Trip to Millers Creek

Saturday, October 2, 2010:
When I got home from work on Friday, I did not want to stay inside any longer. The weather was so beautiful. I just wanted to drive somewhere. Renee' had even called me at work that day and asked if we could take a trip. I imagine she gets tired of staying inside too.  So I decided, why not, we will just do it. I had been talking about going to a place in the western part of the state called, Millers Creek. It is where one of the characters in my book is going to live so I needed to see the place so I could describe it more accurately.  So made sure the dogs' food and water bowls were full, packed a change of clothes, etc.  Renee' had her many bags packed. I started to tell her that she didn't need all the things she was carrying but thought if that is what she likes to do, no problem.  By 5:30 we were backing out of the driveway.  I went by the bank to get a little cash and we hit the road. 

We got to Yadkinville around 7:00 and needed to use the little girl's room, and we were getting hungry. The first place I found when we pulled off the main highway 421, was a KFC. We decided to eat there, but instead of staying overnight in that town, we drove another 30 minutes to Wilkesboro.  When we turned onto Hwy 16 N, there was a Holiday Inn Express on the right and I pulled in.  I was told there was no vacancy. Oh NO, I thought - why hadn't I thought about that - I mean, the whole world doesn't operate on my whims!  The lady said there was a car race this weekend as well as the famous Apple Festival.  I informed her that we were going to Millers Creek (she said that is where she lived - I thought, are you the lady in my book - I'm losing it, right?).  Anyway, she told us about the Addison Inn just down the road.  That is where we stayed.  The desk clerk was so nice and friendly.  She gave me a 10% discount  - do we look needy?, I wondered.  Room 306, we were in it by 9:00. 

I know I've written about how wonderful my camping trips are, but I have to say that a little of the luxurious life ain't bad at all.  To understand one part of my enjoyment, I have to tell you that almost two years ago, I decided not to smoke in my house, so I go out to the deck, sun, rain, dark, hot, cold - that's the promise I made to myself.  Now the laws have been passed that you can't smoke anywhere, no restaurants, no public place whatsoever. So, when she asked me if I wanted a smoking room, I said yes. One bed or two? I asked what's the difference in the price - there was none, I said two would be good. 

Okay now - what made it so luxurious for me?   There was a coffee pot in the room. I filled the tub with hot water and plenty of bubbles, fixed me a cup of coffee, got my ashtray and cigarettes and I was Queen for a night!   Renee' also soaked after I finished, then she started watching her DVD.  (You see, I don't want to pay such a high water bill and when you fill up a bathtub, the bill goes up - but, on second thought, $80 for a hotel - how many bathtubs soakings could I enjoy!)

I stayed up until a little past midnight working on the book I'm writing.  Got a good night's sleep and awoke around 6:00, made another cup of coffee and woke up Renee'.  We traveled the rest of the day, just meandering a little while northward, then east, etc,

Less than 24 hours later, we were back home, I had driven nearly 400 miles. We had a great time.  Now we are glad to be back home.  Here are a few pictures I managed to take along the way. 

My two treasures from the trip. A perfect coffee mug, handmade clay piece by Phyllis Hinton Haile, $18.00, and a maple wooden turned bowl made by Bill Ramsey, $25.00.  I'm drinking a cup of coffee from my new mug as I'm posting this. It is perfectly made just for me.

Where we had breakfast. You pay before you are seated, you don't get a ticket and pay before you leave. Buffet breakfast, not bad - but I do think I prefer my breakfast cooked on a camp stove in the woods.

You can't read this, but the sign says "Millers Creek"

A view along the way, not too far from the Blue Ridge Parkway

View of power lines going up the side of a mountain

Mountains in the distance

New River General Store - felt like I was in a time warp machine. Hardwood floors, and old time candy counters. The lady even looked like Ms. Maggie in my book!! - like I say, I'm losing my mind or am I losing touch with reality!

Bench outside the store. Not a fancy flag pole but it was nice to see.

The front of the store, wooden planks or boards for a porch. 

Inside the General Store. Renee' was sneezing, I guess there was something in the store that caused it. The wooden counters, they have to be the original ones. The lady was nice enough to let me take pictures.  She was not talkative but not unfriendly either. Just an older appearing mountain woman - I did notice that she did shy away from the camera, so I didn't ask if I could take her picture.

Candy, apples, just amazing to look at. I bought some jelly beans, we got a drink, and I found a wooden black with white dots dominoes game in a wooden box for $10.  Did I need that? 

In the back of the store is a little counter where you can order a hot dog. You see the ladder backed chair - I think that might be where you sit and wait for the woman to fix it. It's an old chair, I could tell. This store reminded me of when I was very young. There was a store down the road a ways from my Nannie and Papa's house that sometimes I went to with my Papa. He had an old model Ford and there was a hole in the floorboard in front of the passenger seat (not scary, just a memory; you could say it was his form of the upcoming seatbelt because you sat very still to prevent falling through it). The only thing missing in this store is a pot bellied stove with a few old men sitting around, some leaning back in old wooden chairs, chewing the fat  (for those of you who are not from the south, "chewing the fat" translates into solving the world's problem in your conversation).

Very nourishing snacks for the mountain folks.

I was getting ready to leave after paying her and looked up and saw this. Some of the readers of my blog may not know what this is.  I is tobacco leaves.  When I was very young, my grandma let me "hand tobacco" - anyway that's another story.  What a site.  I should have asked the woman if it was for sale so I could roll my own!!!!

The necessities, rubbing alcohol, bug spray, deodorant, an oil lantern, mouthwash, toothpaste. I hate Wal-mart and Costco and Target - enough of that, I guess that's another story too. 

All the old bottles, the Raleigh cigarette sign, Levi Garrett - tobacco in a can, Prince Albert. 

Finally, after traveling lots of back roads (I don't like to travel on major interstate highways), we found a pizza place in Kernersville, just near Greensboro.  Again, the girl asked if I was over 55, I thanked her of course; and said, yes. She gave us a discount and charged Renee' for a child's plate, so we had buffet pizza and salad for $10 plus tax.  I decided we must look needy!  Then, I realized that was traveling in a part of the state unlike the city I live in with high crime, high finance, big corporations etc.  These folks were just plain ole good people - and that is one huge reason why I would love to move closer to the mountains.

Hope you have enjoyed our little trip.  /Deb