Visiting the Carolinas

We have been busy in North and South Carolina. This was our first visit to South Carolina and I have been pleased with the visit as it is a beautiful state.

Lucy enjoying a hike. Maybe next time she will pay attention.

We were in the greater Ashville area for a few days and explored the local establishments in the hunt for my elusive prey. We visited a variety of places including barbeque places, breweries, and a mead and cider bar. Before you start wondering if I located any cryptozoological creatures including Big Foot, the answer is no. Obviously that would be the headline along with the photo and not a picture of Lucy about to be eaten by a normal creature. 

We arrived in the rain in North Carolina and this was my first time setting up in the rain with this trailer. I was located right next to a river and the water was quite high but being able to be down by the river is the dream of all vagabonds so I couldn't resist.

View from my picnic table which was next to the trailer.

Our first stop was Okie Dokies Smokehouse. I got a rib dinner to go as I do not like eating hand food in public with the long beard (figure that one out on your own but I can assure you it isn't pretty). The rib meat was cooked perfectly and didn't require any sauce which I also generally avoid. The meat should stand on its own if it's any good. The collard greens were excellent so I know that they were not healthy. I also checked out Phil's Bar-B-Cue Pit in Black Mountain and while they have correctly used the possessive punctuation, their smoked chicken was a bit bland and needed sauce. However I did get their chopped brisket to go which was delicious and I was able to enjoy that in several meals including chili.

Phil's had an eclectic vibe and a steady stream of customers

We also checked out several breweries unsurprisingly and sampled their wares. The first stop was Lookout Brewing Company. There was a nice outside patio and inside space. Since it was a warm sunny day and there was no bar, the patio was my hangout. The beer was good and tasty but certainly not the best I have ever had but definitely a solid choice. After enjoying myself for a while and with the aforementioned lack of creatures, I moved on.

Inside Lookout Brewery. Notice a lack of a bar? Kind of sad

The next stop was Black Mountain Brewing. The beer here was also good and it too had a nice patio space. Apparently it is warmer in the Carolinas per the internet, and I have found most breweries to have patios, but these are larger patio spaces than in other northern states. Since I prefer sitting at a bar as mentioned in a previous post, it is not a big deal one way or the other but the patio does allow for dogs which is nice. That being said, at the top of the upper peninsula of Michigan there was a lovely brewery with a huge patio so you never know. I guess the biggest difference is that the brewery patios in the north are generally or mostly uncovered as to allow the sun versus the shaded patios and decks in the south. I will continue to observe this phenomenon but it will require more visits to breweries, alas.

Inside Back Mountain. It had bar stools but no one sat in them and there wasn't room to walk passed them if you did. Beer was decent though.

Our last stop in North Carolina was at Black Mountain Cider + Mead. As the name suggests this was an establishment with both mead and cider. If you are unfamiliar with mead, I suggest you look it up. This is a blog about hunting elusive prey and not wikipedia. The last time I had mead in Wisconsin I did not care for it. I might have even made disparaging remarks about it to B as he went with me to sample it. So with some trepidation, I ordered several meads and ciders while I waited for Big Foot to walk in. I was quite pleased with the variety and flavor profiles of both and the people were quite friendly. The establishment was a bit of a hole in the wall but the space was relaxing and fun and they played various Irish folk tunes so I felt at home. Obviously Big Foot wasn't there but the place was pretty cool.

Black Mountain Cider + Mead. taps. Sitting at bar and just chillin.

South Carolina was also lovely and the area I was in was quite forested. I am not sure what I expected but the mix of forests and swampy areas was lovely but I can see how it would have been difficult to settle for early pioneers or for General Sherman's army to move through here but both happened successfully which just proves how determination can achieve any worthy goal.

I checked out Craft and Draft in Columbia to get a sense of local beers and for Big Foot of course. The variety of taps and cans was amazing. The owner had a great knowledge of the beer scene in South Carolina and beyond. South Carolina has some of the more liberal liquor laws I have seen for tap rooms and it showed at this establishment. I talked to a gentleman at the bar who had returned to the area after being in the swamps of Maryland for the last 15 years (aka DC). He provided a number of places for me to check and some beers I should take to go to stock my fridge. Unfortunately he provided a list far too long for one visit and I will have to return as there was no sign of my elusive prey at this establishment. 

While at Craft and Draft, I was recommend a barbecue place to try South Carolina Hash at Big T’s. It was a local place and based upon the line it was quite popular. In case you don’t know what this hash includes, read the link. If you intend to ever try it, I would recommend not knowing what is in it but just know it’s served over a bed of rice and is a pork dish. It was very tasty and I took the recommendation of the lady behind me in line and got the sauce on top. The hash was excellent but like other blends of meats (like foie gras) it was a little rich. 

I also decided to check out Columbia Craft for their beers and to see if I could locate my elusive prey. The beers were top notch and the food truck outside even delivered to the bar. There was a steady clientele and the patio and inside space was welcoming and inviting. I didn't make it upstairs but there was no sign of Big Foot on the ground level. While it's possible the creature was upstairs, I will have to wait for my next visit to find out.

The beer labels were artistically made by the tap room manager (who also was there during my visit). Friendly staff and customers, dog friendly - perfect place.

I got to experience the remnants of the tropical storm that hit Florida and moved up through the Carolinas. It rained constantly for a a day and half with strong winds followed by hot and humid. It was interesting but being in a trailer one has to be constantly on the lookout for tornados due to the tornado magnet effect. Thankfully the hounds and I survived unscathed and were able to relax in the palace we now reside in. 

I made one last search at Doko Station Pub and Eatery. This was a little eatery which happened to have local beers on tap. The flatbread was excellent and the ingredients were pretty fresh.. The owner was there and he was friendly and funny. His staff was excellent and appropriately personable for high school aged people. The young man was getting his Eagle Scout badge shortly which was nice to hear. The beers were excellent and I went with a brown ale. Overall an excellent place with locals and clearly friends as customers. Obviously an appropriate place for Big Foot to hang out, but not on this night.

Craft beers on tap and friendly staff at Doko Station Pub and Eatery

I am headed towards Savannah next (checking out Sherman's work on that city too) and then Florida before swinging west as I make my slow march to Texas. I have been reflecting a lot this week on future plans and how the adventure has gone so far. In my next post, I will share some statistics of the first six months of my vagabond adventure. I am still loving the life but since I will be moving only monthly once I get to Texas, I expect a different experience. That will drive my decisions on how the adventure proceeds from there. No matter the style of the adventure, I will not rest until I have found what I am looking for.

Thor

Check out braxwood.com for more information including a continuously updated route map and answers to timeless questions.