Black Mountain, NC to Lure Lake, NC in the Fall.....

The Autumn of 2000 was my first year in the D.C. area of Virginia.  It's my favorite time of the year and, while Virginia is a beautiful State in every season, I longed for lots of mountains.....few people. :)  My first thought was Asheville, NC.....but there were no rooms available.  A well-traveled friend suggested I try Black Mountain...and sure enough I secured a room for Friday and Saturday nights at a farmhouse B and B.

I found a flight right after work that had good prospects of an empty seat to Charlotte on Friday (I'm was and am an airline non-rev'er...), reserved a car and packed a bag. :)

Just a note about Black Mountain...small, very artsy and that weekend the large hotel was having a Treasure Hunt...so every little shop had people coming in and asking the shopkeeper if they had clues.  More later....

Saturday after breakfast, I headed down State Hwy 9 with Lure Lake as the destination. The scenery was spectacular the entire way.  At one point I saw an old log house in the valley below so the next turn that direction I was on the lane that passed by it.

Apparently the owners of the property use this for storage and a work area....'cause there was a man standing on the porch

I always look for unexpected things for photos and I liked this fence with it's view. :)

Further down there was an outbuilding with a tin roof...but this time I took it from the road above.

Color was all around...it was just what I'd hoped for.

  

Chimney Rock Mountain was just prior to the Lake.

Chimney Rock Mountain, North Carolina

In minutes I was at the restaurant, sitting on the deck overhanging Lure Lake and getting to know everyone.       Ahhhhhhhhhhh....it was great!

Lure Lake, North Carolina

Lure Lake, North Carolina

A bit of trivia about Lure Lake:  if you thought that Dirty Dancing was filmed somewhere in the Catskills (because that was the premise of the movie) you'd be wrong.  Seems those places were very run down so they came to the Lure Lake area and shot the movie.

Didn't have the camera for the end of the day...but it was great fun.  Black Mountain is home to Billy Graham and there were only 2 pubs in town....serving 3.2 beer only....and, it seemed, EVERYONE that lived in the town was at one particular pub....all were dressed in Halloween costumes......guess I forgot to mention it was Halloween weekend.....  The crowd was friendly to this 'outsider' and the night was geared toward who would win the costume contest.   Sooooo much fun!

So if ever you're around that part of North Carolina in the Fall or on Halloween, I hope you have as much fun as I did 13 years ago!!!!

Tillie