North Carolina is REALLY Big

By Chris

Been in NC since Tuesday. Drove down through Durham, to the Charlotte area. Attended a really cool event at the NASCAR Speedpark that featured lots of NASCAR drivers and media in an event to fight cancer in honor of a driver in the middle of a personal fight (Bobby Hamilton). I am not a NASCAR guy, but know it is absolutely a huge deal. It's race week in Charlotte, so the NASCAR family is all over the city. With the drivers on hand, selling chances to race go-carts with them, eat dinner with them and buy some neat stuff in an auction, people were showing up in force to support a good cause. Lots of big names gave their time, and tens of thousands was raised. They auctioned everything from helmets and race suits to a tool cart used at a race and signed by drivers. They even had a Grey's Anatomy DVD set signed by the lead actor, known as "Mc Dreamy" on the show at at my house. When I told Teresa that I stopped bidding at a pretty low amount in her eyes she was . . . auidibly upset. Ooops. Had no idea it would have been that big of a hit. Should have kept bidding! Kudos to the NASCAR family and fans. Class folks with big hearts. Big props to my go-getter team member too for making it all happen!

Spent the day in the Charlotte area after finding one of the few hotel rooms in the area that wasn't gobbled up by race activity. Then, it was off to the western, mountainous section, via a quick ride up I-40, to Asheville, where I am now. I've logged a good 600 miles already in the state. A-ville is beautiful, and incredibly unique. Way more funky than one would expect in the NC mountains. After spending tomorrow here, it'll be back down I-40, this time making my way into Eastern NC, before making a b-line for the Va. border and home. I will have made a great big triangle through NC by then. Probably a good 1,000 miles. And, there are still many parts I will not have been to this trip. The beaches; the whole triad. This place is HUGE!