Everyone was up early this morning ready to hit the road! We departed the Cambridge Camden RV Park this morning and headed back north on Route 601, into the town of Lugoff, NC. The RV park is nothing fancy, but offered a great respite off the road. We were entertained by a mother cat trying to get her two kittens to follow her as she tried to relocate them from under a motorhome. She worked very hard at it and finally after several hours of back and forth and coaxing ... she got both kittens to follow her.
Right on Route 601 is the RC Pit Cross Track, an off-road
supercross track. It reminded me of the RC track the residents and guest built
at Majestic Oaks RV Resort. There are many lanes and many more humps and jumps
and a few straightaways. There is a large raised driver’s stand and several
spectator bleachers. The surface is hard packed clay. There were only a few
racers this morning!
Camden South Carolina is home of the Battle of Camden, that
was fought August 16, 1780, during the American Revolution. The Battle of Camden was a lopsided victory
for the British. Despite the spread of dysentery among his men, Continental
General Horatio Gates chose to engage British General Charles Cornwallis’s
forces. The illness depleted the Patriot advantage in troop numbers, and the
British pressed forward aggressively as the only side in possession of bayonets.
With the encounter resulting in nearly 2,000 Patriots killed or taken prisoner
and heavy losses of artillery, Gates was removed from command and replaced by
Nathanael Greene.
On Route 601 there is a huge mining operation, we saw
countless trucks entering and exiting. Located in Lancaster County, the
historic Haile Gold Mine was one of the first operating gold mines in the US.
Established long before the gold rush of California, the mine was discovered in
1827 by Benjamin Haile and has been operated on and off for nearly 200 years. Today,
it is owned by OceanaGold an exploration and development company focused on
becoming a producer of precious metals in the United Sates. The mine is confirmed
to contain 2 million ounces of gold reserves. Utilizing the most advanced
technology and mining techniques, they are investing over $300 million to build
the mine. On average they spend about $3
million per month locally through labor and the purchase of local goods and
services. That astounding figure doesn’t even account for the individual
spending of our employees and contractors who will also make a range of
purchases, from new homes and new cars to meals and gasoline. Wow, this mine
has been a big boost to the economy and unemployment!
Have you ever seen a 40 Acre Rock? On Route 601, between
Kershaw and Pageland is the Flat Creek Preserve. The most prominent feature is
the massive rock that you can walk across and admire the scenery. It is named for
a massive granite standing rock that is actually closer to fourteen acres in
visible size. The rock is a celebrated example of granite outcropping in the
Piedmont, is one of several exposures throughout the region. Many of the
others, though, are mined for their valuable high-quality granite, the state's
official rock. Unfortunately, vandals have defaced much of the main rock with
spray-paint. However, it is still an amazing sight!
Crossing from SC into NC does not offer much fanfare. No
welcome center, just a small sign after a gas station and a small sign.
In Midland North Carolina you can find the Reed Gold Mine
Historic Site. The Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find
in the US. From this discovery, gold mining spread gradually to nearby counties
and eventually into other southern states. During its peak years gold mining
was second only to farming in the number of North Carolinians it employed. The
estimated value of gold recovered reached over one million dollars a year.
North Carolina led the nation in gold production until 1848, when it was
eclipsed by the great rush to California. Who knew? Everyone always thought
that California was the only great gold rush!
Our route today, took us through Historic Salisbury,
why makes Salisbury so historic? Their chamber of commerce wants you to experience
authentic North Carolina heritage in many unique ways while savoring the charm
and character of an area rich with centuries of history, adventure and
discovery. From the early days of Daniel
Boone, the African American Heritage Trail, to the civil war history and Historic
Downtown Salisbury, there is something to interest everyone.
We went through Boonville NC and thought of our
friends Claude & Shirley Riegler. Here is a picture of the “southern”
Boonville … just for you northern Boonville folks!
I wish I could have snapped a picture of this … believe it
or not … near the town of Dobson North Carolina, there was a home with
beautifully manicured flower beds and in one of the beds was a life size wood
carving of a character from the ‘Plant of the Apes.’ I kid you not … I stared
at it too long to figure out what it was to capture a picture!
In Mt Airy NC, Route 601 ends and we navigated onto Route 52.
Mt Airy is Hometown of Andy Griffith and host to the annual Mayberry Days
celebration and every Andy Griffith, including many resturants. There is Aunt
Bea Barbeque & Catering; Goober’s 52; Barney’s Café and Mayberry Meats
& More.
Starting into Virginia, we knew we were getting
closer to the Blue Ridge Mountains, because we started to climb in elevations.
It is a winding narrow road for most of the way, but offers some beautiful sights,
if it was not raining! Baby Geek-E-Bird was not a fan of the winding roads. Our Winnebago Aspect with a Ford V-10 engine, towing our
Jeep, had no issues on the climb and the decent.
Do you wonder where the slogan ‘Virginia for Lovers’
came from? I always have! The phrase came from a creative team headed by George
Woltz of Martin & Woltz Inc. According to Martin, a $100-a-week copywriter
named Robin McLaughlin came up with an advertising concept that read,
"Virginia is for history lovers." For a beach-oriented ad, the
headline would have read, "Virginia is for beach lovers"; for a
mountains ad, "Virginia is for mountain lovers," and so on. Martin
thought the approach might be too limiting. Woltz agreed, and the agency
dropped the modifier and made it simply "Virginia is for Lovers." The
first ad mentioning the new slogan ran in the March 1969 issue of "Modern
Bride." The phrase was considered bold and provocative, but it was also
just plain smart from a marketing perspective. Virginia is for Lovers of . . . No one knows
exactly why "Virginia is for Lovers" has been so durable, but part of
the mystique of the slogan is that it has meant many things to different
people. Today, a new generation is discovering love for Virginia’s mountains,
beaches, history, theme parks, vibrant cities, outdoor activities, sports and
hospitality. And the love story continues.
Field of Flowers at Pleasant Hill Farm offers a cut
your own flowers; fill a Mason jar for only $7. The farm is located in eastern
Wythe County, in beautiful Southwest Virginia. The land in this part of
Virginia features mountains, hills and rolling farm land. It offers spectacular
views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the spring, they have Daffodils and
Tulips, during the remainder of the year, they offer many varieties of annuals
and perennials for you to choose from. There are over 50 large flower beds of
blooming annuals and perennials spread over 5 acres. They also host weddings
and other events year round!
We ended our day at Fort Chiswell RV Park in Max Meadows VA.
Many of our friends have stayed here as they made their ways north … Patty
& Ron Stevens; Jack & Jackie Laubach and Bob & Judy Carron before
us! I am sure there will be more friends behind us! Happy Cinco De Mayo to
everyone! I enjoyed a little "Rita" in honor of the special day!
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