I have just finished reading a book that spoke a great deal about a place that means a lot to me – Boone, NC. After living in the area, it is a place the runs deep in my soul.
Recently I have reconnected with some of my Lees-McRae friends just as I was reading the book. It was almost as if the montains were calling me home. I fondly remember the early morning ascent to Fred’s of Beech Mountain (where I worked for a couple of years). People used to think I was crazy for being a college student who got up to work at 5:30am. Breakfast had to be made in the deli so I could spend the rest of my day on the slopes. Several friends would pile in a car and take the “back road” to Valle Crucis to visit the Mast Store. If you have ever been on the back road to VC then you understand the accomplishment. There is something about the area that seemed so magical to me – it still does.
My favorite restaurant of all time is Angelica’s in Boone.There is nothing like a day of hiking, or taking a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway then heading to Angelica’s for Nori Rolls. Many people call the area a “hippie town” (I guess it really could be classified as such). It is just heaven on Earth, and a place full of life!
The best times of my life were in the mountains of North Carolina. I met some of my best friends there, and created memories that swirl through my head. Anytime I need recharging, or to gain clarity, I simply head for the hills.
