Welcome to Winston-Salem

After our scenic relocation from the Asheville area, we immediately dove into the activities available in the Winston-Salem area. The city is probably best known as the home of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, particularly thanks to the Winston and Salem cigarette brands, and there’s no question that RJR had a defining influence on the … Read more

Overcoming Smoke and Rain in Western North Carolina

This was a good week to be somewhat more modest in our hiking and sightseeing ambitions, since a north wind brought a lot of Canadian wildfire smoke to the area followed by several days of rain. Not only did we get hit with air quality advisories, but the airborne particles pretty much destroyed the nice … Read more

Week Two in Western North Carolina

We learned from years of full-time travel that whenever we hit a new location, we need to plan our most important visits at the front end of the planned stay. Weather, mechanical problems, distractions of various sorts, and sheer laziness can all prevent us from getting to some planned destinations if we wait too long … Read more

Welcome to Big Sandy Mush

Our home away from home for the month of July is the Big Sandy Mush, a secluded valley located about 15 miles northwest of Asheville. European settlement of the valley dates back to around 1800, but the mountains ringing the valley kept it fairly isolated. Generations of residents raised all their own food, kept cows … Read more