He just loved the mountains, especially the Boone area, and for us it was the Tweetsie Railroad experience. The incredible excitement was palpable as we packed our belongings.

We never stayed more than three days, but we most certainly made the most out of those two or three days! Just the drive was an experience for our Daddy, as he drove his Buick Electra to the mountains.

He was very proud of the car because he grew up from a dirt-poor background and he was Native American. His mother and father were strict disciplinarians who pushed their children to get a good education. That impetus drove our Daddy to eventually become a long-time professor at what is now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. 

His hard work and perseverance helped him into a career that afforded Daddy the financial means to buy his coveted “Blue Buick Electra,” though if truth be told, it was actually a silver-ish color, but Daddy was color blind. He loved driving it!

He was all smiles all the way up to the mountains, and we loved it too. One time, motion sickness going around the curves caused an accident in the car, but it was a small and forgivable snafu.

The treks continued for a long time until we were well into our teens. Daddy passed away in 1996, and now as an older person myself, I so fondly remember those travels — travels and memories that cannot be duplicated. That is why I absolutely love the North Carolina mountains … especially in late fall.

Kathy Ransom, Maxton, a member of Lumbee River EMC