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Talking to Lynn Setzer of Chapel Hill, author of several
books in-cluding the recently published North Carolina Weekends from
John F. Blair, you get the idea that she loves the Tar Heel State's
mountains. A little further in the conversation, you start to realize
that Setzer also adores the coast - and the Piedmont, too.
"I call this book my love letter to North Carolina," Setzer
said. "This state has so many neat things, and if I can help people
see that, I feel like I've done a good days work."
Setzer, who will sign copies of her latest book at 7 p.m. next Thursday,
Oct. 23, at City Lights, has been to Sylva several times and counts
Bryson City among her favorite places in the state.
"Sylva is a little jewel with all its wonderful restaurants. And
it's a wonderful place to be on the Fourth of July," said Setzer,
who spent 2000's Independence Day on Main Street.
North Carolina has 48,708 square miles of territory, and, if you had
time to listen, Setzer could probably tell you something special about
each one of them.
When asked about a great weekend destination, she immediately answered,
"Salisbury."
Located in what Setzer calls "Cheerwine Country," Salisbury
is "one of the best kept secrets in North Carolina."
The Rowan County town boasts the N.C. Museum of Transportation with
its big rail yard and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall
of Fame, which Setzer describes as a "must-do museum for ESPN addicts."
Each weekend trip suggestion includes a section called "Tidbits"
that's full of interesting local facts. A quick scan reveals that Rowan
County apparently once extended all the way to the Pacific Ocean ("Early
maps show it beginning west of Chatham County and going to wherever
the land ended"); and that Cheerwine, "a burgundy-colored,
brilliant, tongue-tickling cherry cola," was sold only within a
two-hour driving radius of Salisbury until the late 1970s.
Sylva, we learn from Setzer's volume, is located in "Catamount
Country. Among the local "Tidbits" comes the information that
Western Carolina University athletic teams were called the Teachers
back in the 1930s. After it was decided that name lacked "pizazz,"
a contest was changed to find a new nickname, and Catamounts (a variant
name for cougars) was chosen over Mountain Boomers by then Coach C.C.
Poindexter.
Setzer's book is divided into almost 50 sections classified as either
"Coast," "Piedmont" or "Mountains." The
next section lists each weekend destination under appropriate categories
like "antiques" or "crafts." Sylva is listed under
four: Art, paddling/rafting, shopping and hiking/walking.
Setzer, who hails from Dallas (N.C.), has a deep affection for her native
state, and it shows on every page. The book grew out of a long time
spent traveling from the mountains to the sea and back again.
"Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I go somewhere and enjoy
what my state has to offer," Setzer said.
"Over the last year, I traveled back to as many places as possible
to make sure my information was fresh and current."
Setzer's other books are A Season on the Appalachian Trail, Great Adventures
in North Carolina and 60 Hikes in 60 Days.
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