Spent overnight at motel just west of Asheville, NC. Took Mack to Saturn service dealership there, to investigate "Service Engine Soon" light. Mechanic diagnosed several issues and advised not fixing for now.
Took 26E (south) and 64W to Brevard, NC. Finally, some nice countryside, in both topography and in-excessive sprawl. Very gently rolling, lots of farmland. First bigger farms last couple days (not just the three-five acre poor-man's patches around Asheville.
And finally, in Brevard, a nice small town. All twentieth century construction. A walkable two-four blocks of Main Street. College town. Surrounding small town homes, all very well kept, with mature gardens. Ranging from small bungalows and ranches to medium-small Colonial revivals.
Continuing on 64 from Brevard to Cashiers. Higher and hillier as I progressed. Low clouds, presumably higher surrounding hills not visible. Also, less farmland, more forest, dotted with increasingly rustic-chic way points. And increasingly more signs at driveways to private communities not visible from the road. And golf courses.
Cashiers is not a living community and not walkable. But a collection of rustic-chic one-story retail establishments, look to be built last thirty years, nicely done for what they are. Heavy emphasis in area on real estate and home stores. Roads all around, forested, natural and pretty. Strange absence of visible residences.
More of the same forest and private communities, golf courses, along 64 from Highlands to Cashiers. Lots of clouds and increasingly hilly and winding roads.
Highlands has a walkable Main Street center and looks to have been built prior to conversion to resort destination. Mostly 20th century, but look to be a couple structures which may be nineteenth century. Including large old inn.
Highlands down to Mountain City crosses through into state of Georgia. Fewer chi-chi things. Visible presence of national forest, with overlooks and trail heads. Some farms again.
15/23/441 runs south from Dillard to Mountain City to Clayton through farmland dotted with decently-kept commercial properties. Towns are small, basically junk and antiquing lined along route.
Clayton is a bigger town. Has a walkable four or so Main Street blocks off the highway, with some surrounding, fairly attractive homes. Staying in Clayton for the night.
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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