It is such a simple thing. Just a mountain, with a unique shape. Pilot Mountain. When we leave NC headed North, it is the signpost for us that the trip has really begun. Or, if on the return end of the trip, a signal that we are back in NC.
It is almost two hundred fifty miles from our house near the beach to Pilot Mountain, so we are glad to see it.
Nearby is Mt. Airy, the real life town that was used as the Model for the "Andy Griffith Show". It is a hoot to visit, as everyone in Town is in on the joke. Ask any of the locals where Opie is..and they will tell you: "Oh, probably down at the pond. I saw him earlier with Homer."
And then everyone smiles and winks. You can even spend the night in the House where Andy grew up in real life. The statue of Opie and Andy going fishing is a 'must take photo" stop. We rode in the police car, saw the museum, learned an awful lot about the Actors. Aunt Bee was a Nurse captured at Baton in the Second World War...so yeah, a Veteran to be sure.
Don Knots used his talents to entertain the troops as part of the Special Services Division. Stars and Gripes was the name of the group. Kinda like an early version of Bob Hope overseas shows; except they were all Military Actors.
I like seeing Pilot mountain coming up in the windshield, it means I am on the road again...or coming home!