I would have posted this sooner had I gotten around to it before my Mac had a fit – see my next post about our visits to the Apple Store in Charlotte, NC for details – but better late than never, right?

We’ve discovered a couple distinct indicators that say we’re definitely heading south. One: The number of Dixie flags we see is increasing daily. Two: Barbecue joints are becoming increasingly easier to find.

I’m confident we have not quite reached “The South” yet, so I’m holding out for a mess o’ ribs and chicken. But I can certainly tell we’re getting close, as indicated by our recent dining experience at Famous Anthony’s.

With ten locations throughout the New River Valley near Blacksburg, VA, Famous Anthony’s still has the charm of a local family owned chain of restaurants. And you know it’s an authentic southern family style eatery when you find fried green beans on the menu. We just had to try them.

I ordered the “North Carolina Open Pit BBQ Pork Sub” which had a distinct smoky flavor and didn’t get all over me when I ate it. Arriving a few minutes too late to order the breakfast we were seeking, Rene had a grilled cheese sandwich.

The best part of the meal was the sweet southern service with a smile, and the authentic southern drawl accents all around us.

A few observations about Virginia:

• They sure love their Hokies.
• Blacksburg is all about Virginia Tech.
• The community strongly supports the families and victims of April 16, 2007.
• The New River Valley area is beautiful except for being pock marked by strip malls and scarred by interstates.
• I could never live near VT because I just couldn’t get behind any team as much as the locals do. (Every third person we saw must have been wearing an orange shirt.)