Warren-Wilson College, North Carolina

I am still in North Carolina. I left Greensboro yesterday towards Asheville stopped at James Lake, which is about an hour away from Asheville. I didn't know anything about James Lake except that Lucha was hot and a swim sounded good. I left highway 40 and drove on small roads though fascinating Appalachian old mountain houses with porches and funkiness strewn all around. It's amazing how much more you see on smaller roads. It is worth the 30-minute detour to the lake. The lake is a huge bluish warm water scenic lake, with a state park around its edges. Lucha and I take a great hike and have a long swim in a small private cove all to ourselves, what a treat!!!. We almost stayed to camp on the waters edge but my next stop was a famous Contra Dance that takes place every Thursday night at the Warren-Wilson College campus in an old barn. As we arrive to the campus the first thing I see are two women almost naked working in the huge organic garden. The place is gorgeous, yes! with trees and views of mountains all the way around. It turns out I can stay in a room at the guesthouse for free and it is 10 feet from the Barn where the dance will be held. What luck and timing. I relax and explore the campus with Lucha before the dance and we find a great trail off of the art department that leads us to a pond where I meet a bunch of friendly students off from working on the farm. The pond is brown and murky it doesn't look that good for swimming, but soon all the students are jumping in and cooling off from work and I realize this is the best swim hole around.
The last Contra dance I attended was over ten years ago in Arcata. I am excited to go to the dance, I put on a nice white tank top blouse and walk on over. I am shy and awkward at first but there are hundreds of people there all ages and plenty of folks asked me to dance as well as me asking them. I asked a few guys and also girls, and I realized I liked being the guy dancer when I danced with girls. I like the hand placements and moves that the guy does. The music was live with great fiddles and guitarists and an amazing caller. I love the art of calling Contra dance, I am going to look into the history of that a bit more, it is all new to me. I had so much fun I want to make sure I keep going to Contra dances when I return to the Bay Area. So I think I will stay another night here at the campus and venture into Asheville, which is a short, ride away. My next stop from here will be Nashville, Tennessee.