VINEYARDS/WINERIES and PILOT MOUNTAIN in NORTH CAROLINA

Friday, April 29th - Our last day in Mt Airy, NC.
Bill, Esther, Gary and I started out again at 8 am and had a good breakfast at Sue's Seafood. ( I think that I preferred the first day's breakfast location!)
We started across country to Mt Pilot, Dobson and Elkin NC before going up to Pilot Mountain. Of course, interesting sights and countryside with stops at wineries for Esther. But we enjoyed them also. First was the McRitchie Winery and Ciderworks.

Very interesting to see how they lay out the fields! They were mowing between rows this day. It had to be a full time job.

Some awesome awards for their wines!

The pianst was not in this day. Darn!

Just down the road we stopped at Jones-Von Drehle Vineyards and Winery.. Esther thought she might have bought enough when she finished here! We will see.

Watch dog? It doesn't seem concerned with anything
going on around.

It is time to move on up the mountain. We haven't had our climb in for today yet! We are beginning to see Pilot Mountain in the distance.

Views from the parking area when we arrived-

The Yardin Valley

We passed these two on the road up to the Park.
Gary thought about offering to let them hang on
for $10. a bike! They did make it and wanted their picture taken,
but were pretty exhausted..

We then looked around and our guys were gone! So Esther and I began our climb up to the top of Pilot Mountain. However, I did not make it to the top because the steps stopped and the stones began with nothing to hold on to. I was not brave enough for that and the knees don't handle the climbs very well anymore. So Esther went on and low and behold the guys were there!

When they got back to where I was waiting, they thought it time to rest before hitting the road again.

Pretty little fellow they saw on their climb.

Now down the road again and wonder or wonders, another winery!! JO-LO Vineyards and Winery.  It had an awesome view and was so much fancier then the earlier ones. Esther did find some more to take home and we had appetizers to tide us over to dinner.

Pretty fancy deck for outdoor seating, as well!

Zoom view of Pilot Mountain seen just to the left
of the roof line in picture above.

Guess maybe this was enough for one day? So we got together again for TV and cards and I put Esther and Bill's pizza in the oven and got out our left overs. We did not lack for food!
We will hit the road on Saturday with a stop at Tamarek in WV.

MOUNT AIRY, NORTH CAROLINA with BILL and ESTHER

Wednesday, April 27th - We arrived at Mt Airy, NC (Mayberry Campground). A couple hours later, Bill and Esther Goodchild arrived also. The guys spent the evening relaxing in front of the TV and Esther and I played a couple games of 5-Crowns.

Thursday, We got together at 8 am to go to town for breakfast at a mom and pop type restaurant, and continued with walking the streets of "Mayberry" (Mt Airy). The town has cashed in on the tourist factor from the television show with Andy Griffith and we found many stores to go through.

Others chose to tour the streets in the old
Mayberry police car!

Bill noticed a gal from back in Salem Ohio walk past him.  When he called out to her, she was shocked to find that she knew someone in another small town rural America!!

Bill Carter, Bill and Esther Goodchild, Karen Carter and Gary.

Karen and Bill Carter, it was great to visit with you for a while in downtown, Mt Airy. We hope that you enjoyed the rest of your tour.
We continued on with a tour of a four floor Museum

The original entrance now has scenes of the old
period general store.

The fourth floor had a donated display of 2800 cars
which had been  from one owner
(match box and larger put together models).

We visited with the barber at Floyd's Barber Shop. "Floyd" is in very poor health so we got an update on that while Gary pretended to get a haircut!

While they were pretending we were looking over all of the hundreds of photos on the walls! This is just a small sample.

Back out on the street we saw the Earle Theater and a "Five and Ten" and a gentleman from Mt Airy filled us in on the local history of industry, which was mostly granite and textiles.

Spencer's baby clothing and sock
manufacturers which is now
closed.

North Carolina Granite Quarry
It was awesome to realize how much granite has been
removed from this area and they say there is enough for
another 500 years.

From there we checked out the Surrey County War Memorial.

and Mt Airy's Sports Hall of Fame.

Then we went on to find a winery for Esther to check out!!

Now it is time to goon to Goober's for dinner. Gary and I got some awesome sandwiches that were about ten inches long. We had to each take a half home for another day. Bill and Esther introduced us to deep fried dill pickles slices. They were delish!! They were so-o good and I hope that we are not disappointed the next time that we order them.

This Thursday ended the same as yesterday with TV and 5Crowns. Tomorrow will be another day of sight seeing in the area.

So stay tuned!