Strategic Defense...

Asheville, N.C. ... It's a WOW !!

Guess I ought to finish up with one other observation which arose on the way to "that less than spectacular" speaking engagement last month.  Although the CU chapter meeting was in Maggie Valley, stayed over for the night in Asheville, North Carolina.

If you haven't "Done Asheville?"... you should!  Now rated by just about everyone as one of America's most attractive cities, Asheville has got it all - natural beauty, thriving/diverse economy, cosmopolitan spirit - a great place 

Natural Neon !

to live with nice folks. And, in the Fall you get to see this... and of course there is the community "drum circle" on Friday nights !! (Sorry can't explain it, you just need to come see for yourself!) The Biltmore House, whitewater rafting, hiking, golf, vibrant Arts community, the Cherokee Nation, best roads for that Harley anywhere....

But, let's see, got a bit distracted there... the original idea was to tell you about an unusual strategic "positioning" I encountered in Asheville.  Checking into the hotel, there were lots of those guys "with dark glasses and antennas coming out of their ears" walking around, plus 2 or 3 dozen police cars in the parking lot.  Told the hotel clerk that I didn't feel that this level of security was necessary because the speech hadn't gone "quite that badly!!". He looked at me in a vacant sort of way while he tried to make some sense out of that comment...

Asheville At Night...Sparkling!

Having failed, he told me, somewhat apologetically, that I might "encounter some unusual people outside the hotel if I went out later that night".  

I told him it was OK, not to worry,  I understood, because I had been to Asheville before... could tell by his look I was becoming a problem....**

**(This post has gone on way too long... you're probably getting as tired of reading it as I am of writing it !  Why don't we just finish it up on Friday - OK?)

... Part II features mad scientists, tree huggers, bicycle police in short pants, a mini-Tahrir Square, Thomas Wolfe and chocolate...

As they say: "Only In Asheville!"