Things I will miss about Charlotte

I'm excited to move back north but I thought I would take a moment to think about my experience here in North Carolina. While it's not my favorite place in the world, I have enjoyed my time here (for the most part).

• Being tan: This is the only time in my life I have had a tan and not simply bleached white in the sun. I'm impressed to say even the insides of my arms are tan! My legs are a different story though. Leo on the other hand, bleached out and is almost red bay now! The sun is super intense down here. 

My tan arm :) Come on - that's impressive! 

• US National Whitewater Center: This is hands down the best thing Charlotte has going for it. It's a huge park with a man-made river as the center of attraction. There are mountain biking trails, rock-climbing walls, rope courses up in the trees, zip-line courses and more. The facility is top notch, complete with a restaurant overlooking the river. They hold national competitions here for kayaking and canoeing. We actually went to watch some of the Olympic trials here. They hold events throughout the year and have live music weekly. Whether you're a local or just visiting, this is a place to check out. 

View of the river for the Olympic Selection Trials 2012

• Long Yellow Lights: Yellow traffic lights are obscenely long in Charlotte. So long in fact that, that no body slows down until it actually turns red. When it does turn red, several cars will still proceed through the light. Charlotte definitely seems to have its own set of road rules.

• Fried Chicken Everywhere: There seems to be no shortage of fried chicken in the south. Just about every restaurant has some variation of fried chicken on the menu. In fact, a new restaurant just opened up down the street from us, focused almost entirely on fried chicken! 

• Warm weather all year: Charlotte has been known to get some snow and ice here and there, but nothing like the north. We experienced nothing at all this past winter (though, the winter was notably mild up in the mid-atlantic area too). I can barely recall a day when the temperature was below 40. I think I broke out a cold weather jacket 3 or 4 times when I went riding, but never used a heavy coat when going to work or to the store. 

• Trees that flower in the summer: Charlotte streets are lined with trees called Crepe Myrtles, that actually flower all summer and into the fall. The flowers come in a range of colors - white, pink, purple, dark fushia. The tree trunks are especially interesting - kind of like a bonsai tree. They are really beautiful. Mike and I are already talking about trying to plant some in the yard of our future home. 

Crepe Myrtle Tree

• North Carolina Mountains: Charlotte is just a 2 hour drive from the Appalachian Mountains in the west, which are simply gorgeous. Options for hiking, camping and scenic drives are plentiful.  Mike and I were particularly impressed with the restaurants in Asheville - far better than the options in Charlotte. 

Atop Grandfather Mountain near Blowing Rock, NC

• I almost forgot! Charlotte is a very green and clean city and I have always liked this. And no, I don't mean that in an environmental sense. There are trees everywhere in Charlotte. The streets are lined with trees, including the medians, and decorated with lilies and other flowers at different times of the year. Landscaping is no joke down here. Homes are very well-kept, even modest ones. And the streets are so damn clean! The northeast is filthy by comparison.