Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Come along for a different kind of driving tour through Morganton, Drexel, and Valdese, North Carolina — this time exploring some of the back roads and everyday places that don't usually make it into tourism videos.
My previous 360° drive concentrated largely on downtown Morganton and some of the area's more recognizable sights. For this trip, I'm doing mostly the opposite.
These aren't the glamorous parts of Burke County. They're the roads and neighborhoods that connect everything together — automotive shops, churches, grocery stores, small businesses, mobile-home dealers, storage facilities, and all the other ordinary places that are part of everyday life here in the foothills of western North Carolina.
This is some of the connective tissue of Morganton, Drexel and Valdese — the places you'd never see in a tourism brochure, but places you'll quickly become familiar with if you actually live here.
We even make an ordinary grocery stop at Food Lion along the way.
Our trip begins at a local trash and recycling site, where I have a quick conversation with one of the fellows working there — and meet the facility's rather unexpected resident pet chicken. You can't plan these things!
The drive was shot using an Insta360 X6, giving us a 360° view of the roads and surroundings as we travel. Most of my commentary for this particular trip was recorded later in the studio, allowing me to concentrate on showing you what's around us as we travel.
I also bring the X6 inside the F150 briefly, where you'll meet Nikki and Hendrix, our Goldendoodle, before we continue exploring.
This isn't intended to be a “best of Morganton” tour. It's something a little different: a look at the ordinary places where people actually live, work, shop, worship, repair their cars, buy groceries, and go about their lives.
If you're from Burke County — or used to live here — let me know what you recognize. And if you're considering moving to the Morganton, Drexel or Valdese area, perhaps this will give you a view of the community that the usual highlight reels don't show.
Recorded in 360° with the Insta360 X6 in the foothills of western North Carolina.
Come along for a different kind of driving tour through Morganton, Drexel, and Valdese, North Carolina — this time exploring some of the back roads and everyday places that don't usually make it into tourism videos.
My previous 360° drive concentrated largely on downtown Morganton and some of the area's more recognizable sights. For this trip, I'm doing mostly the opposite.
These aren't the glamorous parts of Burke County. They're the roads and neighborhoods that connect everything together — automotive shops, churches, grocery stores, small businesses, mobile-home dealers, storage facilities, and all the other ordinary places that are part of everyday life here in the foothills of western North Carolina.
This is some of the connective tissue of Morganton, Drexel and Valdese — the places you'd never see in a tourism brochure, but places you'll quickly become familiar with if you actually live here.
We even make an ordinary grocery stop at Food Lion along the way.
Our trip begins at a local trash and recycling site, where I have a quick conversation with one of the fellows working there — and meet the facility's rather unexpected resident pet chicken. You can't plan these things!
The drive was shot using an Insta360 X6, giving us a 360° view of the roads and surroundings as we travel. Most of my commentary for this particular trip was recorded later in the studio, allowing me to concentrate on showing you what's around us as we travel.
I also bring the X6 inside the F150 briefly, where you'll meet Nikki and Hendrix, our Goldendoodle, before we continue exploring.
This isn't intended to be a “best of Morganton” tour. It's something a little different: a look at the ordinary places where people actually live, work, shop, worship, repair their cars, buy groceries, and go about their lives.
If you're from Burke County — or used to live here — let me know what you recognize. And if you're considering moving to the Morganton, Drexel or Valdese area, perhaps this will give you a view of the community that the usual highlight reels don't show.
Recorded in 360° with the Insta360 X6 in the foothills of western North Carolina.
