March 6th
After a day and half travelling we arrived near Raleigh, North Carolina to visit with our middle son Kyle and his girlfriend Alexis.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Sandy: March 10 Discovering Shadow Hawk
March 10
Trying to catch up on posts. It's amazing what and who you find on the back roads of our country. We found another gem in North Carolina near Smithfield (yes Smithfield of Smithfield ham, turkey and chicken).
As we were traveling we found a frontier town named Shadow Hawk. This western town is complete with hotel, mercantile, post office, saloon, and cute little church which was built by a man named William Drake. This gentleman was a supporting actor for nine episodes of Bonanza, usually playing a gambler or bad guy, three episodes of Gunsmoke, eighteen movies including Big Jake, Outlaw Josie Wales, and Quantrell's Raiders, and various made for tv movies. Check out his web site at, shadowhawk.us. He has written four books and produced a film from one of his books. We were lucky enough to have a personal tour by William Drake and was able to sit with him and talk to him about his career and town. It was an interesting and fun afternoon.
Atkinson is a common name in this area so when we found Atkinson's Mil we just had to stop in. This particular mill has been in operation for 142 years. Of course we bought several items. Later in Smithfield's Walmart we found a whole section of their products.
Trying to catch up on posts. It's amazing what and who you find on the back roads of our country. We found another gem in North Carolina near Smithfield (yes Smithfield of Smithfield ham, turkey and chicken).
As we were traveling we found a frontier town named Shadow Hawk. This western town is complete with hotel, mercantile, post office, saloon, and cute little church which was built by a man named William Drake. This gentleman was a supporting actor for nine episodes of Bonanza, usually playing a gambler or bad guy, three episodes of Gunsmoke, eighteen movies including Big Jake, Outlaw Josie Wales, and Quantrell's Raiders, and various made for tv movies. Check out his web site at, shadowhawk.us. He has written four books and produced a film from one of his books. We were lucky enough to have a personal tour by William Drake and was able to sit with him and talk to him about his career and town. It was an interesting and fun afternoon.
Atkinson is a common name in this area so when we found Atkinson's Mil we just had to stop in. This particular mill has been in operation for 142 years. Of course we bought several items. Later in Smithfield's Walmart we found a whole section of their products.
Sandy: March 15: Williamsburg
March 15
Yessss, another item checked off of my bucket list! We spent the day at Colonial Williamsburg. It's amazing the things you can learn from history. I didn't know mortar was made with sand and shells. Our forefathers would cook oyster shells and various seashells overnight, cool them and pound them into a powder, add sand and water and wa-la mortar. We learned about herbal medicines, maybe we should use more of this. Of course we saw all the usual basket weaving, candle making, glass blowing, gardening with heirloom seeds. I can't imagine working in all that clothes. I would like to have some of their recipes The most amazing experience for me was sitting in the church that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson attended. A cemetery surrounded the church with most of the graves above ground. It was a wonderful step back into history.
Courthouse
Capital
The Palace
Courtney was sooo BAD!
Sleeping on the floor of the car. Tired after a long day of walking.
Yessss, another item checked off of my bucket list! We spent the day at Colonial Williamsburg. It's amazing the things you can learn from history. I didn't know mortar was made with sand and shells. Our forefathers would cook oyster shells and various seashells overnight, cool them and pound them into a powder, add sand and water and wa-la mortar. We learned about herbal medicines, maybe we should use more of this. Of course we saw all the usual basket weaving, candle making, glass blowing, gardening with heirloom seeds. I can't imagine working in all that clothes. I would like to have some of their recipes The most amazing experience for me was sitting in the church that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson attended. A cemetery surrounded the church with most of the graves above ground. It was a wonderful step back into history.
CourthouseCapitalThe Palace Episcopal Church that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson attended. |
Courtney was sooo BAD!Sleeping on the floor of the car. Tired after a long day of walking.Sandy: March 21 Battle of Bentonville
March 21
We're still traveling through history. Another pleasant surprise, we found Bentonville Civil War Battlefield, and surprise, surprise March 19th - 21st is the 150th anniversary of the last full-scale action of the Civil War, and largest land battle in North Carolina. There were 60,00 Union soldiers and 22,000 Confederate soldiers in the battle. Some of the demonstations ,depicted the troops daily lives, how women followed the troops, how limbs were amputated. Although; the Confederates won this battle, they lost the war.
confederates firing
Union soldiers
Confederate officers
troop living quarters
We parked in a cotton field.
We're still traveling through history. Another pleasant surprise, we found Bentonville Civil War Battlefield, and surprise, surprise March 19th - 21st is the 150th anniversary of the last full-scale action of the Civil War, and largest land battle in North Carolina. There were 60,00 Union soldiers and 22,000 Confederate soldiers in the battle. Some of the demonstations ,depicted the troops daily lives, how women followed the troops, how limbs were amputated. Although; the Confederates won this battle, they lost the war.
confederates firingUnion soldiersConfederate officers troop living quarters We parked in a cotton field.Jim &Sandy March, 23, 2015
Hi All,
Well, we have had quite an adventure so far, Courtney will post pictures of everything later, but I thought I would tell you first.
We left Gulf Shores and headed up to Raleigh, NC. We had a wonderful lunch with an old high school friend, Tom in South Carolina. we got to visit at his house on a big lake, we were running behind and could only stay a couple of hours, then back on the road!
We checked into our campsite at Four Oaks, NC and had supper with Kyle our second child, can't call him a child, 6'6", 265#'s, mostly muscle, and the started planning our stay. We visited Bentonville battleground, the last great battle of the civil war and actually got to see a reenactment of the battle. Boy was that noisy!
Kyle became engaged while we were here, met the new to be inlaws, very nice.
Of course, Sandy found the nearest flea market, very huge and she even found some fleas to buy!
Our little dog Minnie, was actually more Kyle's dog than ours and after we got together we brought out Minnie, it took her about 30 seconds and she recognized Kyle, she's only about 6 pounds but she took all 6 pounds and jumped on Kyle and cooed, hummed, and did her best to hug him.
We spent a couple of days going to Camp Lejeune and visited an old college buddy, we haven't seen each other in 44 years. He visited us in St. Clair for one spring break from Austin, and I gave him his first flying lesson. Now he is a simulator instructor for the Marines in that swing wing, V-22. He even owns his own airplane, he took Courtney and I up for a little while, sure was good to fly again. Boy, can he cook ribs, I think I over ate a little.
We will be doing a little more blogging after we get on the road to Alaska, more pictures too!
Well, we have had quite an adventure so far, Courtney will post pictures of everything later, but I thought I would tell you first.
We left Gulf Shores and headed up to Raleigh, NC. We had a wonderful lunch with an old high school friend, Tom in South Carolina. we got to visit at his house on a big lake, we were running behind and could only stay a couple of hours, then back on the road!
We checked into our campsite at Four Oaks, NC and had supper with Kyle our second child, can't call him a child, 6'6", 265#'s, mostly muscle, and the started planning our stay. We visited Bentonville battleground, the last great battle of the civil war and actually got to see a reenactment of the battle. Boy was that noisy!
Kyle became engaged while we were here, met the new to be inlaws, very nice.
Of course, Sandy found the nearest flea market, very huge and she even found some fleas to buy!
Our little dog Minnie, was actually more Kyle's dog than ours and after we got together we brought out Minnie, it took her about 30 seconds and she recognized Kyle, she's only about 6 pounds but she took all 6 pounds and jumped on Kyle and cooed, hummed, and did her best to hug him.
We spent a couple of days going to Camp Lejeune and visited an old college buddy, we haven't seen each other in 44 years. He visited us in St. Clair for one spring break from Austin, and I gave him his first flying lesson. Now he is a simulator instructor for the Marines in that swing wing, V-22. He even owns his own airplane, he took Courtney and I up for a little while, sure was good to fly again. Boy, can he cook ribs, I think I over ate a little.
We will be doing a little more blogging after we get on the road to Alaska, more pictures too!
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
March 4th
Arrived at Gulf Shores to spend time with our niece Amy. Right after the BP Oil blowout Gulf Shore beaches were replaced with beach sand from North Carolina and Maine. These sands were darker and coarser, as the years have gone by the whiter sand from the Gulf has blown in, thus whitening the beaches with the natural sand.
Beach at Gulf Shores
Dinner with in-laws or maybe outlaws.
Niece Amy, Courtney and Me.
Dinner with in-laws or maybe outlaws.
Niece Amy, Courtney and Me.
March 3
On our way to Gulf Shores Alabama. We are enjoying being tourists touring the country. In Louisana - - advertising BBQ - - why not stop. We discovered these southerners put cole slaw on their barbecue like we put lettuce on our burgers. It is VERY good that way.
In Mississippi - - advertising a gator ranch -- why not stop. When we got there we were looking at their bulletin board. Surprise, surprise, we landed at the Gulf Coast Gator Ranch as seen on TV. These people had a gator ranch in Florida but were in danger of losing their contract with the city. To make sure they could continue saving alligators from people, they opened a gator ranch in Mississippi. This ranch is a rescue preserve where tours and shows help fund the ranch.
On our way to Gulf Shores Alabama. We are enjoying being tourists touring the country. In Louisana - - advertising BBQ - - why not stop. We discovered these southerners put cole slaw on their barbecue like we put lettuce on our burgers. It is VERY good that way.
In Mississippi - - advertising a gator ranch -- why not stop. When we got there we were looking at their bulletin board. Surprise, surprise, we landed at the Gulf Coast Gator Ranch as seen on TV. These people had a gator ranch in Florida but were in danger of losing their contract with the city. To make sure they could continue saving alligators from people, they opened a gator ranch in Mississippi. This ranch is a rescue preserve where tours and shows help fund the ranch.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Jim & Sandy, March 2
Well, we were supposed to leave yesterday for New Orleans. We had a slight accident with our car trying to get it on the trailer yesterday and now the car will be fixed today and tomorrow, we should be able to leave tomorrow about noon. We'll bypass New Orleans and see Jim's niece on Wednesday & Thursday, then off to NC and Kyle our second child, we haven't ween him or his girlfriend Alexis for over a year. Then our plan is to arrive in Washington, MO about the fifth of April, with the weather the way it is, we may not even get to NC!!
We've seen all the accidents in Missouri from the snow and ice, it is that bad all over the midwest, we've only got 55 here today but 75 tomorrow. Sorry, I had to gloat!! Got to go for now, thanks for looking.
We've seen all the accidents in Missouri from the snow and ice, it is that bad all over the midwest, we've only got 55 here today but 75 tomorrow. Sorry, I had to gloat!! Got to go for now, thanks for looking.
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