Grand Olde Station Pub decked out for Christmas
The greeter was a local before his career at the pub.
The mountain lion was also a local: this is right by the Panthertown Wilderness of the Nantahala National Forest. There is not now nor ever has there been a town in Panthertown.
I like this place. Its clientele are rich folks on vacation at the lake who never complain when bikers show up to drink at their bar. The managers sometimes look a bit nervous about it, but the staff are always cool mountain folk and often bike riders themselves. The bartender asked me if I knew a good place for her to get tattoos, which I don't -- bikes and tattoos often go together, but not always. Another of the kitchen staff stopped by to ask me about my Norse Fitness gear, which he admired.
The owner I don't know, but he's clearly a local history aficionado whom I suspect I'd get along with well. The whole place is full of pieces of local history, photographs from long ago in the mountains, historic weaponry -- note the very rare falling block double rifle in the one photo -- as well as framed news clippings. It's a little pricey for the mountains, though it'd be cheap in a city. The food is always good, and they keep an interesting and rotating selection of local brews on tap. It's convenient for me as a stop after or amidst a ride on the southeastern part of my regular range.
