Boone, NC

Yesterday, after descending down the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, I turned north and drove a few miles into Boone, NC. My pre-road trip research revealed that Boone would be more happening than the town of Blowing Rock, but I couldn't find much when I got there. Sure, Appalachian State University is in Boone, but the town was dead. My guess is that school is already out for the summer.

I found my way to the Best Western hotel, only to find that it was peculiarly perched on the top of a hill with a view of the Boone mall. Not exactly what I was looking for. This particular location was not convenient to the bar and restaurants of town, either, so I was going to have to drive to fetch dinner, which I did. Boone was pretty much a bust. I don't recommend this town.

This morning I checked e-mail at the Boone library and hit the road as quickly as possible. As I headed out of town, I again drove through Blowing Rock and couldn't help but stop at the attraction after which the town is named. After paying my $6 entry fee into enter the Blowing Rock facility, I walked out to see the attraction. There was some fog, but the view was nice. Soon I was leaning over the edge of Blowing Rock, which the brochure claims, "the rocky walls of the gorge form a flume through which the northwest wind sweeps with such force that it returns light objects cast over the void."

Fascinating.

Next stop: Columbia, SC.