We had to leave the parkway due to a construction closure so traveled along a narrow county road through the town of Bedford. Bedford has a tragic history, losing 14 young men during the DDay invasion. Given the size of the town, that was proportionately a greater loss than any other small town in America. The road(s) were generally narrow and winding - but less so than the Parkway.
Breakfast was a sandwich from the gas station/chicken store where we stopped to top off the fuel. The destination was Mt.Airy, the birthplace and many year residence of Andy Griffith. Mt. Airy was the inspiration for the town of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith TV series and has milked that cow by naming many of the local businesses after the locations and characters from the show.
The trip was largely uneventful but ever more rural with narrowing roads and ever more modest homes. Then suddenly we’d pop onto an interstate highway only to turn off a few miles down the road to join another winding rural road. Winding, rural roads are exciting when driving and towing 47 linear feet of vehicles.
Our camp spot for the next two nights was to be a Harvest Host destination - Round Peak Vineyard. The winery turned out to be a true plus. The grounds were beautiful, the staff friendly and helpful, and our site was down the hill from the main building beside the vines. Beautiful, greenery squared. That’s amazing for desert dwellers. The wines weren’t the finest but the place was dog friendly and the scenery wonderful as we tried a flight of the local wines.
We came here to visit (commemorate? explore? be amazed by?) the home of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for Mayberry RFD. This was just a quick pass through the town of Mt.Airy, NC with the intent of more time tomorrow. BUT we were hungry and told that food was to be had at a brew bar called the Angry Troll. OK. We tried it. The beer was fine. The food was perhaps the worst either Pam or I had ever eaten. Pam - ever concerned about offending anyone - gathered our barely bitten sandwiches and dumped them in a trash can around the corner so the waitress wouldn’t feel badly. We left, drove home to our wonderful campsite and ended the day.
Well, almost ended the day. And then the Martians arrived! We knew there were Martians because we saw their intensely green laser beams illuminating the RV and sweeping across the vineyard. If not Martians it must be huge, turkey sized, fireflies. Nope. Green laser beams that scan the premises to scare birds from eating the grapes. Whew! We went to bed fully believing we’d wake up in Mt. Airy instead of Mars. Tomorrow we explore Andy Griffith land.