My friends Chuck and Shari Barrett have a summer home in the mountains. They have own this place for many years now and have always invited me to visit. I said I would but then I would not. This year, before they left Melbourne for the summer, I had lunch with them at a local Bistro. We discussed retirement and future travel plans. I told them I was going to drive to Vermont again and I would try to stop by. Their place, near Boone NC, would not be way off the track. I figured it would give me an oasis to stop for a break on the longer journey from Melbourne to Middlebury and back.
Where is this place?
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| Melbourne to Boone NC |
The plan was to leave Sunday morning and after about ten hours of driving, I would be at the Barrett's house. Easy enough, get on I-95 heading North for a long time, turn onto I-26 heading toward Columbia SC, merge onto I-77 heading North past Charlotte NC. Call Shari to finalize directions and share progress. I have used these directions to get to Vermont, I would stay on I-77 until it hits I-81. Nice drive if you do not mind 18-wheelers on the highway with you.
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| X marks the spot - Boone |
The difference in this trip is I would get off on 321 toward Wilkesboro NC. The roads here reminded me of driving in Vermont. Four lane highways that have stop lights in the major towns. I did completely loose phone service in Wilkesboro so I could not let Shari know I was an hour out.
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| X marks the Barrett's Hollow |
Boone is home to Appalachian State and it is named after Daniel Boone. His oldest son was named Israel and the reason for my nephew's name. It is about 8 miles to get to the house just outside Foscoe. Other places I would be visiting are now on the map including Blowing Rock, Valle Crucis, ski areas Beech and Sugar Mountain and of course Boone too. I arrived without incidence. My phone worked again in Boone and called Shari to say I was five minutes away.
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| My final destination (thanks Google Earth) |
Chuck and Shari had "The Barn" built as both a storage place on the first floor and a guest apartment on the second floor. I would be staying in the apartment for two nights. Most people visit longer but I had to be in Vermont for a golf tournament. I would get the expedited tour of the area.
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| Chuck & Shari's house from the Barn |
The barn was very comfortable. Shari is good at details and Chuck is just good! There was a welcome BJ sign in the apartment.
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| Living room in front, bed room in back right , and kitchen in back left |
The nights were cool so I slept great...The barn has a balcony on one end and a staircase on the other near the kitchen.
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| View from barn balcony - Red roof barn is Grandfather Stables |
As you can see by the picture, the mountains were socked in with clouds. My one day of visiting would be stymied by the clouds, but I got to see a lot anyway.
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| View from top of staircase on Barn |
My first evening with the Barretts was to get settled after a ten hour drive, have some spaghetti for dinner, and just watch the local wildlife.
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| Bee snuggled inside flower |
Shari says the bees are always pollinating the flowers, but as evening comes, the flowers start to close in on the bees. She thinks they just stay in there snuggled until morning when the bloom reopens. Sounds like some mountain lore but it sure looked like he was settling in for the night.
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| Deer also appear and feed on the trees and bushes. |
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| Two deer near the driveway |
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| A doe, a deer, a female deer |
I took way too many pictures of the deer. But wild deer that close to the house is kind of cool. There is also other wildlife around.
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| A small bird collecting a berry |
There was a bluebird using the birdhouse...
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| Blue Bird of Happiness? |
Rabbits were around too...
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| Rabbit sneaking out from the briars for a grass snack |
Chuck and Shari have a hummingbird feeder, It is fun to try to get good photos of the hummingbird in flight. Here is one in flight and one sitting on the feeder.
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| Hummingbird at feeder |
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| Hummingbird on feeder |
That ends the first day. We watched some TV and I went to bed about 11:30 PM. I will have a new post about my second day to Boone North Carolina...
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