually tracked down and killed. So, by keeping a clean campsite and packing all your trash out with you, you will make the area much safer for both humans and the local wildlife. Also, the Park Service asks you to refrain from bringing wood into the campsite, as that practice has already introduced many harmful insects into the area. You should remember, as well, to bury human waste at least 6 inches deep and 100 feet away from water sources, campsites and trails. Keep both the environment and your fellow campers in mind, and you’re sure to have a happy and healthy camping experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains this fall. Jonathan Bradshaw Photo on page 13 by Todd Bush

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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

Pack Your Pack

or those outdoor enthusiasts who truly want to get out and avoid the noise of bug zappers and the electric amber glow of propane lanterns hissing in the evening air, then backpacking the High Country is your ticket to the peace and tranquility of nature that can only be found in the backcountry. There are multiple backpacking possibilities throughout the region, some more rugged than others.

Backcountry Guide

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Grandfather Mountain

Backpacking along the trails of Grandfather Mountain is permitted by permit only. This gorgeous privately-owned biopreserve offers numerous well maintained trails and campsites. To obtain a permit, or for additional information about the mountain call (828) 733-4337 or go to www.grandfather.com

The Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail runs approximately 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and along the way it meanders through several parts of the High Country. The trail runs through Roan Mountain State Park across one of the famed southern Bald’s. Roan Mountain is located on Route 19E along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The trail also runs North of Ashe Country in the Grayson Highlands State Park of Virginia. For more information, call (304) 535-6331 or check out www.appalachiantrail.org.

The Mountains to Sea Trail The North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail runs 908 miles and through 37 counties from Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smokey Mountains to Jockeys Ridge on the Atlantic Coast. Within the High Country, the trail runs through Pisgah National Forest, across Beacon Heights along the Blue Ridge Parkway and over Table Rock within the Linville Gorge. Check out www.ncmst.org for more information.

Linville Gorge

This spectacular gorge offers 39 miles of trails, many of which can challenge even the most experienced hiker. Primitive camping is permitted throughout the gorge, with permits required on weekends and holidays from May 1 to Oct.31. Walk-in permits are available at the Linville Gorge Information Center located along the Kistler Memorial Highway in Linville Falls. For more information contact the District Rangers Ofﬁce at (828) 652-4841 visit www.nchikingtrails. com linville_gorge.htm.

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Keeping your Stay LOW IMPACT Plan Ahead and Prepare

log seats or tables. Good campsites are found, not made. Avoid altering a site, digging trenches, or building structures.

Proper trip planning and preparation helps hikers and campers accomplish trip goals safely and enjoyably while minimizing damage to natural and cultural resources. Campers who plan ahead can avoid unexpected situations, and minimize their impact by complying with area regulations such as observing limitations on group size. Schedule your trek to avoid times of high use. Obtain permits or permission to use the area for your trek. Proper planning ensures: * Low-risk adventures because campers obtained information concerning geography and weather and prepared accordingly. * Properly located campsites because campers allotted enough time to reach their destination. * Appropriate campﬁres and minimal trash because of careful meal planning and food repackaging and proper equipment. * Comfortable and fun camping and hiking experiences because the outing matches the skill level of the participants.

Minimize Campfire Impacts

Some people would not think of camping without a campfire. Yet the naturalness of many areas has been degraded by overuse of fires and increasing demand for firewood. Lightweight camp stoves make low-impact camping possible by encouraging a shift away from fires. Stoves are fast, eliminate the need for firewood, and make cleanup after meals easier. After dinner, enjoy a candle lantern instead of a fire. If you build a fire, the most important consideration is the potential for resource damage. Whenever possible, use an existing campfire ring in a well-placed campsite. Choose not to have a fire in areas where wood is scarce— at higher elevations, in heavily used areas with a limited wood supply, or in desert settings. True Leave No Trace fires are small. Use dead and downed wood that can be broken easily by hand. When possible, burn all wood to ash and remove all unburned trash and food from the fire ring. If a site has two or more fire rings, you may dismantle all but one and scatter the materials in the surrounding area. Be certain all wood and campfire debris is dead out.

Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces Damage to land occurs when visitors trample vegetation or communities of organisms beyond recovery. The resulting barren areas develop into undesirable trails, campsites, and soil erosion.

Spread Out?

packing out all trash, leftover food, and litter.

* In high-use areas, campers should concentrate their activities where vegetation is already absent. Minimize resource damage by using existing trails and selecting designated or existing campsites. Keep campsites small by arranging tents in close proximity. * In more remote, less-traveled areas, campers should generally spread out. When hiking, take different paths to avoid creating new trails that cause erosion. When camping, disperse tents and cooking activities—and move camp daily to avoid creating permanent-looking campsites. Avoid places where impacts are just beginning to show. Always choose the most durable surfaces available: rock, gravel, sand, compacted soil, dry grasses, or snow. These guidelines apply to most alpine settings and may be different for other areas, such as deserts. Learn the Leave No Trace techniques for your crews speciﬁc activity or destination. Check with land managers to be sure of the proper technique.

Sanitation: Backcountry users create body waste and wastewater that require proper disposal. Wastewater: Help prevent contamination of natural water sources: After straining food particles, properly dispose of dishwater by dispersing at least 200 feet (about 80 to 100 strides for a youth) from springs, streams, and lakes. Use biodegradable soap 200 feet or more from any water source. Human Waste: Proper human waste disposal helps prevent the spread of disease and exposure to others. Catholes six to eight inches deep in humus and 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites are often the easiest and most practical way to dispose of feces. Leave What You Find Allow others a sense of discovery, and preserve the past. Leave rocks, plants, animals, archaeological artifacts, and other objects as you ﬁnd them. Examine but do not touch cultural or historical structures and artifacts. It may be illegal to remove artifacts.

Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack It Out)

Minimize Site Alterations

This simple yet effective saying motivates backcountry visitors to take their trash home with them. It makes sense to carry out of the backcountry the extra materials taken there by your group or others. Inspect your campsite for trash or spilled foods. Accept the challenge of

Do not dig tent trenches or build lean-tos, tables, or chairs. Never hammer nails into trees, hack at trees with hatchets or saws, or damage bark and roots by tying horses to trees for extended periods. Replace surface rocks or twigs that you cleared from the campsite. On high-impact sites, clean the area and dismantle inappropriate user-built facilities such as multiple ﬁre rings and

Respect Wildlife

Quick movements and loud noises are stressful to animals. Considerate campers practice these safety methods: * Observe wildlife from afar to avoid disturbing them. * Give animals a wide berth, especially during breeding, nesting, and birthing seasons. * Store food securely and keep garbage and food scraps away from animals so they will not acquire bad habits. * Never feed wildlife. Help keep wildlife wild. *You are too close if an animal alters its normal activities.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors Thoughtful campers respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. * Travel and camp in small groups (no more than the group size prescribed by land managers). * Let natures sounds prevail. Keep the noise down and leave radios, tape players, and pets at home. * Select campsites away from other groups to help preserve their solitude. * Always travel and camp quietly to avoid disturbing other visitors. * Make sure the colors of clothing and gear blend with the environment. * Respect private property and leave gates (open or closed) as found. *Be considerate of other campers and respect their privacy.

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Autumn leaves mean it’s a picturesque time to get wet, and the High Country is up to the challenge, with several ways to evoke your inner river spirit. Weekend warriors be aware: There’s a river out there, several, in fact, and High Country river tamers have fun and scenic excursions for your fall adventure. Put the New, Wilson’s Creek, the French Broad and the Nolichucky on your fall check list.

Whitewater Rafting Just ask the guides. They’ll tell you it’s a great bonding activity, whether it’s for your family or business, and, while it’s an adventure with risks, it’s safer than excursions you’ve read about in adventure books. Local guides aren’t just enthusiastic. They’re well-trained and full of tips for making your experience safe. Before you hit whitewater, familiarize yourself with the paddle! As guides will tell you, with its SEE WHITEWATER, PAGE 20 Photo by Todd Bush

THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

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From the parkway entrance on U.S. 321 near Boone, travel south 5 miles. The area includes a campground, perfect for making a full weekend out of your water adventure. Kayaking, tubing: Yeah, we’ve got that, too, but when tubing, remember, the water might be chilly! Call local river guides for rental ﬁgures.

weather, this is one of our favorite tubing locales. Just make sure you have a ride back to your car! It’s a long walk.

Photo by Todd Bush

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WHITEWATER FROM PAGE 19

rock solid T-grip, the paddle can be the most dangerous thing on the river. If you’re in a whitewater raft, your raft guide will tell you to always hold onto that T-grip. Not only will being aware of your paddle keep you balanced and less likely to knock someone out of the boat, it can also turn you into a hero. After all, extending that paddle is a great way to help the guy who falls out ﬁrst. Learn how to ﬂoat. If you fall out, keep your legs up, no matter how shallow the water is. If you’re standing, your foot can get caught. And the current? Well, it will still push you down. It’s a combination you don’t want.

Canoeing For a really scenic trip, strap on a life jacket and hit a canoe. If a calm family outing is your adventure pick, try Julian Price Lake. Not only will the park allow you to leaf peep the Blue Ridge Parkway, rowboat and canoe rentals on weekends in September and October make it easy to enjoy the lake.

Our Tips Bring that waterproof camera. And the binoculars! Places like the Nolichucky and Watauga Lake have been known to host bald eagles. Wear that helmet! (On a guided excursion, it’s required.) Forget the skimpy suit. The weather isn’t known for its subtleties. A wetsuit can protect you from the river chill and make you look like a pro, all at the same time. Planning a solo excursion? For a calm kayak ride, we recommend ﬁrst timers (from Boone) hit N.C.194 toward Ashe County, turn right on Todd Railroad Grade Road, then right at Big Hill Road. The road turns gravel, and when it hits the pavement, you’re about an hour and a half river run from the Big Hill/Todd Railroad Grade Road intersection. Watch the water levels. It can get shallow. In warm

OUTFITTERS

Adventure companies also offer hiking, rock climbing, caving, kayaking, canoeing and tubing trips. Call individual companies for seasonal rates.

Edge of the World (800) 789-3343 www.edgeoworld.com River and Earth Adventures (828) 963-5491 www.raftcavehike.com Wahoo’s Adventures (800) 444-RAFT www.wahoosadventures.com River Girl Fishing Company (877) NCFISHIN www.rivergirlfishing.com

Lauren K. Ohnesorge

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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

Get Teed OFF! Autumn in the High Country is a sight to behold. The wondrous sight of the changing leaves can be enjoyed from a variety of locations, but if you are a golfer, there is no better place to take in nature’s beauty than from a fairway or a green. With that thought in mind, a tour of the area’s golfing options would seem to be order. We begin our trek with a look at Boone Golf Club, located at 433 Fairway Drive, near the Watauga Medical Center. Boone Golf Club offers 18 holes over 6,680 yards with a par of 71. This public course has a course rating of 70.1, opened in 1959, and was designed by Ellis Maples. The course at Boone Golf Club surprises many first-time players, who expect one mammoth hill after another. While a few rises and drops do exist, players also find many level holes and a plethora of scenic views. Our next stop lands us at Mountain Aire Golf Club, located in West Jefferson at 1104 Golf Course Road. Mountain Aire Golf Club, also a public course, offers a 18-hole course which totals 6,404 yards in its par 72 design. The course registers a 69.8 rating with a slope of 122. In an effort to learn more about the course, however, Mountain Aire Golf Club head pro Mark Hagel offers these insights. “This course opened in 1950, and through the years, has expanded from nine holes to 18,” said Hagel. “It’s quite hilly, and I would call it a true mountain course. It is a challenging course, and one in very good condition.” Hagel said the featured hole at Mountain Aire is the

sixth hole, a hole that includes a 200-foot drop in elevation from tee to green. “The views on the sixth hole are extraordinary,” said Hagel, the head pro since 1974. “It’s one of many holes that we have that feature very nice views.” Next up is Sugar Mountain Golf Course, located at 914 Sugar Mountain Drive in Banner Elk. The 18-hole course offers up 4,560 yards of golf with a course rating of 61.1 and a slope rating of 94. Designed by Francis Duane/Arnold Palmer, the Sugar Mountain course opened in 1973. The executive-length course is known for its immaculate conditions and beautiful, scenic opportunities. A short excursion to Newland off of Highway 194 ﬁnds you at Mountain Glen Golf Club. This public course features 6,723 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of

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72. Designed by George W. Cobb, the course opened its doors and fairways in 1963. Mountain Glen has a course rating of 70 and has a slope rating of 129. Mountain Glen offers up large, quick greens, which are also well protected by sand traps. A trek across the North Carolina/Tennessee state line lands you at the doorsteps of Red Tail Mountain Golf Club, located off of Highway 421 in Mountain City, Tenn. Designed by Dan F. Maples and Ellis Maples, the course opened in 1982. Red Tail Mountain provides 6,884 yards of golf, with a par of 72. The course rating is 71.8 and the slope rating is 120. The public course is a 18-hole regulation-length course. Comments concerning the Red Tail Mountain experience consistently mention the course’s excellent conditioning and beautiful views. If time’s short or 7,000 yards of terrain seems a bit daunting, then take a trip to Willow Creek Golf Club in Boone, NC for a nine-hole outing. A public course, Willow Creek features 1,663 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 27. The course rating is 45 and the slope rating is 113. Designed by Tom Jackson, the Willow Creek golf course opened in 1975. Finally, if you just want to hit a few balls to keep your game in shape until your next golﬁng experience, head over to Mountaineer Golf Center, located on the 105 extension in Boone. Mountaineer Golf Center offers three sizes of buckets, ranging in price from $5 to $9. So, if your idea of the ideal spot to watch the changing leaves is from a golf course, break out the clubs and enjoy.

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PEDAL POWER: There are a myriad of reasons why people live in and visit the High Country, one of the fastest growing reasons is the sport of cycling. American cycling icon Lance Armstrong raced in the Tour Dupont through the Blue Ridge Mountains in the late ‘90s. Armstrong must have taken a break from smoking the competition long enough to look around because he declared Boone and the surrounding area “…the best area for training in the whole of the United States.” Armstrong has returned since to train in the small pocket of cycling paradise we know as the High Country. So bold a statement could have only been taken straight from the mouth of a six-time Tour De France champion. There truly is something for everyone in The High Country and cycling is no exception.

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Finding the top cycling treks

The sport of road cycling has experienced exponential growth in the past few years. There is no better place to ride over the hills and through the woods on a mountain bike than the wilderness surrounding Boone. Everyone from the casual rider, the bulging leg muscle roadie, or the gear head mountain biker will be able to ﬁnd their own form of cycling Zen here in The High Country. Road cycling has gained so much popularity that a visiting rider can almost always ﬁnd someone to ride with. Magic Cycles and Boone Bike and Touring both offer riders forums on their websites so visiting cyclists can jump right in on the popular local rides. The staff at both bike shops wants nothing more than to know people are enjoying our Blue Ridge cycling paradise. Mountain biking has expanded in the

High Country to include the new Dark Mountain trail system in North Wilkesboro. The casual rider looking for a scenic ride that’s not too long or strenuous should look into the numerous packed gravel roads in the area. The Virginia Creeper Trail, Railroad Grade Road in Todd, River Road in Valle Crucis or simply the Greenway Trail in Boone are great places to go at your own pace and observe the mountain scenery. Boone is a cyclist friendly town but there is a common sense law on the books that will earn you a ﬁne. That common sense law is a helmet law and everyone riding must have one. The DOT reports that helmets can reduce the chance of head injury by 85 percent. Use your head, wear a helmet. Happy trails and enjoy the High Country.

BIKE SHOPS Magic Cycles

In the heart of the Downtown Boone Business district you will ﬁnd Magic Cycles. Magic Cycles is located across from the Footsloggers climbing tower on Depot St. Magic carries Raliegh, Diamondback and Giant mountain bikes as well as Felt and Orbea road bikes. Magic also carries a full line of Yakima roof racks and Fox apparel. Magic Cycles has a full service shop and a knowledgeable staff ready to help you and your bike. The Magic Cycles web site, www.magiccycles.com, has a load of helpful information for the visiting cyclist. The Rider’s Forum page is a public forum where local riders post who is riding when and where. This is a great place for local or visiting cyclists wishing to get in on a ride. SEE PEDAL POWER, PAGE 23

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

Pedal Power From page 22

The Wednesday night road ride beginning at Magic Cycles is a local favorite. For more information give Magic Cycles a call at (828) 265-2211.

Boone Bike and Touring

Located across from McDonald’s on Highway 321(Blowing Rock Road) Boone Bike and Touring has a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Boone Bike is celebrating their 26th year in business this year. Boone Bike carry’s an enormous selection of mountain and road bikes from Specialized, Trek and Cannondale. Yakima roof racks and accessories and Pearl Izumi clothing are also available. Boone Bike also has rental bikes available, front suspension and full suspension models are ready to ride. Their full service repair shop is glad to fix the minutest problem or build you a bike from scratch. Boone Bike’s website is www.boonebike. com. The Rider’s Forum page is a public forum where local riders post who is riding when and where. For more information call Boone Bike at (828) 262-5750.

ings and winding descents.

Mountain Biking Sugar Mountain Sugar Mountain’s biking trails are open from May through October. There are miles of technical single track riding as well as open service road riding. Saturdays and Sunday from July 2 through October Sugar will operate their yellow chairlift to the top of the Mountain. Hikers and mountain bikers alike can enjoy the scenic ride to the top of Sugar Mountain.

The Greenway The greenway trail in the heart of Boone is a great place to escape for a quick ride. The paved Greenway trail is approximately 7 miles long and relatively flat. The most convenient places to access the Green Way Trail is at the Watauga Parks and Recreation complex off of State Farm Rd. or off of Daniel Boone Dr. extension near the Watauga Humane Society. There are many short trails for the adventurous type just look for the trailheads off of the paved greenway path. The 3-5 miles of trails in the hills around the Greenway vary from wide-open fire road type to tight technical single track with log cross-

Wilson’s Creek The Wilson’s Creek Proposed National Wilderness area is a part of Pisgah National Forest and is a haven for outdoor activities. Wilson’s has miles of trails for biking hiking and equestrian use. The trails available in Wilson’s creek are a must ride anyone who mountain bike will have a great day full of leg pumping climbs and fast downhills with rolling water bars. The best way to find Wilson’s Creek is to go to Boone Bike and Touring or Magic Cycles and pick up a map and some directions. Remember, Wilson’s Creek is also open to hikers and equestrian use, share the trail!

North Wilkesboro The Brushy Mountain Cyclist Club has worked very hard to develop a network of trails at the dam on Kerr Scott Reservoir. The BMCC has worked with the Army Core of Engineers to make the trails accessible to hikers and mountain bikers. The trails are well labeled and maps of the entire trail network are available at Magic Cycles and Boone Bike The Dark Mountain Trails are easily accessible from Boone and only about 45 minutes away. To get there, take Highway

421 South toward Wilkesboro, take a right on Highway 268 to its end, take a right and go over the dam to park.

Road Riding Boone Bike and Touring Tuesday Night Ride

The Boone Bike Tuesday night ride meets at Boone Bike (across from McDonald’s on 321) at 6 p.m. The ride is 40 miles long and maintains a relatively fast pace. Anyone looking for a great legpumping workout should make this ride a priority. For more info call Boone Bike at (828) 262-5750.

Magic Cycles Wednesday Night Ride A Wednesday night ride leaves from Magic Cycles on Depot St. at 6 p.m. The ride is for road cyclists of all abilities; the 30-mile loop leaves from downtown and makes its way to Blowing Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway. A few miles into the ride the pack will break apart into smaller groups riding at a variety of paces. For more info call Magic Cycles at (828) 265-2211.

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Watauga Lake Leaf Looking on the Water Miles of pristine water, warm rays of sunshine and a picturesque sky: It’s just you and the lake. That’s the experience companies like Fish Springs Marina want to give clients hoping for a relaxing day in the sun. All you need is a boat, and Fish Springs Marina has plenty of pontoons, perfect for the clear waters of Watauga Lake. “No industry feeds into the lake ... at one time, it was rated the second prettiest lake in the nation,” Joe Bailey said. While Watauga Lake is technically ranked third, it’s number one to Bailey. He works at Fish Springs Marina (FSM) just outside Hampton, Tenn. FSM markets the ambiance of the scenery itself, not just the boats. In the fall, the leaves take his breath away. “Most of the land surrounding the lake is national forest [Pisgah],” Bailey said. To him, a perfect day includes a picnic and a ﬁshing rod. “Just ﬁnd a cove and read a book,” FSM publicist Malcolm Wilson said. “Me and my wife do that a lot.” While many FSM clients take advantage of the tube rentals, many lake-goers simply coast in a pontoon or sail. “The winds make it great for sailboats,” Wilson said. Wake boarders also congregate on the smooth waters. Pontoon boats, however, have a versatility that’s ideal for amateurs and experts alike. “There is nothing that you can’t do on a pontoon that you can do on another boat,” Bailey said. Pontoons are virtually error-proof and don’t dent or

break the way fiberglass boats can. In a pontoon, you can pull right up onto the shoreline. “It drives like a car with a wider highway,” Bailey said. A much wider highway: Watauga Lake, one of the deepest lakes in eastern Tennessee (nearly 300 feet deep in some places), has a surface area of 34,200 acres. Part of Watauga Lake covers what used to be the town of Butler, Tenn. The town was relocated to make way for the water. Thirteen species of game fish, including several varieties of trout and bass thrive in the lake, and that’s where fishing guides like Bailey come in handy. “You troll along, and this tells you what depth the fish are at,” he said, motioning to a screen near the steering wheel of his boat. Bailey provides the equipment, and fishing parties just have to show up with a positive attitude. “It’s perfect for families, amateur fishermen,” he said. One man who’s definitely not an amateur is Thomas White. FSM has been in his family “since the lake opened in 1949,” and he can’t get enough of the scenery. “Sometimes there are bald eagles out here,” he said, motioning to a cliff side near the dam. For White, Watauga is more than a lake. It’s a way of life. “I could do this all day,” he said. On a peaceful fall day, you could. When renting a pontoon boat, expect to buy around 20 gallons of gas if attaching an inner tube, Bailey said. Fishing licenses are required in Tennessee. Call and ask about seasonal rates, and be sure to bring sunscreen. Lauren K. Ohnesorge

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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

It’s FOOTBALL time One of the biggest events in the High Country happens on six Saturday afternoons this fall. Appalachian State’s football team, the ﬁve-time defending Southern Conference champions and winners of the Football Championship Subdivision championship from 2005-07, begins another season this fall. The Mountaineers open their season at Chattanooga on Sept. 4, but return to Boone for a showdown on Sept. 11 against Jacksonville. The Mountaineers also play at home on Sept. 18 against North Carolina Central, Oct. 9 against Elon, Oct. 16 against The Citadel, Oct. 30 against Furman and Nov. 13 against Wofford. Tickets for all games, which are played at the 22,000-seat Kidd Brewer Stadium, are on sale at the Appalachian State ticket of-

Appalachian State 2010

Sept. 4 at Chattanooga 4 p.m. Sept. 11 JACKSONVILLE 3 p.m. Sept. 18 N.C. CENTRAL 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 *at Samford 3 p.m. Oct. 9. *ELON 3 p.m. Oct. 16 *THE CITADEL 6 p.m. Oct. 23 *at Western Carolina 3 p.m. Oct. 30 *FURMAN 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6 *at Georgia Southern 2 p.m. Nov. 13 *WOFFORD TBA Nov. 20 at Florida TBA *Denotes Southern Conference game

ﬁce, or people can call (828) 262-2079. Appalachian State also has a volleyball team that plays at the Holmes Center, and both men’s and women’s soccer teams that play at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex located at Brookshire Park on the east side of Boone. Watauga High School’s football team opened its 2010 season with a 35-0 victory over border rival Ashe County. The Pioneers host another border rival, Avery, on Sept. 3 and West Stokes on Sept. 10. Watauga also hosts Northwestern Conference rivals Hibriten (Oct. 8), Alexander Central (Oct. 22) and St. Stephens (Nov. 5). All of the games are at Jack Groce Stadium and begin at 7:30 p.m. Watauga High also offers boys’ soccer, cross country and volleyball. The Pioneers also have a jayvee football team. Steve Behr

Watauga 2010 varsity schedule Sept. 3 AVERY 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 WEST STOKES 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 @ A.C. Reynolds 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24 Open date Oct 1 *at South Caldwell 7:30 p.m. Oct 8 *HIBRITEN 7:30 p.m. Oct 15 *at Fred T. Foard 7:30 p.m. Oct 22 *ALEX CENTRAL 7:30 p.m. Oct 29 *at Hickory 7:30 p.m. Nov 5 *ST. STEPHENS 7:30 p.m. *Denotes Northwestern Conference game

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Tweetsie: Keeping ghouls on track Some folks like to visit Tweetsie Railroad during the heart of the summer, when days are long and you know that shorts and tank tops are all you’re going to need to wear. Others like to wait until there’s a bit of a nip in the air, when the train ride through the mountains brings a bracing smack of cool air to one’s face. No matter when you like to visit Tweetsie, the historic amusement park and Wild West attraction has plenty to offer the entire family until the season closes at

the beginning of November.

Tweetsie Railroad Visiting Tweetsie Railroad has become a family tradition for many folks in the Southeast. North Carolina’s oldest amusement park, Tweetsie features two historic steam engines that take visitors on a trek around the mountain. During the ride, folks will get a glimpse of life in the Old West, as the good guys and the bad guys renew old rivalries in their quest for gold and fame.

Tweetsie Railroad also features an arcade, carnival rides, the Tweetsie Palace Saloon Show, panning for gems at Miner’s Mountain, the Deer Park petting zoo and much, much more.

Ghost Train Join conductor Casey Bones for a thrilling and chilling ride through the Appalachian darkness during Tweetsie’s annual Ghost Train and Halloween Festival in October. The magic of the Ghost Train and Hal-

loween Festival is witnessing the transformation of Tweetsie’s nostalgic Main Street and Depot into a macabre village where monsters, vampires and werewolves roam with impunity. This year’s Ghost Train and Halloween Festival features ghostly attractions such as nighttime rides on the Ghost Train, an exciting new haunted house, and Halloween shows at the Tweetsie Saloon. There are also freaky favorites such as the 3-D SEE TWEETSIE, PAGE 27

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TWEETSIE FROM PAGE 26

Maze, Black Hole and trick-or-treating for the kids. Upon arriving at Tweetsieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ghost Train and Halloween Festival, be sure to take a seat on the elaborately decorated Ghost Train and let engineer Casey Bones take you on a diabolical journey through the haunted forest of the High Country You never know who (or what) you might encounter as the train chugs its way into the darkness. Rest assured, the ghouls and goblins at Ghost Train will only scare you as much as you like to be scared. Kids with vivid imaginations and adults who scare easily can receive bracelets upon entering the theme park that will let the creatures of the dark know to take it easy. Scaredy cats are advised to avoid the Haunted House and the Freaky Forest!

Admission

Admission to Tweetsie Railroad and Wild West Theme Park is $32 for adults, $22 for kids ages 3-12, and free for all children ages two and under. If you enter Tweetsie between 3 and 6 p.m. you can come back the next day for free (does not apply to Ghost Train). Admission for the Ghost Train and Halloween Festival is $27 for adults and kids. Children two and under are admitted free. Hours of operation for Tweetsie Railroad and Wild West Theme Park from August 27 through October 30 are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours of operation for the Ghost Train and Halloween Festival are Friday and Saturday evenings during the month of October. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. For more information, or to order tickets, call Tweetsie Railroad at (828) 264-9061. Jeff Eason

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As Washington Irving once noted, “There is certainly something in angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind.” Autumn in the High Country is a perfect time to experience that serenity. Though late summer is the peak time for smallmouth bass, the crisp autumn days lead to cooler waters and more active trout. The New and Watauga rivers both flow through the High Country, and the area has an abundance of prime trout streams. Fall is the perfect time for trout fishing. “In fall, the trout are fattening themselves to store up for winter,” explains Kelly McCoy of the RiverGirl Fishing Company. Trained as a fisheries biologist, McCoy founded the company to order to guide people to some of the best local fishing spots. RiverGirl Fishing is located on the New River in the community of Todd, about a 15-minute drive from Boone via highway N.C. 194 north. The company is one of a number of High Country fishing outfitters which offer a wide range of services, including supplies, lessons in both fly-fishing and other types of casting, maps of local waterways, and guided trips to a range of streams and creeks throughout both the High Country and East Tennessee. While smallmouth bass are abundant in the New River, wild brook trout thrive in smaller creeks and streams. Many streams are also stocked with rainbow and brown trout. If you want to catch a trout, then an autumn day on a mountain stream is your best opportunity to do so. In order to fish North Carolina waters, you need a state fishing license, which you can purchase at any of the local fishing outfitters. A 10-day license costs $5 for North Carolina residents and $10 for outof-state visitors. For an additional $10, you can add a trout stamp to the license. Before you head to the river, be sure to pick up a current copy of the state regulations concerning trout streams. SEE FISHING, PAGE 29

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FISHING FROM PAGE 28

The trout regulations are a bit complex, for they vary between different types of streams, and breaking these rules can result in hefty fines of more than $200. Pleading ignorance of the regulations will not get you off the hook, but the money from such fines is used for stocking rivers and streams and repairing boat ramps. Even if you have no prior fishing experience, you can learn the basics of fly-fishing in a few hours. Kelly McCoy notes that the objective of a beginning lesson is to get a student out on the water to test newly learned skills. “I show beginners the most important things and have them out on the water in a couple of hours,” McCoy says. For those too young to appreciate fly-fishing, local farm ponds offer an enjoyable fishing experience. Floating the river on inner tubes is fun for both fishers and non-fishers alike, and an old railroad grade in Todd has been converted into an 11-mile-long riverbank bicycle path. The local fishing outfitters take pride in the area’s waterways and fish populations. Through the end of October, RiverGirl Fishing hosts a monthly clean up of trash from the New River. On the first Sunday of each month, starting at 1 p.m., those interested in helping clean the river can take out any of the company’s boats for free. Because of such efforts, the High Country’s waterways continue to be a perfect place for anglers. Kevin Young

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Leaf-Looking Guide With the Blue Ridge Parkwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 75th anniversary this year, an autumn drive through the area promises to be a unique experience. For motorists looking to stay close to their cars, the parkway provides many picturesque views. While the parkway is a must-see for any fall excursion to the High Country, visitors may also want to leave the crowd and visit

some of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equally astounding fall views. First, in order to plan such a trip, you need to know how to predict the best time to experience these excellent colors. According to the U.S. National Arboretum, the changing of colors has more to do SEE LEAF-LOOKING, PAGE 83

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Fun to the

CORE

This year marks the 30TH anniversary of the annual Hickory Ridge Apple Festival in Boone, one of the area’s most anticipated events of the season. Saturday, Oct. 9, will be a big day for the festival, which is held each year on the grounds of Hickory Ridge Homestead and Horn in the West, which also hosts Watauga County Farmers’ Market on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. The festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Freda Greene, special events coordinator for the Southern Appalachian Historical Association, which has announced a wide range of family-fun activities for the entire day. In keeping with the post-Revolutionary War theme

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30th annual Apple Festival at Horn in the West surrounding the Homestead grounds, Greene said the Homestead cabins will be open, and volunteers in period costume will be roaming the grounds, as well as demonstrating arts, crafts and customs related to the era. Greene said that hatchet throwing and apple pie-peeling contests will add a little competitive edge to the day. Modern day activities will include air walks, Greene said, adding, “They might not exactly ﬁt in with the period theme, but we realize we need to keep the kids happy, too.” A number of vendors will offer crafts and foods for sale, and especially apples, which Greene said will be coordinated through vendors at the farmers’ market. An impressive lineup of entertainment is scheduled, including local groups such as Son Road Bluegrass Band, Creekside Bluegrass and Kevin Carter and Full Assurance from Mountain City, Tenn. Another long-held tradition is the crowning of the Ap-

ple Festival king and queen, who will be chosen from a pool of longtime community servants. Last year’s honorees, Perry and Theresa Greene of Boone, will pass the title on to another deserving couple around noon the day of the festival. Admission to the festival is free. Parking is available on-site and at the Daniel Boone Gardens on Horn in the West Drive.

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Think a casual downtown stroll framed by leaves, music and culture. Welcome to the Downtown Boone Art Crawl, where the wine is always uncorked, the music is varied and the artwork can’t be described in a sentence. With a run of eclectic galleries and studios downtown (not to mention Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts), it’s no surprise that tourists from all over hit Boone for an aesthetic overdose. After all, there’s just something about the High Country that does more than attract tourists; it attracts artists, and, on the ﬁrst Friday of every month, downtown unites to celebrate. Participating is everything from retail businesses showcasing handcrafted jewelry and local paintings, restaurants celebrating with bar specials and music and galleries like the Jones House Community Center, showing off the area’s ﬁnest. “This has been the greatest thing,” ArtWalk’s Rich Jacobs said. Since the Downtown Boone Development Association brought the crawl to life, his business has seen a boost that’s

making him think about changing his hours. “Maybe we’ll be like this on weekends all the time,” he said. After all, an art crawl means a good weekend for downtown shopping, whether a business is directly afﬁliated with the crawl or not. “We get to socialize a bit more with our customers,” the Caravan’s Ann Newberry said. With a casual atmosphere of wine and appetizers, customers take on the appearance of friends, and it sticks. “We just get to know them,” she said. “It’s been great,” Caravan’s Jamie Smith said. “It’s just the whole community getting together.” And it adds to the small town character. To crawl, check out businesses on King Street, Depot Street and Howard Street. The Downtown Boone Art Crawl lasts from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., though shops typically close at 7:30 p.m. The monthly event is sponsored by the Downtown Boone Development Association Public Art Program. For a list, visit boone-nc.org/public-art/art-crawl. By Lauren K. Ohnesorge

It’s Time for a CRAWL

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The Watauga County Arts Council is located in the Historic Jones House in downtown Boone. File Photo

BRINGING THE ARTS TO THE PEOPLE

High Country Art Councils Even in an area recognized for its artistic endeavors, advocacy and awareness of both folk and fine arts is essential to the continuation of artistic community. This is where arts councils, like the Watauga Arts Council and the Ashe County Arts Council, get involved. Arts Councils are non-profit entities that bring the arts into schools, galleries, and the public spaces of the counties in this area. Cherry Johnson, director of the Watauga Arts Council, said that the purpose of the Arts Council is “to promote the arts and make the arts available to everyone.” The communities involved dictate the way that Arts Councils run and the programs they offer. “Every community is unique, depending on the needs,” Jane Lonon, director of the Ashe County Arts Council, said. “In Ashe County, it’s a community-based organization that uses the arts as a vehicle for affecting the lives of the community that we serve, making the arts accessible and meaningful to everyone.” The Watauga Arts Council is finishing up its Concerts on the Lawn series in September; these concerts feature local musicians on the lawn in front of the Jones House in downtown Boone. With this change in season, the Junior Appalachian Musicians will begin again – students from the area are

able to learn traditional instruments such as banjo, dulcimer, and ﬁddle, and in the process learn more about the history of their region. Watauga also sponsors artist’s residencies and cultural programming for the local schools. “We have a big partnership with the county schools and with ASU,” Johnson said. “We share an employee who runs both programs and also gets information to and from the schools.” The Watauga Arts Council partners with many other arts organizations in the area, from the Appalachian State Turchin Center to local galleries, in efforts to promote speciﬁc arts events and programs. The Watauga Arts Council participates in many other events, and their facebook and Web site, www.watauga-arts. org, are updated regularly. The Ashe County Arts Council hosts a full concert series in the fall, at the Ashe Civic Center and the Ashe Arts Center. One of their events is a literary festival called On the Same Page, which takes place from September 14th through the 18th. “We invite 8 authors to come to Ashe County to do workshops and readings,” Lonon said. “It’s dynamite, a third year locally-grown literary festival.” The next weekend, September 25th, is Art on the Mountain, an arts and crafts festival, and the Ashe Coun-

ty Little Theater is very active, performing The Mountain in Us this Fall on October 1, 2, and 3. Ongoing programs include Coffee House Talent Nights and a monthly gallery crawl, which encourage people to share their musical talents and to view the many aspects of the gallery scene. The Arts Councils contribute programming but also encourage opportunities for artists and for the public spaces of the community to reflect the local art culture. “The arts are just everywhere,” Lonon said. “They are sort of all-pervasive, what with downtown murals and the painted fire hydrants. There is even a little sculpture park in downtown where concerts are held.” The involvement of the whole community is a cornerstone of the Arts Councils’ work. “We couldn’t do what we do without the help and support from volunteers, strong support from local government, a strong partnership base,” Lonon said. “This makes the arts an important, integral part of what makes Ashe county a special place.” To learn more about the events of the Ashe County Arts Council, visit their website www.ashecountyarts.org and look at the calendar of upcoming events. By Laura Tabor

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Picking on a Top Festival

he Valle Country Fair (Oct. 16) is an overgrown church bazaar set in the center of one of the most picturesque valleys in the North Carolina mountains at the peak of the fall color season. All monies raised go to fund High Country organizations which serve people in need. Last year more than 10,000 people enjoyed the festival on the grounds of the Valle Crucis Conference Center. It features 135 juried ﬁne art and crafts vendors, fresh-squeezed apple cider, hot apple butter out of the kettle, homemade jams and jellies, and a host of chilis, stews, and barbecues. The event began 32 years ago as a way to raise funds for the Holy Church of the Cross Episcopal Church and has now grown into an event to fund local non-proﬁt organizations and outreach ministries of the church, rais-

ing more than $40,000 each year. The fair features two stages of entertainment, one with live mountain music and one for children’s entertainment, such as clogging, magicians and other performers. The music is a mix of country, traditional, bluegrass and gospel. Organizers jury the crafts to ensure a wide variety of quality goods. The selected vendors donate at least 10 percent of their proceeds to the fair’s fund-raising efforts. Many of the booths are staffed by church volunteers or other non-proﬁt groups. In addition to the canned goods, there are hamburgers, hot dogs, ham biscuits, ice cream, funnel cakes, corn dogs, sausage with onions, and many more treats. The festival is located on N.C. 194 off of Broadstone Road. For more information, visit www.vallecountryfair.org or call (828) 9634609.

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Get Out

Find a GREENWAY TRAIL For most fitness enthusiasts, travelling away from home is never an excuse to slack up on the daily workout. Thanks to the beautiful mountain scenery combined with the ubiquitous national obsession for healthy living, the High Country is home to multiple locations excellent for an afternoon walk or jog, and a few of these trails even allow cycling and skating. • Lee & Vivian Reynolds Greenway Trail - Boone: The paved inner-city Greenway Trail is a favorite spot for an afternoon walk, jog, bike ride or skating excursion. This easy paved walkway in Boone is now over seven miles long, with several access points providing variety of scenery and trail length. The most common entry point is located off of State Farm Road near the Watauga County Parks & Recreation complex. Call (828) 264-9511

• Newland Town Park - Newland: A 0.8 mile walking track circles Newland Town Park, with a playground to entertain your kids while you do! Located on Beech Street in front of the Guy Medical Center. • Tate-Evans Park - Banner Elk: TateEvans park hosts a quarter-mile paved walking track and a playground. Located on Park Avenue near Nations Bank. • Beech Mountain Trails: A series of nature trails crisscross Beech Mountain, all passing through gently sloping woodlands and passing over several of Beech’s main roadways. Following are just a few of the trails on the Beech. Lake Coffey Course: This scenic 1/4 mile course wraps around the lake and is perfect for both walking and jogging. SEE GET OUT, PAGE 37

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Get out: Greenway Trails Guide From page 36

Cherry Gap Trail: An easy to moderate 1.6 mile walk up undeveloped Wild Iris Road. Start at Cherry Gap Road. Grassy Creek Trail: This easy 1.2 mile trail follows the creek from Hawthorn Road and ends at Grassy Gap Creek Road. • Bass Lake - Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock: A one mile easy carriage trail circles picturesque Bass Lake and is a favorite with walkers and joggers looking for a good exercise spot with visual appeal. Several other moderate carriage trails branch off from this, including the three-mile Maze Trail and the Manor trail which takes you from Bass Lake through the Cone Estates up to the Cone Manor house and back down to the lake for a solid 12 mile run or hike. All walkways are wide dirt and gravel carriage paths. Access to Bass Lake is approximately 1 mile South on Highway 221 from downtown Blowing Rock. • Price Lake Trail - Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock: If you’re more in the mood for a traditional trail with a gentle grade, Price Lake is the perfect walk. This easy trail leads around scenic Price Lake for 2.7 miles. Trailhead is at Price Lake parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 297.0. • Valle Crucis Park Walkway, Valle Crucis: Located in the Valle Crucis Community Park behind the Mast Store Annex, this paved walkway provides peaceful walking enjoyment beside the Watauga River. Great for a quick afternoon stroll. Cycling and skating permitted. • Brookshire Park, Boone: A paved .42-mile walking track that runs alongside the New River gives a pleasant atmosphere to those working their heart. The park also offers picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and activity fields perfect for soccer, Frisbee or whatever your heart desires.

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Through the GRAPEVINE A Visit to Banner Elk Winery

o Dr. Dick Wolfe, the High Country is Wine Country – and for good reason. The noted chemist and vintner is owner of Banner Elk Winery, home to acres of vineyards, a blueberry farm, a bed and breakfast inn and, most remarkably, award-winning wines. Since its first vines took ground in 2005, the area winery has received 27 awards for its wines, crafted by Wolfe, with coldhardy French-American hybrid grapes well suited for the High Country’s frosty winters. “We’re getting a reputation,” Wolfe said. That, however, is an understatement. Banner Elk wines are found in plenty at area restaurants, and a distributor in Raleigh seeks to make it a statewide name. “People know about Banner Elk, Boone, our area,” Wolfe said. “It’s got its own mystique to it.” Wolfe considers himself a “Johnny Grapeseed,” having introduced area farmers to viticulture as a profitable alternative to tobacco and Christmas trees. The fruits of their labors are purchased by Wolfe for Banner Elk wines, with 38 farms growing grapes in Watauga, Avery and Ashe counties. “All last winter, and with all that snow, we did not lose a single vine,” Wolfe said. After all, the High Country’s climate is akin to that of the European wine country, and Wolfe’s selection of grapes has proven to be ideally resilient. “That’s why we planted them,” he said. “I want to create a wine industry in this High Country, and we’ve got believers now, reaping some of the profit.” Just this year, Wolfe purchased 50 tons of local grapes for his wines, and he expects to purchase even more next year. SEE GRAPEVINE, PAGE 39

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GRAPEVINE FROM PAGE 38

“That’s almost $60,000 put back into the area – and that’s signiﬁcant from where we started,” he said. Wolfe began investigating the feasibility of viticulture in the Boone area in 2001, despite the hordes of naysayers who said it could not be done. He’s glad to say they can now put a cork in it. “I didn’t know what to expect at ﬁrst, but these grapes are probably the best in the state,” Wolfe said. “This may be the best area in the eastern U.S. for growing European style grapes. “They stay on the vine longer, ripen slowly and have more complexity in our higher elevations.” And the critics agree. Out of the eight wines submitted to last year’s N.C. State Fair, seven came home with awards. And Wolfe’s Marechal Foch wine is a different story altogether. In fact, one could say this wine is blessed, as Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis has chosen this variety as its sacramental wine. In addition to Wolfe’s popular wines, including the N.C. State Fair double-gold award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Banner Elk Red, Banner Elk White, Seyval Blanc, High Country Rosé and Foch, Wolfe is working on a Cabernet Franc, “a wonderful blending grape,” he said. Currently blending it with others for the Banner Elk Red, he hopes it will become a Banner Elk varietal, like the Foch, which was originally only a blending wine and

is now one of the winery’s most popular and unique selections. “It has a black cherry overtone,” he said of the Cabernet Franc. “It’s one grape that’s very distinctive.” Just like the Banner Elk Winery, which itself has expanded its offerings to more than wine. The winery also plays host to weddings, having booked and held 64, so far. “People are starting their lives up here,” Wolfe said, “and it’s just amazing to me. These are destination weddings, in addition to award-winning wines. We’ve used those words many times, but they’re true. I’m delighted to have the support we’re getting now. This is becoming a travel destination.” The winery sees visitors not only from North Carolina, but from throughout the nation and overseas. “This is the taste of the mountains, and the wines are reﬂecting our character,” he said. People can judge for themselves by visiting the Banner Elk Winery, located at 60 Deer Run Road in Banner Elk. From Boone, take N.C. 105 South toward Banner Elk. Turn right on N.C. 184 (Shawneehaw Avenue) and follow to downtown Banner Elk. Turn right at the stoplight onto N.C. 194 and follow to Gualtney Road. Turn left on Gualtney, then right on Deer Run Road. Look for the winery signs. Banner Elk Winery is open for wine-tasting and tours Tuesday through Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m., and closed Monday. For more information, call (828) 2601790 or visit www.bannerelkwinery.com. By Frank Ruggiero

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LINVILLE CAVERNS:

Getting WAY DOWN

ballroom. A polar bear. A crocodile. All you need is imagination. Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s own 22 million-year-old tourist attraction (open to the public for 73 years) caters to the imagination through the natural artistry of its structures. Each rock formation is like a sculpture and each person sees something different in the grooves and curves. “We call this cave bacon,” tour guide Andrew Quinn said of a flat, curvy rock formation. Years of dripping water leave mineral deposits, which, in turn, grow into the natural sculpture of the cave. One can’t help but wonder what the first explorers in 1822 called the stalagmites. Two fisherman noticed fish swimming in a stream vanish beneath the rocks. “They crawled through the hole to see where the fish went, and that’s how they found Linville Caverns,” Quinn said. Rainbow brook trout frequent the 52 degree water, and they’re not the only things thriving in the cave. Along with tourists, bats can be seen through early summer, along with a unique species of spider that’s “not found anywhere else,” Quinn said. The caverns are made up of three levels and the guided

tour only takes you through part of the myriad of chambers. There are a lot of places to hide. It’s easy to see why Civil War deserters sought shelter in the darkness. “They were caught when soldiers saw the smoke from their campfire,” Quinn said. Cool temperatures are part of the cave’s ambiance, a welcome change for tourists used to summer heat. Much of the cave is under water, including a crowd favorite, the “Bottomless Pool.” “There are at least 25 stories of water here,” he said. Cave-goers can stand on a grate and peer down into the depths, an unnerving experience for some. Just be sure not to drop your car keys. “They’d be gone,” he said. He has been a tour guide at the caverns for five years and has seen it happen. “She was pretty upset,” he said. Just around the corner is another crowd favorite, what tour guides call the “Frozen Niagara.” “It kind of looks like a big frozen waterfall,” he said of the flowing rock formation, estimated to be 6 million years old. With well-lighted passages and concrete floors, it’s hard to imagine the first explorers, armed with only a lantern, as they waded through water.

“They had to walk through water ankle to waist deep,” Quinn said. Tours of the cavern take about 35 minutes and happen about every 15 minutes. It’s what Quinn has been doing for ﬁve years. “You meet some interesting people here,” he said. It doesn’t surprise him that people are drawn to the caverns. “They’re really beautiful ... we have a lot of return customers,” he said. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children. Linville Caverns are privately owned. For more information, visit www.linvillecaverns.com. By Lauren K. Ohnesorge

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What Time Is it?

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Weturn of the Woolly Worm

Annual festival Oct. 17-18 in Banner Elk

On Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, the mountain town of Banner Elk will be ďŹ lled with visitors, and its population of woolly worms will swell by several thousand. The 33rd annual Woolly Worm Festival celebrates the common woolly worm, a sure sign of autumn in the High Country. The brown and black stripes of the woolly worm (Pyrrharctia Isabella) have been used for SEE WOOLLY, PAGE 45

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Saddle Up for Fun! W

hizzing by the fall colors from the conﬁnes of a vehicle doesn’t quite capture the grace and beauty of the High Country like a ride on horse-

back. There are many top-quality stables in the region that cater to both the recreational equestrian and the more experienced rider, but all offer scenic views and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for a mountain getaway. Yonahlossee Saddle Club offers trail rides and training in many equestrian disciplines. The stables feature both indoor and outdoor training, and have the facilities on-site to permanently house and take care of all your equestrian needs. Nearby, the Celtic Unicorn Stables trail rides wind through the mountains, culminating with spectacular views of Grandfather Mountain.

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Their focus on natural horsemanship emphasizes the relationship between horse and rider, and greatly enriches the riding experience by creating a connection between the rider and their animal. Younger riders need not fear the brawn of full-size horses, the Celtic Unicorn offers hand-led pony rides, so even pint-size riders can join in the fun. Contact the Saddle Club for rates at (828) 963-6400. Nestled in the Valle Crucis community, V.C. Farm offers private horseback rides on the trails surrounding the family farm. At this old-style dude ranch, riders can traverse the mountains on a vast array of horses, and those afraid of the saddle can embark on a carriage tour led by Belgian draft horses. The farm is also home to stables for horses that need boarding, riding lessons, private wagon rides and the occasional newborn painter horse. Horseback rides are $55 per person; wagon rides for up to 10 people can be rented for $275, or $30 per person. The farm’s Valle of the Cross carriage tour for one hour in a private coach runs $165. Contact the farm at (828) 963-5399. Banner Elk stables is a family friendly equestrian location in the eponymous town, specializing in ensuring a positive and fun experience for riders with all types of

experience. Their trails wind through Beech Mountain and offer glimpses of the scenic and natural beauty in the area. Like many of the other trail rides, visitors may come across wildlife on their tour like deer, foxes, and the occasional bear. The stables can be reached at (828) 898-5424 for reservations and the rates of their trail rides. Head north on highway U.S. 421 into Vilas and visit Dutch Creek Trails, a family owned and operated farm that dates back before the Civil War. Keith Ward, “The Cowboy Poet,” and his family have been taking visitors to the High Country on trail rides for many years, and their staff of family and friends are meticulous in their care for their guests. After a long ride, Ward helps visitors wind down around the campﬁre with one of his cowboy poems and songs. For reservations and rates, call (828) 297-7117. Dutch Creek will also customize a trail ride for those riders wanting more than the basic tour. Burnt Hill Stables in Ashe County takes their riders SEE SADDLE UP, PAGE 47

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WOOLLY WORM FROM PAGE 43

many years by mountain folk to predict the severity of the coming winter. The woolly worms are raced up strings during individual heats, and the champion will be used to make the “ofﬁcial” woolly worm winter forecast on Saturday. Additional races are held for fun and prizes on Sunday. Artists, craftsmen, food vendors and live entertainment add to the fun on the grounds of Banner Elk Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Contestants may bring their own woolly worm or purchase one at the festival to train and race. Roy “Mr. Woolly Worm” Krege will host the event again this year. “It’s a great festival, as it has something for everyone,” said Krege. The 33rd annual Woolly Worm Festival is co-sponsored by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and the Avery Kiwanis Club. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for kids 512, and children under age 5 are admitted free.

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SADDLE UP FOR FUN FROM PAGE 44

through the backcountry surrounding the Blue Ridge. Their primary guide has been working with horses for over four decades, and the stables also offer riding lessons in basic horsemanship skills. Trail rides can last either one or two hours, and cost $25 per hour for each rider. Before taking advantage of the creature comforts of the car and spending money on gas driving, take a trail ride with one of these stables, and see the High Country the way the settlers ďŹ rst did. Visit the stablesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; websites for more information: www.dutchcreektrails.com, www. highcountryhorseback.com/yonahlossee, www.vcfarm.com, and www.bannerelkstables.com. By Michael Gebelein

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...Of Milestones and Mileposts

he most-visited national park has had quite a few miles on it, but the Blue Ridge Parkway is still rolling through its 75th anniversary celebration as popular as ever. The 469-mile roadway runs through western North Carolina to Virginia, following mountaintops and featuring spectacular, all-season scenic views, educational programs and recreational resources. For those on the road, the parkway’s main birthday celebration is a multi-day, multi-venue festival staged in and around Cumberland Knob, N.C., where parkway construction began on Sept. 11, 1935. The celebration will be held Sept. 10 through Sept. 12. Within the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway are 47 Natural Heritage Areas set aside as national, regional, or state examples of exemplary natural communities. The parkway was started in 1935 as the “Appalachian Scenic Highway” and is noted locally for its lookouts like

Photo by Todd Bush

Thunder Hill and the Linn Cove Viaduct, which skirts Grandfather Mountain and was the last connecting piece to the roadway. It also features the 3,000-acre Moses Cone Memorial Park and Julian Price Memorial Park near Blowing Rock. The Cone park and Flat Top Manor offers a gift and craft shop, as well as parkway information, with numerous hiking, jogging and equestrian trails. Price Park features walking trails, water access, and picnic sites, and camping is available nearby. Bridges are perhaps the most noticeable stonework to the passing motorist. The parkway’s bridges were built faced with native stone obtained from quarries near the road work. Rock common to the region consisted of: Granites, gneisses, diorites, schist, and slates. Italian and Spanish master stonemasons were brought into the work force to

assist in the construction of these long lasting, functional structures. Over half a century later, these bridges still display the engineer’s utilitarian design coupled with the pleasing beauty of arched stonework. Bridges on the Blue Ridge Parkway will be undergoing routine maintenance in the next couple of months, including some local bridges, though travel delays are expected to be minimal. The project will begin in the Asheville area and proceed north, encompassing multiple park bridges between Asheville and Roanoke, Va. Parkway ofﬁcials said the work will consist of cleaning and sealing bridge expansion joints, spot repairing of decking and sealing of deck surfaces. The project is scheduled to be completed by September. SEE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, PAGE 68

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

Fall into Festivals

Avery County Fair Newland Sept. 7-11 The Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural Fair returns to Newland this September in the big field behind Ingles supermarket. The fair is Sept. 7-11 and will feature live music, contests, livestock, exhibits, a beauty pageant, rides, games of skill and lots of fruits and vegetables. Smokey Mountain Amusements will be in charge of the midway, bringing in more than 20 exciting rides. The fair will also feature a petting zoo with barnyard and exotic animals. Other attractions include the Flex Flyer and the Electric Rodeo Mechanical Bull. Live entertainment, including bluegrass and gospel music, is scheduled for each night of the Avery County Fair. Competitions will be held for homegrown fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts, photographs, and other items into the Avery County Fair’s Blue Ribbon contests. There will also be prizes for canned items, such as jams, jellies, chow-chow, relish, pickles and other categories. Other items for judging include baked goods, flowers, shrubs, trees and wreaths. Winners of the exhibit categories are eligible to compete at the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh. A host of vendors will also be exhibiting arts, crafts, and trade goods. Admission for the Avery County Fair is $5 for persons

13 and older, $2 for kids ages 6-12, and free for children five and under. Ride bracelets are $15 per person, $7 for a kid’s day ride bracelet. For more information, visit www.averyfair.com or call (828) 387-6870. Greater L.A. Festival Lansing Sept. 10-11 The Greater L.A. Fesival gathers a big crowd every year in Lansing on the second Friday and Saturday of September. Live gospel music on Friday night is followed by bluegrass and folk music on Saturday. It’s the 11th year of the event, and it’s sponsored by the Lansing American Legion and Lansing Volunteer Fire Department at the ball fields on N.C. 194. Fun activities for the kids include face painting, hay rides, and inflatable attractions, along with great food and fellowship make for an enjoyable weekend outing for the whole family. A project of the Greater Lansing Area Development committee, the festival funds the fire department and American Legion projects. The event is also supported by local businesses and private donors. Donations are accepted for admission, though there is no set charge. For more information, call (336) 9770944. SEE FESTIVALS PAGE 52

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FESTIVALS FROM PAGE 51

Autumn At Oz Beech Mountain Oct. 2-3 (PICTURED ABOVE) Follow the Yellow Brick Road to family fun, adventure and nostalgia. For two days each year, the public is invited to take a nostalgic stroll through the old Land of Oz amusement park and share memories of Oz with younger generations Guests tour Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s farm and meet Dorothy and friends along the Yellow Brick Road. There is a concession stand featuring new and old Oz trivia, a small petting zoo, a mini-Oz museum, mountain music, square dancers, and face painting to add to the festive atmosphere. Admission is charged, with advance tickets of $16.50. Tickets available at the gate are $20, but they’ll gladly take original yellow bricks or other park artifacts for trade. Proceeds go to pay for the party and help with restorations. Tickets are available at www.bandtastic.com/ autumnatoz. The tour takes up to two hours and Oz-esque costumes are encouraged. Strollers and wheelchairs will have to be parked. For more information, including advance ticket sales, contact the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce at (800) 468-5506. Apple Festival Boone Oct. 9 The Southern Appalachian Historical Association is

holding its 30th annual Apple Festival at the Horn in the West grounds in Boone on Oct. 9. Live music will be performed by Son Road, Kevin Carter and Full Assurance and Creekside Bluegrass Band. Other performers will also be playing during the festival hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event also features apple peeling and a peeling contest, as well as an apple pie eating content. Inflatable playgrounds will be available for children, and the Hickory Ridge Homestead will be open with activities from the Colonial period. Craft demonstrations and historic exhibits will be on display. The Boy Scouts will be selling apple cider. Vendors will sell arts and crafts from across the region, and vendor applications are at www.horninthewest.com. For more information, call (828) 964-2383 or the Horn in the West office at (828) 264-2120. New River Festival Todd Oct. 9 The 17th annual Todd New River festival is a walk in the park. The festival will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9. and goes until 5 p.m. There will be free entertainment all day long for adults and children in the Walter & Annie Cook Park on Railroad Grade Road, across from the Todd General Store. About 40 craft and food venders will exhibit this year, featuring handmade items, art and local goods. Parking is $5 and includes the shuttle ride to the festival. Parking is located in the field behind the Todd Volunteer Fire Department. Local bands play a mix of country, bluegrass, traditional, and gospel music, with clogging and other entertainment available.

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The festival is presented by the Todd Ruritan Club as a fundraiser to help support Todd community projects and scholarships. For more information on the 17th annual Todd New River Festival, visit www. toddruritan.org or call (828) 964-1362.

Festival of the Frescoes Glendale Springs Oct. 9 A one-day event featuring music, fun, arts, crafts and baked goods, the Festival of the Frescoes celebrates an Ashe County landmark. The Parish of the Holy Communion will present its traditional country fair on the grounds of the Mission House across the street from Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, site of the Ben Long Last Supper Fresco, in Glendale Springs. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ample areas for parking and picnicking are available adjacent to the fair grounds. Booths typically include the Fresco Café, where lunch refreshments can be found; Granny’s Attic, full of treasures you may have been seeking at yard sales; the Bake Sale booth, with scrumptious goodies prepared by the ladies of the parish; the Plant Sale booth; and the Silent Auction booth, displaying prized objects you might obtain at bargain prices. Many outside vendor booths with a broad selection of ﬁne arts and crafts will be on site, as well. There will be music and entertainment, and the Mission House gift shop will also be open for shopping. More information is available by calling the Mission House at (336) 982-3076. SEE FESTIVALS, PAGE 63

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Time to Meet

T ODD

he historic community of Todd was once one of the most bustling commerce centers in the mountains, but though the rail depot is now quiet, the community’s history lives on in its structures and charm. The tranquility offers a chance to explore some of Todd’s other offerings, such as the new historic walking trail that offers stops and information on the buildings that still linger from the days when Todd was the High Country’s center of commerce. The walking tour has brochures available to mark the history and culture of the community, from its logging heyday to its evolution as a summer retreat. The community sits on the border of Ashe and Watauga counties and can be reached via N.C. 194 or Railroad Grade Road. Even though the pace gets a little slower and the rocking chairs get more use, there are still a couple of major events that add color

to fall, in addition to leisure biking, kayaking, ﬁshing and other recreational offerings. The 17th annual Todd New River Festival is Saturday, Oct. 9, this year. The festival will start at 9 a.m. and go until 5 p.m. There will be free entertainment all day long for adults and children. About 40 craft and food venders will exhibit this year, featuring handmade items, art and local items. Parking is $5 and includes the shuttle ride to the festival. The festival is presented by the Todd Ruritan Club as a fundraiser to help support Todd community projects and scholarships. For more information on the 16th annual Todd New River Festival, visit www.toddruritan.org or call (828) 964-1362. The ﬁfth Elkland International Puppet Festival is Oct. 9, with puppet shows in the Old Bank of Todd. Admission is $5. Puppeteers and performers for the all-ages shows include Grey Seal Puppets, Torry Bend and Elkland Art Center. Information is at www.elklandartcenter.org. Todd’s community charm is captured in both Todd Mercantile and the Todd General Store, where you can sit and play a game of checkers or gather around the castiron wood stove on a chilly morn. The Todd Mercantile hosts square dances on the third

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Friday night of each month, though the performances depend upon the schedule of band members. The mercantile is a relaxing place to browse antiques and local art, as well as enjoy fresh-baked goods made from scratch and served right out of the oven. The Todd General Store features some of the ﬁnest storytellers in the region as part of its Tuesday night series, continuing through October. Orville Hicks tells stories as part of a family tradition dating back two centuries, including the “Jack Tales,” perhaps the most deeply ingrained Appalachian story style. The stories emerged out of the Scots-Irish tradition in which Jack, an everyman character, relies on cleverness and resourcefulness to outwit the king, giant or some other authority ﬁgure. Other tellers in the series are Rhody Jane Meadows, Doyle Pace, Terry Rollins, Charlotte Ross and Sherry Boone. Telling begins on the back porch at 6 p.m. Many of the storytellers draw on traditional mountain subjects. Friday nights, the general store serves up dinner and bluegrass music, with a variety of local bands and musicians performing until Thanksgiving. The general store sells arts, crafts, jewelry, jams and pickled goods, vintage sports cards and comic books, books, toys, antiques and snacks, and also serves meals. The town also features a “walking tour,” with brochures available to check out the numerous historic sites in the former logging community. Todd Island Park is also open for leisure strolls, picnics and canoe and kayak access on the river. By Scott Nicholson

2010

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2010

ASU Performing Art Series

Where Global and Local Culture Meet The Appalachian State University Ofﬁce of Arts and Cultural Programs puts together a series of dance, theater and music performances for the year. This performance schedule, known as the Performing Arts Series, brings groups from varied backgrounds and faraway places to Boone, both as an outreach to the university’s student population and to the community. “The Performing Arts Series supports the university’s teaching mission by presenting a diverse array of music, dance and theater events designed to enrich the cultural, educational, and economic landscape of the campus and surrounding region,” said Denise Ringler, director for the Ofﬁce of Arts and Cultural Programs. “In recent years, a major goal has been to bring classroom learning alive for students, by presenting artists that complement and breathe life into the classroom curriculum.”

This year is no exception; the series has three performances lined up for this fall. On Sept. 17 at 8 p.m., the Red Clay Ramblers, a North Carolina string band, will take the stage. The Ramblers play old-time mountain music, wellknown to this region and important to the history of Appalachia, as well as everything from rock to gospel. They have made appearances on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and on many national television shows, as well as touring around the world and working on Broadway, earning them a Tony Award. On Oct. 29 at 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium will host the fusion of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band. The two are touring together for the ﬁrst time, but the Preservation Hall Jazz Band brings New Orleans jazz to

the table, while the Del McCoury band brings its bluegrass history. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (named for the music venue in New Orleans) has a long history, going back to its charter members, some of whom played with jazz forefathers like Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. The Del McCoury Band has won numerous awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, and has performed at diverse venues with many different collaborators during the past 50 years. Final on the fall agenda, the North Carolina Symphony visits Boone on Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. The symphony performs 175 times a year at venues all across the state, and can be heard each month on the SEE SERIES, PAGE 57

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PERFORMING ARTS SERIES radio, WUNC 91.5 National Public Radio. With both the Red Clay Ramblers and the North Carolina Symphony, the Performing Arts Series has orchestrated a matinee program for all of the elementary schoolchildren in Watauga County. “For members of both the campus community and surrounding region, we strive to create memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities that promote the power and excitement of the live performance experience,” Ringler said.

FROM PAGE 56

In the spring, there will be four performances: January will hold a theater performance by the LA Theater Works titled The Real Dr. Strangelove: Edward Teller and the Battle for the H-Bomb. In February, Brazil’s Balé Folklórico de Bahia will bring traditional folk dance, influenced by the traditions of Africa and South America. The Russian National Ballet will visit in March to perform “Chopiniana” and “Romeo and Juliet,” and in April, Acoustic Africa brings world musicians together who have individually achieved world suc-

cess. One of the goals of the program is a new outlook for those who see these performances. “We strive to provide a window on the world through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists, and to showcase some of the finest artists of our region,” Ringler said. Tickets go on sale on Aug. 24 at 9 a.m., and more information can be found at the Performing Arts Series website, www.pas.appstate.edu. By Laura Tabor

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Visit W

2010

Watauga Lake

ith the autumn leaves falling, there is still a chance to get out and enjoy the warm sunny days. It’s never too late to get out to Watauga Lake and enjoy the water and the sun. Watauga Lake is located in northeast corner Tennessee, east of Elizabethton and southwest of Mountain City, about a 45 minute drive from Boone. It’s the perfect place to set out a picnic or a cookout, relax in the sun, and just escape for the day. The lake itself is nestled in between the Cherokee National Forest and the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Tennessee, making for some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. Canoeing, swimming, and ﬁshing are all available for a relaxing day. Sail boating, water skiing, jet skiing and wake boarding are available for those looking for something a little more exciting. The lake was created in 1942 by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The 6,430-acre lake rests 2,000 ft. above sea

level. It has been rated the third cleanest lake in the nation, with over 100 miles of shoreline, the majority of it managed by the USDA. The mixture of long, winding mountain roads and lack of shore-side development (due to some steep shorelines) make the lake is less crowded by tourists and more scenic than some places. There are many facilities on Hwy. 321, two - nine miles from Hampton, which are maintained by the Cherokee Nation Forest service. These facilities are the Rat Branch Boat Ramp, Carden’s Bluff Campground, Pond Mountain Shooting Range, Y’s Men Picnic Ground, Watauga Point Recreation Area, Little Milligan Boat Ramp, and Shook Branch Recreation Area. Swimming, boat ramps and picnicking are all offered here as well. Many of the sites include bathrooms and water fountains, and cost as little as $2 per vehicle for the entire day. Carden’s Bluff is the only facility run by the CNF that

offers campgrounds. It has 43 single-unit campsites that cost $12 a night, and are given out on a first-come, first serve basis. A few sites have room for small- to medium-sized trailers, but these are limited. Each campsite includes a picnic table, a place for camp fires with fire rings, and a lantern ring. There are three flush toilets but no showers. Water faucets and trash containers are throughout the campsite, but there is no trailer dump station. The front gate is locked from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. For more information about Watauga Lake’s public facilities, contact the Cherokee National Forest at (423) 735-1500, or on the web at www.fs.fed.us/r8/cherokee. A privately run web site of Watauga Lake is www.wataugalaketennessee.com. There are many other options to camping and boating at Watauga Lake. There are many fine resorts, marinas and restaurants on or near Watauga Lake to be found.

THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

2010

Tune in the

Music Scene

oone, N.C. It’s a town with a music scene as varied as its residents, and, here at The Mountain Times, we’ve compiled a list of bands you need to hear. Call it your music education.

POSSUM JENKINS (PICTURED) With local “alt-country” shoulder shaking hits like porch song “Carborro Nights” and the pepped up and gritty “Greasy Spoon,” the boys are here to stay, and guaranteed to attract a crowd wherever they play. The sound, southern rock injected with a healthy dose of blues, all started in 2004 at Murphy’s. From that ﬁrst show, the boys moved on to play throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, spreading their sound and the Boone vibe as they switch instruments and keeping the crowd and charts hopping. What started as a “bar band” has transformed into a versatile entertainment powerhouse, complete with gigs at festivals across the region like FloydFest and the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. It’s a band that’s been carved by the Appalachian Mountains themselves. “It’s really fascinating to be in a place that has a very special musical heritage and identity ... you hear those songs and you learn about those traditions even if you’re not on stage playing Old Joe Clark ... or some old Doc Watson song,” frontman David Brewer said. “It’s there. It’s cool to be connected to that in some geographic way,” PJ’s next Boone show is Oct. 16 at the Boone Saloon. www.possumjenkinsband.com

THE MAJOR SEVENS

Lead singer Brooks Forsyth, a 2007 Watauga High School graduate was there when it all started. “We were playing in barbeque restaurants ... then that kind of evolved into playing at house parties... then we ﬁnally started playing publicly, then two years ago, we put out an album,” he said. “We developed a passion for playing live and wanted to develop our music more than just making a buck off of it.” From that ﬁrst album, the Major Sevens spiraled through the region, with music on radio station WNCW and an appearance at Music on the Mountaintop with Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush. Over the summer, the gang played with their idol, Doc Watson, and their offshoot, the Nectar Brothers, is taking the boys in a different direction altogether. “We still have the acoustic band,” Forsyth said. “That’s more folksy ... and now there’s also an electric band ... that’s more psychedelic pop rock, basically,” he said. The new sound is set to play for a more “college” crowd.. “It’s not to say that Major Sevens is ending ... I still want to put stuff out under that name, too,” he said, stuff like their “Goodbye Baby,” a hit at this summer’s MusicFest ’n Sugar

SEE MUSIC SCENE, PAGE 64

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and coriander; Blowing Rock Bock, a Bavarian style dark lager, more malt-driven than hopdriven; Blowing Rock Oktoberfest, brewed in a very traditional marzen style with perceptible hallertau hops; and Blowing Rock Winter Ale, fashioned in a full-bodied imperial red style, with caramel malts and robust ﬂavor. Rice, Walker and Hastings just released the High Country Lager, a Vienna style amber lager, which can be found on shelves year-round. But, as always, new ideas are brewing. “We’ve been working on an IPA (India Pale Ale) recipe,” Walker said. “We’ve had many people asking if we had an IPA and when we’d come out with one, since it seems like everybody has one. But we’ve been working on the recipe this summer, and we hope to have an IPA out in the market in the spring.” By then, Rice hopes BBC’s market will have grown. Currently, its products are featured in 500 accounts statewide, from Harris Teeter to Lowe’s to Ingles to Earth Fare to privately owned businesses, locally like Blowing Rock Market and Peabody’s. The company’s now working with a distributor to saturate South Carolina with a taste of the High Country. Rice, Walker and a consulting brewmaster devised the recipes, and though BBC’s beers are brewed in WilkesBarre, Penn., Rice is happy to explain the reasoning behind this. “We wanted to produce on a commercial scale, where we did not hit capacity like a lot smaller breweries,” he said. “(Grocery stores) need your product, and you need to keep up with demand, so we wanted to produce on a commercial scale where we could meet demand.” Affordability was also a factor. “We wanted to produce on a scale with an affordable price point for a quality product,” Rice said. Right now, six-packs of BBC products start at $6.99, with the highest not exceeding $8.99. “Some of our competitors’ beers are priced a dollar or two higher per six pack, because they don’t have the same levels of efﬁciency that we have, so we’re able to be low in price,” Rice said. Third, BBC is able to offer consistency with its products. But with distribution currently in the works and an established product line, Rice and company are shifting their focus toward brick and mortar. “We’re hoping to have a brewery up and running within the next 12 months,” Rice said. This would allow the brewers to focus on more ambi-

tious, local products, like an imperial stout, a double IPA and higher-gravity beers. “We’ll be brewing more specialty beers that coincide with the seasons,” Rice said. “When we don’t have to do it in 3,000-case runs, this will allow us to experiment in smaller batches, and then, based on what becomes successful, it can open us up for larger production runs. So, if we see there’s a porter that does very well on a smaller scale, we have the ability to ramp it up and produce it on a much larger scale, based on the success in the local High Country.” And BBC is about keeping it local, buying hops from organic farmers and providing mash and brewing byproducts, which can be used as fertilizer, in return. “And we’ve been actively supportive within the local community for a variety of events,” Rice said, “ranging from sponsorship of events at Appalachian State University with the Turchin Center, mountain biking … ﬂy-ﬁshing events, golf, skiing,” and, of course, the annual High Country Beer Fest. Boone Brewing’s beers can also be found in area restaurants, a market that’s also expanding. To keep up, hop over to www.boonebrewing.com.

BEER'S to You M

ost residents and visitors alike will tell you the High Country’s barrels of fun. For area beer aﬁcionados, this can be taken lit-

erally. Local beer and celebrations of malty goodness are just around the corner, and good times are always on tap.

BOONE BREWING COMPANY You can find a beer aisle in Blowing Rock, but how often do you find Blowing Rock in a beer aisle? Actually, quite often. Since August 2008, Boone Brewing Company (BBC) has been delivering Blowing Rock to taste buds all over with its Blowing Rock High Country Ale, an American pale ale with an impeccable balance of malt and hops. “We set out to achieve a flavor with that brew, where it’s just like the High Country – crisp and refreshing,” BBC cofounder and co-owner Jeff Walker said. Walker founded BBC with Todd Rice, and John Hastings recently joined the team as co-owner. “(Walker and I) met in 2004 and started putting together this vision,” Rice said. “We worked through a business plan between 2006 and 2008, coming up with the initial recipes and our establishment.” Their object was to release a product that’s distinctively from the mountains. “We wanted to embody that within our label,” Rice said. Along with High Country Ale, BBC’s menu features some seasonal items, including Blowing Rock Summer Ale, a Belgian style white ale with hints of orange peel

SUGAR MOUNTAIN OKTOBERFEST Courtesy of Sugar Mountain Grab your beer stein, put on your lederhosen and head to Sugar Mountain Resort for the 20th annual Oktoberfest celebration Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9-10. Inspired by a 200-year-old German tradition, the event is packed with activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. More than 40 artisans and craftspeople are on hand, featuring exhibits and goods, such as chair caning, wooden toys, oil paintings, stained glass, handmade furniture, dolls, copper art, ceramics, honey, beeswax candles, birdhouses and much more. The mile-and-a-half-long chairlift ride to Sugar’s 5,300-foot peak will be operating. The children’s activity center, located in Ski School Play Yard, will keep the young ones entertained each day from noon to 4 p.m. A $7 fee per child/per day includes hay rides, a chance to meet Sugar Bear and Sweetie Bear and several inﬂatable playground stations. Cotton candy, popcorn, caramel apples, homemade cookies and drinks are also available in the children’s activity center. All ages are welcome to participate. From noon to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, the Harbour Towne Fest Band delivers Oom-Pah sounds, dances and enthusiasm from Bavaria to Sugar Mountain. The 15-piece band delivers traditional Bavarian music for the thousands of attendees. Bavarian cuisine, including bratwurst, knackwurst, German potato salad, sauerkraut and pretzels will be available, along with an ample supply of authentic Bavarian beverages to be ﬂowing all weekend long. Hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, cotton candy, kettle corn, caramel apples and other festive foods will be on hand. For more information, call Sugar Mountain at (828) 898-4521. By Frank Ruggiero

2010

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band delivers traditional Bavarian music for the thousands of attendees. Bavarian cuisine, including bratwurst, knackwurst, German potato salad, sauerkraut and pretzels will be available, along with an ample supply of authentic Bavarian beverages to be ﬂowing all weekend long. Hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, cotton

candy, kettle corn, caramel apples and other festive foods will be on hand. For more information, call Sugar Mountain at (828) 8984521.

FESTIVALS FROM PAGE 52

Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest Sugar Mountain Oct. 9-10 Grab your beer stein, put on your lederhosen and head to Sugar Mountain Resort for the 20th annual Oktoberfest celebration Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9-10. Inspired by a 200-year-old German tradition, the event is packed with activities from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. More than 40 artisans and craftspeople are on hand, featuring exhibits and goods, such as chair caning, wooden toys, oil paintings, stain glass, handmade furniture, dolls, copper art, ceramics, honey, beeswax candles, bird houses, and much more. The mile-and-a-half-long chairlift ride to Sugar’s 5,300-foot peak will be operating. The children’s activity center, located in the Ski School Play Yard, will keep the young ones entertained each day from noon until 4 p.m. A $7 fee per child/per day includes hay rides, a chance to meet Sugar Bear and Sweetie Bear and several inﬂatable playground stations. Cotton candy, popcorn, caramel apples, homemade cookies and drinks are also available in the children’s activity center. All ages are welcome to participate. From noon until 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, the Harbour Towne Fest Band delivers Oom Pah sounds, dances and enthusiasm of Bavaria to Sugar Mountain. The 15-piece

SEE FESTIVALS, PAGE 84

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MUSIC SCENE FROM PAGE 59

Grove.

www.myspace.com/themajorsevens

THE NAKED GODS

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2010

something that wasn’t there ... there was a big explosion right around that time of punk rock bands,” he said, and Karloffs erupted from the fever with a ﬁery passion. “We were kind of the bastard child.” The bastard child that stuck around, even as Boone bands of the ’80s and early ’90s started to disappear. While they’ve been out of the circuit for awhile, a new drummer has them back in the practice studio and is giving them a new lease on an old sound. It’s loud, but trust us, their show’s worth a front row position, especially if, like in This is Spinal Tap (and we have 11 things we like about Spinal Tap) yet another drummer spontaneously combusts. Check them out at www.myspace.com/thekarloffs.

er. Davidson teamed up with electric guitar player Rob Brown eons ago at summer camp in Georgia. The pair met up in Boone and the resulting mesh of breezy alternative country continues to cause High Country shoulders to sway. “Our ﬁrst gig was going to be in South Carolina, and my mother-in-law put some events together ... she wanted us to play, and we didn’t have a name, so I decided, ‘Let’s just be the son-in-laws,’ and then Rich (Crepeau, bass) said, ‘Yes, let’s be the worthless son-in-laws,’” he said. “It’s a mix of indy rock and Americana, alternative country sort of stuff,” he said. And they have a huge set list. With a mix of originals and Americana covers, the group has a set for every occasion. You may have seen them at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. You may have seen them at MerleFest a few years back. You may see them again at Boone Saloon (with local group Guard the Van) Thursday, Oct. 14. www.soninlaws.com

BAFOODUS

These boys are Boone-based through and through, but not the mountain bluegrass the Appalachian Mountains usually breed. “It’s burly pop mountain rock,” lead singer Seth Sullivan said, and Boone Saloon is their home base. Derek Wycoff, Chris Hutelmyer, Seth Sullivan, Brian Knox and Christian Smith. They’re just your average Boonies. Most of them have known each other since high school. They’ve got day jobs (look for Seth at the Boone Saloon) and families (an extremely affectionate basset hound). With catchy, soulful tunes like “Mountain Smashing Song of Joy,” (what’s not to love about that name?) they’re the Naked Gods, and they always bring a crowd. Furthermore, the bands they play with are practically guaranteed to bring even more energy into the mix for a great time that will have you putting up your feet for the rest of the week. They hit the Mellow Mushroom (957 Rivers St.) Saturday at 4 p.m., joined by three other local bands, The Native Sway, Galaxy Jam (think improvisational electric) and Upright and Breathin’. www.myspace.com/nakedgods

THE KARLOFFS It’s old school punk, and it’s been rocking Boone venues for 14 years. Despite having “gone through more drummers than Spinal Tap,” the headliners have held onto local music guru and guitarist Kevin Freeman, co-owner of RPM Records. “I’m from the area. I grew up in Avery County,” he said, and since moving to Boone proper in 1994, he’s been a fixture, first at video hotspot Grapevine and then, when it closed, at RPM, a location that’s not just a record store, but a central locale for Boone’s growing music industry. A punk band came naturally to Freeman. And the Appalachian location? It added to the ferocity of the sound. “When we were first starting out, it forced us to create

To Andy Page, it’s all about the music: Steely Dan, Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and the list isn’t stopping. Bafoodus takes Page (a professor of guitar at ASU) back in time for the ride. “It’s definitely a funk-oriented band ... but all the players in the band are really proficient on their instruments. We have keyboard (Mike Runyon), drums (Ryan Lassiter), bass and guitar and our bass player (Scott Haynes) sings and he’s really got an awesome voice,” Page said. “We try to feature his voice as much as possible.” Expect Steely Dan. Expect Prince. And expect to dance. “We are one of those bands that’s very eclectic in that we’re all influenced by jazz, funk and rock,” Page said. Along with original tunes, Bafoodus brings together classic electric pop that dancing shoes find irresistible. The group has its CD release party at Koncepts Hookah Lounge Aug. 26. Expect Bafoodus to headline the Halloween show Oct. 30 the Boone Saloon, www.myspace.com/bafoodus

UPRIGHT AND BREATHIN’ It’s Appalachian, pure and simple. Upright and Breathin’ describes its sound as “Appalachian-flavored originals influenced by a mix of bluegrass, jazz, and rock & roll, peppered with a hard-driving high energy traditional bluegrass sound.” Upright and Breathin’ has increased its popularity the old fashioned way—one fan at a time, and this year they’ve taken flight. During a typical Upright and Breathin’ set, you might hear an original reminiscent of the band, Old & In the Way, a cool minor key rendition of the traditional song “Shady Grove” and the occasional gypsy tune, such as Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing.” Regardless, what you hear will have your foot tapping. Hear them next at Saturday’s Mushroom Meltdown at the Mellow Mushroom (957 Rivers St.) starting at 4 p.m. www.myspace.com/uprightbreathin39

THE WORTHLESS SON-IN-LAWS They’re not as worthless as their name implies. After ﬁve years, they’ve become a tradition, four guys with a sound brewed straight from the Appalachian Mountains. Meet Jimmy Davidson, acoustic guitar play-

THE NATIVE SWAY

The High Country’s favorite jammers, The Native Sway, can always be counted on to bring the crowd with their Phish-esque electrics. “We all bring our own style and our own inﬂuences to the table, and it’s really cool when we get together and write a song,” Kevin Quinn said. The 2-year-old Boone-based act (the Quinn brothers, Kevin and Justin, joined by Josh Bertram and Kelly Turner) is an instrumental jam band that just started experimenting with lyrics. Despite the vocal dabbling, they’ve retained the jamming energy that got them this far. If anything, the recent addition of vocals by Andrea Brown and Kevin Quinn have pushed them even deeper into the Boone subconscious. “It was kind of crazy how the chemistry worked out,” Kevin Quinn said. “We could all feel this energy. It’s different feeling when we come together. We just had this very strong connection and chemistry and that’s really, I think, what people come to see.” It’s that same energy, founded in rock and funk, that keeps bringing audiences back for more, and they have a busy fall, starting Saturday at the Mushroom Meltdown (The Mellow Mushroom, 957 Rivers St., 4 p.m. Saturday with Naked Gods, Upright and Breathin’ and Galaxy Jam). They’re part of the Music on the Mountaintop (www.musiconthemountaintop.com) lineup Aug. 28 and hit Boone Saloon Sept. 9 (with the Mantras). www.myspace.com/thenativesway

MELISSA REAVES With her funky mesh of bluesy rock, Reaves is nothing if not proliﬁc. The 1999 Lilith Fair Talent Search winner (Charlotte) plays more than 200 shows a year and just ﬁnished a performance at ASU’s Front of Curtain Festival. Among her credits? Opening for Robert Plant and touring England and France. SEE MUSIC SCENE, PAGE 65

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She brings a unique brand of energy that sucks audiences in to her heart-and-soul brand of blues and has shared the stage with legends like Sarah MacLachlan, Leon Russell, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, Doc Watson and Sister Sledge. Think powerful vocals and an energy that’s contagious. After all, with Reaves, it’s all about that energy. You can tell in her lyrics, her stage presence and even the audiences themselves. She hits the Banner Elk Cafe Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. www.melissareaves.com

“It sounds like I have two guitars, don’t it?” Watson said. Watson, an inspiration despite age and lifelong blindness, is always an optimist and, by the end of his set, he’ll have you “on the sunny side,” too. “If you’re 87-years-old and you’ve been blessed in many ways, to walk around without a cane or something like that, and I can still sing a little, my voice is still pretty good, and if you’ve been blessed in many ways, don’t complain too much,” he said with a smile.

DOC WATSON (PICTURED)

BPL

That’s right, the ﬂatpicking bluegrass legend himself is a local boy, bred right down the road in Deep Gap, and he’s not one to forget his roots. Not only does he play the MusicFest ’n Sugar Grove and MerleFest each summer, but the master himself plays various events throughout the High Country, including a show for $15 just down the road in Todd this Saturday (www.todd.nc.org for ticket information). “I’ve been in the business too long, and I don’t like to brag on myself ... people love me for being who I am on the stage, and I appreciate that very much, as much as what I can do. If I come to hear you play and you are yourself up there, if I’m enjoying you as much as your music, I’m giving you a compliment, and they tell me that’s what I do on the stage. I’m being myself and I’m kind of proud of that. I don’t have to rehearse it,” he joked. While Watson gives off the “regular Joe” chuckle, there’s nothing regular about his picking style.

They’re Boone’s original hip-hoppers and no, they’ll never tell you what the BPL actually stands for (trust us, we’ve tried). “Lyrically, it’s a little more old school and true, real lyricism, and not just the common stuff you hear these days,” frontman Rhett Huffman said. With roots in the ’70s (you can hear it in their background tracks) BPL (Pete Schaffer, Michael Martin, Ryan Van Fleet, James Troy Harris III, Will Sautter, John Portela and Huffman) is a crowd pleaser with “a good mix of stuff a lot of people can appreciate,” in the vein of Outkast and the Roots, with some upbeat Stevie Wonder inﬂuences thrown in for good measure. “You really can’t just sit back and just listen to it,” Huffman said. “We just keep those songs going one right after another. All of our songs are hard hitters.” By Lauren K. Ohnesorge

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2010

Blue Ridge Parkway From page 50

No road closures are planned for the project; however, single lane traffic will be required to conduct maintenance procedures at certain times of the day and visitors should use caution when traveling through the flagged work zones. Work restrictions are in place for the Asheville, Boone and Roanoke commuter zone traffic, limiting one-lane closures to work hours between 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is one local section temporarily closed, in the Blowing Rock area from Milepost 269.8 to Milepost 280.9. The closure for a roadway fill repair is expected to last until November, with detours clearly marked. For southbound traffic, exit the Parkway at Phillips Gap (Milepost 269.8) to Phillips Gap Road (NC 1168) to Idlewild Road (NC 1003) to US 221 south to US 421 south back to the Parkway at Deep Gap (Milepost 276.4). For northbound traffic, exit the Parkway at Parkway School (Milepost 280.9) to Old U.S. 421 south to New U.S. 421 south to U.S. 221 north to Idlewild Road (N.C. 1003) to Phillips Gap Road (N.C. 1168) back to the Parkway at Phillips Gap (Milepost 269.8). A series of opening events to celebrate the 75th anniversary will be held Nov. 12-14, 2009, in Cherokee and Asheville. The weekend-long celebration will highlight specific areas of parkway history related to Western North Carolina and introduce a new generation of stew-

ards to caring for public lands such as the Blue Ridge Parkway. For those interested in the parkway’s history and future, a symposium will be held in Roanoke, Va., from Oct. 14 through Oct. 16. Details on other special events are at www.blueridgeparkway75.org. With more than 16 million visitors annually, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most-visited unit in the National Park Service and contains numerous overlooks, campgrounds, visitor centers, exhibits, lakes and hiking trails, which provide visitors with many opportunities to explore and learn about the park’s diverse natural and cultural resources. LINKS: www.brpfoundation.org www.blueridgeparkway.org www.nps.gov/blri/parknews/index.htm

Notable Mileposts Milepost 217.5: Cumberland Knob The northernmost point on the parkway within the High Country, this stop provides travelers with picnic

tables and a number of hiking trails. There is also a visitor center, which can be contacted at (828) 657-8161.

Milepost 218.6: Fox Hunter’s Paradise

Visitors to this lookout will notice a low knoll to the right of the ridge that was once a favorite place for hunters to gather around campfires and contemplate the chase ahead. Patches of forest interspersed with farmland can be seen for miles on a clear day. There is a hiking trail and picnic area here. Milepost 230: Little Glade Mill Pond The serene beauty of this pond, just off the road, is an oasis within an oasis. Dragonflies with flickering iridescent wings are plentiful here, as are butterflies and lighthearted human visitors. The area is flanked by thickets of rhododendrons and plenty of picnic tables, all within earshot of a nearby creek.

Milepost 232: Stone Mountain Overlook From this overlook you can see Stone Mountain State Park. Stone Mountain is an immense granite slab mostly SEE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, PAGE 69

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bare of vegetation. Distant ridgelines and swaths of nearly continuous forest unfold as far as the eye can see.

Milepost 238.5: Brinegar Cabin This mountain homestead, once owned by Martin and Caroline Brinegar, has been preserved as a memorial to traditional mountain living. Beside the Brinegar Cabin, there is a tended garden that holds many of the crops that were essential for a selfsustained Appalachian family. Buckwheat, tomatoes, squash and flax, which was used to make thread and homeopathic remedies, are grown here. Down the hill is a “spring house,” a small structure surrounding a spring that was used for bathing and keeping food cool. The homestead holds a century old loom that is still in use. Craft demonstrations are offered at various times during the summer season-check at Doughton Park for a schedule. Also, there are two hiking trails that begin at the far end of the parking lot: The 4.3-mile Cedar Rock Trail and the 7.5-mile Bluff Mountain Trail.

Milepost 238.5-244.8: Doughton Park

Doughton Park is home to Bluff’s Lodge, as well as Bluff’s Coffee Shop and Gas Station, where visitors can get a hot meal and crucial camping snacks, such as fluffy bags of marshmallows. The Bluff’s building also offers regional cookbooks and souvenirs ranging from homemade jams to delicate necklaces dangling with replications of the area’s native flora. The explosive, rich color of rhododendrons in late May and June can be enjoyed on the Park’s nearly 30 miles of hiking trails. There are also campsites for trailers and tents. Bluff’s Lodge has 24 rooms and great views of the surrounding mountains. To make a reservation, call (336) 372-4499.

Milepost 242: Alligator Back At the Alligator Back rest area you can learn about local predators and take a 20minute walking trail to the Bluff Overlook. Sadly, the mountain lions that once roamed heavily in this area are no longer a major presence, but you might run into a wild chipmunk or squirrel.

Milepost 252: Sheet’s Gap Sheet’s Gap is named for the small cabin built by Jesse Sheets around 1815. There is an overlook three-tenths of a mile south from here, with a walking trail leading back to the cabin.

Milepost 259: Northwest Trading Post This trading post provides drivers with a place to rest and recharge, and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Offering homemade food, crafts, restrooms and gifts.

Milepost 260: Jumpinoff Rock At the end of the parking lot there is an easy walking trail that takes you to Jumpinoff Rock. This is a nice walk for families with small children because of the level terrain and well-shaded trail. There’s also a small picnic area in front of the parking lot to take a rest and look out over the ridge tops.

Milepost 267: Mount Jefferson Overlook This site overlooks Mt. Jefferson State Park, a 474-acre area surrounded by farmland. The 4,515-foot mountain was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. You might also be able to see Grandfather Mountain to the south if it’s a clear day.

Milepost 271: Cascades Nature Trail The Cascades Nature Trail offers a brisk hike through rich pine forests to a waterfall that rolls down the side of the mountain to the lowlands below. Hikers need to exercise caution on the rocks near the waterfall. People, even in recent years, have fallen to their deaths here. SEE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, PAGE 73

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al life in the community. This lovely Queen Anne-style house dates back to 1910. Once the home of a prominent local doctor, the Jones House now is home to an art gallery and hosts many local events. The university borders the downtown. Here you’ll find Belk Library, a major research facility. Farthing Auditorium and Broyhill Music Center are the scenes of great performances during An Appalachian Summer, the yearly festival of the arts. Boone is such a popular destination there are times it is congested. Traffic can get heavy, especially around the traditional rush hour of 5 to 6 p.m. You do have another option: park your car and ride AppalCART, our mass transit system. Summer routes cover the downtown, university and U.S. 321 (Blowing Rock Road). Boone’s history began around 1800, when Jordan Councill opened a store on what is now King Street. Then, it was just a rough dirt wagon road. In 1820, Councill got the right to open a post office (appropriately called Councill’s Store) and some people began to build homes and other stores nearby. In 1849, when Watauga County was created, Boone was picked as the county seat when the town was little more than a crossroads. Little remains to remind people of those distant days.

The simple homes and shacks that once lined King Street have given way to attractive buildings that preserve the charm of the ‘teens and twenties. All that is in contrast to the modern city that has grown up around this center. With so much to enjoy, Boone is a magnet we think will draw you back again and again. Boone Area Chamber of Commerce: 828-264-2225.

Let's go to

OUR

Towns

all it ‘diversity’, ‘variety’ or the next pleasant stop along the way, first-time visitors to The High Country will enjoy our mixture of rural, small town and urban life. And if you are returning, you will find some new places to enjoy but the old mountain hospitality still intact. The center of activity - the Heart of the High Country - is the county seat of Boone. This section is devoted to Boone and a sampling of the other towns in our region. Town life in the High Country offers a sampling of mountain life from the stimulating to the serene. Beyond the excitement and bustle of Boone, you can discover the elegance of Blowing Rock and the recreational outdoors atmosphere of Banner Elk. There’s the small town atmosphere of Newland, and the historic downtown and arts community of West Jefferson. Each community has its own flavor, appeal and things to offer the visitor. So join us for this tour of some of the best the High Country has to offer - we know you’ll have a good time!

Boone Boone offers everything for residents and visitors in the High Country. The town can claim the finest in tourist necessities such as shopping, dining and lodging. From healthcare to financial services, specialty shops to major chains, Boone offers a comprehensive range of goods and services. Need an import car mechanic, 24-hour grocery or late night eatery? If you havent’t visited for awhile, we guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised just what you can find. Boone was once a typical small town until Appalachian State University (better known locally as “App” or ASU”) began to grow in the 1960s. Now this booming and acclaimed academic institution adds a zest and enthusiasm to life here. The downtown is known as the Municipal Service District, part of the national Main Street Program where merchants and residents fund renovations and restorations which attract more businesses while keeping the small -town atmosphere. Visitors will find an intriguing blend of restaurants, shops and boutiques side-by-side with legal offices and residences. You’ll find the Jones House here, a center of cultur-

Blowing Rock

If you return to Blowing Rock and ﬁnd most of the town the way it was, that’s is no accident; folks here know when it’s best to leave things as they are. Blowing Rock is a place where people still smile and say hello to each other on the street. The town is a place where you can sit on a bench in Memorial Park and watch the world go by or spend all afternoon window shopping along Main Street. The Fourth of July Parade is still important, and you will ﬁnd both patriotism and civic pride without apology. Memorial Park is the center of the community. Families can come by anytime to use the playground equipment (mom and dad can even try out the swings if they want to). Come on some Sunday evenings and you’ll hear a live concert in the park’s gazebo. SEE OUR TOWNS, PAGE 71

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portant part of the community, offering the “real” necessities of daily life, plus much more. And look for a dirt track running down to the river from the Mast General Store; it leads to Valle Crucis Community Park; a beautiful recreational area with riverfront, a (catch & release) ﬁshing pond, picnic areas, sports ﬁelds, and a walking/running/cycling/skating trail around the entire complex. Residents rallied this year to prevent a widening of the main road through the Community - Broadstone Road - which they felt would have destroyed its unique charactere and charm. No trip to the High Country is complete without spending time in the “Valley of the Cross.” Be sure to enjoy the scenery, heritage, and especially the friendly people.

ner Elk’s valley cuts through lofty peaks on every side: Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain and Grandfather Mountain essentially deﬁne its boundaries. If so far you are only a summer visitor to the mountains, you need to come back to Banner Elk in the winter. The town is conveniently located between two of the area’s four ski resorts, Ski Beech and Sugar Mountain. Even if you don’t ski, the mountains are often snow-covered, adding to Banner Elk’s natural beauty. Finally, Banner Elk makes an excellent base for folks who want to explore the natural wonders of Avery County. It’s not far to Roan Mountain, Grandfather Mountain or Linville Falls. Avery-Banner Elk County Chamber of Commerce: 828-898-5605.

OUR TOWNS FROM PAGE 70

Off Main Street are two other parks, both worthy of a visit. If you are headed south on Main Street, turn right on Laurel Lane and follow the signs; it is a divided and tree-lined lane. The Broyhill and Cannon parks offer a quiet place to rest and reflect. The two are a study in contrasts: Cannon Park is sort of rustic and still-wild, while the park around Broyhill Lake is elegant, a throw-back to the peaceful days of the late 19th century. Blowing Rock is renowned for its variety of unique shopping experiences. Main Street has antiques, art, crafts, imported coffees, rugs, fashions, flowers, mementos and more. The variety is amazing, the quality high and the fun unlimited (except by your imagination). Shoppes on the Parkway, a major outlet mall, is just north of town on 321. Here you’ll find clothing, crockery, jewelry, and more. There’s a reason Blowing Rock offers so much to the tourist: the town has been welcoming visitors for over a century. Spectacularly situated on the very edge of the Blue Ridge, the town began to attract summer residents in the 1880s. At the turn of the century, most visitors spent the summer. Some built beautiful Victorian summer homes, many of which stand today. Hotels and motels followed, and the tradition of hospitality has only ripened and improved over the years. One final hint: Take a ride down 321 south of town. You’ll catch an incredible view of the John’s River gorge as well as a spectacular vista looking south to Hickory. Whether you have a day, week, or lifetime to spend, you’ll find a lot to enjoy in Blowing Rock. Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce: 828-295-7851.

Valle Crucis As you travel along N.C. 105 south of Boone, there is a bridge where the Watauga River makes a sharp turn and starts its westward run towards Tennessee. There, set between high mountains, is a cross-shaped valley that has borne the name Valle Crucis since the 19th century. There is no more historic area in the region. Follow the Watauga River far enough and you will pass the site of the only Native American village known in this immediate area. Before that, there is the place where the ﬁrst European settler of Watauga County, Samuel Hicks, built a fort during the American Revolution. That fort and most of the log structures of that day are gone, but there are many historic buildings that still remain. Valle Crucis was – and remains – the only rural historic district in North Carolina. Travel along N.C. 194 and you will pass homes, some still private and others now housing galleries and other shops, dating back to the early part of this century and earlier. A true treasure is the Mast Farm Inn. The main house was built in 1840, and has hosted visitors practically from the ﬁrst. An even older log home, dating back to 1812, has also been lovingly restored. Not far up the road is another treasure, the Mast General Store. Dating back to 1883, the store remains an im-

Banner Elk Nestled in a spectacular mountain valley, Banner Elk has attracted visitors since the 1840s. In those days, it was called Banner’s Elk, a name you still hear among some older residents. The town got its name from an elk, reputedly one of the last in the state, that was killed by a local hunter. A college town, Banner Elk is home to Lees-McRae College. A visit to the college is well worth the time. The old stone buildings are picturesque, as is the campus itself. Hayes Auditorium hosts a wide variety of entertainment programs throughout the year. Banner Elk is a town of wonderful shops and restaurants all run by some of the nicest people you’ll meet anywhere. You will discover a unique blend of high-class and rustic existing happily side-by-side. Spectacular is hardly adequate to describe the magniﬁcent setting of the town. The early settlers didn’t believe in living on mountainsides; they looked for valleys. Ban-

Beech Mountain

At 5,506 feet, Beech Mountain is the highest town in eastern North America. That means two things: when winter comes, it’s a great place to ski. More important right now, however, is that even on the hottest day of summer, it’s cool on top of Beech Mountain. Even when it’s steamy in the “lowlands” of 3,000-plus feet, the temperature stays comfortable here. The rest of the world seems very distant when you settle down on the front porch of a rental condo and survey the magniﬁcent view that is one of Beech Mountain’s trademarks. As the cool summer night air sends you looking for a sweater, you’ll probably smile at the thought of how hot it is down in the lowlands. SEE OUR TOWNS, PAGE 74

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Parkway From page 50

Milepost 272: Jeffress Park At E.B. Jeffress Park, there are plenty of hiking trails and a picnic area. Jeffress Park can be accessed from the parkway despite the detour. Just drive past the detour sign through the construction area to the entrance of the park. There are two historic structures here, the Jesse Brown Cabin, built in the mid-1800s and the Cool Spring Baptist Church.

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as well as 25 miles of hiking trails. The campground has 197 spaces, which are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Price Lake is classified as general trout waters and no motor boating or swimming is allowed. The waters are excellent for fishing, but everyone over 16 who holds a pole should also hold a state license.

Pisgah National Forest, which continues all the way down through milepost 355. The drive through this area is incredibly scenic, and there are plenty of places to pull off the road and go for a walk or have a picnic lunch. There are no facilities along much of this stretch, so take lots of water with you and don’t forget where you parked your car if you venture into the woods.

Milepost 298-305: Grandfather Mountain Between mileposts 298 and 305 is Grandfather Mountain, the crown jewel of the parkway. This area is replete with awesome views and hiking trails, and the road itself is a tremendous sight.

Milepost 290: Thunder Hill

Milepost 304: The Linn Cove Viaduct

Thunder Hill is an exceptional overlook near Blowing Rock, with unparalleled views of the Yadkin River Valley. This overlook is very popular with the locals, serving as a prime vantage point for observing celestial events.

The Linn Cove Viaduct, which wraps around Grandfather, is one of the great engineering feats of the parkway. Completed in 1987 after close to 20 years of study, deliberation and construction, the viaduct is an elevated bridge that spans 7.5-miles around the perimeter of Grandfather Mountain. Constructed from the top down and pre-cast indoors to minimize the disturbance to the forested hillside, scrupulous care was taken to ensure that the exposed rocks and trees along the viaduct were protected. This example of the stewardly melding of architecture and nature proves that human interests and natural areas can coexist through careful and compassionate planning and action. The Linn Cove Viaduct Visitors’ Center, located at milepost 304, providing travelers with restrooms and information, can be reached at (828) 733-1354.

Milepost 293-295: Moses Cone Park Moses Cone Park is home to the Cone Manor, a lovely Queen Anne-style home that has been turned into the Southern Highlands Craft Guild’s Parkway Craft Center, which is accompanied by a visitors’ center. The visitors’ center can be reached at (828) 295-3782. Throughout the season, traditional craftspeople occasionally provide demonstrations on the front porch of the house. The park also has 25 miles of carriage trails for curious visitors to explore on foot or horseback.

Milepost 295-299: Julian Price Park At 4,200 acres, Price Park has much to offer. There is an amphitheater, picnic area, campground and canoe rentals,

Milepost 308: Pisgah National Forest At milepost 308 the Parkway begins its run through

Milepost 310: Lost Cove Cliffs Locals, visitors and scientists alike question the origin of the mysterious lights that appear to flicker and move about on distant mountains. Occasionally visible from this overlook, the Brown Mountain Lights have been the subject of almost a century of speculation and study. The earliest explanation for the lights dates back to an 800-year old Cherokee legend that says the lights are the spirits of slain warriors. Some scientists now believe the lights are an electrical phenomenon similar to the Great Northern Lights. The truth remains a mystery.

Milepost 316.5: Linville Falls

The grand finale as the parkway leaves the High Country is the magnificent Linville Falls. The waterfalls at Linville are breathtaking and are accessible by a number of short trails. The small gift shop offers an assortment of postcards and books. The campground is open year-round. Backpacking is allowed in adjacent Linville Gorge, one of the most rugged parts of the Eastern United States - contact Pisgah National Forest for details on this opportunity. For more information, contact the Linville Falls Visitor Center at (828) 765-1045. By Scott Nicholson

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The mountain is so huge that much of it remains in a natural state, with rich forests dotted by rolling farm land. It’s only a short drive from the “downtown” to the country - or resorts. Take your pick! Our guess is if you spend some time in Beech Mountain, you’ll want to come back to do some real estate shopping. Or at least book a slopeside condo for the ski season! Beech Mountain Area Chamber of Commerce: 828-387-9283.

Sugar Mountain. On weekends, weather permitting, visitors can ride the ski lift to the 5,300 foot peak of Sugar Mountain. The 40 minuet round trip ride features a spectacular view of the High Country and runs from July 4 to Labor Day weekend. If heights aren’t your thing, Sugar Mountain can also be seen on foot. With numerous trails that wind throughout the Village of Sugar Mountain, you can see both the brilliant greens of the summer as well as the vibrant reds and yellows of the fall. The trails of Sugar Mountain are not just for those on foot. Many bikers choose the Village of Sugar Mountain for its variety of challenging and picturesque terrain. The Village of Sugar Mountain also gives tennis and golf lovers an opportunity to enjoy their favorite sports in the beautiful mountain setting. With Sugar Mountain’s golf course, six fast-dry clay courts and full service tennis pro shop, visitors will never be faced with the problem of ﬁnding something to do. Whether you come for a day or stay in one of the many comfortable lodgings the Village has to offer, Sugar Mountain will soon become your destination for great outdoor fun. Avery-Banner Elk County Chamber of Commerce: 828-898-5605.

Seven Devils

OUR TOWNS FROM PAGE 71

Beech Mountain is a four-season resort. There are over 5,000 beds available on top of the mountain. These range from the rustic cabins to mountain chalets to luxury condominiums. When it’s time to eat, you can enjoy anything from a deli sandwich to a gourmet meal by candlelight. During the days, there are many specialty stores for shopping, a golf course, horseback riding, tennis, swimming and hiking. There are nearby canoe and raft runs that are among the best the east offers. Nightlife is alive and well on the mountain. Whatever your musical taste, you can ﬁnd a spot to enjoy an afterhours scene. There’s another good thing about Beech Mountain.

The town of Seven Devils has its foundation as a resort community, though its history dates back to Native Americans who were likely seasonal hunters of the mountains. The town, which straddles the Watauga and Avery County border near N.C. 105/221, is noted for its craggy peaks such as Hanging Rock, Hawksbill Rock and Four Diamond Range. Developers of a resort gave the town its name in the mid 1960’s, and it grew as a golf course, ski slope, lake, riding ground and camping area. After the resort venture experienced ﬁnancial trouble, the town was incorporated in 1979. While the golf course has been closed for a couple of years, Hawksnest Ski & Snow Tubing has expanded its operations and is one of the town’s centerpieces, though it’s also treasured as a quiet vacation and retirement community. The town is also celebrated for its scenic views, particularly of nearby Grandfather Mountain. For more information and events, visit www.townofsevendevils.org.

Sugar Mountain If outdoor activity is your thing, look no further than the Village of Sugar Mountain. Offering more than just great skiing, Sugar Mountain also provides its visitors with an array of ways to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the High Country. One attraction in particular is the summer lift rides on

The Jeffersons

The twin cities of Jefferson and West Jefferson lie in the center of Ashe County. They are classic small towns, with warm, friendly people - and there’s always a place to park. Jefferson was the ﬁrst to be founded, and is the oldest incorporated town in the High Country. It started in 1800 as the county seat for Ashe, which the General Assembly formed the year before. The new town stood near the base of Mount Jefferson. Both bore the name of Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, vice president and then a political hero along the western frontier. Later that year, he would win election as president of the United States. Even as the population of Ashe County grew, Jefferson remained a quiet place, with relatively few homes and a courthouse. The focus of the county was, as it still remains, in the rural parts. Then the railroad came. Overnight, boom towns like Lansing and Todd grew. Logging meant work and money was relatively plentiful. All that, however, bypassed the Town of Jefferson. In 1917, a group of investors founded West Jefferson. Located south and west of Jefferson, the new community attracted the railroad. Jefferson went into an immediate decline. West Jefferson became the economic center of the county, though Todd, a major railroad center, was larger. Eventually, the railroad left. Lansing, Todd and other rail towns shrank to their present size. Fortunately, the Jeffersons soon had good roads and prospered. Today, the towns have differences and similarities. The old courthouse and surrounding buildings in Jefferson are the center of county government. A shopping center SEE OUR TOWNS, PAGE 75

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is located there, offering retail stores and services. The beautiful Ashe County Park and the Foster-Tyson Park is a perfect spot for an in-town picnic. West Jefferson’s downtown is busy and active. The old stores still stand and are full of interesting, dynamic shops. The town’s stores offer everything from real estate to clothes. The visitor center, operated by the Chamber of Commerce, offers answers to questions and a wide selection of brochures. West Jefferson is home of the Christmas in July festival, an annual summer celebration of the holiday and the Christmas tree industry. The event features two days of live music, over 100 art and craft booths, and the friendliest people you could find anywhere! The Jeffersons are also the gateway to the region’s two state parks. Mount Jefferson State Park is located just off Hwy 221. To the north of Jefferson are the access areas for the New River State Park. Just south of West Jefferson, near the community of Beaver Creek, is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. This is the home of the famous fresco of Jesus on the cross by renowned artist Ben Long. A painting of the Madonna pregnant with Jesus hangs on the sanctuary wall. Come to the Jeffersons and find what it was that made small-town life so special. You’ll find that special life alive and well in these wonderful twin towns. Ashe County Chamber of Commerce: 336-246-9550.

Newland Surrounded by renowned attractions and resorts, the Town of Newland also attracts, but quietly. This small municipality of about 700 residents has been the county seat since Avery County incorporated in 1911, beating out three other areas for the honor. Newland has the distinction of being the highest county seat east of the Mississippi. The ﬁne traditional courthouse, recently renovated, was constructed in 1913, and overlooks an equally classic town square, bordered by shops and churches and complete with a memorial to Avery County veterans. Next to the courthouse, and also built in 1913, is the original jail, now the site of the Avery Historical Museum. Permanent exhibits at the museum include the original jail cells, numerous artifacts and information about Avery County history. Going west out of town toward Tennessee, plan a Saturday stop at the Farmers Market, and picnic or hike across the road at the Waterfalls Park, a unique recreation area sponsored by the Newland Volunteer Fire Department. A new Heritage Park, currently under construction, will be a major attraction when completed, due for sometime next year. So when you’re driving through town on your way to Roan or Grandfather Mountains, don’t forget to stop at Newland on your tour. Avery-Banner Elk County Chamber of Commerce: 828-898-5605. SEE OUR TOWNS, PAGE 76

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Todd (PICTURED) There was time when Todd, nestled on the banks of the New River on the border of Ashe and Watauga counties, was the largest community in the region. It was a logging boom town back then, and the timber trains roared along the valley. Todd bustled, with many stores and hotels. Those days are long gone, but Todd remains a too-often overlooked treasure of the High Country. And while the train is gone - and with it the bustle - this little community has a lot to offer, starting with some of the best sites for bicycling, paddlesports and fishing around. The old train depot, a part of Todd life since the 1920s, is now home to Appalachian Adventures outfitters. Up the road, there’s the old Todd General Store which opened in 1914. The General Store, one of four historic structures in the community recently painted with funds raised in the community, is a living reminder of the old railroad days. The store features a Friday night traditional mountain music jam which attracts musicians from hundreds of miles around, and a newly created park across from the store hosts a summer music series at the ‘depot’ stage set up by the New River. There’s no community perhaps anywhere that has more scenic approaches than Todd. No matter which way you choose to get there, you’re in for a treat. Consider these options: If you’re in Boone, there are two ways you can reach Todd. The first is to follow N.C. 194, a state-designated Scenic Byway, north from its intersection with U.S. 421 (near New Market Center, on the east end of town; watch for the sign). This route runs through farms and forests along an 11-mile run to Todd. The second choice is to turn off U.S. 421 at Brownwood Road. This is in Rutherwood, about two miles west of Deep Gap and seven miles east of Boone. Brownwood Road is located next to the office of Brady’s Roofing Co. and Pro Hardware. After crossing the construction for the new four-lane Highway 421, the route returns to beautiful rural Watauga County. First, you travel up through farms and woods to Brownwood, where a cattle farm fills a scenic valley. After crossing a large bridge, turn left on Railroad Grade Road and follow it to Todd. A word about Railroad Grade Road. This actually follows the route of the old railroad that once ran here. It runs right along one of the most beautiful parts of the New River. The scenery is gorgeous along the ride - a total of about eight miles. Because it is level, it is a premier family bicycling destination, so watch out for cyclists as you drive along. If you’re in the Jeffersons, you can pick up N.C. 194 south of town, just off N.C. 221 - watch for the signs. 194

SEE OUR TOWNS, PAGE 77

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OUR TOWNS

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FROM PAGE 76

is a Scenic Byway in this area, and it is a very pretty ride. It is also a fairly curvy road, so watch your speed!

Mountain City High on the Eastern Continental Divide, Johnson County, Tennessee, is the eastern-most county in the state. Mountain City is the county seat, a community rich in history and the center of commerce for the area. There are many shops and stores that serve both local residents and visitors. The town has a truly marvelous setting, as much of Johnson County remains little changed since pioneer days. Traveling there will reward the visitor with spectacular scenery – and the added bonus of Mountain City and all it offers at the end of the road. The county is also a gateway to Watauga Lake. The place to begin your visit is the beautiful Johnson County Welcome Center. Conveniently located on U.S. 421 in a lovely log building, the Center provides information on the many attractions of Mountain City and the county around it. Their hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday,a nd 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. The telephone number is 423-727-5800. In 1749, Peter Jefferson (Thomas’s father) stood on Pond Mountain in what is now western Ashe County and looked west towards this area. Twenty years later, Daniel Boone and a party of pioneers cut a trail through here, deﬁning a path that settlers would follow. Some of those made their home at what would become Mountain City. Be sure to visit this special town – walk where Daniel Boone once cut a way through the wilderness.

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        

Leaf Lookers Information From The Mast General Store                                                   

       

            

        

             

              

    

        

                 

                        

                    

        

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on the Backstreet, and features a variety of local artisans, featuring not only locally grown fresh produce but candles, crafts, lotions, salves, Appalachian arts, crafts, jams, vinegars, nut butter, and more. The market often hosts special events and activities. A Cake Baking Contest is scheduled for Sept. 4 and an Apple Pie Contest is planned Sept. 25. Summer Saturday mornings at the market are community gatherings, as much as a chance to barter and buy, where many of the same people gather to sell their goods, and many others return each week for reliable service and products, a quick healthy snack or unique gift. Wednesday mornings offer a more relaxed shopping environment with produce so fresh it often still has the morning dew on it. Besides the usual mouthwatering attractions, the market features special days throughout the year, with grilling demonstrations, samples, contests, crafting exhibitions, and special days to commemorate a speciﬁc vegetable. Local growers are also happy to recycle or re-use your egg cartons, berry baskets, or cloth shopping bags, or bring your own bags or boxes to help reduce waste and keep the region more sustainable. For more information or schedule of events, visit www. ashefarmersmarket.com.

isting farmer’s market, not compete with it, and it has a slightly different focus, with emphasis on fresh, local produce and local handmade crafts, art, and jewelry. It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday through October.

It GROWS on you

FARMERS’ MARKETS The High Country takes a lot of pride in its local agriculture, from farm tours and community-supported agriculture programs to the local farmer’s markets. The region serves up five farmer’s markets, with four shopping days through the harvest season, along with plenty of special events, entertainment and ways to connect with local growers and craft creators. For fresh locally grown produce, handmade baked goods, colorful flowers, plants and healthy herbs, as well as juried traditional mountain crafts, the Watauga County Farmers’ Market in Boone offers up a community experience that is not to be missed. Operating on Saturdays through Oct. 30 and on Wednesdays through Sept. 29, hours are from 8 a.m. until noon, or until everything is gone, rain or shine. The market also provides live music from local acts such as Crys Matthews and Galen Wilkes, with a pie contest on Sept. 18 and an Appalachian Crafts Day on Oct. 16. Opening in 1974, the market serves as a direct link between local farmers and the consumer. The transactions also benefit the local economy by keeping the money close to home and circulating within the region. The market members take pride in the high quality products they sell and enjoy coming to the market as much as do their customers. The vendors encourage their visitors to spend extra time to talk with them about their products and their methods of growing and crafting. From growers in Watauga or surrounding counties come fresh seasonal fruits and berries, jams, jellies, mustard, chutneys and honey, fresh herbs and herbal products, including teas, salves, vinegars, soap and potpourri, flowers, fresh cut and dried, wreaths and arrangements, fresh baked breads, cakes and pastries, fresh farm eggs, farm-based crafts and decorative items featuring wool, birdhouses, pottery, baskets and handcrafted yard art and garden furniture, and a large selection of plants, including annuals, perennials and shrubs. Located in the Horn in the West parking lot, just off U.S. 421 and the N.C. 105 Extension, the Watauga County Farmers’ Market is convenient from any direction. For more information and news about featured in-season produce, visit www.wataugacountyfarmersmarket. org.

Ashe County Farmers’ Market Ashe County’s farmer’s market is open every Saturday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. through October. The market is located in downtown West Jefferson,

Sunday Market A farmers’ market is held each Sunday in the parking lot of Earth Fare in Boone. The Sunday market is intended to expand on the ex-

Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market

Blowing Rock’s market is held every Thursday in season from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. It’s a follow-up to a successful ﬁrst year. It will be open through Oct. 14. The Blowing Rock Fresh Market is craft free, focusing solely on local produce. Live bluegrass music is a staple of the family friendly market. About 25 vendors are participating this year, many of them veterans of other local farmers’ markets who are looking for more consumer connections, and hundreds of customers enjoy the market every week. The market is located downtown on Wallingford Street. For more information, call (828) 295-7851.

Valle Crucis Farmers’ Market

A farmers’ market in Valle Crucis is held Fridays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m at the Original Mast General Store on Broadstone Road. The market is focusing on fresh foods and produce and no crafts, with several vendors already participating. There is no vendor fee, as the store is trying to build up the market. The Friday afternoon market in Valle Crucis will run through Sept. 24. Interested vendors can call Mary Wood at Mast Store at (828) 963-6511.

2010

The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

LEaf-LookinG From page 30

with night length than yearly fluctuations of temperature, so they should be fairly predictable each year. During the spring and summer, most deciduous trees’ leaves expand, as well as set the buds that store energy for the following spring. When the nights lengthen during the fall season, cellular division increases along the stem, but cellular expansion stops. This process leads to a blockage of necessary materials to the branch and a loss of chlorophyll, resulting in a change of color. While the change in colors is a fairly predictable process, the quality of colors and length of the season do depend on factors, such as temperature and soil quality. So, when will it be best to catch these colors? Dr. Howard Neufeld, professor of plant physiology at Appalachian State University, said, “It’s still a little early to make [a prediction], but if the weather cooperates (cool sunny days for most of September, cool, but not freezing nights), then we should have good fall color (those conditions bring out the reds, which people think makes for great fall

color).” Neufeld also said, “The peak at this elevation [the Boone area] is usually mid-October, and for every 1,000 foot drop in elevation, it is delayed by about a week or so.” You can find a map of peak times for fall color, links to thorough explanations of leaf physiology, and a list of fall color plants on Neufeld’s website, The Fall Color Guy, found at today.appstate.edu/fall-colors.

Three Top/Elk Knob Loop From the U.S. 421/321 intersection across from Dan’l Boone Inn, drive 0.9 miles south on 421 and turn left at the light onto N.C.194. This will be your last opportunity for gas on this drive, so you may want to stop in town. At 4.3 miles, you will pass The Corner Market on Meat Camp Road to your left. Here you can get a variety of snacks and drinks. At 10.8 miles, turn left onto Three Top Road. Continue down this road for 10.3 miles and turn left onto Peak Road. Be sure to turn and look back after this turn to see unique peaks and rock formations. Peak Road will turn into Muddy Branch Road. At 2.3 miles, the road ends at N.C. 88 (there may not be a sign with the road name). Turn left here. At 4.4 miles, turn left onto Sutherland Road (which becomes Meat Camp Road further down, the same road you passed earlier on

your way in). Continue on, bearing right at 2 miles. At 5.6 miles, you will see Snake Mountain on your right and, if you’re alert, will see a couple pull-offs if you want to get out of the car. At 6.3 miles, you will see the entrance to Elk Knob State Park on your left. If you stop here awhile, there is a steep 1.8 mile trail to the top that allows you to view the entire area (on a good day) between Mt. Rogers in Virginia to Mt. Mitchell, N.C. (the highest point east of the Mississippi). Continuing on Meat Camp Road, at 11.6 miles, you will meet back with N.C. 194 at The Corner Market. Turn right, and drive 4.3 miles back to Boone. This drive offers some amazing fall scenery. It has many tight turns, and you will not have many places to pull off and take pictures. Yet for the driver looking for the whole autumn experience more so than the postcard image, this drive will be very rewarding. Entire drive time (round trip, without stopping): 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Linville and Wiseman’s View If you’re hoping to get out of the car for a photo opportunity with the autumn Blue Ridge, consider venturing to Wiseman’s View in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. This spot provides one of the most majestic views around, surveying the length of the gorge.

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To get there, start at the U.S. 321/N.C. 105 intersection in downtown Boone (at the twostory Wendy’s). Drive South on 105. At 7.0 miles, as you enter Foscoe, look up and you will see an excellent view of Grandfather Mountain’s profile. At 16.6 miles, turn right onto U.S. 221 South (Linville Bypass). At 0.6 miles, turn left onto 221 South. At 2.8 miles, turn left onto N.C. 181 South. Drive 3.2 miles and turn right onto N.C. 183. This road drives alongside beaver ponds and provides a few views of ridge tops. At 3.8 miles, you will turn left at the big Pisgah National Forest: Linville Gorge Wilderness Area sign. This gravel road can be very rough—tight turns, steep inclines, and heavy washboarding in spots—and if there has been a heavy rain, four-wheel drive is recommended. Drive 4 miles and turn left at the Wiseman’s View sign and park your car. You’ll have about a five minute, very easy walk to the view. This area is all paved and is wheelchair accessible. At the top, you will see almost the entire gorge stretching from beyond Hawksbill to your left, to Table Rock immediately across from you, and the Chimneys formation to your right. Drive distance (one way): 31 miles. Jonathan Bradshaw

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THE MOUNTAIN TIMES AUTUMN GUIDE

FESTIVALS FROM PAGE 63

Woolly Worm Festival Banner Elk Oct. 16-17 More than a thousand will make the run, but only one can predict the weather. And somebody is going home with $1,000. The 33rd annual Woolly Worm Festival, held Oct. 16-17, takes place in Banner Elk, featuring woolly worm races for all ages and two days of family fun and local flavor. Like last year, gates now open at 9 a.m. on both days. Festival goers are encouraged to bring their woolly worms and enter them into the races. The winner of Saturday’s final race wins $1,000 for its owner and the prestige of predicting the official winter weather forecast. It’s a long-standing mountain tradition to predict the severity of the upcoming winter by looking at the woolly worm. Each worm has 13 banded segments, corresponding to the approximately 13 weeks of winter. Lighter, red-brown segments mean milder conditions during that week, whereas darker, black segments mean cold and snowy conditions during that week. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the woolly worm prediction is correct or close to correct up to 80 percent of the time. SEE FESTIVALS, PAGE 85

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FESTIVALS FROM PAGE 84

The Woolly Worm races begin around 10 a.m. Each heat consists of 25 worms sprinting up three feet of string. Races continue all day until the grand ﬁnal around 4 p.m. The winning worm on Saturday is declared the ofﬁcial winter forecasting agent. The Sunday worm races are for prestige, fun and small prizes. Merriweather, the giant woolly worm mascot, will be there for the kids, and families can also enjoy music, 140 arts and crafts vendors, and food, in addition to the worm races. The accompanying 5-K Woad Wace is held at the nearby Lees-McRae College and winds though mountain roads, and there’s also a one-mile “Fun Run” for the less-serious runners. A Woolly Worm Ball is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10 at Buckeye Recreation Center in Beech Mountain. The dance

begins at 6:30 p.m., with $50 tickets per couple. The ticket price includes heavy hors d’oeuvres prepared by the Alpen Restaurant & Bar and includes one drink with your ticket. There’s also a silent auction, with all proceeds going to promote the Buckeye Recreation Center kids’ playground expansion and tourism and small business in Avery County communities. A king and queen of the dance will also be crowned. The Avery Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk sponsor the festival. A portion of the Woolly Worm Festival proceeds goes to children’s charities. For more information, contact the Avery Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce at (828) 898-5605 or (800) 972-2183.

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Autumn in BLOWING ROCK

Last year Blowing Rock was voted North Carolina’s Prettiest Town by a panel of state journalists. Chances are those journalists visited Blowing Rock during the fall, when there is little chance for any other village to “outpretty” us. Fall in Blowing Rock also means a chance to break out your warm weather gear for the ﬁrst time in many months and to explore nature’s autumnal palette as the trees explode in crimson, orange and gold. In addition to our wondrous natural attractions, there are plenty of manmade attractions that keep folks coming back to Blowing Rock year after year. Here’s a look at your Blowing Rock events schedule for this fall:

Blowing Rock Jazz Society For the past decade, the Blowing Rock Jazz Society has been bringing the ﬁnest jazz talent in the Southeast to

Blowing Rock for its monthly “Second Sunday” concert series. This falls lineup includes The Jim Ketch Quintet on September 12, vibraphonist John Metzger and his band on October 10, and jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan and Friends on November 7. Concerts are held at the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock from 7 to 9 p.m. and seating begins around 6:30 p.m. Reservations are suggested as these fabulous concerts tend to sell out. Admission is $15 for the general public, $5 for students, and free for all BRJS members in good standing. For more information, call the Meadowbrook Inn at (828) 295-4300.

Farmer’s Market The second annual season of the Blowing Rock Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. from now through October 14. Find all of your fall ﬂowers, ﬁne foods, pumpkins and more from over two-dozen local farms. The Farmer’s Market is located

on Wallingford St. behind Blowing Rock Memorial Park. For more information, call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at (828) 295-7851.

Free Ranger Programs

The Blue Ridge Parkway and the National Park Service present free Ranger Programs at the Cone Manor Estate, Julian Price Park and Julian Price Lake Amphitheater every weekend from now through October 17. Find out about ﬂora, fauna and the history of our park system through these informative programs that are fun for the whole family. To ﬁnd out about this week’s programs, call (828) 295-2782.

Sunset Stroll Enjoy music, the ﬁne arts and some delicious food at SEE BLOWING ROCK, PAGE 87

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

BLowing Rock From page 86

the monthly Sunset Stroll, scheduled for Friday, September 10 on Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock. A number of art galleries, restaurants, wine merchants and other business will be holding open houses, live music shows, art demonstrations and other events starting at 5:30 p.m. The Sunset Stroll is free for all. For more information, call (828) 295-6991.

Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend Some folks love Tweetsie for the rides and the fun entertainment. But there are some people who just love a good old train. Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend, September 11-12, is a salute to those Tweetsie visitors who enjoy the history of the theme park’s two steam-powered locomotives. The weekend features tours of the park’s physical plant where engineers keep the locomotives in tip-top shape plus a look back at the history of the trains and the parks. For more information, visit www. tweetsie.com.

Art in the Park

The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce presents monthly Art in the Park events each month between May and October. The final two Art in Parks are set for Saturday, September 11 and Saturday, October 2. Both events will be held at the new Blowing Rock Parking Deck on Wallingford St., beside the Blowing Rock American Legion Hall, behind Memorial Park. Art in the Park features nearly 100 artisans and craftspeople presenting everything imaginable including painting, jewelry, photography, woodwork, metal work, pottery, fabric items and much more. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the Chamber at (828) 295-7851.

Concert in the Park

The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce will host a Sunday concert in the park event on September 12 at Blowing Rock Memorial Park. The event takes place from 4 to 5 p.m. and will feature the top-notch Dixieland band The Blue Notes. This free concert is sure to engage the entire family with the swaying rhythms and uptempo brass sounds of New Orleans. The Chamber

of Commerce invites all music lovers to bring their lawn chairs or picnic blankets to the park for this special event. For more information, call (828) 295-7851.

Blue Ridge Heritage Days Blowing Rock will celebrate the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary with Blue Ridge Heritage Days, scheduled for Friday through Sunday, September 17-19. The centerpiece of the celebration will be a street festival on Main Street on Saturday, September 18. The event will include food and craft vendors, live music and dancing, a liar’s contest, heritage skills demonstrations and much more. Friday’s event will include guided tours through the historic parts of Blowing Rock and Sunday’s event will feature a Mountainhome Music concert and brunch at the Meadowbrook Inn. For more information, visit www.blowingrock.com/heritagedays.htm.

Ghost Train Tweetsie Railroad will present its annual Ghost Train and Halloween Festival on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of October. The gates open at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Attractions include a spooky ride on the Ghost Train, Haunted House, Creepy Carnival and Amusement Park Rides, the Boneyard, Freaky Forest, the Black Hole, 3-D Maze, Tweetsie Palace Spooktacular, trick-or-treating for the kids on Main St. Admission is $27 for adults and kids and free for kids ages two and under. For more information, visit www.tweetsie.com, or call 1-877-TWEETSIE.

Die Rhinelanders Return The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce presents as its last concert in the park for 2010 a special appearance by Die Rhinelanders Oktoberfest Band on Sunday, October 3 from 4 to 5 p.m. This free concert takes place in Blowing Rock Memorial Park and folks are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to the show (no beer, please). This is Die Rhinelanders 23rd consecutive year to perform in Blowing Rock. Don’t miss it! For more information, call (828) 295-7851.

Jerry Burns Golf Tournament The Rotary Club of Blowing Rock will present the inaugural Jerry Burns Charity Golf Tournament on Wednesday, October 6 at the Blowing Rock Country Club. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and the rain date is Wednesday, October 13. All proceeds support Blowing Rock and Watauga County non-profit agencies and scholarships. Entry fee is $150 per golfer ($125 for Blowing Rock Country Club members) and the tournament will feature a number of team and individual prizes. The tournament is limited to 92 players. For more information, call event chairman Don Hubble at (828) 295-3625.

Fall Festival The Blowing Rock School will hold its annual Fall Festival on Friday, October 29. Activities include games and play stations for kids, a bake sale, crafts, and a chance to see Watauga County’s “School of Excellence.” For more information, call (828) 295-3204.

Halloween Festival The Blowing Rock Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual Halloween Festival on Saturday, October 30. The event features trick-or-treating, a costume

contest, monster march, scavenger hunt by Broyhill Lake and much more. For more information, call (828) 295-5222.

Blowing Rock Christmas

Before you’ve had a chance to enjoy your first Thanksgiving leftover turkey sandwich, Blowing Rock is celebrating Christmas. It’s a tradition in our village to get right into the holiday season on Thanksgiving weekend. On Friday, November 26, the Town will hold its annual Christmas in the Park and Lighting of the Town in Blowing Rock Memorial Park, complete with hot chocolate, hot apple cider, bonfires (if permissible), and Christmas carols. Join Mayor J.B. Lawrence as he flips the switch around 5:30 p.m. and all of the beautiful Christmas lights come on downtown. On Saturday, November 27, the Town of Blowing Rock will celebrate the season with its annual Christmas Parade down Main St. at 2 p.m. The parade features floats, classical cars, horses, bands and much more. For more information, call the Blowing Rock Parks & Recreation Department at (828) 2955222. Jeff Eason

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Blue Ridge Heritage Days The Town of Blowing Rock will put on a downtown street festival on Saturday, September 18 in honor of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary. Wrapped around Saturday’s festivities, Blue Ridge Heritage Days will celebrate the art, history and culture of mountain living with exhibits, demonstrations, musical performances, a parade of historic cars and games for all ages. Events scheduled for Friday evening and Sunday morning will round out the weekend celebration. Coming just before leaf season but as the coolness of impending fall weather envelopes the Crown of the Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge Heritage Days is the perfect time to book an overnight stay. On Saturday several blocks on Main Street will be closed for the ﬁrst time to vehicles and tents will house artists and crafters demonstrating everything from broom making to pottery turning. A stage will be erected at Laurel Lane and festival attendees will enjoy music by local bands. A Liar’s Competition will entertain the crowd and dancers will demonstrate traditional clogging and square dancing.

In Memorial Park, games and activities will remind older folks of childhood pastimes and entertain the younger generation as well. In the afternoon a parade of cars will make its way up Sunset to Main Street, with a model for each year of the Parkway’s existence. All Saturday events are free. * Friday, September 17: Evening guided tours of downtown featuring the town’s history, architecture, trivia and ghosts (fee). *Saturday, September 18: 11:00 a.m., opening ceremonies and crafter demonstrations; 11:30, games in Memorial Park; noon, Diana & Sarvis Ridge on stage; 2 p.m., parade of cars, 3 p.m., games and rafﬂes in Memorial Park; 4 p.m., Liar’s Competition; 5 p.m., cloggers and country dancers on stage; 7 p.m., street dance with The Neighbors. *Sunday, September 19: Mountain Home Music Breakfast at Meadowbrook Inn (fee). For more information and updates visit blowingrock.com/heritagedays.htm Jeff Eason

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Art in Ashe County

SEPTEMBER Gallery Crawl Friday, September 10, 2010 5 pm -8 pm Open house at downtown galleries and shops Free

Tickling the Ivories Saturday, September 11, 2010 Ashe Civic Center An evening of piano music with local pianists $12 adults, $5 students

Literary Festival September 14-18 Community read, author talks, performances, special events www.onthesamepagefestival.org

Elliot Engel Tuesday, September 14, 2010 Ashe Arts Center Literary talk about NC Authors as part of the Literary Festival $10 adults, $5 students

Art on the Mountain Saturday, September 25, 2010 West Jefferson School-Downtown West Jefferson 9:00-3:00 pm Fine art, master crafts, artist demonstrations Free

Frescoe Festival

Members of the Parish of the Holy Communion welcome you to join us at the annual Festival of the Frescoes on Saturday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event takes place on the grounds of the Mission House across from Holy Trinity Episcopal church (site of the Ben Long ‘Last Supper’ fresco), in Glendale Springs. Take part in a fun-filled day that includes great bargains at Granny’s Attic sale, delicious goodies at the Bake Shop booth, drawings for beautifully handcrafted art items that include a lap quilt, pottery, etc., and delicious food at the outdoor ‘Fresco Café’. Outside vendors will be on hand to display all types of arts and crafts, as well. Enjoy a picnic under the shade of old trees, or sit under the tent by the side porch while listening to entertainment performed by local musicians and church groups. The Fresco Festival offers tons of fun for everyone, and its proceeds are devoted to outreach programs. Parking areas are adjacent to the fair grounds and tour buses are welcome. More information is available online at www. churchofthefrescoes.com, or by calling (336) 982-3076. Ron Fitzwater

336-846-ARTS OCTOBER Ashe County Little Theatre The Mountain in Us October 1,2,3 Ashe Civic Center An original script by local author Jim Gambill describing the story of Martin Gambill and the local citizens who where involved in the battle of Kings Mountain. $10 adults, $5 students Gallery Crawl Friday, October8, 2010 5 pm -8 pm Open house at downtown galleries and shops Free 336-846-ARTS

sults. $12 adults, $5 students 336-846-ARTS Missoula Children’s Theatre October 18-23 The Wizard of Oz Week long residency and two performances with Ashe County youth. $10 adults, $5 students 336-846-ARTS NOVEMBER Coffee House Talent Night Saturday, November 6, 2010 7:30 pm West Jefferson Methodist Church Hensley Hall 336-846-ARTS

Best of the Blue Ridge October 7-November 19, 2010 Ashe Arts Center Annual juried exhibit Opening reception: Friday, October 8, 2010

An Appalachian Concerto Saturday, November 20 7:30 Ashe Civic Center The premier of a new work by the Kruger Brothers and the Blue Ridge Chamber Players $12 adults, $5 students

Lynn Trefzger Saturday, October 16 7:30 pm Ashe Civic Center A ventriloquist and comedienne with a trunk full of zany characters that accompanies Lynn to the stage with hilarious re-

Tree Fest November 22- December 30 Ashe Arts Center Decorated trees, holiday gift items, miniature paintings 336-846-ARTS

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WHEEL’S UP! ashe co. skate park Although it is slightly out of the way, dozens of skateboarders make their way to Ashe County Park in Jefferson to test their skills on the newly relocated Appalachian Skate Park (ASP). Originally located in Boone, the ASP was purchased by Ashe County Parks and Recreation (ACPR) in July 2009 from the ASP Committee in Boone. Over several months, ACPR employees worked to ﬁnd the proper spot for the skate park and get the facility up and running. The skate park ofﬁcially opened on Saturday, June 12, giving a place for anyone riding skateboards or in-line skates (no bicycles) a place to jump, ollie, grind and, generally, have a good time. “It’s a good feeling to know that folks are able to get out there, use the equipment versus it sitting there unused,” said Daniel Quin, Athletic Director for ACPR. He noted that it “took a while to get the concrete surface proper and correct” for the ramps to be set up on and to get the equipment reassembled, which required reconstructing a few pieces. Quin noted that they considered both concrete and asphalt for the surface, but decided to go with concrete. SEE SKATE PARK, PAGE 92

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Skate Park From page 90

“It’s a pleasant surface to ride on,” he said. The relocation was welcomed for Buzz Berry, one of the original three ASP investors in Boone who helped design the skate park. “We really needed to provide a safe place for people to enjoy the sport,” Berry said of the ASP. “We wanted to get kids - of all ages, whether they be college or adult - anyone who wanted to enjoy the sport of skateboarding to be able to go to a safe place and enjoy it. We wanted to get them off the sidewalk, out of the streets or in front of businesses and give them a designated place to be.” Berry noted that the ASP was designed for “the beginner and intermediate skater, although an advanced skater can still enjoy it” and that it was also “designed for flow so you can get from one element to the other just by rolling across. You just keep going from one place to the other non-stop.” Regarding the move, Berry simply said, “it was a happy thing that Ashe County decided they wanted to welcome it over there. “What a beautiful location for it to be, in

Ashe Park,” he said. “It was great news for it to wind up in such a positive environment.” Quin said he feels the ASP will bring “a better variety of activities for park users to enjoy” in Jefferson at the 75-acre park that already features two playgrounds, athletic fields, a disc golf course, a pond for fishing and picnic shelters. Park officials are also stressing the importance of skaters following North Carolina laws that require all users to wear safety helmets along with kneepads and elbow pads. “We want to make sure everyone is safe and is enjoying themselves out there,” said Quin. “Part of that enjoyment is not having people get hurt. We understand that skateboarding is getting scrapes here and there is part of the sport, [because] it’s an inherently dangerous sport. “There’s a lot of life lessons in skateboarding,” said Berry, “and it’s a great way to meet new friends, too.” For more information about the Skate Park or Ashe County Park, call Ashe County Parks and Recreation at (336) 982-6185.

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Lansing, North Carolina: Echoes of the Past, Whispers of Tomorrow “I didn’t think there were any towns like this left,” said a visitor standing in the antiques store. The woman, from up North, was simply enthralled by the quaint surroundings of the small Appalachian town she had found by accident, but wouldn’t forget. Lansing, one of the oldest towns in Ashe County, traces its history back to 1914. Then, it was growing both economically and in population. Commerce was the word and ore mined in the area was the life-blood that was carried North by the Norfolk and Western Railroad (NWR) until the mining boom slowed in the early 1920’s. With the mining operations came other commerce and the town was at one point the financial center of Ashe County, even holding the county’s assets in the town’s bank. When the Great Depression ended and WWII began, Coble Dairies came to town to open a milk collection plant. The plant prospered for 25 years with local farmers bringing thousands of gallons of milk to the plant for processing. But, due to a shrinking market demand, the plant closed. In 1976 the NWR discontinued rail service to the town, eliminating the town’s key link to national and global economic markets. At nearly the same time, a decline in demand for tobacco products, combined with severe downturns in the manufacturing and furniture sectors significantly impacted the once booming town, and for many years it seemed that the town would surely fade away. But, through grit and mountain stubbornness, it survived. Today, footfalls have replaced the rumble of locomotives along the Creeper Trail that was the NWR line and

the mine has been closed so long, some have forgotten it was ever open. But, in Lansing, there is a new rumble shaking the ground; and just as the train brought in the things needed to live, cooperation between town government and the Greater Lansing Area Development (GLAD) group, is bringing in the things needed to live again. “GLAD is a group of people who came together in 2005 when it seemed like Lansing was just a sad, little place. Since then, it seems like things have just rolled forward in a very positive way,” said Town Council member, Mauvine Shepherd. As you walk about Lansing the blending of old and new is nearly seamless, as new businesses take up residence in historic buildings and new arrivals become neighbors. That’s the feeling conveyed by everyone you meet along the paths in the Creeper Trail park, on the street or in shops along the center of town; “you are welcome to visit or even stay.” They just want you to bring something positive when you come. And they want you to tell other people they are here. “Some people have never heard of Lansing because the town hasn’t tried to promote itself. It is in a remote area and it takes a little time to get to. But it isn’t that far away from some major cities. We are only two hours from Winston-Salem, two hours from Greensboro and two hours from Charlotte. You just have to know it’s here. We feel it’s the best kept secret in the county,” said GLAD member and owner/operator of The Liar’s Bench, an art, antiques and consignment shop. My walk took me along the Creeper Trail past homes and a long-standing red barn weaving down through a wonderfully shaded pathway, where you soon come upon a mural of historic Lansing from its high point in

the 1940’s. The work is the creation of community artist and owner of Frenchy’s Folk Art, Aurelien “Frenchy” Tremblay a transplanted Canadian that is as much fixture as resident in town. “It took about three months to complete the mural, working as I had time and weather permitted, but I am happy with the result, I really like it,” he said as two young girls glided happily through his studio. Tremblay proudly boasts that his studio is a safe place for local children to come and be exposed to art at its creative stage. The pathway meanders along past the mural, speckled with spots to stop and take a rest or just watch the world go by from a park bench. Detouring off the path, my walk took me past the historic Presbyterian Church whose stonewalls have stood the test of time and weathered many a cold winter. Walking down Main Street, you see easily what Lansing once was when it was a humming financial center and what it can be again. Old buildings ready to live again line the street. Some already occupied by businesses that reflect the forward direction of the town. Along with Frenchy’s studio and the Liar’s Bench, Frog and Butterfly Antiques, Silver Designs Jewelry, rock specimens and fossils and Big Horse Creek Gallery and Gifts, join long-time merchants; Lansing Foods and Larry’s Satellite Sales and Service and new comers, Pie on the Mountain along with many more. All are eager and ready to serve both resident and visitor alike. Soon to join the Main Street shops and one of the steps the town is taking to move into the future, is the, soon to be remodeled, remote classroom and public computer SEE LANSING, PAGE 98

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center. “This will enable people to learn new skills and take college classes without having to drive all the way across the county,” Shepherd said. Lansing, like so many other small, aging Appalachian towns is trying to keep ahead in the current economy and the many events and festivals they host year-round draw throngs of visitors. The fall of the year is no different and besides visiting to see the changing of the leaves, Shepherd hopes visitors will come for the festivals as well. The Greater L.A. (Lansing Area) Festival draws huge crowds every year on the second Friday and Saturday of September. Live gospel and folk music, fun activities for the kids including face painting, hayrides and inflatable attractions along with great food and fellowship make for a weekend of fun and excitement for the entire family. For most of the year, the historic Lansing School is a quiet, empty building noted for its stonework. It is occasionally used for education, like classes taught by musicians during the Ola Belle Reed festival held in August. But on Friday and Saturday nights in October, the building is far from empty – instead

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of dark hallways only occasionally broken by light passing through broken windows, the building is home to zombies, ghouls and a legion of dead and undead monsters, all part of the Lansing Haunted House. The people of Lansing are not worried about their survival. According to Shepherd, the town’s population is as steady and regular as the sunrise. “It was 150 people 100 years ago and it is 151 now.” Rembert describes the town as still being what it was. A town that remembers its roots where there are still just as many locals moving around town as tourists. “And we want to keep it that way. We are moving forward, but we have made it a priority to preserve the culture and heritage of the town. “There is an intangible thing here that you can’t put your finger on, but it comes from the genuine love people have for this town; be they new comers or life-long resident,” she said. The town is always looking for new people and ideas to keep the forward momentum they have built rolling full-steam ahead, just like the train whose rumble and hiss you can still hear along the Creeper Trail in the early morning mist, if you listen close enough. For more information on Lansing, click to www.lansingnc.com/home or call (336) 3843938.

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Ashe is On the Same Page

On the Same Page – A Celebration of Reading will take place from Tuesday, Sept.14, through Saturday, Sept. 18, in and around West Jefferson. The festival is spearheaded by Jane Lonon, executive director of the Ashe County Arts Council, and Jim McQueen, director of the Ashe County Public Library, the presenting organizations of the festival. “We knew topping last year was going to be hard, but we could not be more excited about this year’s lineup of authors and events,” Lonon said. “Starting with the Community Read of Daniel Wallace’s ‘Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions’ and culminating with the On the Same Plate Luncheon featuring a panel discussion with all of our authors, Ashe County will just be abuzz of interesting conversations. If you enjoy reading, writing, and just having a great time in North Carolina’s beautiful mountains, you’ll want to make plans now to attend.” This year’s festival will focus on the role of place in the authors’ writings, with questions and discussion topics relating to how each one perceives and uses a place and its landscape in her or her work. In addition to “Big Fish” being the Community Read, Wallace also will be one of the Festival’s featured authors. Tim Burton’s 2003 film based on “Big Fish,” starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter, will be shown at the Festival’s Cinnamon Cinema. Wallace will field questions following the film, will give a reading on Friday morning during the festival, and will participate in An Hour with an Author and the On the Same Plate Luncheon panel. He lives in Chapel Hill, where he teaches at the University of North Carolina, and most recently penned “Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician.” His “Tar Heel Humor” page appears regularly in Our State magazine. For more information visit: www.onthesamepagefestival.org.

Avery County Fair The Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural Fair returns to Newland Sept. 7-11 behind Ingles Supermarket. The fair will feature live music, contests, livestock, exhibits, a beauty pageant, rides, games of skill and lots of fruits and vegetables. This year, Smoky Mountain Amusements will be in charge of the midway, bringing in more than 20 exciting rides. The fair will also feature a petting zoo with barnyard and exotic animals. Other attractions include the Flex Flyer and the Electric Rodeo Mechanical Bull. Live entertainment, including bluegrass and gospel music, is scheduled for each night of the Avery County Fair. Entry forms are now available for folks who wish to enter homegrown fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts,

photographs, and other items into the Avery County Fair’s Blue Ribbon contests. There will also be prizes for canned items, such as jams, jellies, chow-chow, relish, pickles and other categories. Other items for judging include baked goods, flowers, shrubs, trees and wreaths. These contests are open to Avery County and its surrounding counties. Winners of the exhibit categories are eligible to compete at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. Admission for the Avery County Fair is $5 for persons 13 and older, $2 for children 6-12, and free for children five and under. Ride bracelets are $15 per person, $7 for a kid’s day ride bracelet. For more information, visit www.averyfair.com.

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CALENDAR

September Along the Blue Ridge art exhibit, until Sept. 4, Ashe Art Center, 303 School Rd., West Jefferson: Paintings and photographs that celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway. 336-846-ARTS Blowing Rock Farmers Market, Wallingford Street, Blowing Rock, Thursdays, 4-6 p.m., through Oct. 14: Farm fresh produce, meat and whole foods. Held rain or shine. Ample parking is available at the American Legion parking facility. 828-2957851 Daniel Boone Native Gardens: Open daily, through October. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $2, ages 16 and up. Contact dbgardens@danielboonegardens. org , or visit danielboonegardens.org for more information. Location: adjacent to “Horn in the West” outdoor drama, Boone. 828-264-6390. Stars Under the Stars: Movies at Crestwood, Sept. 3, Crestwood Inn, Blowing Rock. Movies on Friday nights this summer at Crestwood. Beginning at dusk, movies are shown on a huge 16- x 9-foot screen on Crestwood’s lawn. 828-9636646 Mountain Top Race Weekend, Sept. 4-5, Sugar Mountain Village, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain: The Ultimate High Country Event Criterium in Sugar Mountain Village. Course elevation 4,000 feet. Road race in Historic Banner Elk. Race finishes on top of Beech Mountain. $4,000 in prize money. 828-898-5445

Daniel Boone Days, Sept. 3-4, Boone: Friday features a symposium with Robert Morgan and Randell Jones and Fess Parker wine dinners, and Saturday is a daylong immersion in culture and music. www.danielboonedays.com Artists Alley Studio Tour and Sale: Sept. 3-5, Artists Alley (various studios), Blowing Rock: The artists and craftsmen of Blowing Rock’s Artists Alley open their doors to the public with exhibits featuring ceramics, acrylics, oils, watercolor, metals, jewelry, glass, applique and sculpture. 828-295-6727 Old-time square dance, Sept. 4, 2-4:30 p.m. New River Winery, Ashe County: Appalachian Mountain Girls. www.dentondance.net/appalachian.html Amantha Mill Band at Mountain Music Jamboree, Sept. 4, 9331 Hwy 16, Glendale Springs: Musicians, bluegrass variety. 800-803-4079 PASS Super LM 200 LP, Sept. 4, North Wilkesboro: Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super LM 200 LAP, Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway. www.HistoricNWS.com; www. ProAllStarsSeries.com; 336-838-8662 Third annual High Country Beer Fest: Sept. 4, 3-7 p.m., Boone. The High Country Beer Fest is the annual celebration of great craft beer from around the region and the world. Come sample craft beers, club beers and food. Educational seminars will cover all aspects of beer, brewing and pairing food and beer. www.hcbeerfest. com Labor Day Weekend Award Fine Arts and Crafts Show, Sept. 4-5, Banner Elk: Fifty artists from around the country will showcase their handmade works. Free admission and parking on site. Location : Great Train Robbery, 2120 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk. 828-898-5605; Pat Fay at 828-733-0675 or mtntopproperties@ bellsouth.net Mile High Kite Festival on Beech Mountain: Sept. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Beech Mountain. Family fun all day event.Vendors along with big kite demonstrations.Large kites are on display. Children of all ages are invited to fly their own kites. A limited number of free kites are available for the children. www.beechmtn.com The Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys: Sept. 5, 8 p.m. Each year on the Sunday night that precedes Labor Day, Mountain Home Music presents a special concert dedicated to the workers who have built – and are building – the community and region. There is always an abundance of songs about mill workers, railroaders, truck drivers, and homemakers. This year MHM will offer a special tribute to miners. Check out www.mountainhomemusic.com for location TBA. Cherokee Archery competition at Chamber Park on Tennessee highway 67, Mountain City, Tenn., Sept. 5-6. More Than Words artist and writer exhibit, Sept. 8-Oct. 2, Ashe Arts Center, 303 School Road, West Jefferson: Collaborative exhibit between artists of all mediums and writers. Opening reception is Sept. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. 336-846-ARTS Downtown West Jefferson Gallery Crawl, Sept. 10, West Jefferson: Enjoy openings, demonstrations, new artists, and the creative atmosphere on second Fridays from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. 336-846-2787 Pro Rodeo, Johnson County Chamber Park, Tennessee highway 67, Doe Valley, Sept. 10-11. Sunset Stroll, Sept. 10, 5:30-8 p.m., Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock: You are invited to join the art galleries, restaurants, and businesses on Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock for food, drinks, friendship and summer fun. (828) 295-6991

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Kidfest at Grandfather Mountain, Sept. 11, Grandfather Mountain: A day designed to get kids excited about the nature and culture of the North Carolina Mountains through fun and entertaining activities. Includes guided hikes, games, storytellers, music and fun. Included with park admission. General admission to the nature is $15 for adults and $7 for children ages 4-12, with children under 4 free. www.grandfather.com/planning_your_visit/events/kidfest.php or 800-468-7325 Crossroads Band at Mountain Music Jamboree, Sept. 11, 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs: Country and Southern rock. 800-803-4079 Art In The Park, Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Blowing Rock: Juried art show in downtown Blowing Rock. Free admission / free trolley shuttle. Blowing Rock Chamber, 828-295-7851 Tickling the Ivories concert, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m., Ashe Civic Center, West Jefferson: An evening of piano music with local pianists. Admission is $12 adults and $5 for students. 336-846-ARTS Railfan Weekend, Sept. 11-12, Tweetsie Railroad, located between Boone and Blowing Rock: Take a journey back in time behind Tweetsie’s historical coalfired steam locomotives.800-526-5740 Concert in the Park, Blowing Rock, Sept. 12, 4-5 p.m.: The Blue Notes will perform in Memorial Park in Blowing Rock. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy Dixieland jazz. Contact: Blowing Rock Chamber - 828-2957851. The Jim Ketch Quintet, Sept. 12, 7-9 p.m., Meadowbrook Inn, Blowing Rock: Presented by the Blowing Rock Jazz Society. General admission is $15 for nonmembers, $5 for students and free to BRJS members. Food and beverages available. 828-295-4300 Literary Festival, Sept. 14, 8 a.m., Ashe County: Community read, author talks, performances, special events. www.onthesamepagefestival.org; 336-846ARTS Elliot Engel at the Ashe Arts Center, Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m.: Literary talk about North Carolina authors as part of the Ashe Literary Festival. Admission is $10 adults, $5 students. Ashe Arts Center is located at 300 School Rd., West Jefferson. 336-846-ARTS Fourth annual Native American Pow Wow, Sept. 17-19, Fort Hamby Park, Wilkesboro: Co-sponsored by the W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir inside the Ft. Hamby State Park. The park opens at 8 a.m.; pow wow hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: The park charges a $1 per person ($4 per car) entrance

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CALENDAR fee. The pow pow is $5 for adults and $2 for kids. Friday is Kids Day and children are free with the schools. Mabel Benjamin 813-765-3073

Art on the Mountain, Sept. 25, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. West Jefferson School-downtown West Jefferson: Fine art, master crafts, artist demonstrations. 336-846-ARTS

Blue Ridge Heritage Days in Blowing Rock, Sept. 17-19, Blowing Rock: Join the town of Blowing Rock for a street festival in honor of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th anniversary. Blowing Rock will celebrate the art, history and culture of mountain living with exhibits, demonstrations, performances and interactive experiences. With events planned for the whole weekend, Saturday’s Street Festival takes center stage. Friday, Sept. 17: Various guided tours will be conducted in the evening. Saturday, Sept. 18: 11 a.m. - opening ceremonies and craft demonstrations, performances and interactive experiences. www.blowingrock.com

Watauga Lake Triathlon, Watauga Lake, Tennessee, Sept. 26. www.wataugalaketriathlon.com

Red Clay Ramblers, Sept. 17, 8-10 p.m., Boone: ASU Performing Arts Series. All concerts take place at 8 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $18 for seniors and ASU faculty and staff and $10 for students. pas.appstate.edu/

Downtown Boone Art Crawl, Oct. 1, downtown Boone: Stroll to galleries along King Street, meet artists, listen to music, and enjoy a meal with friends. www.boonenc.org

Mountain Heritage Festival, Sept. 18, Sparta: A celebration of mountain life with demonstrators, crafts, food, dance, and music. www.sparta-nc.com/heritage Girl Scout Day at Grandfather Mountain, Sept. 18, Grandfather Mountain: Staff naturalists provide free nature programs throughout the day. All Girl Scouts and troop leaders are admitted free with proof of membership. Discount admission for other family members. General admission is $15 for adults and $7 for children ages 4-12, with children under 4 free. www.grandfather.com/planning_your_visit/events/ girl_scout_day.php; 800-468-7325 Run for the Red Marathon and 1/2 Marathon, Sept. 18, Valle Crucis: Inaugural event of the Run for the Red Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. Marathon starts at 7 a.m. and 1/2 marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. Starts at Valle Crucis School. This event supports the Watauga County chapter of the American Red Cross. wataugaredcross.com Ninth annual Railroad Grade Run 5K, Sept. 18, 9 a.m., Todd: A fast, flat and scenic 5 km (3.1 miles) course. This event is for competitive and recreational runners, as well as walkers and families. Follow the signs to Todd General Store. webpages.charter.net/boonegirl/ Bridge-To-Bridge Incredible Challenge Bike Ride, Sept. 19: This 102-mile bike ride departs the Lenoir Mall and makes its way uphill to the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain. Registration fee. Sponsored by the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce. www.caldwellcochamber.org/aboutus. asp?id06=49&cat06=0; 828-726-0616; www.caldwellcochamber.org

“Stop Kiss,” by Diana Son, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. Valborg Theatre, Appalachian State University: There will be talk-back immediately following the Wednesday evening performance. Admission $12 adults, $6 students.

October Tweetsie Ghost Train Halloween Festival, Oct. 1-30, Tweetsie Railroad, located between Boone and Blowing Rock: Friday and Saturday nights Oct. 1-30. Gates open at 7:30 each night. Spooky fun all month long. Park open weekends. 800-526-5740 Ashe County Little Theatre presents “The Mountain in Us,” Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m., Ashe Civic Center: An original script by local author Jim Gambill describing the story of Martin Gambill and the local citizens who were involved in the battle of Kings Mountain. 336846-ARTS

Sunset Stroll, Oct. 1, Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock, 5:30-8 p.m.: You are invited to join the art galleries, restaurants, and businesses on Sunset Drive for food, drinks, friendship and fun, 295-6991 Brushy Mountain Apple Festival, Oct. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Wilkesboro: The Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast. The streets of downtown North Wilkesboro are filled with more than 425 arts and crafts, 100 food concessions, four different music stages, and dancing. Let us not forget the apples, apples, and apples. Local apple growers set up throughout the festival selling their apples, apple cider, and dried apples. After all, this festival also pays tribute to the fruit grown and harvested each fall by apple orchardists from Northwestern North Carolina. Apple Jam is a musical event held at the corner of 10th and Main in downtown North Wilkesboro, the Friday evening preceding the festival. The music starts at 6 p.m. Bring your lawn chair, relax, and enjoy the music. www. applefestival.net/index.asp

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CALENDAR Art in the Park, Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Juried art show in downtown Blocking Rock. Free admission / free trolley shuttle. Contact: Blowing Rock Chamber (828) 2957851; www.blowingrock.com Autumn at Oz, Oct. 2-3, 403 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain: For two days each year, the public is invited to take a nostalgic stroll down the yellow brick road and share memories of Oz with younger generations.Visitors park in a large meadow across from the Town Hall on Beech Mountain Parkway and walk or take a shuttle bus or hayride to the private garden at Oz. Guests tour Aunt Em’s and Uncle Henry’s farm and meet Dorothy and friends along the Yellow Brick Road. There is a concession stand featuring new and old Oz trivia, a small petting zoo, a mini-Oz museum, mountain music, square dancers, and face painting to add to the festive atmosphere. www.emeraldmtn.com/LandofOz/oz.htm; Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce at 800-468-5506 Ashe County Little Theatre presents “The Mountain in Us,” Oct. 3, 2 p.m., Ashe Civic Center: An original script by local author Jim Gambill describing the story of Martin Gambill and the local citizens who were involved in the battle of Kings Mountain. 336-846-ARTS USAR Pro Cup 250 LAP, Oct. 3, 2 p.m., Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro. www.HistoricNWS.com; www.USARProCup.com; 336-838-8662 Concert in the Park with the Die Rhinelanders Oktoberfest Band, Oct. 3, 4-5 p.m., Memorial Park, Blowing Rock: The traditional end of the Concert in the Park season in Blowing Rock will feature The Die Rhinelanders Oktoberfest Band, back for their 23rd year. Contact Blowing Rock Chamber (828) 295-7851; www. blowingrock.com United States Marine Corp. Band concert, Oct. 5, Farthing Auditorium, Appalachian State University. Steely Pan Band show, Oct. 8, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium, Appalachian State University. Downtown West Jefferson Gallery Crawl, Oct. 8, 5-8 p.m., West Jefferson: Enjoy openings, demonstrations, new artists, and the creative atmosphere on second Fridays from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. 336-846-2787 The Knob : 2 miles of pure hill!, Oct. 8, 3-9 p.m., Boone. The race starts at the Watauga County Public Library in downtown Boone and finishes at the Howard’s Knob Park. Shuttle service will be provided to transport runners back to the start location. Parking is free. www.triplecrown.appstate.edu/knob Shady Valley Cranberry Festival: Mountain City, Tenn., area, Oct. 8-9. Contact Sherry Shoun at 739-2131. 30th annual Apple Festival: Boone, Oct. 9, 9 a.m-4 p.m. (828) 264-2120 Todd New River Festival: Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Todd. Free all-day entertainment for the entire family. Featuring local crafts, mountain music, food and fun for all. Call 828-262-0277. Oktoberfest: Oct. 9-10, Sugar Mountain Resort, Banner Elk. Traditional Oktoberfest featuring German oom pah band, food and beverages; children’s activities, local and regional crafts, lift rides and more. Call 828-898-4521; www.skisugar. com/oktoberfest/ The Colors of Grandfather Mountain, Oct. 9-10, Grandfather Mountain: A guided hike led by Grandfather Mountain naturalists to discuss the reasons trees change color in the fall and to identify what trees turn what colors. Free with park admis-

sion. Call 800-468-7325 for hike times. Old Dogs / New Tricks at Mountain Music Jamboree, Oct. 10, at 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs: Country music band from Tennessee. 800-803-4079 Jon Metzger, Vibraphonist in concert, Oct. 10, 7-9 p.m., Meadowbrook Inn, Blowing Rock: Presented by the Blowing Rock Jazz Society. General admission is $15 for nonmembers, $5 for students and free to BRJS members. Food and beverages may be purchased at the Meadowbrook Inn. 828-295-4300 Fall 2010 Harlan Boyles CEO Lecture Series, Oct, 12, 2 p.m., Farthing Auditorium at Appalachian State University: Featured speaker, James E. Rogers, chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy. Freshman Showcase, Oct. 13-16, 7:30 p.m. Greer Studio Theatre, Appalachian State University: Directed by Trimella Chaney and dance faculty. Admission students/ children $5 and adult/faculty/senior tickets $8. Box office 828-262-3063; www.theatre.appstate.edu/performances/season.html Blowing Rock Farmers Market, Wallingford Street, Blowing Rock, Thursdays, 4-6 p.m., through Oct. 14: Farm fresh produce, meat and whole foods. Held rain or shine. Ample parking is available at the American Legion parking facility. 828-2957851 SOM Orchestra Concert, Oct. 15, 8 p.m., Farthing Auditorium, Appalachian State University.

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Woolly Worm Woad Wace 5 mile, Oct. 16, Banner Elk: The 2010 Woolly Worm Woad Wace begins at the Lees-McRae College track starting at 10 a.m. The entry fee is $20 in advance; $25 on race day. One-mile fun run starting at 10 a.m. at LeesMcRae. 828-898-5605 33rd annual Woolly Worm Festival, Oct. 16-17, Banner Elk: Worm races, crafts, food, rides. Fun for the whole family. For the 33rd year the town of Banner Elk has welcomed both old and new friends to the annual Woolly Worm Festival. This family event co-hosted by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Organization of Banner Elk welcomes more than 23,000 people to the community to make family memories and also to win the prestigious title of predicting the High Country weather and the chance to win the $1,000 bounty. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. www.wollyworm.com Valle Country Fair, Oct. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Valle Crucis: Free admission. $5 per car parking fee. The Valle Country Fair is set in the center of one of the most picturesque valleys in the North Carolina mountains at the peak of the fall color season. All monies raised go to fund High Country organizations which serve people in need. www.vallecountryfair.org Mountain Home Music, Oct. 16, 8 p.m., Blowing Rock School auditorium, Blowing Rock: Celtic group Little Windows and honky-tonk band the Cave Dwellers will share the stage at this special concert. www.mountainhomemusic.com for more information. Amantha Mill Band at Mountain Music Jamboree, Oct. 16, 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs: Bluegrass music. 800-803-4079 A ventriloquist and comedienne with a trunk full of zany characters that accompanies Lynn Trefzger to the stage with hilarious results, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., Ashe Civic Center: Admission $12 adults, $5 students 336-846-ARTS Pumpkin Festival, downtown Mountain City, Tenn., Oct. 16-17. Missoula Children’s Theatre: “The Wizard of Oz” weeklong residency with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and two performances with Ashe County youth, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., Ashe Civic Center. Admission $10 adults, $5 students. 336-846-ARTS Haunted Horn Ghost Trail, Oct. 21 to Oct. 30,

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The Mountain Times Autumn Guide

CALENDAR Boone: (828) 264-2120; www.horninthewest.com 5th annual Punkin Festival, Oct. 23, Valle Crucis: Mast Store Annex, highway N.C. 194/Broadstone Road, Valle Crucis. A kid-friendly festival featuring no-muss, no-fuss punkin carving, old-fashioned games like punkin sack races, punkin bowling, apple-bob, crafts, and music. Come out and see why Punkin is so much more fun than pumpkin. 828-963-6511. Fall Harvest Barn Dance, Oct. 23, Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock: Come celebrate the fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy a night of barn dancing, bluegrass music, and warm apple cider. (828) 295-3782 Mountain Home Music, Oct. 23, 8 p.m., location TBA: Playing the dulcimer (and hammer dulcimer, autoharp, and guitar) has been Ann Lough’s life and work. She performs and does workshops on Appalachian music, stories, and dance throughout the U.S. Visit www.mountainhomemusic. com for more information. Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Del McCoury Band, Oct. 29, 8-10 p.m., Boone: ASU Performing Arts Series features the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with the Del McCoury Band. All concerts take place at 8 p.m. in ASU’s Farthing Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $18 for seniors and ASU faculty and staff and $10 for students. pas.appstate.edu/ First annual NWS Short Track Shoot Out, Oct. 29-31, Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro: On the event bill will be seven race series of classes. Late model stock car 150 laps, limited late model 75 laps, United States super truck series 75 laps, street stock 50 laps, rolling thunder modified 50 laps, UCAR clash series 40 laps, Allison Legacy series 35 laps. 336-838-8662 Blowing Rock Halloween Festival, Oct. 30, downtown Blowing Rock: Trick-or-treating, scavenger hunt, and the Monster March. 828-295-5222 Crossroads Band at Mountain Music Jamboree, Oct. 30, 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs: Country and Southern rock. 800-803-4079

November Larry Pennington Memorial Festival at Mountain Music Jamboree, Nov. 6, 9331 Hwy. 16 in

Glendale Springs: Big Country Bluegrass and other bands. 800-803-4079 Coffee House Talent Night, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. West Jefferson Methodist Church Hensley Hall, West Jefferson. 336-846ARTS Downtown West Jefferson Gallery Crawl, Nov. 12, West Jefferson: Enjoy openings, demonstrations, new artists, and the creative atmosphere on second Fridays from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. 336-846-2787 North Carolina Symphony, Nov. 11, 8-10 p.m., Boone: The ASU Performing Arts Series features the North Carolina Symphony in concert. All concerts take place at 8 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $18 for seniors and ASU faculty and staff and $10 for students. pas.appstate.edu/ Dollar Brothers Bluegrass Band at Mountain Music Jamboree, Nov. 13, 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs. 800-803-4079 Christmas Show in Boone, Nov. 19, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., and Nov. 20, 12:30-5 p.m. Boone Mall: Forty crafters from around the country will showcase jewelry, pottery, clothing, dips, wine, glass work and much more. Free admission. 828-898-5605; Pat Fay at 828-733-0675; or mtntopproperties@bellsouth.net. An Appalachian Concerto, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., Ashe Civic Center: The premier of a new work by the Kruger Brothers and the Blue Ridge Chamber Players. Admission $12 adults, $5 students. 336-846-ARTS Old Dogs / New Tricks at Mountain Music Jamboree, Nov. 21, 9331 Hwy. 16 in Glendale Springs: Country music band from Tennessee. 800-803-4079 Traditional opening day for ski and snow sport resorts in the High Country, Nov. 24: www.skithehighcountry.com Christmas in the Park, Nov. 26, Blowing Rock: Visit with Santa, and enjoy hayrides, free hot cider and chocolate, caroling and the lighting of the town. Takes place at Memorial Park on Main Street in Blowing Rock. 828-295-5222

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4 Seasons Vacation Rentals & Sales .........67 -AA-1 Mountain Realty .................................66 Addison Inn ..............................................72 Alta Vista Gallery . .....................................53 Animal Emergency & Pet Care Clinic . ......81 Antiques on Howard . ................................55 Appalachian Custom Builders ...................93 Appalachian Regional Healthcare System ....... 45 Aristo Cuts ................................................67 Artists’ Theatre, The ..................................66 Artwalk ......................................................54 Ashe Arts ..................................................67 Ashe County Chamber of Commerce ........67 Ashe Custom Framing & Gallery ..............67 Ashe Mountain Times, The .......................66 ASU Performing Arts . ...............................31 Aurora Design ...........................................51 Avery Animal Hospital . .............................81 Avery County Chamber of Commerce .......98 -BBanner Elk Tourism....................................40 Banner Elk Winery . ...................................21 Best Western .............................................35 Black Bear Books ........................................7 Black Jack’s Pub & Grill ............................66 Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce . .....60 Blowing Rock Grille ..................................91 Blowing Rock, The ....................................59 Blowing Rocket, The .................................61 Blue Ridge Bedrooms ...............................23 Blue Ridge Realty & Investments ..............48 Bolick Pottery & Traditions Pottery ...........60 Broyhill Home Collections ........................60 Brushy Mountain Motor Sports . ...51, 59, 63 Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club . ................72 -CCabin Store ...............................................37 Canyons . ..................................................91 Capehart & Washburn . .............................10 Carlton Gallery . ........................................33 Casa Bella .................................................97 Casa Rustica .............................................96 Cha Da Thai ..............................................55 Char ....................................................55, 92 Church Hardware Co. . ..............................72 Cook’s Inc. ................................................73 Country Retreat Family Billiards .............100

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AD INDEX Crossnore Weavers .................................103 Custom Mica ............................................69 -DDancing Moon ..........................................54 de Provence et d’ailleurs ...........................61 Dewoolfson Down ...................................108 Dilly’s ........................................................65 Doe Ridge Pottery ...............................37, 54 Dos Amigos ..............................................95 -EEricks Cheese & Wine . .............................96 -FFetching Ridge Pet Hotel . .........................81 Finders Keepers ........................................19 Fishels ........................................................6 Fleetwood Antiques . .................................66 Footsloggers ...............................................9 Foscoe Fishing Company .........................88 Frasers ......................................................67 Freds General Mercantile ..........................15 Frog & Butterfly ..................................66, 77 -GGamekeeper ..............................................96 Gems by Gemini .......................................60 Gladiola Girls ............................................55 Golden Corral ...........................................51 Grady Precision Cartridge .........................66 Grandfather Trout Farm ...............................9 Gregory Alan’s . .........................................61 -HHampton Inn ...........................................106 Hawksnest . ...............................................92 Hickory Furniture ......................................16 High Country Dulcimers ...........................83 High Country Realty . ..................................3 High Country Stone ..................................39 Hilltop Drive-In .........................................94 Hob Nob Farm Cafe ..................................54 Hobby Barn ...............................................66 Honey Bear Campground ..........................65 Hunan .......................................................95 -IImpeccable Pooch, The .............................81 Incredible Toy Company ...........................63 Inn at Abigail’s ..........................................88 -JJ.W. Tweeds ........................................15, 87 Jim’s Corner Furniture ..............................24

Joe’s Italian Kitchen ..................................96 -KKincaid . ....................................................78 KOA Campground .......................................6 Kojay’s Cafe ..............................................60 -LLansing .....................................................79 Lehman Construction, Inc. ........................43 Libby’s ......................................................67 Linville Caverns ........................................29 Linville Land Harbor 8.................................5 Lucky Penny .............................................54 -MM.C. Adams Clothier ................................55 Magic Cycles ............................................54 Main Street Discount ................................36 Makotos ....................................................99 Mast Farm Inn, The ...................................99 Mast General Store ...............................2, 54 McDonald’s ...............................................94 McNeil Furniture .......................................67 Mellow Mushroom . ..................................61 Melody Square Mall . ................................72 Modern Toyota ..........................................17 Mountain Aire Golf Club ...........................77 Mountain Aire Seafood and Steaks ...........91 Mountain Bagels .......................................94 Mountain Girl Gallery . ..............................27 Mountain Outfitters ...................................41 Mountaintop Golf Cars, Inc. ......................23 Mr. E’s Videos & Entertainment .................65 Mustard Seed Market, The ........................63 Mystery Hill ..............................................30 -NNCSAA . ....................................................29 Nicks . .......................................................97 -OOpen Door, The .........................................55 -PPaolucci’s . ................................................55 Parker Tie Company, Inc. ..........................66 Parkway Craft ............................................30 Pet Place, The ...........................................81 Pet Spa .....................................................81 Petstyle Salon ...........................................81 Pineola Inn . ..............................................45 Play It Again Sports ..................................55 Proper Southern Food . .............................55

Pssghetti’s . ...............................................95 Puerto Nuevo ............................................97 -RRam’s Rack Thrift Shop .............................55 Recess ......................................................65 River & Earth Adventures ..........................98 Rock Dimensions ................................54, 78 Rooster Ridge .........................................107 -SSears . .......................................................66 Serv Pro . ..................................................16 Seven Devils Tourism ...............................41 Shatley Springs . .......................................67 Shear Shakti . ............................................54 Shops at Shadowline ................................49 Skate Zone ................................................66 SkyLine / SkyBest .....................................39 Sledgehammer Charlie’s ...........................60 Special Additions ................................45, 61 Stick Boy Bread Co. ..................................99 Stonewalls ................................................97 Sugar Mountain Resort .............................53 -TTatum Galleries .........................................85 Taylor House Inn .......................................90 Tuckers .....................................................94 Turchin Center ....................................31, 54 Tweetsie Railroad ......................................11 -UUPS Store, The .........................................67 -VValle Crucis Log Cabin Rentals & Sales ...84 Vera Bradley . ............................................61 Vilas Trading Post .....................................27 Village of Sugar Mountain ........................42 Vintage Valle Crucis . ................................46 -WWatauga Christmas Trees . ........................33 Watauga Lakeshore Resort & Marina ........25 Westglow Resort & Spa ............................36 Wilkes Antique Mall & Emporium .............72 Wilkes Chamber of Commerce . ................72 Woodlands . ..............................................91 Wounded Warrior . ....................................83

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