Friday In Western North Carolina

Friday we drove to Maggie Valley with Cindy's parents to meet Art at Joey's Pancake House. Joey's is only open for breakfast, from 7am to noon, and is ALWAYS packed. When we had driven by on Wednesday morning at 9am the parking lot was overflowing, so we decided to arrive by 8am to hopefully beat the crowd, but that was to little avail. Every table was occupied and folks were waiting in the lobby area. When we left at 9am, the line was out into the parking lot on each side of the lobby and cars were parked in adjacent lots while their owners walked to the restaurant for breakfast.

Cindy's mom goes to a water aerobics class in Orlando and when she told one of her classmates that we were buying some property on Sheepback Mountain, the classmate told her that her son Art had recently purchased some property there also. Cindy's parents met Art a few months back, visited his property and wanted us to all get the chance to meet, so a breakfast at Joey's was arranged.

We had a great time at breakfast and afterward we drove up to see Art's property and what he was doing on it. I thought out property was steep as far as the layout is concerned, but Art's has us beat. He has cut out a road and had it graveled up to a certain point. We walked approximately a half a mile up the steep road from the base of the property, since he was the only one with a 4-wheel drive vehicle. At a more or less level area he has set up a lean-to and has been working on building a primitive log cabin using the trees he has cut down on his property. At this point he has the 10 foot by 15 foot area staked out and is drying the tree trunks he has cut down in preparation for erecting the walls and roof. There will be no electricity or running water, but the cabin will provide shelter as he continues to clear and level his land for the eventual construction of a more conventional cabin or house in a few years. I salute his initiative and told him that while I admire what he is doing, I don't think I would ever have the character to stick with such an undertaking. He has my utmost respect. I also took a couple of picture with my cell phone of the view he has from his planned primitive cabin site and of Art with some tree trunk logs behind him.



Afterward, Cindy and I drove to Sylva, Dillsboro and Bryson City to walk the downtown streets of each town and see what they had to offer for both tourists and locals. Suffice it to say that I still prefer nearby Waynesville.

Friday evening, Cindy's parents joined us for dinner at Bogart's in Waynesville. This was my first time dining at this restaurant (Cindy and her parents have been there previously) and it may well end up being one of my favorite places to eat when we move up here. This was another place that was packed; we waited about 45 minutes to get a table, but it was worth it in food quality, portions, prices and service.

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