Today was the final morning on "the Isle" and the stormy skies and rain was fitting as that was what greeted us when we arrived Monday. The weather denied us a going away sunrise, but we did enjoy the ocean one last time. Right as we started we had a detour in Swansboro for the Mullet Festival (this is for the bait fish, not the hair). The drive from the coast to Greensboro is along one and it rained most of the way. When we reached Greensboro we decided to take a detour to the Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, but before we headed west we first stopped at Biscuitville for brunch. We left I-40 and headed up US-421 toward Boone. This road takes one through Wilkesboro and past the old (and abandoned) North Wilkesboro Speedway...just sad. Once you reach Boone, Valle Crucis is about nine miles up the road. For those who don’t know Mast General Store is a regional institution with locations in eight towns and cities. However the original store is still in operation in Valle Crucis. It opened in 1883 and sold everything from "cradles to caskets." Today it is packed with a wide range of items and even has a working U.S. Post Office. It is a two story building and has three other buildings, including an old school house, with more items. The store was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Just down (or up the road depending on your direction of approach) is the Mast General Store Annex. Built in 1909 as a competing general store it is now where most of the clothing and outdoor items are sold. Both locations sell candy, lots of candy. Oh, and I must mention starting after Winston-Salem and especially in the mountains the trees were turning and it was beautiful. So, I am back in Tennessee and ready for autumn leaf time, but I enjoyed my time on "the Isle."
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