1. A Sunday family outing is always to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Blue Ridge Parkway boasts the most amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. On family outings, your parents make you stop on every single overlook. Somehow, after seeing the same view 40 times, it still seems so beautiful.

2. Ingles is the only grocery store you’ll go to.

It’s probably the only store in your town. Founded in Black Mountain, it offers low prices, gas perks and local produce. It is the only store that I’ll trust their name brand products better than market products because everything is so delicious. Robert Ingles, you have my heart.

3. Hiking is in your DNA.

You’re not allowed to dislike hiking. You have grown up hiking. Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Chimney Rock, Dupont State Forest, Bradley Falls. You have hiked at least one of these and you have never felt more connected to home. There is no better feeling than sitting on top of a mountain and looking down on what you just conquered.

4. You think Western North Carolina should be its own state.

I once tricked some kids into believing that they were in the 51st state in the United States. The capital? Asheville, of course. WNC is different than any other region in North Carolina. This is the place where rednecks and hippies live in peace. This is a place where adventure is just around the corner. It is unique in every way. Just make it a new state already!

5. Asheville is like no other city in North Carolina.

There are no conservatives living in Asheville. Between the ‘Biking Nun’ and the topless parades, you have transported into another state. Asheville has a progressive and bustling atmosphere no matter what neighborhood you go to. You will always feel welcomed in Asheville.

6. No mountains are as beautiful as the Blue Ridge Mountains.

You have never wondered how many shades of blue there are until you see the Blue Ridge. This mountain range, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, is what Western North Carolinians call home. I get excited every time I see the sleepy Blue Ridge pop up on I-26 calling me back after being away.

7. Your town has less than 20,000 people.

Mountain towns are small and close together. My hometown only has 6,000 people. Towns are so small you go by county instead. There are 28 very small counties in this beautiful place.

8. In the summers, a storm rolls in at 4 p.m. everyday.

Never make plans from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Start your days early. You can always tell who the tourists are because they either get caught in the storms or complain about the storms. It’s our way of life and what makes the mountains so blue.

9. Snow can still close down school.

You would think North Carolina would understand that snow is normal. I am from the foothills of the Blue Ridge, and as a kid, it rarely snowed except a small part of my county that was in the mountains. If it snowed there, then school was shut down for at least a week.

10. The sunrises and sunsets can't be beat.

The humidity in the area not only creates the blue hue of the mountains, but it also creates the outstanding sunrises and sunsets. Every morning and evening brings a remarkable view. Each sunset is different and each sunrise is worth waking up at the crack of dawn.

11. The 828 is definitely great.

North Carolina is unique. There are mountains, plains and beaches. Say what you will, but the mountains are best. At the beach, you can do few things: boating, tanning or making sandcastles. But on any given day in the Blue Ridge Mountains I can hike, view the mountains, visit waterfalls, cliff jump or visit a lake in the mountains. There is an entire world of exploring in this small little area code. Nothing beats the mountains and nothing beats the Blue Ridge.