The lack of agenda, destination, or GPS navigation system were just a part of the criteria driving the 2018 Purge and Connection Tour. That part was easy – it was the avoidance of interstate highways that complicated, yet enhanced, my travels.

Had I sped along the interstates, my route would have taken me under the Appalachians, through the mile-long East River Mountain Tunnel that connects West by God Virginia with Virginia ­— travel time: just a few minutes. Instead, I navigated the narrow, twisting, guardrail-less trail of route 598 as it precariously crawled up and over the mountain — travel time: it felt like an eternity.

Had I been a cat, white knuckle fear during the entirety of that, seemingly hours-long, passage might have caused me too lose 7 of my 9-lives. Instead, some of my hair turned grey while the rest fled my scalp, leaving me bald and ancient. OK…I was bald and ancient before I took off on this trip.

Lack of interstate highway travel, and associated tunnels, also kept me from burrowing under Big Walker Mountain, making the jump from Bland to Wytheville possible in mere moments. Instead, I trans-navigated (and get lost) around the mountain on “paths” with names like Smith Hollow Road, Coon Road, and the very intriguing Fancy Gap Highway.

The latter is a sleepy, two-lane state route in Virginia. However, as it crosses into North Carolina, it transforms into a spacious, four-lane, divided boulevard known as the Andy Griffith Parkway. This gracefully gliding roadway passes through the sleepy hamlet of Mt. Airy. There may be millions of seasoned Baby Boomers, and an equal number of current MeTV viewers, that are unaware that this man and this town were the inspirations behind the creation of Sherriff Andy Taylor and his jurisdiction in Mayberry, NC.

Hey! It was Mayberry! I didn’t need to flip my trusty 1990 quarter to make the next decision. I had to stop and check it out – wouldn’t you?

Mt. Airy is home to the North Carolina Granit Corporation and Quarry Complex. At one-mile-long and a third of a mile wide, it is the world’s largest open face granite quarry. Chang and Eng Bunker, conjoined twins (exhibition entertainers from whom the term “Siamese twins” was coined) were once residence of Mt. Airy (until their wives couldn’t get along). However, the town’s biggest claim to fame is having been the boyhood home of Andy Griffith.

The influence and inspiration behind the creation of the venerable Andy Griffith Show came from the real people, places, and events of Andy’s childhood. There really is a Floyd’s Barber Shop (I got a quick trim, just because I could). There really is a 1950’s era sheriff’s office with two jail cells (one complete with a rocking chair for Otis). There really is a Wally’s Garage (with a vintage soda pop machine offering bottles of Orange Nehi – I bought one). Floyd, Otis, and Wally were the names or real people from Andy’s youth.  Best of all, you can catch a ride in a 60’s era squad car, tour the town, and be fascinated by the true juxtaposition of reality and television (which is absolutely unrelated to “Reality TV”) The best part of the tour — I got to blast the siren as we cruised down Main Street (talk about being 6 years old, all over again!).

Larry Wilson is a mostly lifelong resident of Niles. His essays stem from experiences, compilations and recollections from friends and family. He can be reached at wflw@hotmail.com.