Once you become acquainted with western North Carolina, you start to think of it like an old friend. Maybe it’s the sound of the afternoon rain cooling the vibrant forests; the sweet, tangy morsels of classic barbeque on your lips; the sound of the fiddle dancing through the air, traversing decades of backyard gatherings; the lush, humble beauty that immerses you the minute you step foot into the hollers; the blooming of the mountain laurel and the streams so clear you can see the color of every stone at the bottom; or the clean, pure air entering your lungs as you pedal under pristine, green canopy. Whatever the call may be, your old friend is waiting for you.
The mountains in western North Carolina have seen millions of years of destructive geological events. Grand collisions and erosions formed the Appalachian Range to be what it is today—a place of solace and where artistry, exploration and community thrive. Though these mountains bore painful witness to prior events, most recently Hurricane Helene wreaked devastation that could not have been foretold. I, like many of you, watched on the news while friends and family were outside of communication and were inside of a deeply traumatic state of loss.
Now, almost eight months after an event that demolished trails, homes, businesses and lives, rebuilding and recovering the community has brought a redemptive aura to the springtime air. From a birds-eye-view, Asheville and surrounding areas are operating as they did prior to Helene; however, the effects of the disaster still lurk in the background. But what is in the prominent foreground of picturesque western North Carolina is the resilience and adaptability of the community, proving the mantra that is splayed across T-shirts, billboards and social media feeds: “WNC STRONG.”
Working for Backroads in several regions for four years now, the local retailers, the trip quality, and the opportunity to commune with nature is unparalleled in my eyes during our Carolinas Biking Tour, Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains Hiking & Walking Tour, and our Great Smoky Mountains Family Multi-Adventure Tour. Having the pleasure of hearing authentic bluegrass music after a hike in some of the most biodiverse forests in the world, witnessing the sweet Southern drawl from local friends like Matt and Erica, owners of “Red Fiddle Vittles,” who make the best “souter,” or cobbler, east of the Mississippi and getting to bike on pristine backcountry roads by the Greenville Watershed surely humbles you and brings you a reprieve from the rushing around and chaos of our modern world.
When leading trips in North Carolina and the surrounding areas I have a sense of pride; first because it is the place that I call home, and second because it is the place that formed me into the person I am today. Bounding across moss-covered boulders in the Smokies looking for crawdads and salamanders, hiking with my parents and siblings in Dupont State Forest to hidden waterfalls that demand your attention once found, and sitting on the back porch of our family home listening to the calls of the whippoorwill at dusk all inspired me to pursue adventure in my career and to share my passion about the natural world with guests on Backroads trips. I know that when I shake the hand of a guest on Day 1 in North Carolina, I will hug them goodbye knowing that they have found a new sense of adventure, an appreciation for North Carolina’s natural beauty and a sense of having a new “home away from home.”
Recently, there have been questions as to whether or not North Carolina should be visited in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The answer to that question is a resounding yes. In addition to the thousands of dollars donated to MANNA Foodbank, a local organization that provided emergency food, shelter and resources to those affected by the storm, Backroads has supported our communities by bringing tourism back to help revitalize a region that has been through so much. The trips also give Backroads guests an authentic lens into the incredible work that has been accomplished by the local community to restore the unforgettable trails, restaurants and scenic roads.
As many of you know, Backroads is a proponent of giving toasts. Cheering to an incredible week ahead and speaking to the events that transpired over a trip allows leaders and guests alike to align and reflect on the region they are visiting. I want to place the official North Carolina State toast into this blog to give those of you reading this a sense of the longstanding personality of North Carolina.
The following toast was officially adopted as the State Toast of North Carolina by the General Assembly of 1957 (Session Laws, 1957, c777):
Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here to Down Home, the Old North State!
Here’s to the land of the cotton bloom white,
Where the scuppernong perfumes the breeze at night,
Where the soft southern moss and jessamine mate,
Neath the murmuring pines of the Old North State!
Here’s to the land where the galax grows,
Where the rhododendron rosette glows,
Where soars Mt. Mitchell’s summit great,
In the “Land of the Sky”, in the Old North State!
Here’s to the land where maidens are fair,
Where friends are true and cold hearts rare,
The near land, the dear land, whatever fate,
The blest land, the best land, the Old North State!
“Where the weak grow strong, and the strong grow great” seems to me to be the thesis of the devastation that occurred here in western North Carolina. So come with us on a Backroads Trip to grow stronger and more intimate with the resiliency of the Old North State. Your old friend is waiting for you.
