Update Archive

Archive 11/28 - 12/02/2005:
11/28/2005 - (154 miles – 4 hours - L:60F – H:72F) We moved from Rodanthe to New Bern, NC. It wasn’t until I started to hook up my rig that I realized how much salt had accumulated everywhere. There is a fine, sticky, gritty film on everything. The co-axial connection for my cable hookup had already started to discolor and corrode. I’m amazed anything here lasts very long.
The trip was an easy drive with only a little rain. I’m so happy with my new truck. Even though the wind was fierce from time to time, my truck didn’t have any trouble.
Our new camp is along the Neuse River before it runs into the Pamlico Sound. New Bern has a rich and fascinating history. It holds the following ‘firsts’: first permanent North Carolina state Capitol building and site of first inaugurated state officials – first in America to celebrate George Washington’s birthday – first in NC to celebrate Independence Day – first incorporated school in NC – first public school for African Americans in NC – first printing press…therefore, first newspaper, book and pamphlet printed in NC – first postal service in NC – first public banking institution in NC and one of the first two banks chartered here in 1804 – first fire department in NC – first to develop, bottle and market Pepsi-Cola - first Roman Catholic Church and parish in NC – first in NC to decorate streets with colored electric lights during Christmas.
11/29/2005 - (12 miles – 5 hours - L:59F – H:74F) We drove into New Bern to walk around town and visit the Pepsi discovery site. In his Pharmacy in 1898, Caleb Bradham invented what was then known as “Brad’s Drink,” which he later patented as Pepsi-Cola. The pharmacy has been turned into a Pepsi souvenir shop with a few books on the history. They show a video a few times a day. I was expecting something more along the lines of the Spam Museum, but there wasn’t anything on display here.
My next stop was the Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens. The first house on the tour was the John Wright Stanly House. Mr. Stanly built the house between 1779 and 1783. President Washington spent two nights here in 1791. During the Civil War, it stood on its original site and was then moved in 1932 and again to its current site in 1966. The home is furnished with period pieces, some of which were original to the home. Two of the Stanly family members born here ended up on opposing sides during the Civil War. Edward Stanly, born here in 1810, accepted the post of military governor from President Lincoln in May 1862 hoping that he might lead his hometown and state back into the Union. He was unsuccessful and resigned in March 1863. Lewis Addison Armistead, Stanley’s nephew born here in 1817, was a Confederate General and died at Gettysburg in 1863. Union forces held New Bern after a battle here in 1862 and the Stanly house was used as the headquarters of Union commander General Ambrose E. Burnside.
The tours are guided and pictures aren’t allowed inside. I was the only person on this tour, which meant I was able to ask lots of questions. The lady giving the tour was from Egypt – fantastic accent – and really knew all about the house and the furnishings. I covet some of that furniture.
My next stop was at the Dixon House, built in 1830 by George W. Dixon, a merchant tailor and one-time mayor of New Bern. Dixon purchased the lot in 1826 from what was part of the original Tryon Palace grounds. The Palace grounds had been divided into building lots and sold by the state after the Palace burned in 1798. The house stands on its original foundation and, other than rooms that were added in the late 1800’s, is completely original – though refurbished. The furnishings that have been placed in the home range from 1790 to 1840 and are primarily American made, as opposed to built in and transported from Europe.
The tour guide for the Dixon House had a fantastic southern accent. I declare, I nearly swooned when he said Charleston. There’s just something about that accent that is so charming and genteel.
Next was Tryon Palace. The Tryon Palace, built in 1770, was known in colonial times as one of the most beautiful public buildings in America. The Georgian-style mansion served as both home of Royal Governor William Tryon and the capitol of the Colony of North Carolina. After the Revolutionary War, Tryon Palace became the capitol of the independent state of North Carolina. In 1791 there was a dinner and dancing assembly held in honor of President Washington, who was visiting New Bern while on his Southern Tour. The original building was destroyed and then rebuilt in the 1950’s and furnished with a collection of antiques and art from the 18th-century.
At the Palace all of the guides are in period dress. That always freaks me out. What makes it even worse is when they refuse to ‘break’ character. The guy who was acting the part of Governor Tryon (he, his wife Margaret and their daughter lived in the Palace for just over a year) had the British accent, was dressed in period costume and acted as if the year were actually 1770. He asked me where I was from and when I said California he acted all shocked because California is still a Spanish settlement. Hard to carry on any kind of conversation with someone from 1770 when you don’t know much if anything about the time period. The tour guide wasn’t as strict, she was clearly a modern tour guide in period dress. For a while I was worried she was going to keel over she was so out of breath after climbing the stairs. The Palace is being deck out with beautifully natural Christmas decorations. All of the rooms smelled so good. The wreaths and garlands were made of holly, pine boughs, pinecones, lemons, apples, and a bunch of other stuff. They were gorgeous. A ball is being held on December 10th, with the public invited. Apparently there will be dancing and food with the interior lit by candlelight, just as if it were 1770. Afterwards there will be fireworks. I’m sorry I’ll miss it.
11/30/2005 - (164 miles – 7 hours - L:53F – H:73F) I took the truck in for an oil change today. Two different people asked me if I knew it was a diesel. Hell-ooooo. It took them almost two hours to finish because they had to wait for the ‘special’ oil to arrive. They charged me $70 and didn’t even wash the windows. What a crock.
I went back to camp, picked up Max and we headed out to do some exploring. We drove down to the South Outer Banks, crossing the Bogue Sound on our way to the Fort Macon State Park. The islands here are much different than up north. It seems a house, resort, condo or hotel has been placed on every available piece of land. There are a number of public beach access areas, but it’s so different from up at Hatteras. Up there you could, for the most part, just pull over anywhere and walk out to the sea. I stopped at Fort Macon and took a few pictures. Allegedly the Queen Anne’s Revenge (Blackbeard’s ship) is being salvaged nearby, but I saw no sign of it. We continued on into Beaufort. What a charming town. Some of the houses along the sound shore were magnificent. We drove across the causeway to Harkers Island and the Cape Lookout National Seashore visitor center. Since this is the off-season the ferry isn’t running out to Shackleford Banks so we could only gaze at the lighthouse from a distance. Bummer. The Cape Lookout Lighthouse was built in 1859 and stands 160-feet tall.
I’ve now seen the eastern most portion of I-70. Kinda cool.
12/1/2005 - (234 miles – 6 hours - L:43F – H:59F) We drove down to Cape Fear today. It was a cloudy, gloomy day – and kind of chilly what with the wind and all. We had to drive through Wilmington, what a nightmare. The traffic was hideous. We finally arrived in Southport to find out that the only way to get out to Bald Head Island is by ferry. From what I could tell from the ferry office Bald Head Island is somewhat of a resort island. Lots of golf cart transportation, condo’s and ritzy restaurants. I couldn’t seem to drum up the enthusiasm to take the ride out so we drove back to Southport to see what we could see from the coast. It was so gloomy, you couldn’t see much and it looked dark and cold.
12/2/2005 - (352 miles – 8 hours - L:36F – H:53F) We moved from New Bern, NC to Florence, SC on our way to Georgia. Part of the shower in the trailer broke so I need a new part. There is a Camping World down in Myrtle Beach so I headed out, hoping they had the part. They didn’t, exactly, but something close that I thought would work. It was a long way to drive and not be sure…. But what the heck, I was able to see portions of Myrtle Beach. After our stay in the Outer Banks, we are pretty spoiled. It’s hard to find a beach that compares. Mostly the Myrtle Beach area was crowded. We didn’t even see the ocean.


New Pictures: NC