About this Episode:
We’re joined by our special guest Jim Buchanan, a native of Jackson County and Award-winning Journalist and Author, now living in Clyde, North Carolina. He has worked for the Asheville Citizen-Times and currently is a journalist for the Sylva Herald in Sylva, N.C. Jim’s most recent book was a nominee for the 2020 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.
Jim believes that newspapers and journalism are an important part of keeping citizens informed and therefore, keeping the government running and the nation together.
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Connect with our host Joseph Franklyn McElroy:
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SHOW NOTES
SEGMENT 1
Today’s show starts off with a great introduction to tonight’s special guest: Jim Buchanan. Jim introduces himself, explaining his family roots in the Carolinas and the Great Smoky Mountains. Jim and host Joseph Franklyn McElroy, share fun facts and tidbits about history relating to their families and their shared commonalities. We get to learn more about Jim when he was young in college and what he invited him to where he is now, including when he worked for an afternoon newspaper that worked hard to expose the truth and tell people’s stories.
SEGMENT 2
Coming back from the break, Jim shares how he transitioned from a corporate industry to a smaller more local newspaper. The conversation turns to journalism as a whole. Although journalism is a diminishing industry, Jim believes that newspapers and journalism are an important part of keeping citizens informed and therefore, keeping the government running and the nation together. The two then start talking about Jim’s book. They discuss the reaction that came from Jim’s book from close friends and a wider audience. Jim then explains his origins and inspiration for his book.
SEGMENT 3
Jim tells stories that he drew inspiration from for his book. He was once lost with someone while going bear hunting years ago and this story ended up having a funny ending. The story gave insight into what the hunting culture was like back in the day and how Jim would often get lost. Joseph asked Jim about any future plans for a sequel of the book and what people can expect. Jim leaves an ambiguous answer that leaves the audience wondering if he will continue to tell all the stories that are left to tell. The two share their opinions on Silver City and how it is a growing city now that people are starting to move there. They share what they found is changing for the better and how it is a spiritual place to be.
SEGMENT 4
For the last segment of tonight’s show, Joseph asks Jim how he ended up in Clyde, North Carolina. They trade local seafood hotspots and other great places to check out there. Jim shares his recommendations in and near his hometown, including places to eat, entertainment, and other sights to see.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:32.940 –> 00:00:44.130 Joseph McElroy: howdy welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains national park and the surrounding towns.
00:00:44.490 –> 00:00:57.240 Joseph McElroy: This area is filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy a man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains
00:01:00.960 –> 00:01:12.300 Joseph McElroy: my family’s lived in the great smokies for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture today’s topic is historic tales of the Western North Carolina area.
00:01:13.020 –> 00:01:24.000 Joseph McElroy: But first sponsor message imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern environments, with a Chic Appalachian, feel.
00:01:24.480 –> 00:01:32.070 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure and for relaxation imagine a place where you can fish and a mountain heritage trout stream.
00:01:32.580 –> 00:01:51.960 Joseph McElroy: grill to catch on fire eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers imagine a place that old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventure starts, with where you stay.
00:01:53.310 –> 00:01:57.240 Joseph McElroy: Another sponsor smokiesadventure.com
00:02:01.860 –> 00:02:18.030 Joseph McElroy: the surrounding area is a vacation destination for all seasons, some of the nation’s best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor ventures and ventures, and family entertainment can be found, right here in the smokies it’s also a great place for rustic weddings.
00:02:19.830 –> 00:02:31.680 Joseph McElroy: And honeymoons and cabins in the mountains, you should start your adventure by using smokiesadventure.com explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains National Park.
00:02:32.100 –> 00:02:50.130 Joseph McElroy: trails waterfalls cades cove and more the check out the awesome family attractions and entertainment, you and your entire family can enjoy the goal are smokies adventure.com is to become the leading information portal for adventures and experiences in the great smoky mountains.
00:02:51.270 –> 00:02:54.030 Joseph McElroy: I have a few events to tell you about and then we’ll get to our guests.
00:02:55.200 –> 00:02:58.380 Joseph McElroy: Coming this weekend you got the Meadowlark
00:03:02.820 –> 00:03:07.830 Joseph McElroy: Deep in the band was in practice, many survival skills to create a life in the smoky mountains.
00:03:08.340 –> 00:03:21.660 Joseph McElroy: This festival will celebrate an educator moose skills with live demonstrations and historic presentations learn how animal hides are tagged with actual demonstrations see a frontier CAP.
00:03:22.170 –> 00:03:29.190 Joseph McElroy: learn about handicrafts like pottery and quilting experience Cherokee mastercraftsman and storytelling.
00:03:29.610 –> 00:03:40.920 Joseph McElroy: blacksmith the old-time firearms and 4G are all on the agenda, there will be entertainment as well with traditional music and even exploration of Scott Scott is Irish heritage music.
00:03:41.220 –> 00:03:48.120 Joseph McElroy: Of the mountain southern settlers don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience local mountain culture is most original.
00:03:49.500 –> 00:03:57.960 Joseph McElroy: You can go to the Meadowlarkmotel.com and look under smokey hair smoky mountain heritage events to find out more.
00:04:02.460 –> 00:04:12.900 Joseph McElroy: Campfire Kephart celebration weekend Horrace Kephart has been dead for 88 years but his name His story pulled under court undercurrent the Western North Carolina.
00:04:14.010 –> 00:04:19.320 Joseph McElroy:Kephart is aclaim as the father of the great smoky mountains National Park.
00:04:19.800 –> 00:04:30.690 Joseph McElroy: And outdoors means gifted with an adventurous so and the author of substate such staples a regional of literature as our southern highlanders and camping and look off.
00:04:31.620 –> 00:04:41.790 Joseph McElroy: woodcraft joins us at the Meadowlark Smoky mountain Heritage Center to celebrate his life and work with ceremonies pikes stories music and historical place displays.
00:04:43.110 –> 00:04:58.290 Joseph McElroy: And then, in three weeks traditional skills and naturalist weekend where you can explore ginseng granny medicine and herbs, the lower the mountain is explored and this weekend of lectures wanderings and entertainment.
00:05:02.790 –> 00:05:19.020 Joseph McElroy: COM, the smoky or events listings our guest today is Jim Buchanan ,Jim is a native of Jackson county and an award-winning journalist and author now living in Clyde North Carolina.
00:05:19.620 –> 00:05:33.420 Joseph McElroy: he’s worked for the Asheville citizen times and currently as a journalist for the silver Harrell and so in North Carolina, Jim’s most recent book was a nominee for the 2020 Thomas Wolfe memorial literary award hello, Jim.
00:05:33.720 –> 00:05:35.250 Jim Buchanan: hey Joseph Thank you so much.
00:05:35.730 –> 00:05:44.580 Joseph McElroy: Sure, thank you for coming on it’s an honor so like me your family has been having a long history in Western North Carolina how did your family end up here.
00:05:46.410 –> 00:05:49.320 Jim Buchanan: Well, as here I’m sure well aware.
00:05:51.060 –> 00:06:05.460 Jim Buchanan: The history becomes more afraid the further back you go, yes, I can say mom side they came from Germany in the 1833 brothers bad side, he was across the.
00:06:07.770 –> 00:06:25.110 Jim Buchanan: Well, there was no state of North Carolina because there was no United States, and he was cross the border in Jackson county which was Cherokee country, and these as far back as we can price here and beyond that, we can try spot to your command one.
00:06:26.130 –> 00:06:40.230 Joseph McElroy: I have, I have various answer tell me like oh we’re related to William the conqueror are related to the bonnie Prince Charles are related to any number of people you start going back to tie with it becomes everybody becomes Royal.
00:06:40.410 –> 00:06:40.770 Right.
00:06:42.270 –> 00:06:43.980 Jim Buchanan: And everyone has a Cherokee grandmother.
00:06:44.220 –> 00:06:55.890 Joseph McElroy: And everyone has a Cherokee grandmother exactly so so how did you get started as a journalist, did you write for the school newspaper, or I feel or did it come later.
00:06:56.100 –> 00:07:01.590 Jim Buchanan: I went a little bit for the school newspaper, to be honest, I think how I fell into journalism.
00:07:03.840 –> 00:07:13.890 Jim Buchanan: I lived about nine miles from the high school, but it was an hour bus ride, so I started doing my homework on the bus going to school deadlines do not frighten me.
00:07:17.880 –> 00:07:20.700 Jim Buchanan: A little bit of history, do you know where the word deadline comes from.
00:07:23.430 –> 00:07:27.810 Jim Buchanan: From the Andersonville prison camp and the civil war in Georgia.
00:07:29.610 –> 00:07:37.470 Jim Buchanan: The federal troops, they didn’t have a stockade they will go out and drop a stake in the ground and all that that was the deadline.
00:07:39.420 –> 00:07:41.640 Joseph McElroy: And then, how did that become part of journalism.
00:07:46.170 –> 00:07:47.430 Jim Buchanan: Managing editor have you.
00:07:50.790 –> 00:07:56.040 Joseph McElroy: Who was in that picture the Community soldier or the guy phases, the deadline.
00:07:58.020 –> 00:07:59.760 Joseph McElroy: yeah so.
00:08:03.540 –> 00:08:07.350 Joseph McElroy: On university and then went in did you major in journalism there.
00:08:08.250 –> 00:08:13.320 Jim Buchanan: They didn’t have a major I majored in communications modern journalism and I was editor of the school paper.
00:08:13.920 –> 00:08:20.580 Joseph McElroy: hmm cool when did that, not to to settle your age, but when did together.
00:08:22.200 –> 00:08:27.510 Jim Buchanan: I was there 78 to 83 so October one my junior year Western was the best three years of my life.
00:08:30.030 –> 00:08:35.010 Joseph McElroy: That was alone right yeah I mean you were contemporaries I was in Haywood county you know.
00:08:36.480 –> 00:08:40.890 Joseph McElroy: And then went off to College and the same time, you were in college so yeah We probably have.
00:08:42.030 –> 00:08:46.500 Joseph McElroy: Similar recollections of what growing up in the Western North Carolina bed.
00:08:48.720 –> 00:08:56.730 Joseph McElroy: So you know people mentioned that Western North Carolina has changed, but I don’t see that much how, what do you think, do you think it’s changed since then.
00:08:57.240 –> 00:09:00.960 Jim Buchanan: I think it’s changed a lot, you can probably remember when.
00:09:03.390 –> 00:09:06.540 Jim Buchanan: Okay, I can remember when there were no four-lane highways in Jackson county.
00:09:07.230 –> 00:09:08.100 Joseph McElroy: You know, and it was.
00:09:08.790 –> 00:09:11.940 Jim Buchanan: It was a two-hour trip from silver to Asheville.
00:09:13.200 –> 00:09:21.390 Jim Buchanan: or science or construction it’s still a two-hour trip, but you know you’re not stuck behind a logging drug going up and down balsam both ways and.
00:09:23.430 –> 00:09:25.770 Jim Buchanan: saying of course obviously there are a lot more people.
00:09:27.450 –> 00:09:37.800 Jim Buchanan: And the environment has changed over the years, honestly, I remember cutting Christmas trees down during the moment of snow every year, being able to do that for 10 years or so.
00:09:39.810 –> 00:09:51.510 Joseph McElroy: now I remember yeah I remember you know you’re going up in the mountains and getting those Christmas trees, but yeah we always meant to plant that we never did.
00:09:53.490 –> 00:09:58.950 Joseph McElroy: The you know I know that I saw the other day, you know I’m interested in.
00:10:00.330 –> 00:10:00.930 Joseph McElroy: You know.
00:10:03.300 –> 00:10:03.420 Joseph McElroy: What.
00:10:04.590 –> 00:10:17.460 Joseph McElroy: To do with this gateway is to go around the country, not only in the beauty in anesthetics, and the opportunities for fun in the mountains, but also the rich cultural history and and and the real and.
00:10:17.940 –> 00:10:32.220 Joseph McElroy: Real intelligence here, you know and sophistication of thought you know, and I just saw recently is a representative that the Southwestern Community college I think that’s in Jackson county was rated the number one Community colleges in the country that’s right.
00:10:34.590 –> 00:10:41.340 Jim Buchanan: I know a few years ago they were ready number four and it’s just a very good college it’s growing a lot of great programs.
00:10:41.760 –> 00:10:53.850 Joseph McElroy: yeah well Western being such a great university now and Southwestern I think we can say that a little bit of stereotype in the mountains is is not as on its way out, I think right.
00:10:53.910 –> 00:10:55.020 Jim Buchanan: I would, I would say so.
00:10:57.840 –> 00:11:01.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah so after Western Carolina he went on to the work.
00:11:04.680 –> 00:11:06.420 Jim Buchanan: Well, my first job was advertising.
00:11:07.830 –> 00:11:10.230 Jim Buchanan: For oh I’m sorry you broke up a little bit then a medical child.
00:11:12.510 –> 00:11:13.320 that’s going.
00:11:14.490 –> 00:11:32.010 Jim Buchanan: Okay, an advertising salesman for 60 bucks a week and cashers then it became sports editor managing editor and went from there to the asheville times the afternoon newspaper and actually there were such things as papers that came out in the afternoon.
00:11:34.530 –> 00:11:35.940 Jim Buchanan: It was a great job and I.
00:11:37.050 –> 00:11:53.850 Jim Buchanan: went from there, the times merge with the citizen, the morning paper and I worked there for 29 years I was a copy editor columnist in a pro football column for a while, was on the editorial board for 20 years and I was editorial page editor for eight.
00:11:55.620 –> 00:11:59.340 Joseph McElroy: What was your proudest moment at the paper.
00:12:03.000 –> 00:12:04.080 Jim Buchanan: You know, we.
00:12:05.430 –> 00:12:07.290 Jim Buchanan: We were involved with some.
00:12:09.450 –> 00:12:13.110 Jim Buchanan: Law enforcement authorities who were doing the right thing, one of the.
00:12:14.520 –> 00:12:23.070 Jim Buchanan: was running a gaming operation and running the other gaming operators out of business and he wound up in federal prison.
00:12:27.540 –> 00:12:30.870 Jim Buchanan: And, being an advocate for the area.
00:12:32.070 –> 00:12:39.690 Jim Buchanan: There was a time the local National Guard unit, they were going to take away their humvees and we raised hell about that.
00:12:42.480 –> 00:12:42.840 Jim Buchanan: got.
00:12:44.580 –> 00:12:49.020 Jim Buchanan: Governor Mark Easley real mad at me the cold a special session to bring a.
00:12:50.280 –> 00:13:06.600 Jim Buchanan: business to North Carolina I think it was like 2.5 billion and incentives and we’ve just been hit with two hurricanes in 2004 up here in the mountains and we’re just devastated and they didn’t call a special session for that and we took the mark off of him.
00:13:09.120 –> 00:13:09.570 Jim Buchanan: Some good.
00:13:10.320 –> 00:13:15.360 Joseph McElroy: That sounds like it was good, a good thing to do, yeah it was tough.
00:13:15.630 –> 00:13:19.050 Jim Buchanan: You know people tell their own stories and we just report on.
00:13:19.590 –> 00:13:22.290 Joseph McElroy: And there’s strong journalism in the smoky mountains and.
00:13:22.290 –> 00:13:23.010 Jim Buchanan: I really.
00:13:23.310 –> 00:13:24.660 Joseph McElroy: I really appreciate that.
00:13:26.850 –> 00:13:35.430 Joseph McElroy: Well, we will take a break down when we come back we’ll talk about some other things, and in your career and then we’ll get into your book all right.
00:13:35.730 –> 00:13:36.270 Jim Buchanan: Very good.
00:15:54.150 –> 00:16:02.820 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and my guest Jim Buchanan.
00:16:06.810 –> 00:16:07.140 Joseph McElroy: four.
00:16:08.400 –> 00:16:16.890 Joseph McElroy: Times, and then you decided to move off into small-town world what makes what caused that to happen, you end up with it Silva, the newspaper.
00:16:19.080 –> 00:16:19.980 Joseph McElroy: Hope so you’re muted.
00:16:23.100 –> 00:16:23.730 Joseph McElroy: you’re muted.
00:16:25.050 –> 00:16:25.440 Joseph McElroy: unmute.
00:16:27.840 –> 00:16:29.190 Jim Buchanan: Okay i’m now unmuted
00:16:32.160 –> 00:16:35.490 Jim Buchanan: I was, I was downsized RON says and surprised.
00:16:37.290 –> 00:16:45.540 Jim Buchanan: The corporate parents of the citizen times lesson were eliminated so wound up over and Silva I’ll do the editorial page.
00:16:46.650 –> 00:17:05.340 Jim Buchanan: I do the history page, you know just whatever needs to be done it’s a family own newspaper been there 94 years I believe and we’ve been through Coleman we’re still going strong and Tom I’m a very rapidly there they let me play and I love it.
00:17:06.240 –> 00:17:06.630 So.
00:17:08.730 –> 00:17:12.270 Joseph McElroy: And you also have the history-themed article lets you do is that right.
00:17:12.780 –> 00:17:13.260 Jim Buchanan: yep yep.
00:17:13.890 –> 00:17:14.700 Joseph McElroy: Okay cool.
00:17:15.810 –> 00:17:16.920 Joseph McElroy: How did you get into history.
00:17:18.600 –> 00:17:22.980 Jim Buchanan: Here, honestly, probably by growing up and sitting on Porches and listening to the old-timers.
00:17:24.570 –> 00:17:30.300 Jim Buchanan: Just just got fascinated in it and I took every history class I could in college.
00:17:31.320 –> 00:17:36.000 Jim Buchanan: I’ve read every book I could read about a variety of topics and.
00:17:37.050 –> 00:17:42.720 Jim Buchanan: it’s like so many other things, the more you learn the more you realize you don’t know.
00:17:43.260 –> 00:17:51.960 Joseph McElroy: yeah I love those old-timers telling those history and a lot of times it’s a tall tale they do a little bit of exaggeration here the mountains right.
00:17:53.430 –> 00:17:53.940 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:17:54.090 –> 00:17:55.230 Jim Buchanan: Sometimes they don’t have to.
00:17:56.310 –> 00:18:03.870 Joseph McElroy: No, sometimes they don’t but you know when they talk about falling into the water and not like the pants because it came up.
00:18:07.020 –> 00:18:07.740 Joseph McElroy: In the Cup.
00:18:08.820 –> 00:18:11.910 Joseph McElroy: Is you sort of figure out maybe that’s a little bit of exaggeration.
00:18:15.000 –> 00:18:17.280 Joseph McElroy: A little bit so so.
00:18:18.330 –> 00:18:22.290 Joseph McElroy: You know the final question I just think this is sort of a.
00:18:23.820 –> 00:18:33.090 Joseph McElroy: You know the question about just the United States in general and I don’t know how far you want to go into it, but us we’ve all seen you’ve seen especially massive changes in journalism.
00:18:33.570 –> 00:18:49.860 Joseph McElroy: World during the course of your career and with the advent of online news and the demise the yeah the I don’t know if its demise the right word, but the diminishment of the hardcopy industry, what do you think is the future.
00:18:52.110 –> 00:18:56.820 Jim Buchanan: No, I do know that a democracy depends upon an informed citizenry.
00:18:57.930 –> 00:18:59.640 Jim Buchanan: does not work without it and.
00:19:01.710 –> 00:19:07.350 Jim Buchanan: I think the past year or so has been pretty good evidence that we are not all reading from the same playbook.
00:19:08.730 –> 00:19:16.050 Jim Buchanan: there’s not an agreed-on a base set of facts that everyone can work from you got problems.
00:19:16.800 –> 00:19:29.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah I mean, I think the challenge of our times as to how do we control and channel misinformation without becoming.
00:19:29.700 –> 00:19:44.850 Joseph McElroy: You know, a suppression of free speech that’s a really difficult puzzle to solve right yeah alright, so we loved your book historic tales of Silva and Jackson county I got the peek at a little bit I’m going to read the whole thing.
00:19:46.230 –> 00:19:49.440 Joseph McElroy: So, how did you decide to write that book and get it published.
00:19:51.810 –> 00:19:53.010 Jim Buchanan: Okay i’ll tell you a story.
00:19:53.430 –> 00:19:54.030 Joseph McElroy: All right.
00:19:55.200 –> 00:20:05.760 Jim Buchanan: gentlemen who grew up above me was named Early Deeds Early at about a half an acre garden down by the creek and plot it with a meal every year till he was 92 years old.
00:20:07.710 –> 00:20:14.580 Jim Buchanan: growing up and hey we’re county I’m sure you’re aware of the connection mountain folks have other boards, he was down every day.
00:20:15.720 –> 00:20:18.060 Jim Buchanan: As corn was starting to hit crows came in.
00:20:19.410 –> 00:20:29.730 Jim Buchanan: So he started a scarecrow and he goes down everyday mess with that stuff the body put bands on it, but I had on it send it in a lawn chair.
00:20:31.020 –> 00:20:33.930 Jim Buchanan: This other old fellow lived up the road.
00:20:35.370 –> 00:20:39.060 Jim Buchanan: He stood out with him and dad when I was young, I thought he’s the sweetest guy in the world.
00:20:40.140 –> 00:20:44.280 Jim Buchanan: turns out he had a temper and he was going around saying he’s gonna whip early.
00:20:45.540 –> 00:20:46.230 Jim Buchanan: Because but.
00:20:47.310 –> 00:20:52.590 Jim Buchanan: And somebody said well why does every time I go by the garden or throw my hand up some best number waves.
00:20:56.190 –> 00:20:56.610 Jim Buchanan: and
00:20:58.110 –> 00:21:03.150 Jim Buchanan: I kept hearing these stories in places like hospice and nursing homes.
00:21:04.470 –> 00:21:09.030 Jim Buchanan: And people die that mortality rate is pegged at 100%.
00:21:10.200 –> 00:21:12.840 Jim Buchanan: That stories don’t have to and stories can tell us a lot.
00:21:13.440 –> 00:21:26.700 Jim Buchanan: Right yeah it’s this isn’t a straight-up history book The history kind of rubs off on me of that you know tells her that you know the importance of the connection to the land, you know the importance of manners.
00:21:28.080 –> 00:21:28.620 So.
00:21:30.870 –> 00:21:31.920 Jim Buchanan: I felt the duty.
00:21:32.610 –> 00:21:33.300 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:21:33.540 –> 00:21:36.540 Jim Buchanan: I had enough talent, but the stories down and.
00:21:37.710 –> 00:21:44.400 Jim Buchanan: So it became sort of a bucket list thing I did I was fortunate enough to get folks from are history press said yeah we’ll publish it.
00:21:45.450 –> 00:21:48.570 Jim Buchanan: started as a series of columns and the soul, Harold.
00:21:49.590 –> 00:21:53.820 Jim Buchanan: And wrap those together into the book and they helped me and.
00:21:54.900 –> 00:22:06.420 Jim Buchanan: folks at Western Carolina university library digital collections they helped me, along with finding some artwork to go with it and son of a gun they published it, what do you know.
00:22:08.130 –> 00:22:09.540 Jim Buchanan: And so the stories are saying.
00:22:10.020 –> 00:22:11.610 Joseph McElroy: If I see, I saw them.
00:22:12.630 –> 00:22:14.970 Joseph McElroy: But that’s that means it’s gonna be around forever now.
00:22:16.440 –> 00:22:25.320 Joseph McElroy: So we’re good so um you know it’s on Amazon now right and I was looking at it and you know being it being I might my.
00:22:26.010 –> 00:22:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Businesses Internet I saw you there one of the featured snippets was is that you know the stories about the coral and about the Internet is not much different than the coral and they had about electric lines you have a story about that was their story in a book about that.
00:22:43.260 –> 00:22:54.120 Jim Buchanan: yeah when I was very young, there was a gentleman up at the end of the creek who didn’t have electricity and my father stopped by with me until one day.
00:22:55.440 –> 00:23:04.380 Jim Buchanan: He decided to try to talk them into it and you could tell he was not going to win the argument, the guy had never had it, therefore, felt he did not need it to him.
00:23:05.850 –> 00:23:18.690 Jim Buchanan: Why would you want it to be live at 85 years I would say, by that time without it, and so it was just an encumbrance to him don’t have a modern miracle I like it, I don’t understand it.
00:23:19.680 –> 00:23:20.070 Joseph McElroy: But I.
00:23:20.490 –> 00:23:23.190 Jim Buchanan: I favor electricity I’m pro electricity.
00:23:25.980 –> 00:23:37.440 Joseph McElroy: I’m sort of pro electricity there, but I, you know I guess the back, then the slight differences is that he didn’t make up a conspiracy or believe in a conspiracy was just based upon he was honest about his personal preferences right.
00:23:37.530 –> 00:23:38.190 Jim Buchanan: No, no.
00:23:38.670 –> 00:23:40.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah, whereas the Internet now.
00:23:42.090 –> 00:23:48.450 Joseph McElroy: It might be well and that’s going to bring in you know dangerous things into this area we don’t want it yeah.
00:23:49.680 –> 00:23:52.980 Joseph McElroy: or go radio waves, the radio waves will cause cancer.
00:23:53.550 –> 00:23:56.520 Jim Buchanan: Well, again you’re familiar with this area, we would love international.
00:23:59.580 –> 00:24:00.900 Joseph McElroy: yeah you know I.
00:24:02.400 –> 00:24:06.630 Joseph McElroy: You know I, I get the motel and I try to you know.
00:24:09.300 –> 00:24:16.470 Joseph McElroy: In both the place does, but you know still you know there’s got to know that I have to that is just dead right.
00:24:16.560 –> 00:24:21.990 Joseph McElroy: And now it’s like in the search have great Internet in the mountains, is a little bit of a challenge.
00:24:23.040 –> 00:24:26.490 Joseph McElroy: that’s why you know just spend so much to try and get it.
00:24:27.630 –> 00:24:27.930 Joseph McElroy: But.
00:24:29.190 –> 00:24:36.480 Joseph McElroy: They still haven’t arguments about it little local companies against the government everything else so it’s a story that resonates well.
00:24:37.980 –> 00:24:39.090 Joseph McElroy: Was this your first book.
00:24:39.870 –> 00:24:40.770 Jim Buchanan: Good was.
00:24:41.160 –> 00:24:57.690 Jim Buchanan: yeah now I was a little surprised at the reaction that Oh, he wrote a book because you know I’ve been a column us in a router for 40 years so I’ve seen my name in print and the thrill is gone the new has worn off, but.
00:24:58.920 –> 00:25:05.190 Jim Buchanan: I didn’t think there was that much of a difference in the format of a newspaper and a book, but you have to leave the rest.
00:25:07.710 –> 00:25:09.270 Jim Buchanan: So yeah that’s my first.
00:25:09.270 –> 00:25:09.630 and
00:25:10.860 –> 00:25:11.340 Joseph McElroy: He.
00:25:13.980 –> 00:25:18.780 Joseph McElroy: Did you have never had the urge to write a book before or the idea is that everything your head and.
00:25:19.770 –> 00:25:20.940 Jim Buchanan: I toyed with it, but.
00:25:20.970 –> 00:25:22.950 Jim Buchanan: You know I’m I’m a short form guy.
00:25:23.310 –> 00:25:24.690 Jim Buchanan: yeah and.
00:25:26.580 –> 00:25:31.800 Jim Buchanan: yeah I don’t think I could write a novel you know that this is sort of a bathroom, but the real short stories.
00:25:32.130 –> 00:25:33.180 Jim Buchanan: So, again.
00:25:34.470 –> 00:25:37.380 Jim Buchanan: Not not in serial whether kind of its original format.
00:25:39.030 –> 00:25:43.350 Joseph McElroy: That means it’s perfect for the Internet age, you know, and do a kindle read.
00:25:43.920 –> 00:25:45.510 Jim Buchanan: A short attention span theater.
00:25:45.510 –> 00:25:49.530 Joseph McElroy: brother yeah yeah the micro chunk method of reading books.
00:25:52.410 –> 00:25:56.880 Joseph McElroy: So that’s cool so you wrote, I understand you wrote.
00:25:57.900 –> 00:26:00.690 Joseph McElroy: A lot of stories about your dad his friends.
00:26:01.710 –> 00:26:04.470 Joseph McElroy: And things like do you have a favorite story about your dad in the book.
00:26:05.670 –> 00:26:21.570 Jim Buchanan: Well, the one that was told us his funeral I had never heard until he was in hospice at the VA in Asheville and friend, has been over there for treatment and I happened to go see him on the frame was visiting and it was the tale of the $20 bill.
00:26:22.710 –> 00:26:27.360 Jim Buchanan: So these guys are over near the Tennessee border bear hunting.
00:26:28.710 –> 00:26:32.700 Jim Buchanan: And back now, these days, if you want to see a bear but, at the bird feeder.
00:26:34.830 –> 00:26:37.980 Jim Buchanan: You will have one of those days they were pretty rare.
00:26:39.360 –> 00:26:46.920 Jim Buchanan: And tended to hang in very remote areas I’m talking normal Berra would be a couple of hours.
00:26:48.360 –> 00:27:03.150 Jim Buchanan: let’s say an hour driving hard surface rooms and hour and a half home logging roads and then walking for hours and hours and hours trying to track, so they had done this and they found tracks in terms of dollars list dogs and after it.
00:27:05.760 –> 00:27:12.000 Jim Buchanan: didn’t catch it and so it’s getting dark and they were supposed to rendezvous with some people to pick them up.
00:27:12.720 –> 00:27:26.370 Jim Buchanan: They have shown up later, these guys didn’t get the message right a lot of assumptions of the barony that somebody would find you that didn’t know what happened so it’s dark their miles from nowhere.
00:27:27.510 –> 00:27:30.510 Jim Buchanan: And they take off up this gravel road.
00:27:31.620 –> 00:27:34.200 Jim Buchanan: And late late late they pass a house.
00:27:35.340 –> 00:27:40.350 Jim Buchanan: A house with people and a porch light on and so.
00:27:42.210 –> 00:27:52.980 Jim Buchanan: Then he tells us gentlemen offer delegate says nine that they give him 20 bucks to knock on the door see they get around out there and then you know that was probably the equivalent of 100 $200 in those days.
00:27:56.370 –> 00:28:01.380 Jim Buchanan: In between, you and I and II probably would just as soon as the author get shot themselves.
00:28:02.610 –> 00:28:04.860 Jim Buchanan: play board, so the guy goes up knocks on the door.
00:28:05.970 –> 00:28:14.220 Jim Buchanan: Woman comes to the door and author says, I just said, the first thing that came out of my mouth have one thing that all is it, ma’am, how do you like, to make $20.
00:28:18.570 –> 00:28:20.160 Jim Buchanan: They did not get a ride.
00:28:24.240 –> 00:28:29.790 Jim Buchanan: Here I think I think that was the story that really pushed me over the edge and I’ve got to do this, I gotta write these down.
00:28:30.120 –> 00:28:39.540 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah it goes great story so when we come back, I want you to tell me a few more give me a few more you have created the demand for the book.
00:28:40.860 –> 00:28:41.610 Jim Buchanan: Very good talking.
00:31:16.950 –> 00:31:29.520 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and my guest Jimmy Buchanan who’s written award-nominated book called historic tales of silver in Jackson county.
00:31:30.270 –> 00:31:38.400 Joseph McElroy: Now this book is the entire book is superb and he’s a great storyteller with a wonderfully dry a conversational style.
00:31:39.780 –> 00:31:44.130 Joseph McElroy: But we’re talking about, I think that some of the best stories are about your dad what was his name, Jim.
00:31:44.880 –> 00:31:46.590 Jim Buchanan: Howard Tatum Buchanan.
00:31:47.070 –> 00:31:50.100 Joseph McElroy: Our take the new kid and that sounds like a real name.
00:31:53.700 –> 00:31:55.320 Jim Buchanan: He grew up on tatum’s creek.
00:31:55.560 –> 00:31:56.340 Video.
00:31:57.960 –> 00:32:06.930 Joseph McElroy: So there was a story about him and you’re in history and honey and try it, oh no we just read we just did that one I was that was my notes, but we just did that one.
00:32:07.980 –> 00:32:09.900 Joseph McElroy: But you, you have a story about him.
00:32:13.890 –> 00:32:19.470 Joseph McElroy: position interesting Bob Honey oh that was pretty funny, but do you remember that one.
00:32:21.900 –> 00:32:27.390 Jim Buchanan: dad was a very energetic man and when he was after a bear he would not he wouldn’t stop.
00:32:31.170 –> 00:32:31.770 Jim Buchanan: and
00:32:33.390 –> 00:32:43.950 Jim Buchanan: I think the phrase, for it was doing a breaking is wearing somebody out and proven, you can outwork them outshoot and whatever and he did that, to a lot of people.
00:32:45.300 –> 00:32:52.350 Jim Buchanan: And I came to the conclusion that, in the long run, you know there’s the immovable force.
00:32:54.390 –> 00:32:58.260 Jim Buchanan: And the immovable object to the unstoppable force.
00:33:01.110 –> 00:33:12.150 Jim Buchanan: I just lay down because I knew it was not a patient man, I mean back in the day, we would go on trips to visit somebody that will take three hours and.
00:33:12.810 –> 00:33:25.860 Jim Buchanan: he’d be there 10 minutes, and you can tell, he starts to fidget and I’m the same way, so I figured in the long run, that slackness beats stubbornness and Sure enough, he gave up and he went on to get a better just.
00:33:27.000 –> 00:33:27.570 Jim Buchanan: me alone.
00:33:29.070 –> 00:33:31.740 Jim Buchanan: But you know he wouldn’t leave me he would always come back.
00:33:33.060 –> 00:33:33.780 Joseph McElroy: That.
00:33:34.140 –> 00:33:40.140 Joseph McElroy: leader to the these are these old hunters always had their idiosyncrasies right.
00:33:40.410 –> 00:33:42.690 Joseph McElroy: yeah my my.
00:33:43.980 –> 00:33:50.550 Joseph McElroy: My father tells me to tell about my grandfather he had this old model T and he would show dogs right.
00:33:51.270 –> 00:34:04.320 Joseph McElroy: And so, he put the dogs in the model to say you go to show in Florida right, but he always insistent upon saving gas, so he would use the gas to get up the top of the Hill, but then he returned a car off.
00:34:08.040 –> 00:34:11.220 Joseph McElroy: And then you do the same thing it all the way to flow.
00:34:17.160 –> 00:34:24.390 Joseph McElroy: So that the other ladies secrecy So is there is, can you tell us about some of your dance technical friends.
00:34:25.860 –> 00:34:30.930 Jim Buchanan: Other there was 100 and he’s still around, so I won’t name them, but we were.
00:34:32.460 –> 00:34:33.150 Jim Buchanan: way anyway.
00:34:34.920 –> 00:34:37.260 Jim Buchanan: You have to understand, I was perpetually lost.
00:34:38.340 –> 00:34:40.770 Jim Buchanan: And a lot of the places we were at.
00:34:42.720 –> 00:34:50.280 Jim Buchanan: People had not been too much, it was the phrase Horrace Kephart back and beyond.
00:34:50.820 –> 00:34:54.240 Jim Buchanan: A lot of these places, and we were crossing a little branch.
00:34:55.410 –> 00:35:01.920 Jim Buchanan: And he was trying to catch air and listen to, or the dogs were which way they were going.
00:35:03.120 –> 00:35:15.360 Jim Buchanan: And he went into this kind of dream state and he put his hand down they started making impressions in the mud around the branch, and I could tell that he was trying to imitate a bear track.
00:35:16.890 –> 00:35:19.200 Jim Buchanan: And I thought he was doing that.
00:35:20.280 –> 00:35:21.660 Jim Buchanan: Just so he could show.
00:35:22.920 –> 00:35:33.060 Jim Buchanan: You know, young ones like me what a bear trap looks like it hit me years later, he was going out and putting fake bear tracks to throw other hunters all.
00:35:35.370 –> 00:35:35.820 Jim Buchanan: there.
00:35:38.370 –> 00:35:42.360 Jim Buchanan: And you know they’re there were all types are there was a lot of big talkers.
00:35:45.360 –> 00:35:50.160 Jim Buchanan: But all of the magnitude tales, but they there was good bounce they were not.
00:35:51.690 –> 00:35:56.340 Jim Buchanan: There what you would call a violent man or anything and that was just the culture of the day.
00:35:57.000 –> 00:36:11.070 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah yeah that played out yet that I like that doing a fake it out the other hunters, so you had a best friend growing up, I understand and his father was a game board right.
00:36:11.700 –> 00:36:17.490 Jim Buchanan: yeah he was Jeff’s control and control the game warden and but, but so around living on balsam.
00:36:19.500 –> 00:36:26.010 Joseph McElroy: And you mentioned that his Defense father was likely to rest your that the time.
00:36:26.040 –> 00:36:29.550 Jim Buchanan: Was that that was our running joke is dead right arrest my dad.
00:36:30.570 –> 00:36:32.040 Jim Buchanan: Go bare bears are smart.
00:36:33.210 –> 00:36:40.590 Jim Buchanan: And you know you get over down Circo and Hornbuckle That was a legal area bear.
00:36:41.610 –> 00:36:58.590 Jim Buchanan: This out of the range, that was a legal area to have bears in between was the blue Ridge parkway where it was not a legal bear so bears habitually across that area and dogs have no sense of boundaries or anything so they would chase them and.
00:37:00.120 –> 00:37:07.560 Jim Buchanan: A bear honey was much more dog honey, you can the end I’m trying to find the dollars and again wall so.
00:37:09.300 –> 00:37:14.640 Jim Buchanan: damn would not have good respect for boundaries either once those dogs costume and he goes.
00:37:14.880 –> 00:37:16.680 Jim Buchanan: Around his dogs up until that.
00:37:17.130 –> 00:37:18.810 Jim Buchanan: That was are running gag the thief.
00:37:19.980 –> 00:37:22.560 Jim Buchanan: I don’t think that ever arrested Howard.
00:37:24.750 –> 00:37:28.680 Joseph McElroy: Did you ever go on that you mentioned, you, you did go a.
00:37:29.820 –> 00:37:30.240 Joseph McElroy: little bit.
00:37:30.690 –> 00:37:31.230 Jim Buchanan: yeah yeah.
00:37:33.960 –> 00:37:34.410 Jim Buchanan: i’m sorry.
00:37:34.770 –> 00:37:35.880 Joseph McElroy: Did you have anything else.
00:37:37.110 –> 00:37:47.670 Jim Buchanan: Well, you know what deer hunting two times and he didn’t move, and it was cold and there was the chance of getting a shot lot more deer hunters in the woods and bears.
00:37:50.250 –> 00:37:57.090 Jim Buchanan: The yeah I never considered myself a skilled bear hunter he was yes, I was a journalist for me on.
00:37:58.200 –> 00:38:05.160 Jim Buchanan: A lot to observe and watching to soak it all in and I got to go into a lot of places that do a lot of people will never say.
00:38:06.150 –> 00:38:13.050 Joseph McElroy: yeah and a lifestyle frankly that knows that yeah maybe he’s changed.
00:38:16.800 –> 00:38:18.810 Joseph McElroy: And more, but you hear the stories about.
00:38:19.980 –> 00:38:20.490 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:38:21.990 –> 00:38:22.590 Joseph McElroy: So.
00:38:23.940 –> 00:38:25.320 Joseph McElroy: Do you have plans for a sequel.
00:38:26.880 –> 00:38:28.620 Jim Buchanan: A lot of people have asked me to.
00:38:30.030 –> 00:38:32.730 Jim Buchanan: Do one and I’m toying with the idea.
00:38:35.070 –> 00:38:43.920 Jim Buchanan: of covid put a real cramp and face to face conversations, which is where are you oh God I got all those stories.
00:38:45.660 –> 00:38:50.370 Jim Buchanan: But I might there’s a lot of good stories out there.
00:38:51.390 –> 00:38:54.390 Jim Buchanan: And I’m sure you’re well aware, there are a lot of stories out there that.
00:38:55.830 –> 00:38:57.690 Jim Buchanan: can only be published, posthumously.
00:38:59.970 –> 00:39:13.500 Joseph McElroy: Well yeah some of the stories only work really well and by the person that’s telling them for who experienced them, you know it’s like I try to tell them something my dad story, so the time and I just can’t get the young.
00:39:16.980 –> 00:39:23.490 Joseph McElroy: the boy he remembers this girl here risk early right so it’s like the story right and.
00:39:24.510 –> 00:39:29.190 Joseph McElroy: It makes it much more rockets and interesting yes yeah.
00:39:32.730 –> 00:39:33.240 Joseph McElroy: So.
00:39:36.210 –> 00:39:36.570 Joseph McElroy: Do.
00:39:38.610 –> 00:39:48.120 Joseph McElroy: That was good to see you know I want to talk about some of the things that you might know you live in you’ve lived in several parts of the area right.
00:39:49.470 –> 00:39:50.910 Joseph McElroy: Around Silva around.
00:39:52.710 –> 00:40:08.970 Joseph McElroy: Asheville from you know from what do you think are some of the growing areas in the area where a lot of people going, and I know Asheville one of them, but you must have seen the Silva growing town is it becoming active.
00:40:09.270 –> 00:40:11.220 Jim Buchanan: I think solar has been discovered.
00:40:11.610 –> 00:40:14.370 Jim Buchanan: yeah combination of Covid and.
00:40:14.670 –> 00:40:16.530 Jim Buchanan: Frankly, people living in use and who are.
00:40:16.530 –> 00:40:18.960 Jim Buchanan: tired of hurricanes and.
00:40:19.140 –> 00:40:21.390 Jim Buchanan: are nearly tired of not an hour in the winter.
00:40:22.680 –> 00:40:24.360 Jim Buchanan: Texans are coming this way.
00:40:25.620 –> 00:40:26.880 Jim Buchanan: And Ashville
00:40:28.200 –> 00:40:31.230 Jim Buchanan: As explosion it’s reaching its carrion point I do.
00:40:31.230 –> 00:40:31.800 Believe.
00:40:32.880 –> 00:40:33.330 Joseph McElroy: I mean.
00:40:35.220 –> 00:40:37.860 Joseph McElroy: growing up, I don’t remember traffic jams, do you.
00:40:40.020 –> 00:40:42.270 Jim Buchanan: know that didn’t involve logging drugs.
00:40:42.300 –> 00:40:45.360 Joseph McElroy: yeah or boulders falling off the side of the.
00:40:45.360 –> 00:40:46.050 Jim Buchanan: ball yeah.
00:40:49.320 –> 00:40:54.840 Joseph McElroy: yeah I know I enjoy you know the silvers that got that nice little.
00:40:55.860 –> 00:41:03.660 Joseph McElroy: Now they would impress me about films you on Main Street you got three bookstores and it’s a small town right.
00:41:03.900 –> 00:41:09.000 Joseph McElroy: yeah I’ve got plenty of bookstores and great little restaurants they’re.
00:41:09.000 –> 00:41:11.820 Jim Buchanan: Doing the most gorgeous library in the country.
00:41:11.940 –> 00:41:14.880 Jim Buchanan: yeah Oh, have you been in there and they’ll courthouse.
00:41:14.910 –> 00:41:16.500 Jim Buchanan: They did such a wonderful job.
00:41:16.500 –> 00:41:16.860 there.
00:41:19.200 –> 00:41:28.050 Joseph McElroy: The architecture, there really is it’s picturesque so you know I went there I brought a whole bunch of people down from New York.
00:41:29.460 –> 00:41:32.970 Joseph McElroy: And then you know they had that the clips right.
00:41:33.330 –> 00:41:34.110 Jim Buchanan: And they yeah.
00:41:34.380 –> 00:41:36.060 Joseph McElroy: they.
00:41:36.660 –> 00:41:43.710 Joseph McElroy: They shut down, you know, the main street and some of the side streets and you could come there, and you could lay down the streets.
00:41:43.980 –> 00:41:57.750 Joseph McElroy: And you can you know they made a big deal of you sit back and watch the eclipse and then they had a university professor doing you know doing talking about it until loudspeakers along with entertainment stuff they really did it right.
00:41:57.840 –> 00:41:58.500 Jim Buchanan: Right and.
00:41:58.590 –> 00:41:59.220 Joseph McElroy: It was like.
00:41:59.310 –> 00:42:15.090 Joseph McElroy: A most combination of you know, this girl I’m saying this girl too much experience in life, you know, at the same time, you get really well educated, the same time, so I’m highly impressed still it so.
00:42:16.170 –> 00:42:17.490 Jim Buchanan: Well, and I don’t know about you know.
00:42:17.760 –> 00:42:18.840 Joseph McElroy: The various.
00:42:19.200 –> 00:42:22.830 Jim Buchanan: Honeywell about the eclipse, but that was such an experience.
00:42:24.150 –> 00:42:25.680 Jim Buchanan: I mean that was spiritual.
00:42:26.160 –> 00:42:35.490 Joseph McElroy: And was you know everything going dark you know you don’t believe it but boom there where it did it now, is it was totally
00:42:36.150 –> 00:42:44.370 Joseph McElroy: And then being in the mountains, there you know the bird started going to sleep or whatever it was everybody was confused, but it was good.
00:42:46.680 –> 00:42:48.300 Joseph McElroy: So we’re gonna come back.
00:42:49.740 –> 00:43:01.110 Joseph McElroy: you’re going to tell you to have to tell me some of your favorite things to do where you’ve been now in the area where you live now and yeah what visitors might enjoy in Western North Carolina they would.
00:43:01.770 –> 00:43:02.310 Jim Buchanan: You got it.
00:45:35.490 –> 00:45:45.090 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back for the gateway to the smokies podcast and my guest Jim Buchanan so Jim you know.
00:45:45.780 –> 00:45:53.910 Joseph McElroy: you’ve had you’ve lived in Ashville and working Silva and you’ve been or you grew up in Jackson County and you’ve been a lot of different places.
00:45:54.870 –> 00:46:07.050 Joseph McElroy: How are you are now live in a small little town called Clyde and Haywood County, which is about a hop skip and a jump to where I’m sitting right now and Maggie Valley, how did you end up moving there.
00:46:08.250 –> 00:46:13.350 Jim Buchanan: I was working in Ashville and my wife was teaching in Jackson county so we split the difference.
00:46:13.650 –> 00:46:15.600 Joseph McElroy: haha, what do you like about it
00:46:16.800 –> 00:46:20.220 Jim Buchanan: a good family Community quiet.
00:46:21.660 –> 00:46:22.830 Jim Buchanan: But it’s close to everything.
00:46:26.280 –> 00:46:37.620 Joseph McElroy: yeah it’s got a nice little squirt very little Pinterest that tiny little downtown yeah yeah you know I don’t know if you know is famous for a back like 40 years ago.
00:46:38.460 –> 00:46:45.000 Joseph McElroy: wow This is a long time if ever used to be the only seafood restaurant, on top of the hill right before you go onto the highway.
00:46:45.060 –> 00:46:46.650 Jim Buchanan: Going I remember that it burned down.
00:46:46.830 –> 00:46:54.840 Joseph McElroy: yeah everybody went there to get seafood it was really good I can remember that I don’t know what happened that, but that was I love going to that.
00:46:54.900 –> 00:46:56.400 Jim Buchanan: It was also in a fire but.
00:46:56.430 –> 00:47:02.220 Jim Buchanan: You know, for a small town that say, we have a great seafood assignment and tells.
00:47:02.550 –> 00:47:05.040 Joseph McElroy: You do you have like you have an old.
00:47:06.120 –> 00:47:08.310 Joseph McElroy: seafood we go by seafood right.
00:47:08.340 –> 00:47:10.920 Jim Buchanan: Now they’ve been there 51 years, I think.
00:47:11.670 –> 00:47:14.340 Joseph McElroy: They probably had something to do with that seafood restaurant probably.
00:47:14.460 –> 00:47:18.330 Jim Buchanan: yeah did the guy who founded it he would go down and shrimp on the goal.
00:47:18.420 –> 00:47:19.080 And whatnot.
00:47:20.250 –> 00:47:23.190 Jim Buchanan: So they still get all the connections, you know they don’t have it then good.
00:47:24.270 –> 00:47:26.400 Joseph McElroy: yeah they got good stuff I remember that.
00:47:27.660 –> 00:47:28.350 Joseph McElroy: So.
00:47:29.460 –> 00:47:36.270 Joseph McElroy: If somebody wanted to you know I like to get people to talk about an itinerary so you know.
00:47:37.260 –> 00:47:46.500 Joseph McElroy: For the gateway smokies we’re talking to a large audience, I want to give them some things to do that they might not just find from a traditional travelogue I like talking to.
00:47:46.860 –> 00:47:52.110 Joseph McElroy: You know people from the area and get a nice idea itinerary that they would do.
00:47:52.740 –> 00:48:04.950 Joseph McElroy: In or near their hometown so if, and that would be like what to do, have for breakfast What do you do in the morning, what do you have for lunch, what do you do in the afternoon, what do you do for dinner what you do for interest payment in the evening so.
00:48:06.000 –> 00:48:14.280 Joseph McElroy: So I’ll walk you through this day in the Clyde Haywood county or surrounding areas, so what would you do for breakfast waking up and Clyde.
00:48:16.560 –> 00:48:19.020 Jim Buchanan: Bull okay I’ll give me a couple of different itineraries.
00:48:20.130 –> 00:48:21.570 Jim Buchanan: That I’ve done with people who.
00:48:21.900 –> 00:48:22.980 Jim Buchanan: are new to that all.
00:48:22.980 –> 00:48:23.370 Right.
00:48:25.140 –> 00:48:36.240 Jim Buchanan: yeah just grab some fast food head out we’ll start at the West shareholder skyway gorgeous Dr. Lewis Kilmer national forest.
00:48:37.320 –> 00:48:42.870 Jim Buchanan: Some of the biggest trees you’ll ever see and that was that was very common back in the day, but.
00:48:44.340 –> 00:48:47.430 Jim Buchanan: They were cutting the chest up like taking care of the other ones.
00:48:48.870 –> 00:48:56.100 Jim Buchanan: Fontana damn largest damn and the East very imposing structure that way coming back this way.
00:48:57.540 –> 00:48:59.610 Jim Buchanan: Nana HALO is gorgeous.
00:49:01.950 –> 00:49:13.020 Jim Buchanan: there’s a little road I won’t I won’t name the name of because I would like, for it to be kind of hidden sell at 14 miles a mostly paved logging road that goes my
00:49:16.020 –> 00:49:24.780 Jim Buchanan: Oh shoot, who was at the bar trick trail goes by the bar control which comes out in their Nana hey will leg and then come about this way further.
00:49:25.500 –> 00:49:43.080 Jim Buchanan: Nebraska City and go to deep creek go to urban there are the waters, of course, it’s kind of pack for lunch I would enter neighbors drive-in a B E RS Ross and city it’s an old fashioned diamond you pull up you hit the button the order, and so my brings food out to you.
00:49:45.030 –> 00:49:51.390 Jim Buchanan: And coming back this way of course Cataloochee you remember when Cataloochee was you can almost have it to yourself.
00:49:51.870 –> 00:49:57.000 Jim Buchanan: Right and the elk a man and it’s kind of like Disney world but it’s still a cool place to get into.
00:49:58.080 –> 00:50:03.930 Jim Buchanan: You know I used to recommend Max patch my experience has been loved to death right now.
00:50:04.770 –> 00:50:06.360 Joseph McElroy: it’s temporary close right.
00:50:06.480 –> 00:50:07.290 Jim Buchanan: Yes, it is.
00:50:09.270 –> 00:50:09.630 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:50:09.750 –> 00:50:16.200 Jim Buchanan: Not longer than five years ago, you can go up there, and almost be by yourself, but it was discovered rapidly.
00:50:17.640 –> 00:50:22.050 Jim Buchanan: I know sounds trite but if you’ve never been to the Biltmore house go to the Biltmore house.
00:50:23.250 –> 00:50:24.120 Jim Buchanan: History their.
00:50:24.540 –> 00:50:25.740 Jim Buchanan: a brand with a one-time.
00:50:27.450 –> 00:50:33.630 Jim Buchanan: Ground the rounds are beautiful I got some good restaurants there Hello 12 bones restaurant.
00:50:34.680 –> 00:50:36.360 Jim Buchanan: In the Asheville, that’s where I.
00:50:37.920 –> 00:50:41.940 Jim Buchanan: Think Obama made two trips actual That was the first place, he went both times.
00:50:42.150 –> 00:50:43.710 Joseph McElroy: Great Barbecue great barbeque
00:50:43.980 –> 00:50:46.080 Jim Buchanan: Wonderful world with you and that.
00:50:47.430 –> 00:50:51.120 Jim Buchanan: Neither nor I would come back going to watermark knob watch the sunset.
00:50:51.720 –> 00:50:52.500 Joseph McElroy: There yo.
00:50:52.650 –> 00:50:55.230 Jim Buchanan: get up the next day walk around late June Alaska.
00:50:57.090 –> 00:50:58.980 Jim Buchanan: And just enjoy the little things.
00:50:59.790 –> 00:51:02.370 Joseph McElroy: yeah I sound like.
00:51:03.390 –> 00:51:04.380 Joseph McElroy: ideal.
00:51:05.490 –> 00:51:08.400 Joseph McElroy: adventure now, what do you think is the.
00:51:09.930 –> 00:51:18.600 Joseph McElroy: I mean there’s a number of amusements that run in the area I’m sure you’ve seen him over the years from the Asheville area and.
00:51:22.440 –> 00:51:32.910 Joseph McElroy: What do you think is the best one or the one that’s yeah that maybe kids would like the most and it’s most well taken care of and it’s really worthwhile experience.
00:51:33.630 –> 00:51:36.720 Jim Buchanan: Okay, you broke up a little bit, could you quickly rephrase the question.
00:51:36.750 –> 00:51:39.300 Joseph McElroy: What would you think is the best amusement park in the area.
00:51:41.010 –> 00:51:43.110 Jim Buchanan: Well, you go Sam was open again in it.
00:51:43.680 –> 00:51:45.570 Joseph McElroy: No, not yet nope okay.
00:51:46.920 –> 00:51:48.330 Jim Buchanan: Oh boy amusement park.
00:51:49.380 –> 00:52:00.540 Joseph McElroy: Oh there’s the railroads there’s you know you got away the Dollywood I mean those are big commercial ones, are you go to I think they’re saying island still out Cherokee there’s.
00:52:00.960 –> 00:52:02.460 Jim Buchanan: I think I think that’s still open.
00:52:04.470 –> 00:52:07.320 Jim Buchanan: For Mrs so cozy that was wrong.
00:52:08.580 –> 00:52:11.910 Joseph McElroy: And Maggie Valley to soak I know there’s no zoom down, it was.
00:52:12.150 –> 00:52:12.450 Jim Buchanan: It was.
00:52:13.260 –> 00:52:15.420 Jim Buchanan: US care found a good rattlesnake that.
00:52:17.760 –> 00:52:19.350 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know charity they.
00:52:21.000 –> 00:52:22.170 Joseph McElroy: Bear wrestling.
00:52:23.220 –> 00:52:25.140 Joseph McElroy: I don’t think they even allow that kind of stuff.
00:52:26.520 –> 00:52:33.990 Jim Buchanan: But it was like a theme park, I will do some rafting I know that’s not a theme park per se.
00:52:35.040 –> 00:52:48.090 Joseph McElroy: Now banana halos got some great rafting places to you know, like centers to go rafting and sodas a pitch river in Gatlinburg area right, I think.
00:52:48.450 –> 00:52:51.000 Jim Buchanan: I mean I love, I would take the kids and the arboretum.
00:52:51.600 –> 00:52:52.200 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:52:52.380 –> 00:52:56.460 Jim Buchanan: an actual you know you can read to segue around there, but then creek and.
00:52:57.690 –> 00:52:59.340 Jim Buchanan: We will see some wildlife.
00:52:59.910 –> 00:53:00.600 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.
00:53:00.690 –> 00:53:03.630 Jim Buchanan: You might be a copperhead, but you will see some model, I felt that way.
00:53:05.100 –> 00:53:07.860 Jim Buchanan: The arboretum itself is a good facility.
00:53:09.150 –> 00:53:10.740 Jim Buchanan: wow that’s great guns.
00:53:12.720 –> 00:53:14.400 Jim Buchanan: And boy was to take a kid.
00:53:14.550 –> 00:53:16.680 Jim Buchanan: yeah just take him to the smokies repeat.
00:53:16.680 –> 00:53:18.270 Joseph McElroy: A managed by.
00:53:19.080 –> 00:53:19.530 So.
00:53:22.710 –> 00:53:25.620 Joseph McElroy: quick question best fly fishing spot.
00:53:27.540 –> 00:53:30.120 Jim Buchanan: You know I wasn’t always a warm fisherman.
00:53:30.330 –> 00:53:30.930 Okay.
00:53:32.550 –> 00:53:33.630 Joseph McElroy: One fishing spot.
00:53:35.760 –> 00:53:37.470 Jim Buchanan: But I have observed a fly fisherman.
00:53:38.370 –> 00:53:39.630 Jim Buchanan: The talk of CG.
00:53:40.770 –> 00:53:44.580 Jim Buchanan: Between Callaway and bills bro you just can’t be that.
00:53:45.180 –> 00:53:57.240 Joseph McElroy: Good all right So how do people follow you read more about you that sort of thing gets your book any shout outs, you want to give to where people connect with you.
00:53:58.320 –> 00:54:00.600 Jim Buchanan: First of all, the city lights the bookstore and so.
00:54:01.890 –> 00:54:06.630 Jim Buchanan: how’s the book to connect to this in the summer websites, I mean email.
00:54:08.130 –> 00:54:10.800 Jim Buchanan: I am on Facebook, and I rarely post.
00:54:12.840 –> 00:54:13.740 Joseph McElroy: what’s your website.
00:54:14.370 –> 00:54:17.220 Jim Buchanan: Oh, I don’t have a website, I am on Facebook, but.
00:54:17.310 –> 00:54:21.630 Jim Buchanan: Okay, I almost never actually made my first post in about three years.
00:54:22.920 –> 00:54:23.610 Jim Buchanan: Sunday.
00:54:24.660 –> 00:54:27.030 Jim Buchanan: Somebody put up a map of the national parks.
00:54:28.080 –> 00:54:30.060 Jim Buchanan: and which ones, have you visited and what state.
00:54:31.830 –> 00:54:34.650 Jim Buchanan: They located the smokies entirely in Tennessee.
00:54:35.820 –> 00:54:37.410 Joseph McElroy: So that’s not right, yes.
00:54:37.410 –> 00:54:41.220 Jim Buchanan: I’m a little touchy about our half in North Carolina you’re.
00:54:41.220 –> 00:54:46.260 Joseph McElroy: Over 51% so we were the original gateway to the smokies.
00:54:46.290 –> 00:54:48.030 Jim Buchanan: And we got out market and buy.
00:54:49.350 –> 00:54:50.490 Jim Buchanan: all there is to it.
00:54:50.760 –> 00:54:54.210 Joseph McElroy: Exactly, so I want to thank you very much.
00:54:55.770 –> 00:54:58.020 Joseph McElroy: I want to thank you very much for being on the show.
00:54:59.760 –> 00:55:10.050 Joseph McElroy: I’m a read more of your book and I highly recommend what I, from what I read I highly recommended, and you know Bob Plot asked you to be on the show because he was really impressed with you, but you had written so.
00:55:11.250 –> 00:55:12.480 Jim Buchanan: Tom price yeah.
00:55:12.540 –> 00:55:13.050 cool.
00:55:14.070 –> 00:55:20.220 Joseph McElroy: This is the gateway to smoke these podcasts you can find out more about us at the gatewaytothesmokies.fun
00:55:23.880 –> 00:55:30.180 Joseph McElroy: facebook.com/gatewaytothesmokiespodcast.
00:55:31.230 –> 00:55:45.360 Joseph McElroy: This is part of the talkradio.NYC network, where you will see a lot of shows live podcast about multiple subjects, right after this shows one about exploring New York, so you can go right from.
00:55:45.990 –> 00:55:51.600 Joseph McElroy: You know, Rural North Carolina to the most urban city on the planet and I have lived in both places.
00:55:53.040 –> 00:56:03.180 Joseph McElroy: And I can recommend highly both of these I’m always here every week from six to seven on Tuesdays to talk about the smokies.
00:56:04.200 –> 00:56:19.170 Joseph McElroy: To promote you know the culture of the area and opportunities for visiting in a meaningful and in-depth manner to create memorable experiences and I thank you for listening and I’ll see you next week.
