Something that Mason said (and a blog that Gideon did) got me to thinking of this subject.  As the obligatory disclaimer, I will say up front that just because these are the nicest people in america does not mean I am ranking anyone, or even saying any others are the nastiest (I may save that one for another day).  But having visited 42 of the 50 states, I think I am at least qualified to say where the nicest people live (once I get to the other 8, that may change, but I doubt it).

It also is not a slam on the people in any other country as I have met some that are as nice as Americans (and then there are the others).

As I stated above, I have been to 42 of the 50 states in my life.  From NY to California, from Florida to Washington State and virtually every place in between.  And I have met a lot of nice people, sampled some great regional cuisines and had a great time doing it.  And there are nice people all over the country from every region.

But the nicest people by far live in SW Va, Lower West VA, and the Mountains of Tennessee and KY.  You may have even heard of a couple of the famous sons from that area, Daniel Boone and Alvin York, but since I never met them, this is not about them.

This is about a simple people that seem to have no other purpose in life other than to be the good samaritan.  And in that, they do excel. 

I am not talking about just being nice, saying howdy, and asking how you are.  I am talking about dropping everything to lend a hand when they see, hear or perceive one is needed!  I am talking about a part of this country probably bereft of millionaires, but who have an over population of very rich people.

I have visited there many times, altho none in the last 10 years.  I usually take I-81 to I-77 and then through Big John Walker tunnel into Bland Va, and then WVA.  Or I-81 down to Rt 58, and across to the extreme toe of VA, and Tenn and Ky. 

I-81 is like any other interstate you travel on and dont think anything about it.  But once you make that right turn (I am traveling south, so for you southerners, it would be a left for you) off of I-81, you reach a time that Hollywood has forgotten, and so has most of America.

My first trip down there I was on a training mission (Computer networks or course) for the Department of Education.  I was headed down to Abingdon, Wise and Lee.  The training was over 2 days, and we did it at a local high School.  At the time I was also developing an automated system for the School Nutrition Program, and working on debugging it, but I was not down there for that, that is just what I did at night in the Hotel room.

The first day went very well, and I managed not to lose the audience too often (which for me is an accomplishment in itself).  After the class, one of the locals (the training was for people from all over SW VA), invited me to her home for dinner with her husband and family!  Now I was on an expense account (government, so it was not lavish, but adequate), so this was not necessary, but she insisted until finally I consented.  It was an excellent evening where I was regaled with stories of what the Teachers and administrators were doing with technology.    There was not a lot of money for that stuff (this was late 80s), but they were very imaginative and innovative.

Now I know a lot places would do that and I am not claiming that is the only place where a stranger would be invited into someone's home (although it was the only place for me).  But the experience did not stop there.  After the second day, I was packing up getting ready to head west (still in Va too for this trip), when I realized I had forgotten my computer disks at the High school where I was teaching.  I raced back over there, only to find the place locked up and everyone gone home.  Or so I thought.

As I got back into my truck and was pulling out of the parking lot, I glanced in my rear view mirror and saw a crazy lady running after me waving her hands!  So of course I stopped, and got out.  I thought I may have run over something!

But no, this was the School Secretary and she had seen me try to get into the classroom where I had been teaching and figured I had left something.  Now many people might have seen my dilemna, but how many would have RUN after me to ask if they could help?  And yes, that was what she was doing (I had not squished  a squirrell!).  Needless to say that went above and beyond the call of duty in my books.

But that was not the end of it as I had to go to Clinch Valley College to set up some Macs.  SO the next day I headed west, and came upon this little berg called Coe.  A very quaint Catholic Church stands on the edge of town.  It almost looks like a one room school house. (for those of you who do not know, this area of the country is not known for its large Catholic Population), and that kind of set my mind.  Even tho I had a long day ahead of me, and an even longer trip home, I felt an inner peace descend upon me.

Well, as luck would have it, and as anyone familiar with the area knows, the main business out there is Coal, and it is usually shipped by rail!  So right in the middle of town, is a train crossing and yep!  I got caught by a long slow coal train!  But instead of feeling antsy or angry, I just shut off my engine and sat there and watched as what eventually became a long line of cars did the same thing.  But most people got out of their cars, and started talking to one another.  A car coming in from a side street was stopped as well, and the gentleman got out and noticed my sticker and asked how things were from my area.  We had a nice 20 minute conversation before the end of train appeared and everyone got back in their cars and started the engine.

I said goodbye to the nice man, and I was going to let him in front of me once the traffic started moving, but did not get the chance as the cars in front of me were letting in the people from the side streets!

I finally got to Norton (there are no Motels in Wise that I know of, But Norton is just 10 minutes from the College) and grabbed some food from a Hardees and worked on my program.  The next day was the Clinch Valley stop and so I went in to fix up the office's computers to access our network.

While doing so (they had about 3 of them), I was talking to the secretary and mentioned how much I love trains, even after being held up by one for a spell, and I especially like the tracks that went around and through the mountains (for anyone who has ever been to Kingman Az, that is the layout I want to build one day!).  She said I sounded like her husband.  But he liked to take pictures of the trains as they circled and went through the mountains.  I commented that would be my hobby if I lived in that part of the state.

I left about noon that day for the 8 hour trip home (Tx and Ca are not the only states that you can drive for 8 hours and never leave the state!).  And that was the end of it.

NOT!  A week later I got a numbered print of a train (A steam locomotive, not a diesel!) coming out of a tunnel out in Wise County, from the Secretary's husband!

That was my first trip to that area of the country, but not my last, and none of my trips out there were any less than that first one!  To this day I miss it (not the drive!  I hate the drive), and will go back one day.  But those trips forever set in my mind who the nicest Americans are.

I have met many nice Americans.  But none nicer than the People of Appalachia.  What they dont have in things, they make up for with their hospitality, kindness and generosity.