Appalachian Self-Reliance
9th October 2024
A strange scene unfolds on I-26 to Asheville. Heading south, away from the city, the highway is bumper-to-bumper traffic. Lawnmowers and grills are lashed to trailers, with other household supplies packed tightly in the backseat, pressed against the windows.
Heading north, towards the city, are far fewer cars. As the road twists through idyllic mountains, the type of the vehicles changes. With every exit, the population of sedans and SUVs thins out until the traffic is a silent march of F-150s and Ram 1500s, somberly heading towards areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Their beds are packed to the brim with supplies, while others haul equipment on trailers.
There are no police or FEMA to be seen, and National Guard Humvees are absent. From the highway alone, one might not notice that there had been a crippling disaster a week ago. Downtown Asheville appears almost untouched, due to its higher elevation. Except for a few signs for food aid, it’s business as usual. But just five minutes downhill is a different story. The Biltmore Village neighborhood looks like a warzone: buildings leveled, semi-trucks flipped, mangled power lines. A thick mud carpets the streets, drying in some places. Passing cars kick it up to a haze.