We traveled east across Tennessee to visit our old friends from Vermont. They have settled in Appalachian Mountains in their beautiful new home they’ve built themselves. Their home sits nestled amongst the towering peaks of some of the tallest mountains east of the Rockies. At 3500 foot elevation, their home is dwarfed by the surrounding 6000 foot peaks. At this elevation, the summers are cooler than the sultry heat of the surrounding southern lowlands. This cooler weather has attracted the Coastal Elites from the steaming urban areas in North and South Carolina, Washington DC too. They’ve have created secluded private, gated ( often with guards) communities filled with palatial multi million dollar estates. The Eastern Tennessee Mountains are filled with these over the top McMansions , pumping much needed money into this remote region.
Our friends home sits on a ridge surrounded by locally owned family cattle farms , the friendly locals have welcomed them as regular folks. My friends living room is filled with game trophies ( not his ), note the buffalo head on the wall. The look and feel of this beautiful area reminds us of Vermont. We drove a few miles to dinner in North California . 
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