Grasshoppa Takes the Wheel
After we get everything back in its place this morning, mom turns to me and says “so, you wanna drive?” Hey, it’s no race car driving school, but hell yeah I wanna take that beast on. Let’s Roll! So it looks way more intimidating than it really is-until, dad picks a short cut that takes us on itty bitty curvy country road, now that was a challenge. But we made it here,and I’m writing this, yes?
I must mention that we are in God’s country. And I don’t mean that as in the hundred plus churches we’ve passed- screw counting Waffle Houses, we should be counting churches. Towns that don’t even have anything but a 35 mph sign, still have at least 2 churches- one, of course, being Baptist. We threatened to take Terry to revival tonight. Anyway, I digress, ‘God’s Country’, it is absofrickinlutely beautiful out here. These hills, smoky hazy lazy mountains, are SO alluring, you want to slither into them and never come out. The trees are so densely packed together that for a moment you think you have a macro view at Brocciflower- that hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower.
We are staying in a state park tonight- Roan Mountain State Park . It is quiet here, with its streams and deer and endless Rhodendrons- A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. We considered bagging the rest of the Q and just staying here. I’m sure mom and dad will be back in June to witness the serious bloomage that will be occurring.
So we parked the RV, jumped in the Beetle and off to Blowing Rock and Boone….
There was a slight problem with today’s itinerary- did I mention that this is God’s country? Two out of the three places I chose were closed on Sunday-God’s day. I failed to call ahead- new rule. But we didn’t care, so we ended up at Woodland ’s BBQ & Pickin Parlor in Blowing Rock. Harleys and Yukons filled the parking lot- regulars and leaf watchers alike. Sweet tea served in mason jars. We ordered the “Pig Out” platter. This consisted of Baby back ribs, regular ribs, pork and beef brisket, chicken wings and SIX sides: fried okra, baked beans, cole slaw, fries, corn on the cob, hushpuppies and corn bread. Overall, the beef brisket and the chicken wings rated the highest- oh yeah, the baby back ribs were pretty damn succulent tas well. The sauces were rather average- if somehow they could combine the balance of the sweet sauce with the character of the spiced vinegar sauce, there may be hope for that ther sauce.
We drove up to Boone for a spell. A town I’ve been interested in visiting for some time, considering I considered going to graduate school there for printmaking. A cozy little mountain town that also serves as home to the ASU Mountaineers (that’d be the lil’ ol’ school that kicked Michigan ’s ass this year)- Rock on ‘Neers’! A nice little mix of artists and tree hugging hippie Buddhist minds. We were in a artist co-op store buying a piece of local pottery, chatting it up with artist turned cashier turned artist. We shared with him where we were from and why we had come this far. We also indicated that we were a tad disappointed that we had not been overly impressed with the pulled pork- I mean this is PORK mecca.
He says “Oh, I know where you need to go for pulled pork”
“ Where, where?”
“This little place in Lenoir, it’s called…”
“Hannahs?”
“Yeah, it’s the best”
“Well, you see, Hannah’s was on the list (I pull out the itinerary), but NO, it’s Sunday- she’s closed”
The best pulled pork will have to wait…
Tonight, Terry and I went for a little trail run. Yes, I said run- I know I know. But I have no other alternative out here. But we chose to go out at about 6:30. Hmmmm, does anyone know anything about bears? Well, it’s not the best idea to go tromping through the woods at dusk. No, we didn’t see any. But the few deer that were proinking through the forest scared the shit out of us enough to head on back to campground land. When we arrived, mom was prepping the shrimp for the grill- ahhhh, grilled shrimp and salad and the nicest little bottle of white wine that the girlzzzz bought us from the Biltmore estate (BTW, W&L, we really enjoyed it, really)….then came the marshmallows.
Mom insisted we stop for marshmallows in Boone. I knew she liked them, but I didn’t know how much. Dad, like a good boy scout, got us a nice fiar goin’. After dinner we gathered around the perfect coals with untangled coat hangers and a bag of ‘mallows. Before Terry could get the bag open, mom was clammering over me to reach for the bag. Girl needs her ‘mallows- get it, got it. Between mom and dad, they consumed half of the bag. Toasting award goes to dad- smooth, slow and low- melted through and through- crispy on the outside- what a pro. I stood there trying to remember the last time I had been around a campfire with my parents- it had been a lifetime- but it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Tomorrow morning, T and I will get up and drive a few miles to where the App trail passes through- and get a morning run in. We will bless all of those that have ventured ‘Into the Woods’ for a moment or the season- there are truly stories to be told there. We then head towards Nashville , stopping along the way to visit old friends and possibly relatives.
Grasshoppa may have jumped too soon. Now who do you think they are going to expect to drive everyday- wonder kid Marshall.
Great.
