Cleared for Departure

Category: North America

  • A Brief History of Appalachia

    A Brief History of Appalachia

    A quick history of Appalachia.

  • Geologically Speaking

    Geologically Speaking

    It all starts about a billion years ago. For the record, that’s a long time.

  • Appalachia Is Not Just Mountains

    Appalachia Is Not Just Mountains

    Welcome to Appalachia, home to 25 million people and the oldest mountains in North America … possibly the oldest in the world.

  • Off To See My People

    So what exactly is Appalachia?  Is it a place, a region, a specific mountain range?  And where is it?  Is it all The South, or a part of The South?  Is it all of North Carolina?  Is it a state of mind? Who lives there and why?  Do they call themselves Appalachians?  How is it…

  • This Can’t Be a Good Idea

    This Can’t Be a Good Idea

    I don’t normally write about my trips to Blowing Rock.  I’ve been going for so many years, it hardly seems newsworthy.  It’s not a very sexy destination either, like New Zealand or Latvia.  However, given the circumstances, I thought it’d be nice to share a place I know and love, along with my usual commentary…