Re-entering civilization

Bradley is the owner of Laurel Fork Lodge a hybrid of a lodging/conference center/hostel alongside the rushing Laurel Fork River and beside the Dennis Cove section of the AT. He came for us in 45 minutes, incorporating a trip to town for supplies. His hostel is set up to provide excellent support to hikers, including a washer/dryer, frozen pizzas, and ice cream as well as a store with plenty of necessary supplies such as energy bars, band aids and Lipton instant soups. We took showers for $2 each and paid the $1 a day for parking our car. We put on our only remaining clean and dry clothes and took off for Spruce Pine.

We had a spectacularly vast mountain dinner at the Mountain View Restaurant on 221. Joe had hamburger steak with peppers, onions, gravy with green beans and mashed potatoes. I had fried chicken livers with corn and mashed potatoes AND chocolate coconut lava cake for $5.99. We feasted. Our waitress had the most incredible NC accent and I was mesmerized by how her words drawled out of her straight, smooth teeth. We slept blissfully in a real bed at Little Switzerland after checking in with no luggage and feeling delightfully free. The sun is setting on Little Switzerland's time as a Blue Ridge Parkway resort. It's still lovely but they have forgotten to pay attention to details like good food and new bedding. The flower beds are nice, however.

The next day was full of car-enabled exploration of NC's mountain treasures, including the rock and mineral museum, Penland School of Crafts, the Eceloa Lodge, Linville Falls and Blowing Rock. We walked into a bakery in Blowing Rock for some breakfast treats for Sloan and a total stranger woman came up to us and said, "Get this cranberry shortbread - it's better than sex." It was buttery and teeth achingly sweet and Joe loved it. But we aren't sure about her claim.

In Charlotte we slept happily in Sloan's bed that night and feasted on what Bon Appetit rates and the #1 fried chicken in the US from Prices Chicken Coop in Charlotte. We spent two nights with my stepmother Margie sharing pool time, beer and meals with Sloan and McKendree. Phoebe explored Margie's entire lakeside peninsula and even found a duck nesting on on 8 warm brown eggs.

We're driving home now with a planned stop in Lexington NC at John Wayne's BBQ which we hope will arrive at before the Sunday Father's Day rush.