By Corky Guenther
The Over-Dat-Hill Gang is a loosely associated subset of mostly retired CVBMC members who from time to time venture into the NC countryside, touring in LBCs along back roads to interesting places or to no place. The first tour of 2015 on April 30th was arranged by Bill Baird and started at Scotty’s Grille in Taylorsville. From there we traveled to the Northeast corner of Alexander County and stopped at Linney’s Mill, the only remaining of once many water powered mills serving farmers along Rocky Creek.
Established in 1856 and rebuilt in 1936 with a dam and waterwheel, the mill has been in the same family and grinding grain since. The floors are worn and the fragrance of the ground grain permeates the building. Stone ground White Grits, Yellow Grits and self-rising Corn Meal mix are produced on-site and the adjacent store also offers many other locally grown and produced products in the store.
Next on the tour was the Shiloh General Store in Hamptonville, although horses pastured next to and foals across the street from the store grabbed the attention of several of our group and delayed their entry. This Amish store sells baked goods, spices, herbs, cheeses, meats, snacks, children’s toys, bulk foods, nuts, dried fruits, homemade baskets, breads, jams, jellies. They also sell Amish wooden furniture. The store was crowded with locals and visitors sliding past one another either in pursuit of a particular item or just trying to take it all in. A number of people were in line at the deli in the back and though it wasn’t quite lunchtime for us, several of us made mental notes to return.
Back in the cars and down the road. We stopped in Union Grove for lunch at Debbie’s Snack Bar where there was a protracted conversation at the table across the aisle from us about the ordering of a hamburger. Seems fairly straight forward - right? Apparently not. There was a condimental discussion of monumental proportions between Dean and the waitress. I believe it was over a hamburger dressed like a hot dog. She more than held her own and the contest was a draw.
After lunch, we traveled to the Raffaldini Winery in Rhonda, one of the larger operations in the Yadkin Valley. The tasting room and function facility is a Tuscan Style Villa reflecting the Family’s Italian heritage and is located to showcase views of the mountains. Several of us enjoyed a glass and the surroundings on the patio.
The skies were beginning to darken and we all decided to call it a day and start home. We encountered a bit of rain on 421 but not enough to call a halt – a good thing as we were in the B and we refer to erecting the stow away top/hood as akin to building a house. At the NC16/18 split, where the rest continued south on 16 it was down 18 to Lenoir for the Guenthers & Ahrendts. Another day Over-Dat-Hill and a couple more with LBCs sights & food. What’s better?
