Got lost on some roads all around Barnardsville, NC. Some of the prettiest country I've seen. Bit too confined by hills, but just a bit. Quiet, roads lined one property deep with very small farms and houses, backed by forested hills.
From 26, took 19E east. Very ugly road, sprawling with commercial development and road construction. Burnsville in nice, high valley topography. Somewhat historic downtown with small central square and big old inn. Walkable for a little bit, with some "shop local" activism. But quite immediately off ugly commercial 19E.
Bakersville was a nice size and quiet. A little too closed in by hills. Almost all 20th century, badly laid out and not walkable. One small historic courthouse, one vacant home.
Looked around Leicester area. Route 63 is a pretty awful commercial sprawlway. Surrounding countryside is some of the most attractive topography of gently rolling hills seen last days. But awful absence of land use planning. Peppered with suburban homes and very small farms. Too populated. The only upscale housing seen last two days. Including McMansion-like new developments with smaller scale homes.
This is my bit of a blog. Rambling words about rambling days. No focus and nothing ambitious. I seem to write most about local color, nature, and animals, and there is an incomplete chunk about my road trips of 2011.
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