I’ve been to Asheville, North Carolina, just once and as it turned out I was experiencing the onset of pneumonia. Feeling ill didn’t dampen my enjoyment of this city, and or even quell the surprise at finding such a “liberal” oasis in the midst of a very conservative part of the state. I didn’t expect to find beer-bikes and vibrant market places in the Blue Ridge Mountains. While it may all have been part of an annual festival, I still found very enjoyable.