Appalachian Trip - Final recap

Had a great 25th Anniversary 3 week trip with Debbie.

Don't miss Roads!:
NC 28 from NC143 west to NC129
TN 129 (The Dragon)
Blue Ridge Parkway - especially Asheville to Cherokee
TN 421 (The Snake)
VA/WV 39
VA/WV 250
NC 209 (The Rattler)
NC 80 (Diamondback)
NC 276/NC 215 loop (Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, Alligator Rock)
VA 16 Marion, VA to Tazwell, VA
VA 58 (The Python)

Other Good Roads worth seeking out:
Cherohala Skyway
WV 219
VA/WV 33
WV 15
NC 151 (Devil's Drop)
NC 28 from NC 143 to Walhalla,SC
NC 221
Foothills Parkway, TN
Little River Road, TN
TN 360
NC 281/TN 143 Roan Mountain.
NC 194 Banner Elk
Skyline Drive
WV 150 (Highland Scenic Highway)

Favorite towns:
Blowing Rock, NC - great charm, restaurants, and things to do.
Lexington, VA - exudes Southern charm.
Monterey, VA - friendly and scenic.

Favorite Restaurants:
Southern Inn, Lexington, VA - great ambience and food - A+ pecan pie.
Village Inn, Blowing Rock, NC - superb in every way.
Pisgah Inn - Good food, GREAT view!
Kac-Ka-Pon Restaurant, Wardensville, WV - terrific blueberry and coconut cream pie.
Miss Angels Heavenly Pies, Mount Airy, NC - great, great apple pie.

Most Unique Food:
Famous Pork Chop Sandwich at Snappy Lunch in Mount Airy, NC.

Favorite sights:
Moses Cone Memorial Park - Blue Ridge Parkway
Mabry Mill - Blue Ridge Parkway
Antietam Battlefield - great displays and a terrific auto/bike tour route
Bridal Veil Falls - fun waterfall that you can ride under
Sliding Rock, NC - fun, fun, fun to slide down a waterfall!
Whitewater Falls, NC/SC border - awesome.
Mast General Store - oldest in US and pretty amazing.

Favorite hotels:
Pisgah Inn, Blue Ridge Parkway - superb in every way
Homestead Inn, Blowing Rock, NC - clean, comfy, cheap
Brazen Head Inn, Mingo, WV - the free weekend music on the deck was great!

Scariest moment:
Thunder and Lightning storm that caught us on top of Roan Mountain, TN.

Worst treatment of a nice road:
Massive tarsnake job on Route 226A in Little Switzerland.

Passing thoughts:
I wonder where my flip flops are that came off while going down Sliding Rock?????
Sad that I forgot to take off my favorite 20-year-old watch before going down Sliding Rock.
Angry at dude that carelessly knocked off my side view mirror assembly at Deal's Gap. Said assembly later jumped ship and went for a slide down a PA Interstate.
Microtel in Robbinsville was pretty nice, but the food in Robbinsville stinks. It is also a dry town! Next time I'd stay at Fontana Villiage Resort.

Thanks for sharing. Excellent info. I can't believe you didn't get to Gettysburg if you liked Antietam, you'd love Gettysburg. Guess you'll just have to do it again!

Sounds like a great time!

Wow, thanks for the breakdown! I'll be heading up that way in mid October on another solo trip. Always open for advice/ ideas for a unique trip, thanks.

Fantastic! I have been on most of those roads and I have to say I AM JEALOUS! I have a trip planned next month to do the entire Blue Ridge Parkway & Skyline Drive. I hope to branch off and see the Monterey, VA area.

And you are right: "Microtel in Robbinsville was pretty nice, but the food in Robbinsville stinks. It is also a dry town! Next time I'd stay at Fontana Villiage Resort."

Fontana has a great chef that knows what he's doing. Another great stop in that same area is at Topoco Lodge. It was completely redone two or three years ago and is fabulous. Great food and new mattresses.