April 19th, Thursday – Goodbye North Carolina, Hello Virginia

On the road again
Just can’t wait to get on the road again
Goin’ places that we’ve never been
Seein’ things that we may never see again And we can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again

That was us today.  Today was moving day, leaving my mom’s in North Carolina and heading north to Rudd’s Creek Park, a COE (Corp of Engineers) park in Boydton, Virginia.  The day dawned clear and warm.  We had already packed all but a few items the night before.  This morning we had our last cup of coffee with my mom, gathered up Marti, and we were ready to go.  We had a wonderful visit and it was hard to leave but it was time to go.  Mom is used to being on her own, and we in some respects are also used to being on our own also.  Better not to over stay ones visit and wear out our welcome.

True to our schedule we were on the road by 10 am.  The first part of the trip was on Route 17 North, then to Route 64 West, then to I 95 North, and finally on to Route 58 in Virginia.  The trip for the most part was uneventful.  We did hit one stretch of I 95 that I will call the Maxine  shuffle.  When she and her hubby were heading home on I 95, they

got caught like us in a monumental traffic jam like that above because of construction and one lane being closed.  I chuckled today thinking back to what she had said of her situation, something like it means better roads and people at work.  Anyway, it brought a smile to my face and sort of made the whole mess less stressful.  The only other negative of this whole trip was the wind, it was a beast especially when we were on Route 58 in Virginia.  I can’t tell you how glad I was to see the sign that signaled the entrance to

our new home for the next several days.  This is a beautiful COE park in Boydton, Virginia.  Let me show you where we are right now and then we’ll get back to yesterdays discovery lesson about New Bern, North Carolina.  So here we are and as we say Home is Where We Park It and so this is home until next Tuesday when we’ll be back on the road.  By the way, no pinwheels today the wind was over 25 mph!  Hopefully tomorrow we can put them out.

The look across the street to the reservoir which when the sun went down this evening was absolutely stunning.  Barbara and I both agreed, wow, how beautiful!

Now let’s go back to New Bern.  Yesterday, we were fortunate enough to take the New Bern Trolley Tour.  Honestly, so much was covered I have a hard time remembering it all

But here we go.  Did you know that

• New Bern was settled in 1710 by Swiss and Palatine immigrants led by Christoph von Graffenried.  They named the settlement after Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
• New Bern is the second-oldest colonial town in North Carolina and was the capital of the North Carolina colonial government.
• Tryon Palace completed in 1770, served as the first permanent capitol of North Carolina and home to the Tryon family.   Tryon Palace was the site of the first sessions of the general assembly for the State of North Carolina following the revolution and housed the state governors until 1794. In 1798, fire destroyed the original Palace building. An extensive 30-year campaign to rebuild the Palace and restore the grounds was launched by the people of New Bern, state leaders, and world craftsmen.  Their efforts led to the triumphal reopening of the Palace in 1959.
• The Birthplace of Pepsi, located in historic New Bern, North Carolina, is the actual site where Pepsi-Cola was first invented by Caleb Bradham in his pharmacy in 1898.

• If you owned a corner house it signified that you were someone of wealth and importance.  One individual so upset that the house he wanted to build on a corner lot was already occupied by another house actually had it moved one lot down so he could build his house on the corner!

• An episode of Fox’s Sleepy Hollow was actually filmed in downtown historic New Bern

• There is a single active train track that runs right down the middle of Hancock Street then cross the Trent River Drawbridge.

• There is a sign on this street that looks like this, see if you can figure it out

• it means you will receive no warning when the train comes through, and yes, it does rumble through 3 to 4 times a day, no whistle, nothing, you had better be looking for it; and, the sign tells the engineer that the maximum speed for the train is 10 mph.
• The New Bern Academy Museum is located in an 1809 building 4 blocks from Tryon Palace in the heart of New Bern’s historic residential district. Originally a school-house, the New Bern Academy served as a hospital during the Civil War and in 1881 became part of the New Bern graded school system, which used it for classes until 1971.

• that behind the Masonic Hall one of the most famous duels in New Bern History took place

• The Spaight (former governor of North Carolina)-Stanly (state legislator) duel occurred because Stanly allegedly dishonored Spaight during the heated campaign for a legislative seat in 1802.  No doubt fueled by a gentleman’s ego and sense of honor and a concern of what others thought about them, the two met behind the Masonic Hall to duel for satisfaction and the restoration of honor.  After their pistols were checked and approved, both fired and missed.  A second try proved equally unsuccessful.  A third proved them once again to be poor shots (although one of the previous shots had narrowly missed Stanly and clipped his coat collar).  Stanly knew his fourth shot found its mark, as the former governor grasped his side.  The next day, Spaight died.
• The Presbyterian Church has a sense of humor in that as you look at the picture

it would appear that what you are looking at are the front doors.  Think again, as many a new comer and those late for church have found out, if you come in this way you will find yourself in the pulpit facing the congregation!  The actual entrance is down the side and around to the back.

• that in Cedar Cemetery inscribed on the top of this stone, the deceased who is buried beneath it was 156 years old when he died!

• that in Cedar Cemetery some of the areas had tables built by the graves so
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that family members can come and have a meal on a Sunday afternoon with their deceased.

• that in Cedar Cemetery the wall and the gate into the cemetery are made of a porous material that is known to drip water.  Moreover legend has it that if you

pass through this gate and feel a drip of water, the next time you come through it will be in a casket!  With that in mind those who like to play practical jokes have been known to hang IV bags of water over the entrance during the annual Halloween night ghost walk!

• that when Union troops entered New Bern during the Civil War instead of burning the town to the ground, they simply took over residents homes.  Well, two sisters did not take well to this, therefore, they told the soldiers you can have the first two floors and we will live on the third.  For three years they lived on the third floor, never coming out, everything they needed to get rid of, and everything they needed to survive was raised and lowered by pulley and rope from the third floor.  The house which has been preserved still has the bucket, pulley and rope attached to a third floor window.
• that in 1922, a fourth of the town was destroyed by fire.  A fire that started in a lumber yard because of a jammed piece of machinery that overheated

• that in order to try to stop the fire a decision was made to dynamite and destroy

homes not yet threatened by fire in an attempt to slow the fire’s path.  All for naught ,however, as the fire continued to advance.  The only thing that ultimately saved the town was the fact that the winds finally died down.

I could go on and on, but we’ll call it for tonight.  Tomorrow we’ll explore the fire museum in New Bern.  What is so amazing to me, and what in a way upsets me, is that all this rich history has always been there and yet I’ve been coming to my mom’s house for more years than I can remember and I never knew it.  We’ll be back that’s for sure, for there is so much more to discover.

So day is done and night is here.  Once again we’ve brought the arctic cold with us.  Temperatures tonight are supposed to drop into the 30’s!  This is getting old real quick.  No matter, we’ve had a great day.  We’re in a great spot.  We once again spent the day together and enjoyed each minute of the day and each other’s company.  We hope you had a great day as well.  Here is a closing though for all of us:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.  Thanks again for sharing our day with us.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before