tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49755755711132794062024-03-13T12:04:25.474-04:00Blue Road Blogger21st century American NomadsBlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-52625828202788269022014-01-05T11:28:00.002-05:002014-01-05T11:28:58.766-05:00Its January in Michigan and we are expecting about 12 inches of snow followed with sub zero temps. I sometimes think about when we lived in North Carolina and the winters there. Its not necessarily warm there in the winter, but there are warmer days sprinkled in-between with cooler days in the 40's and 50's. The strange thing is, I spend more time outside in Michigan than I did in North Carolina. Michiganders celebrate the seasons and find something wonderful about each time of year. There is something about the crunch of the snow under my boots and the feel of frozen nose hair that for me is home. BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-74585189453977360012013-12-27T20:35:00.001-05:002013-12-27T20:35:12.828-05:00What ever happened to....<BR><BR><BR>
People we knew way back in elementary school? I remember hanging out with this girl in the 4th or 5th grade. She reminded me of a friend I had in kindergarten when I lived the other side of the divided highway. We would run around and play on the swings, climb the giant slide that you could only climb if you were in the 4th grade or higher. Sometimes we would spin wildly on the merry-go-round and watch the clouds like a giant kelidoscope. Years later I rememeber going over to the girl’s house as a kindergartner. The girl’s mother answered the door and said, “Child, you can’t be commin’ here and bein’ her friend.” <BR><BR>
“I can’t?” I wondered.<BR><BR>
“No, you can’t.”<BR>BR>
“Why?” I insisted.<BR><BR>
“Cause you’re a boy and you’re white..” and she closed the door.<BR><BR><BR><BR>
I wonder if that is what happened to Terri in the 4th grade….
<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-86395309784978254792013-08-19T21:51:00.001-04:002013-08-19T21:51:23.880-04:00Another year and still detouring
It has been a year since we relocated to Michigan. Plans have been following a detour since.
I am currently organizing a campaign to run for the state house here in Michigan. As the plan comes to gether I will be sharing more. In the mean time if you are interested, there is a gtreat charity dinner this Friday that we would love to attend.
But, since I am currently unemployed, I am looking for donations to help us purchase tickets.
<a href=http://www.gofundme.com/3z526w> Dinner Tickets</a href>
BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-59470631063143663192013-06-08T15:24:00.002-04:002013-06-08T15:58:03.410-04:00When a detour becomes a journeyWOW! Has it really been more than a year since we posted? Time is indeed a terrifying concept. Sometimes I wonder if we, as humans, really know how to track it accurately?
2013, this was supposed to be our year--the year we left it all behind and took to the open road. Our schedule had us pulling out of Bunnlevel, North Carolina on June 14 and heading north to Michigan to visit with family and friends.<br>
After a few weeks, surely no more than 4-5 weeks, we would then be headed west with our 5th wheel, two hounds and the Dodge Cummins. Our first stop would have been Madison, Wisconsin were we would vist my friend Mark Sobrilsky. I met Mark in 1997 when I moved to Madison to "find" myself. He was just 23 and moving out on his own for the first time. I lived with Mark for 12 months as his personal attendant. Though he was extremely independent, his cerebreal palsy prevented him from being 100% independent. We would have taken the Metro Bus to State Street and connected with other old friends near the University of Wisconsin Madison campus. But, one night in April 2013, I googled my friend's name and found an obituary. Seems he went out one night to the student Union on the UW campus. He was strolling along the edge of Lake Mendota just outside the Union. By some strange twist of fate, Mark "fell" from his power wheel chair into the water and drown.
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Suddenly, the obvious was all too plain to see. Ovcer the past several years, many of Mark's friends have died. Though I was never given an official explaination from Mark, other than Ricky's died last week at camp in the Dells, or Eunice died last year after being in the hospital for several weeks recovering from some mysterious illness, I saw the blantant truth staring me right between the eyes.<br>
Back in 2010 MArk had been hit by a car while crossing the street. Then I had no proble seeing the truth. Not many people cross East Washington at Reindahl, particularlly since there is nothing on the otherside a guy in a wheelchair needs to get to at 10:00 p.m.<br>
Though I had been told that night was an impromptu suicide attempt, I wanted to believe Mark was just at a bad place at the time. But as I read the November obituary, it was obvious Mark had never gotten past that bad time. It was then that I "knew" Ricky's death was probably hastened by his own hand as well. Mark was always pre-occupied with the idea of suicide. He was all but convinced he was destined to the fate since his father had also used suicide as a way out when Mark was just 21.<br>
I mention this now, both as my way of acknowledging Mark's life and those of Ricky and the others who were regulars on State Street every summer in Madison, but to also highlight how drastically life's plans can change. How we are constantly faced with choices and decisions we might otherwise have never thought possible. We accept choices that are not always in our best interest because we have decided for whatever reason tomorrow brings with it too much uncertainity? Too much pain? Too much embarassment? Too much ridicule?<br>
So we look for alternatives to make iurselves feel better or that will show our superiority over the conditions life has laid before us. <br>
When all we relly need to do is make new plans and start all over again--one more time.
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As for Mark Sobrilsky and Ricky Olson, I miss you guys everyday and wish we had one more day. <br><br><br>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-36127396069524379632012-03-27T05:55:00.001-04:002013-06-08T16:23:02.323-04:00How can you just sit there?<BR><BR><BR>
I need to have an adventure on a daily basis. In some way, shape or form, I have to experience the unknown. The satisfaction of having met a new and unfamiliar situation is refreshing. I know folks who would sooner scrape their fingernails on an old school chalkboard rather than face the unknown. Many people are perfectly happy with the everyday “go about my business like I have for 20 years” lifestyle, and that is wonderful, at least I tell myself it is. But, even though I cannot believe these folks living a Bill Murray Groundhog influenced life are really content, I accept their accepting it is the life for them.<BR>
No matter what or how we have chosen to life our lives, temptation is always with us. Now I believe some of us go about creating our own temptation in a attempt to prove our worthiness. There are people who have to fight temptation in the street on a daily basis, much as I need to experience adventure. I see this everyday and believe me when I say this, because I have two hound dogs that couldn’t be more different.<BR>
The greyhound mix named Kramer (yeah, from Sienfeld) and plot hound named Lola are polar opposites in attitude. Kramer is laid back, in not hurry and just rolls with whatever the flow is for that moment. Lola on the other hand is all about the next conquest. She is up and ready to explore and find that which is new. Both dogs will go out in our small fenced in yard to do their business. Kramer will head over to a weed or the fence then come back and catch a few rays on the deck. Lola, she begins sniffing as soon as she is out the door. Everyday there is something new. There is no such thing as “old hat” as far as Lola is concerned. She is looking for that critter that dared trespass in her yard, that lizard crawling on the wall, or the cat trying to get over the fence before being “eaten” by the hounds. All the while, Kramer is looking over as if to say, “Have at it girl, been there done that.”<BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-6575874112926988002012-03-26T21:44:00.001-04:002013-01-26T14:29:43.661-05:00James and the Giant Peach<BR><BR>
Contribution by Saul Martin
My son’s class is reading James and the Giant Peach as a class right now, and I just saw that the movie is coming on Houston TX Satellite TV this weekend! Perfect timing! I emailed the teacher and told her I would record it for her and send it in case they wanted to watch it as a class when they are finished reading the book. I always enjoy watching the <a href="http://glo.msn.com/beauty/book-to-movie-beauty-6864.gallery">movie</a>, of a book I’ve read to see the differences and compare the movie to the book. I think that would be a good educational experience for the kids, too. It would be neat for them to get to see their characters come to life on the screen. I heard the movie is pretty good too. They also have a “homework” assignment to create a “magic potion” like in the book out of things at home. I offered to get that ice that smokes…I forgot what it is called. I thought that would look really magical to the kids to see the steam.BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-52918660805483208532012-03-25T17:56:00.002-04:002012-03-25T17:56:40.343-04:00The drive behind the adventure, aka TEMPTATION.<BR><BR><BR>
There is great frustration to be experienced in the everyday day events of our lives. Generally this frustration is generated by the inability to complete or participate in opportunities we find enjoyable. On any given day these opportunities can and will change. Some opportunities are created by ourselves, others are just chance happenings where we are in the right place at the right time. Or wrong place wrong time as the case may be.<br>
But for the sake of nit arguing, let’s say we are creating these windows of opportunities and go with the notion we are in a good place for good reasons when they are presented. After all we can all point to bad experiences and our desire to avoid them. It is resisting the temptations of the good and seductive opportunities that are the most frustrating.<br>
Before we all get into a heated discussion on what is or is not temptation, let’s avoid the semantic war by just saying each of us knows temptation when we see it. The only caveat I am willing to stipulate to is that the temptation is legal in and does NO harm to another or property.<BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-38021448917028867052012-03-25T09:05:00.002-04:002012-03-25T09:05:53.107-04:00Living with history in the backyard.<BR><BR><BR>
Here in North Carolina, public cemeteries are not as wide spread as they are in the north. It is more common to have a family plot just outside your door or in the middle of your field under the 150 year old pine tree.<br>
When I first moved to North Carolina, I was astonished to see a family cemetery in the field or sometimes just on the other side of the garage. I suppose nothing made more sense than being buried on the land you had and your family had worked for generations. In the north that w=is how many cemeteries started. The one in Wyandotte, Michigan started when a young girl in the area dies and needed a burial place. The landowner had previous set a section of his land aside where he had buried several family members and opened up the area to local residents who needed a place to bury their family members. It was at a time when Wyandotte was transitioning from a agricultural society to one more “urban” and many farms had been divided into tracts for housing. <BR>
Here in North Carolina, I imagine it was much the same until a few years ago. When your family member died, you just contacted the authorities and filed the required documents for a death certificate and went out back and dug a hole for a final resting place of your loved ones. Something I found even more astonishing is many of these family cemeteries are still active.<br>
When I came to North Carolina in February 2009, I rented a room in a singlewide trailer in Selma. Jim is a great guy and we were fortunate that we had similar outlooks and established a wonderful relationship that we have maintained to this day. Eventually I found a house to rent 25 miles north in Zebulon. Now if you are fans of that Tru-TV show<a href=”http://www.trutv.com/shows/lizard-lick-towing/index.html”> LIZARD LICK TOWING</a>, you pretty much know about Zebulon.
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We lived on Carlyle Road just north of US 64. One day on the way to the convenience center, aka dump, I passed a small cemetery on Thomas Arnold Road. I see a canopy standing over a pile of dirt. That was when I realized these small family cemeteries were still being used. Later I would pass another in Bailey. This had me thinking about how complicated we had made the act of dying in the north. Here in the south it was as easy as wheeling your loved one out back.<br>
<BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-41363280201602251422012-03-25T00:20:00.002-04:002012-03-25T00:20:36.555-04:00History has been a major influence<BR><BR><BR>
I must admit, part of this adventure is being on the road. In previous years, I would search out destinations. There was always a new city or town within a 2-3 hour drive of the house. This afforded me a few hours to look around and still be back within a reasonable time. <br>
Then I stumbled across a few older cemeteries. I began to recognize certain headstone designs as being of a particular era. I went looking for the sections that had the short thin headstones or the taller kiosk style markers. These were generally in the same area of a cemetery, usually in the back and set upon a hill. I made a note of the names and took pictures of the graves that were older than 1930 date of death. I stopped at one cemetery in Waltz, Michigan where I found a family plot. It had 4-5 smaller headstones and on either end were larger headstones. The 4-5 graves in the middle were children, having died over a 5 year period beginning in 1920. The graves on the outside were the parents, buried in the 1950s. I would like to find out how this family lived and what happened that caused these children to die. <BR>
I began finding a lot of history in these old cemeteries. This was enough to feed my sense of adventure. I found many famous Detroiters’ buried at Woodmere Cemetery. Many had roads and through-fares named for them. If you are ever curious how nearby towns and streets got their names, stop by the local cemetery.<br>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-81257460035132760702012-03-24T15:37:00.000-04:002012-03-24T15:37:09.125-04:00Blame it on my Ventral Striatum<br><br><br>
There has always been a sense of urgency. The need to get it done. Though its origin has never been identified, it seems to begin from within. Somewhere in the <a href=”http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080625122945.htm">ventral striatum</a> is the voice of adventure that is every bit as annoying as tendinitis. This voice is always on the low, and generally barely audible. It is the reason I turn left at the intersection when the road ahead is straight and flat. It becomes my justification for questioning the established routine and seeking out the unknown solution. For so long as I can remember I have always looked for a more interesting way to solve a problem. I have even gone so far as to create problems so I can ponder all the possible ways it might be solved.<br>
What most people see as an emergency, I see as just being another event that needs a solution. My ventral striatum tells me that no solution worth developing can be thought of too quickly. Don't get me wrong. I am far from a typical procrastinator. Yes, I will wait until the last minute to complete mundane tasks. You know those projects that really should be done, but there is no sense in doing them too soon. Once a task like this is done, whet does one do next? Isn't it better to have a task undone, waiting in the wings, than to be with out a task?<br>
Then there is the adventure concept. Not the walking the edge of death adventure. Not even the adventure of exposing something to a risk. This is the adventure of the undiscovered. It is this adventure that creates a sense of urgency within me today.<br><br>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-24139973304265529612012-03-23T21:09:00.001-04:002012-03-23T21:09:25.837-04:00Our first experience with the Pollen Storm<BR><BR><BR>
This is of course our third year here in North Carolina. It is also OFFICIALLY the worse spring on record for POLLEN. Not just any polled, but the yellow-green sea of dust that blows across the road like sand in Nevada. Previous years we hadn't even noticed the pollen unless it had rained and the edges of the puddles were outlined in a disturbing color of yellow-green.<br>
Surprisingly it hasn't covered the interior of the house. As a friend stated on city-data forum, he has to BRUSH off his car every morning as if it were covered in....YELLOW SNOW. Seems almost everyone here is struggling with temporary asthma, watering eyes, scratchy throat and headaches. Even our two hounds have pollen colored nasal passages. This is the first time i have had to deal with an allergy related illness.<br>
We are now faced with the prospect of washing the 5er once the storm subsides. Not that this is a bad thing. It is long over due for a bath. We had wanted to wax it during our stay in Michigan last June, but we couldn't find the RED MAX floor wax at Lowe's. I have the 8 foot ladder, but no power washer. This might be the excuse I need to pick up an economy model on craigslist this weekend, right after I get the tire tire inflator for the riding lawn mower wheels.
<BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-58261975861739660402012-03-21T19:09:00.002-04:002012-03-21T19:09:14.397-04:00Anticipation is killing usWe have been looking at the Coachmen Catalina 5er for what feels like an eternity. We parked it on July 25, 2011. We had just returned from our maiden voyage. It was suppose to be a shake down trip to Michigan and then to Amish country in Shipshewana, Indiana.
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It evolved into a round the Great Lakes in 14 days tour. By the time we pulled up at the homestead here in Bunnlevel, North Carolina we have traveled nearly 4,000 miles in a little over 6 weeks. We were able to see some great sights in between some grueling setbacks. Overall it was an excellent trip and we learned so much about the 5er and the Dodge Diesel.
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We learned that the 33 foot 5er was just about the perfect size for the two of us and our hounds. The Dodge was going to need some fortifications if we are to take on the Rockies in the coming year. We also learned we will need a serious Wi-Fi connection to stay in touch and maintain our internet obligations.
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I really think we were not prepared for the angst of being land locked during the winter. At least I wasn't ready for the feelings of entrapment. We had made plans for New Orleans at Christmas 2011. We were all planned, investigated and chewing at the tires to get on the road.<BR>
Just as Christmas was approaching, and we were ready to confirm reservations and route, Mary is offered employment working with her sister and nieces in Michigan. I have previous mentioned this and the changes n our plans that have resulted in this great opportunity. Still missing Christmas on the road made looking at the 5er even more difficult.<BR>
Mary has made the move back to Michigan to begin her apprenticeship for real estate appraiser. I wil follow by July. So until then, I am busy with cleaning and reshuffling the interior of the 5er in anticipation of the trip north.<br>
Looks like our first trip of the season will have to wait until September or October. I just hope it isn't too cold to be in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We missed Pictured Rocks in July. <BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-53310926784431626612012-02-21T22:41:00.002-05:002012-02-21T22:41:59.299-05:00PORTLANDIA HA!<BR><BR>
Post contributed by Josue Durham<BR><BR>
I started watching this hilarious new show on <a href="http://www.expertsatellite.com/direct-tv/direct-tv-seattle-washington.html">direct tv seattle</a>. It is called “Portlandia”. Basically, each episode is a pair of actors who do different skits. They dress up as different characters and make fun of Portland, Oregon. I don’t say that they are actually making fun of Portland, but just playing into its unique culture. Seattle ( my town) and Portland are always in a little bit of competition to be the coolest city in the Northwest. Portland is known more for being a laid back hipster city. I have to say that every episode that I have watched so far of “Portlandia” makes me laugh so hard I almost wet my pants. It is really so on key with all of the stereotypes of people in Portland. My favorite thing that they do is all of the original songs that they come up with about the town. The season opener song was the best. They describe Portland as the town that the “dream of the nineties is alive in”. It couldn’t be a better description. If you like to laugh and know anything about Portland, you should definitely watch this show. It is hilarious!BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-33573974930347194782012-02-21T19:36:00.000-05:002012-02-21T19:36:08.102-05:00The heart, above all else is deceitfully wicked.<BR><BR><BR>
Seems like it has been a long cold lonely winter...I truly understand what the Beatles were singing about in their HERE COMES THE SUN hit. We have been busy planning our next year. Mary is going into real estate appraisal and I am looking at options. <br>
I am also looking at, no I am not looking--I am struggling with maintaining the Blue Road Blogger website. I had thought life was going to get slower. I was actually expecting large gaps in my obligations that would create the time for what I want to do.<br>
But life always has a way of increasing its speed as we age. It doessn't feel 3 years has passed since we first started looking at the road as a lifestyle. As a means to an end of well regulated existence. We have been across the stste of North Carolina more than we have traveled any state. That inludes east to west and north to south. We have also been to Florida and discovered the beauty of Savannah Georgia. We have wandered into some real hole-in-the-wall places and were almost always impressed by the people we met there.<BR>
So I guess it is inevitible that we are now planning our return to Michigan. This will be our home base, as it has been our home since birth. We have been expatriates of a state we can no longer deny as ours. As much as I love North Carolina, I have always known this was just a lay over. As were Madison, Wisconsin; Bolder, Colorado; Honeybrook, Pennsylvania; and all the places I had the pleasure of seeing and sleeping in while I bicycled across America--all 5,000 miles--in 1982.<BR>
It is my hope that Michiagn will provide us with the time we need to organize our expectations. I also hope Michigan will also afford me the luxury of healing. I am sure Mary feels a similar pang, as we left so much undone when we jettisoned from Michigan in 2009. Mary believes it is family; but I firmly believe it is much more personal, something much deeper that draws us back. It is not as shallow as a matter of the heart. I have done this many times before, for Mary this exile is completely new, It has taken me all of 52 years to understand what it is that tugs at the soul. The heart really has little to do with our compass. The heart is incapable of finding its way as it is always influenced by the smallest notions and distracted by the weakest feelings. The soul can never be fooled. The soul stands unmoved by emotions, it is only concerned with destiny. And so 2012 begins with our destiny taking our heart back to the beginning, where we seek clarity.<BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-8201407989366288432012-02-11T08:42:00.000-05:002012-02-11T09:01:34.643-05:00Dinner in Fuquay Varina<BR><BR><BR><BR>
We are starting to get out a bit more. The weekends here in North Carolina include an increasing amount of sunshine. So Mary and I decided to take a more in-depth look at our neighboring city of <a href=” http://www.fuquay-varina.org/>Fuquay Varina.</a> We generally make our trip to Sanford for our <a href=” http://tasteofthewildpetfood.com/”>Taste of the Wild</a> dog food, but the Tractor Supply Store has yet to be rebuilt after the tornado of April 16, 2010. So we drive to Fuquay Varina once a month or so to pick up a 35 pound bag of goodies for Lola and Kramer. On several of our previous travel through F-V, we pass what look like an old train station on Broad Street just south of the railroad tracks. There is a large marquee atop the building with the words “Fuquay Varina Station.” The building houses the Aviator Brewing Company bar. Across the street is the <a href=” http://www.aviatorbrew.com/smokehouse”>Aviator Brewing Company Smokehouse. </a> We were in the mood for some North Carolina BBQ.
Walking into the Smokehouse, we were impressed with the openness and simplistic uncluttered décor. It is refreshing to find a place that doesn’t feel the need to compete with Appleby’s or Cracker Barrel by filling every inch of their walls with memorabilia. <BR>
Our server was quick, polite and very accommodating. The menu was reasonably priced with most appetizers under $7.99, burgers around $8.49 with a wide variety of goodies and entrees between $9.99 and $16.99 with the triple rack of ribs coming in at $39.99 and the offer to pin your picture to the wall should you consume the entire plate by yourself. I wondered if the man vs. food guy had been here before he retired.<BR>
We started with two varieties of the house beer, Mary had the Hot Shot, and I had a darker red Belgium version. Both were very well crafted. We also did onion rings as an appetizer. We enjoyed our beers and started in on the onion rings as we waited for our Cobb salad and pulled pork plate.<BR>
Did I mention the server was great? Other than our server and the beer the rest of the evening was far from great; actually it even missed the mark for being “good.”<BR>
The onion rings looked astounding sitting on the 8X12 aluminum pan. There were piled high and the batter was crying out for some of the southwest dip that came with. The rings were a bit greasier than we would have liked, and after 2-3 of the rings, they sat in the stomach like a lead sinker. The dip was different from other southwest dips we have had at other chain restaurants. The onion rings were a great reason to drink more beer. I still think over salted peanuts would accomplish the same and be cheaper. Our server was great and had our water refills and ketchup (which did NOTHIN for the onion rings) quickly and effortlessly. It wasn’t long before our dinners arrived—on those 8 X 12 aluminum pans covered with wax paper.<BR>
Mary’s Cobb salad was more like a wedge salad that was spread across the aluminum tray like a deck of cards. The components were draped across the top of the lettuce, not layered and were very cumbersome to eat. By the time we were ready to leave, the wax paper under the Cobb was deteriorating and created a very unappetizing image.<BR>
My pulled pork plate looked excellent. I had two traditional BBQ sides—greens and mac-n-cheese. I was ready to partake. The greens were sweet. Although cooked to perfection, I could not get past the overall sweetness of the collards. I found the BBQ to have a similar taste. Other than the “smoke” flavor of the pork, I had a difficult time distinguishing the meat from the greens. The pork had what I believe was the house red sauce that was rather bland and empty. In this part of North Carolina one expects a great vinegar base sauce on their pork. The mac-n-cheese was the best part of the meal. Again, it had a unique flavor, which is good for an eatery to have its own signature, and it was prepared really well.
Over all the service was great. We would love to have another beer at the Aviator Brewing Company. As for the dining experience and the food, we would say it is a 4 out of 10 in the world of pork BBQ and if not for the saving grace of the service, the beer and the mac-n-cheese (in that order) it might not have been a 4.<BR>
Our thoughts are it is a great hang out for some fine micro brewed beer, but if we were hungry we would head over to real BBQ just up the road on NC 55 in Durham.
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/25/1580317/restaurant/Fuquay-Varina/Aviator-Smokehouse-Fuquay-Varina"><img alt="Aviator Smokehouse on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1580317/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a><BR><BR><BR><BR>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-64920280634093907442012-01-28T12:00:00.000-05:002012-01-28T12:03:27.555-05:00Breakfast in Smithfield, North Carolina<BR><BR><BR><BR>
Mary and I have been thinking about some of our favorite places to eat. It is very difficult to find a good, let alone great restaurant here in North Carolina. There just aren’t the greasy spoons that there are in the north. So when we do fond a place that is worth returning to, we want to share it. <br>
The Biscuit Stop in Smithfield is such a place. I saw the Biscuit Stop the first week I was in Smithfield in March 2009. The building isn’t much to look at—in fact I was on the cell phone with Mary who was still in Michigan and commented that it was too bad it was closed because it looked like it might have been a great place for breakfast. It looked like it was CLOSED, as in OUT OF BUSINESS. It was a year later before I realized the Biscuit Stop was indeed open. Seems I always drove by after 2:00 p.m. and the Biscuit Stop is only open 5:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.<br>
So it was that I stopped at 6:00 A.M. and ordered two sausage egg biscuits. At that time they were $1.00 each (the price has increased slightly since) and headed to work.<br>
I will say they were some of the best biscuits I have had. Everything about the biscuits is home made from scratch. The mixing of the batter, the adding of the soda and the beating of the eggs are all done like my grandmother used to do. I have been back for lunch several times. The Biscuit Stop has burgers, chicken and pork sandwiches all served with a side.
It is a small place that is BIG on value and taste. But drive slowly down Brightleaf because the Biscuit Stop is EASY to miss, even when you are looking for it. They also have some pretty good coffee.
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/230/1104913/restaurant/North-Carolina/Biscuit-Stop-Smithfield"><img alt="Biscuit Stop on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1104913/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-40201762856700129662012-01-20T22:50:00.000-05:002013-04-08T19:02:22.882-04:00Recently Moved<br><br><br>
Guest post from: Natalie Walter<br><br>
I was moving recently and my sister asked if I was Looking for Oncor Electric in Hillister Texas? It turns out she’d found a good deal online that would work for me and my family’s new house. I was really excited about the move but I was stressed to the max about how much everything was going to cost – there are some things you shouldn’t have to think about but since I was moving because my boyfriend and I had a breakup I had to get a lot of new furniture because he had bought everything for our old house and was planning on keeping it. I can’t believe I let things go on for so long the way they were but I’m just happy that I’m finally moving on with life and getting into something new. I am excited to begin my independence and get settled in my new house so I can’t wait to get in there and get the place decorated. I’m just going to have to do it all really cheaply!BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-17214179252835318472012-01-06T19:25:00.002-05:002012-02-05T00:19:31.741-05:00On the road closer to homeWe are not straying to far from home these days. When we do, it is usually to a destination we have planned on visiting. Today we stopped by <a href="http://www.peadens.com/index2.html">Peaden's Seafood</a> in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Mary and I have driven past Peaden's several times, but we always came by before they open at 4:00 P.M. Last week we decided to plan a trip and try this seafood cafeteria.<br>
Upon entering the resturant, we found it to be very comfortable and family friendly. LIke many eateries, there are photographs all over the walls. They have a long counter up front as a large paqrt of their business is carry-out. Wednesday and Thursday is $3.99 carry out special nights.<br>
We started with the clam chowder and the complimentary hush puppies. The chowder was hot and very tasty. THe bowl was full and the chowder so thick I used a fork. The hush puppies are round, but very good. Mary and I shared the Captain's Platter between us--Flounder, Shrimp, chicken, BBQ, french fries and cole slaw.<br>
The Shrimp was the best of the platter. Done in a light calabash style, it was extremely flavorful. The flounder was also very good, but the deep fried breading sort of took away from the flavor. The BBQ was good. I prefer mine a bit smokier, but the Peaden's vinegar based BBQ sauce was great. The chicken was a deep fried boneless piece. It was good, but it was your traditional fried 1/2 breast chicken. The cole slaw was a mayo base and we both enjoyed it.
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Overall it was a very good experience and the service was worth the 20% tip. You can tell going in, Peaden's is NOT the Ritz or a high end establishment. It is a great family place and one of the best values we have found in a long time. The Captain's PLatter was $11.99 and the full bowl of clam chowder was $4.99.
We both agree Peaden's is on our "We'll be back" list.<br><br>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/140/914528/restaurant/Peadens-Seafood-Catering-Fayetteville"><img alt="Peaden's Seafood & Catering on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/914528/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-42648602646552462452011-12-22T10:03:00.000-05:002011-12-22T10:03:12.291-05:00Christmas without Snow?Mary and I finally took a day trip. It has been awhile as we have been around the stick building since returing from our maiden voyage in July.
<br>We traveled to McAdenville North Carolina which is just west of Charlotte. Our destnation was <a href="http://www.mcadenville-christmastown.com/">Christmas Town USA.</a> It waa a great trip. We left the 5er at home since it was a short trip. The town has something like 3 million bulbs and 500 decorated trees!<br>
If you drive, beware it is a LONG line of cars. We entered from the I85 side of town. You can also come from the NC 74 side and the line can be equally as long. The road is a 2 mile drive into downtown McAdenville and winds past the "lake" and out through a newer development of homes. The elementary school is also decked out as the children have EVERY window facing the road decorated.<br>
We had dinner at the <a href="http://hillbillysbbqsteaks.com/">Hillbilly BBQ</a> in Lowell just the otherside of I 85 from McAdenville. They had some great prices and excdellent smoked pork with tomato / molasses sauce that is popular in western North Carolina.<br>
Our advice is to walk Christmas Town USA, if nothing else than for the ambiance of the season. <br>
But as good as Christmas Ton USA is, a little snow would have been nice...BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-755308217912427912011-12-14T21:50:00.001-05:002011-12-14T21:51:24.223-05:00Winterized and holed upWe have been doing the hibernation thing here in North Carolina. Though the temperatures have been above 50° most days and the overnight temps have stoppes at 35° or so, it hasn't really felt like winter.<br>
Our transition to less is an ongoing operation. We have hauled nearly 8 boxes of stuff to the <a href="http://www.superpages.com/bp/Sanford-NC/Western-HarnettOver-Hills-L0504428556.htm"> Western Harnett Thrift Store</a> in Olivia, North Carolina. We will take another 5 boxes this Saturday. We thought of selling the stuff (books, knic-knacks and more books) but the chore of listing on Amazon, dealing with cheap shipping and packaging just wasn't worth the effort. And garage sales here are about as much fun as root canals.<br>
Besides, there is a deeper cleansing to be found in donating a lifetime worth of stuff. It is a type of ultimate acceptance that the stuff is nothing more than that---stuff. Somethings you had for awhile, enjoyed them and finally set them free.BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-49887806774081103152011-11-24T22:15:00.001-05:002013-04-07T14:16:37.305-04:00Trying to Save<br><br>Posted by Heriberto Fuentes
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We’ve been trying to save money everywhere we can ever since my husband’s hours got cut and it’s harder than you’d think. We did a bunch of stuff upfront to help like selling the third car and taking the kids out of private school but you know, even things like looking into special Amigo Energy rates and bartering for things like braces for the kids (my husband is a contractor) have been helpful. I feel like we’ve reached a point though where there’s not a lot else we can do other than start giving up some of the things we really need. I know that at the end of the day my husband and I would like to have more savings in the bank and I think we’re probably going to have to start using coupons and rationing food like we’ve seen people doing on TV. It’s amazing we’ve ended up here but the construction industry just isn’t what it used to be and it’s going to be an adjustment. There’s nothing we can do!BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-63253826109095220182011-11-01T21:35:00.001-04:002011-11-02T06:06:41.280-04:00Remember when plans actually panned out?Has it been almost 2 months since we wrote? We do know it feels like an eternity. Sometimes we just have to be patient and listen.
Since we completed out madien voyage this summer, we have been planning and dreaming. Our intitial plans were Christmas in New Orleans, a visit to the Crossroads in Clarksdale Mississippi and across to Montgomery, Alabama before coming home to North Carolina. Then our plans took an unexpected turn.
Mary has been given an opportunity to work with her sister and nieces in the family real estate appraisal business. This will mean relocating BACK to Michigan this summer.
When we left Michigan in 2009, it wasn't on very good terms--definately not on our terms. I am still not sure if I was more disappointed or angry about our departure. I believe Mary was shocked, but realized the economy left us with little choice. Now we are returning and I am just a bit nervous. Though we were both born and raised in Michigan, I believe we both dislike what the state has become. The poster-state for unemployment, the target for union bashing ( I am a UNION THUG), and the city no ones knows what to do with--Detroit.
But we will be able to access the midwest on a regular basis. Mary wants to see South Dakota and parts west and a Michigan base will allow us the opportunity to do that next summer.
We still have our hearts set on the road. Being grounded theses last few months have been difficult. With our new plan of moving back north, we have postponed many of our weekend travels here in North Carolina. But we will be on the road heading throughout Michigan and surrounding areas this summer.BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-23927191719152029132011-09-19T17:25:00.003-04:002011-09-19T17:25:33.798-04:00Experiencing The Lion King on BroadwayWhile we are putting the finaL upgrades on the Dodge, Patty Clarkson has contributed a guest blog!! Thanks Patty.
Guest post written by Patty Clarkson
I can count the number of musicals that I've ever seen on stage on one hand, but I've loved each and every one of them. There's just something about musicals that just seem magical and I have so much time watching. So when I heard that The Lion King would be coming near me on a national tour, I knew that I would have to go and see it. I told my kids about it and they got equally excited over it and we've been looking up ticket prices and dates for it to try and figure out when we can go that will work for all of our schedules.
While I was online looking up some info on what exactly I could choose for a date and how much it would cost for tickets then, I ran across some info on<a href="http://hearingaids.miracle-ear.com/hearing-locations/new-jersey/"> hearing aids. </a> I looked through it some and after that I decided to go and get a hearing aid test done to see if I need some.
I haven't gone to take the test yet but I did find some tickets that were a bit cheaper than I expected on the date that we chose to go. Now we just have to wait around for the big day!
BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-85575869111373771582011-09-10T11:59:00.000-04:002011-09-10T12:01:36.945-04:00Finding a resting spotWe will be the first to tell you, sitting round is hard work. We have all heard about the folks who work 30, or 40 years before they retire. Or the person who is released from prison after 15 or 20 years. In a way they are so very similar. Both have a lot in common.<br />
No, they aren't criminals. We would like to think that after being incarcerated for 20 years the majority of people would not readily jump back into a life of crime. Nor would retirees look at criminal activities as a means of supplementing their income.<br />
Rather, both groups have left one environment in which they were so very familar and entered into new and unknown world. A world that is suddenly full of unstructured time and wide open space. After years of doing what had been expected and demanded they now have choices. After serving authority, they are now faced with being the master of their own destiny, no longer seeking approval or the consent of another.<br />
The question before these people is "What should I do now?"<br />
We imagine there is some degree of fear involved. Such uncertainty, that it paralyzes a person. This may be the metaphor that best describes our current status.<br />
For us, being on the road is as close as we will ever come to looking at the world from space. That feeling of awe and inspiration one gets when you realize the world is so much bigger than any fears you could ever have. That people are so insignificant, when the "diversity" is the answer to the age old question "Why am I here?" <br />
SO while we wait out the days until 2013, we try to take in the wonder that makes life worth appreciating. We have the time to realize (again) that life is indeed more than the sum of our own existence.<br />
This is the 10th anniversary of the taking down of the Twin Towers on 9-11. This weekend will be full of memorials to those who died, both civilians and those who fought to rescue others. Rememberance of the passengers on Flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania before it could get to its final destination. We try not to see this as a time for mourning, but as a time of celebration. A celebration of love, dedication and honor. A time when we hold up life as a precious moment we experience in too short a period when it is measured against the infinity of time.<br />
Someone once said that if you wanted to measure the span of anything against the concept of time, take a roll of toliet paper and have a friend hold one end and you walk as the roll is unraveled. Now look at the roll of toliet paper stretched across the ground. As you consider its length and you compare it to other objects, realize this---That time is infinately longer than that roll--that the roll would only represent a mere fraction of time as we know it. So to is the length of pour lives--compared to infinity--our exsistence isn't even a blip on the map.<br />
So we need to get over ourselves and accept the fact we are not important enough for the world to bother with us. We need not be concerned with what others think of us, and the best we can hope for is to be content in all we do and love one another.<br />
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For all those whose dreams have ended prematurely, we remember you and honor your contributions.<br />
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<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/russian-jet-crash-kills-43-many-top-hockey-155125921.html"> The Lokomotiv ice hockey team </A>BlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4975575571113279406.post-27554503667927730052011-09-06T22:03:00.003-04:002011-09-06T22:03:53.783-04:00What drought?WOW...so it is R A I N I N G. Downpours for 10-20 minutes and nothing. Another hour, more rain. Reminds me of the Portland Oregon Rain Festival held every year from January 01--December 31.
So this month is focused on finances. How can we generate the most money, with the least effort and time. Yeah, the American Dream huh?
But we seem to be moving closer to just that situation. Remember we want to "retire," not from working, but from working for others. We know some will argue that any work is done for others, there is no such thing as truly being self-employed. But we are determined to be the masters of our own financial destiny.
Mary has completed her online classes for grant writing and will be starting her real estate appraisal classes this week. She will be going to Michigan in October to start working on her required 2000 hours of training and gaining field experience.
I will be ready to start the copywriting by the summer. This timeline will allow us 1 year to get our new careers off the ground. Not exactly what we were thinking when we first posed the question HOW DO YOU PAY FOR FULLTIMING? back in early 2009. Then we were looking for some enterprise we could do on the road and while staying at various campgrounds. We considered tutoring / science camps for kids and adults, building different crafts items we could sell, and we even thought about the idea of doing presentations on topics from the educational to the entertaining--a type of story telling.
I guess that is why we started asking questions back in 2009. We knew we wouldn't have a pension, and were too youbg for social security (if it is still around in 2025) so we need reliable income.
We have not worked out the logistics of how a real estate appraiser can be full time, but we can do that in the next 18 months. In the meantime, we are headed into new careers--now that we are both the otherside of 50--and ready to be on the road. Frighteningly exciting, isn't it? Yes ---<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/frighteningly"> FRIGHTENINGLY </a>seems to be a real wordBlueRoadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214293578183031612noreply@blogger.com0