Last Thursday, Bob and I left Lansing via American Airlines on what was to be a three-legged journey to Charlottesville, VA where we would pick up a rental car and drive for 3 hours to North Carolina to visit our 46th state. Not an ideal itinerary but it got us the cheapest airfare. Our estimated 2:00 arrival was pushed back about 4 1/2 hours when we had to add a 4th leg to the air journey when our flight from Charlotte, NC to Charlottesville, VA was cancelled due to an “operational decision” (pilot had a liquid lunch, perhaps?). We got a free trip to LaGuardia and then onto Charlottesville. We made a very quick transfer in LaGuardia, but Bob’s bag didn’t come with us. It had to happen sometime, right? Long story short, we arrived into Charlottesville at 6:30 pm to learn Bob’s bag was on a delayed flight for which they couldn’t give us an ETA. We went onto Hillsborough, NC without the bag, as they promised to hold it for us until we returned the rental car on Saturday. We had a lovely time in Hillsborough without it. (Bob is a much better trooper than I would have been!)
Since we really just had Friday and the Saturday morning, we tried to see as much of the little town as we could.
We began the day by walking to, and then through, the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. It was free to enter and had a number of nice walking trails, including one to the summit (only 350 feet) which is the highest point in Orange County where Hillsborough is located.
When we were done at the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area we walked the relatively new River Trail into downtown.
After we walked back to our motel, we drove to the Eno River State Park to check out some of the trails there.
On Saturday morning on our way out of Hillsborough, we stopped at their weekly farmer’s market. They were having a tomato fest. The market was small but cute — with lots of great produce.
Peckish Travels 
