Last Day of Travel for this Leg and a Few Days Break (Day 5, 6, 7 & 8)

We started out just south of Carlisle PA at Western Village RV Park. Yes, it had a very western theme. With road names like Custer Earp and Oakley Drive, what do you think?  It was a quiet, all age RV park with mature trees providing shade, but not too many trees. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring. Funny thing, our neighbors were heading back to Webster NY. The night before our neighbors were heading to Holly NY.

We quickly headed into town and Route 11 took us right through the heart of Dickinson College. It is a private, residential liberal arts college founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School. It was the first college to be founded after the formation of the United States. Dickinson was founded by Benjamin Rush, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. It was originally named "John and Mary's College" in honor of John Dickinson and his wife Mary Norris Dickinson. They donated much of their extensive personal libraries to the new college. Dickinson College is the 16th-oldest college in the United States and it has 12 study centers in other countries.

Any Army officer is familiar with Carlisle Barracks. It is home to the US Army War College. It is the nation’s second-oldest active military base. It chiefly prepares selected officers for high command. Classes were suspended in 1940 during the preparedness mobilization for World War II, and not resumed until a decade later at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the 1950–51 academic year. The new commandant relocated with the college to Pennsylvania in July 1951 and turned over command to his successor just in time for the arrival of the first Carlisle-based class. At Carlisle, the Army War College has grown steadily as it performs its mission of preparing officers for leadership at the highest levels. The college outgrew its main academic building and transferred to the newly constructed Root Hall in 1967. Two specialized agencies evolved into integral parts of the Army War College: the Strategic Studies Institute, first formed in 1954; and the Military History Institute, established in 1967. The Center for Strategic Leadership, a state-of-the-art war gaming complex that opened in 1994, contributed another dimension to the college and to Carlisle Barracks' history as a distinctive U.S. Army campus.

If you take Route 15 from Harrisburg, you’ll pass by the Susquehanna River a stretch called Dauphin Narrows. Out there in the river stands a brilliant white replica of the Statue of Liberty, proudly standing in all her scaled-down glory on an old stone bridge piling. Distance plays havoc with your sense of scale in this area: Although Dauphin’s Lady Liberty looks tiny, but she is actually 25 feet tall and quite sturdy. She’s also the second replica of the Statue of Liberty to stand in the fast-moving waters. A local lawyer and activist-artist named Gene Stilp put together the first statue with some friends for a bit of a lark to celebrate the original Statue of Liberty’s centennial in the 1980s. When the ersatz replica was finished, they displayed it the closest thing they could find to the plinth on Liberty Island—an old railway bridge piling in the middle of the river. There it stood for years, raising a smile from motorists, until wind and weather finally carried it off in the 1990s. People missed it so much that Stilp and his team built a more durable replacement of wood, metal, and fiberglass, moved it onto the piling by helicopter, and lashed it securely to the plinth with cables. This patriotic example of folk art is always a passing pleasure, however, since it’s almost impossible to see from the nearest town, Dauphin. The best you can manage is a few seconds glimpse as you drive on Route 15 or 322—unless you’re good enough at kayaking to navigate the treacherous waters in that stretch of the river.

In Wormleysburg PA, we started traveling on 11 N and 15N,as they were combined. The town name got me thinking … Why do so many names in Pennsylvania have “burg” in their name? One bit of research says a burg is defined as a fortified town or a self-governing town. In U.S. (originally Pennsylvania, 1718), a burg or borough is often an incorporated town. Another source says the "-burg" ending, comes from German and it means "fort" or "borough.”

In Winfield, PA on August 16, 1782 the murder of Maj. John Lee and several members of his family occurred. It was very cruel and caused much excitement among the people. He lived near what is now the little town of Winfield, on the west side of the river. It was a warm evening, Lee and his family, with a few neighbors, were eating supper. Suddenly a band of Indians burst upon them. Lee was stricken down and scalped, and an old man named Walker shared the same fate. Mrs. Boatman was killed and scalped, and a daughter was also scalped. Two or three escaped. A son of Lee named Robert was returning home, and when he came in sight of the house the Indians were leaving it. He fled to Sunbury and gave the alarm. In the meantime the Indians, retreated up the river, carrying Mrs. Lee and her infant child with them as prisoners. Colonel Hunter hastily collected a party of twenty men and started in pursuit. When they reached the house they found Lee and Miss Boatman still, living. They were sent to Sunbury on litters for treatment, but Lee soon after died. Miss Boatman recovered and lived for many years. The Indians evaded capture and the fate of their prisoners is unknown.

In Lewisburg, PA along the west branch of the Susquehanna River is Bucknell University. It is a private liberal arts college. The university consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Management, and the College of Engineering. Bucknell was founded in 1846, and features programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, engineering, management, education, and music, as well as programs and pre-professional advising that prepare students for study in law and medicine. It has almost 50 majors and over 60 minors. It is primarily an undergraduate school with 3,500 students. Students come from all 50 states and from more than 66 countries. Bucknell’s school mascot is Bucky the Bison. Did you know that there are 8 other colleges that have a Bison as their mascot? Harding University; Howard University; North Dakota State University; Lipscomb University; University of Manitoba; Oklahoma Baptist University; Bethany College and Gallaudet University.

Just south of Williamsport, we are ready to start our climb. This is where we are traveling on 15N. Near the top, we will be in Williamsport PA, home to Little League International. The first Little League Baseball World Series was played in Williamsport in 1947. Carl Stotz, a resident of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, founded Little League Baseball in 1939. He began experimenting with his idea in the summer of 1938 when he gathered his nephews, Jimmy and Major Gehron and their neighborhood friends. They tried different field dimensions over the course of the summer and played several

informal games. The following summer Stotz felt that he was ready to establish what later became Little League Baseball. The first league in Williamsport had just three teams, each sponsored by a different business. The first teams, Jumbo Pretzel, Lycoming Dairy, and Lundy Lumber, were managed by Carl Stotz and two of his friends, George and Bert Bebble. The men, joined by their wives and another couple, formed the first-ever Little League Board of Directors. Stotz' dream of establishing a baseball league for boys to teach fair play and teamwork had come true. The first League game took place on June 6, 1939. Lundy Lumber defeated Lycoming Dairy, 23-8. Lycoming Dairy came back to claim the league championship. They, the first-half-season champions, defeated Lundy Lumber, the second-half champs, in a best-of-three season-ending series. The following year a second league was formed in Williamsport, and from there Little League Baseball grew to become an international organization of nearly 200,000 teams in every U.S. state and over 80 countries around the world.

If you have ever traveled 15 North or South you have seen the Fry Brother’s Turkey Ranch. The restaurant was opened at the current location on Mothers’ Day in 1939 and specialized in turkey dinners at a time when turkey was a rare delicacy. World War II forced the restaurant’s temporary closing but the brothers continued raising turkeys and kept the market going, raising up to 15,000 turkeys per year for the war effort. After the war they sold the business in the Growers’ Market just three days before the devastating flood of 1946. In the same year they reopened the restaurant, again on Mothers’ Day in 1950. The turkey barns were destroyed in 1970 to make room for the new Route 15 highway, thus ending the era of raising their own turkeys. After the death of Howard Jr. in 2001, Ike and his mother Lois continued to run the family business along with manager Susan Kreger. Ike’s son, Nathan has rejoined the family business. Ike and Nathan represent the fourth and fifth generations of the Fry family to have contributed to the success of the Fry businesses. The restaurant now seats approximately 300 people, is open 364 days a year and serves approximately 100,000 customers per year. Mothers’ Day, 2014, marked the 75th anniversary on top of Steam Valley Mountain.

On Route 15, you come across a road sign that indicates you are at Blossburg Mountain elevation of 2,157 feet. In Zephyrhills, we are about 75 feet above sea level. Wow, we have really traveled a long way and reached new heights! We hit the PA / NY border and realized that gas was actually cheaper in NY than in PA. It never used to be that way! Wow, times are a changing! Not everything is better in NY, the roads are still terrible! For the later part of 15N, it has actually become a four lane highway. Soon it will become interstate 99. We will have to find another two lane road into western NY.

We reached our destination for a few days. Charlie’s brothers around Avoca NY. We enjoyed the weekend, for a few days of down time with them. We had fantastic NY fish fry at the Chatterbox in Cohocton, huge ice cream cones from the Twin Kiss in Kanona and tons of laughs and reminiscing! Memorial Day morning, we took time to reflect on the greatest sacrifice so many of our military members have made for us. Then we packed up to make the quick trip to our next temporary home for 7 days, the Hemlock Fair grounds. We traveled up 415 to 15A and then followed that all the way to the fairgrounds, but even on a short trip there is plenty to see!

Route 15A runs along the east side of Hemlock Lake. This is one of the lesser known Finger Lakes. Implemented in August 2010, the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest covers 6,684 acres that encompass Hemlock and Canadice Lakes. These lakes have provided drinking water for the City of Rochester for more than 100 years. To protect water quality, the city acquired much of the property around the lakes. Over the decades, the land reforested, but a few traces of its past, such as stone walls or cottage foundations, remain. Today these two lakes, with their steep, forested, largely undeveloped shorelines and deep clear water, provide visitors a glimpse of the Finger Lakes of the past. Hemlock Lake is also home to the state's oldest nesting bald eagle site, dating back to the early 1960s. The nesting bald eagles of Hemlock Lake have fostered a resurgence of bald eagles throughout New York State. Hemlock Lake, originally known as "O-Neh-Da" which is Seneca for "Lake of Hemlock Trees", is home to the nation's oldest sacramental winery, founded by Bishop McQuaid in 1872. Today, O-Neh-Da Vineyard still remains, making premium natural pure grape wine for churches and foodies alike.

Hemlock Fairgrounds, home to the Hemlock “Little World’s” Fair since 1857. The Hemlock Fair is a caretaker of agricultural history. It maintains historically significant documents, artifacts, traditions, buildings and grounds. Fair history was influenced dramatically by the horse, upon which local farmers depended to plow, plant, harvest, market and pull wagons for work and pleasure. Horses brought the doctor and the mail. Horses pulled "stone boats", sleds onto which farmers tossed rocks to clear farmland. Competitions were held to see which

teams could haul the heaviest loads and these horse pulls continue today as a feature fair event. The Hemlock “Little World’s” Fair originated from horse races or meets. The meets evolved into exhibits of fine breeding of stallions, trotters, teams and carriages, machinery displays, sheep exhibits and agricultural equipment displays. In the mid 1840’s the Town of Livonia hosted a fair. Other fairs started in Honeoye, Richmond and surrounding towns. Hemlock's first fair in 1857 was on Clay Street and was then moved to the Hemlock Lake Park before being established at its present location on Water Street, formally known as the Mutney and Ackley Driving Park. In 1857, Railroad conductor Joe St. Denis gave his famous call to Rochester passengers, "All aboard for the Slab City World's Fair". Slab City was in reference to the plank roads and sawmills, and World's Fair was coined on the basis of no-geographic restrictions for exhibitors. By 1859, Hemlock Fair began including animals, produce, domestics and carpentry and within two years held the record of having the biggest livestock fair in the state. Consolidating as The Hemlock Lake Union Agricultural Society, in 1868, were the fairs of Hemlock, Livonia, Richmond and Honeoye. This was the beginning of what later became known as "The Slab City Fair", "The Little World's Fair", and just plain "Hemlock Fair", an event which has been held every year, except for the period during World War II. In 1871, The Hemlock Lake Union

Agricultural Society was incorporated. In 1963, the fair began on July 17th, the third Tuesday in the month of July, it still begins on that same day each year. The Hemlock Fair started off the new century with a very prestigious award; the Hemlock Fairgrounds was placed on The National Register of Historic Places in July, 2000. The fair is now nationally recognized as contributing to, and preserving the nation's history and heritage. Since 1857, the Hemlock "Little World's" Fair has been educating and entertaining people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from literally all parts of the world. When you think about all the global changes the “Little World" Fair has seen since 1857, it is quite amazing the organization is not only still in existence, but has actually kept growing. Considering it, like most county fairs, consists mainly of volunteers, this is indeed, quite a feat. If you are in the area, check out the Hemlock Fair, July 21 – 25, 2015.

All US Route 11 North Today

 

Correction, we actually spent the night in Walnut Hill, not Staunton … KOA just adds Staunton to their name to be sure that you know you are close to a “big town!”

We traveled through Mint Springs and Folly Mills and wondered just what is in a name? Mint Springs, did the water taste like mint? Did mint grow near the springs? The names of the two founders? What about Folly Mills? Lumber Mills owned by the Folly family? Or did crazy people work in the mills? When you start to think about it … it really makes you go hhhmmmmm?!

Ingleside Resort is located on the south side of Staunton Virginia. The history of Ingleside Resort dates to 1928, when it was constructed as part of Stonewall Jackson Hotel's private golf course. The clubhouse was designed by the firm Davis Brothers, Loth and Breeden, Inc., and was to be "the best in Virginia, regardless of cost." During its heyday, the clubhouse boasted a massive porch, 32 guest rooms, 400 acres for horseback riding and a private stable. Now Ingleside offers an 18-hole golf course. Ingleside's property didn't always serve as a resort. In 1942, a group of hotel owners in Staunton and Waynesboro offered to lease Ingleside to the federal government for "general purposes. The purpose of the sale was to have the property serve as an internment camp, which existed until 1944. In the early 2000s, the golf course had its members invest thousands of dollars for time shares through a national organization called RCI. Depending upon the package, the plan guaranteed free golf for life at Ingleside plus five to 10 years of free cart use, room accommodations and privileges at other resorts.




 

Driving along US 11 in Verona Virginia you can see the 116^th and 29^th Infantry Museum. Being from a sister Division, we had to see it. The 116th Infantry Regiment is the oldest continuous service regiment in the Virginia National Guard and seventh oldest in the United States Army, dating from 1742. The 1st Virginia Regiment was raised July 17, 1775, in Williamsburg as a state militia unit and later for service with the Continental Army, and its lineage lives on today in the 116th Regimental Combat Team. 116th Infantry “The Stonewall Brigade” Regimental service dates from 1742, and “Ever Forward” through the French and Indian War, the American Revolution through the War of 1812, American Civil War, Spanish American War, Mexican Border Service in 1916-1917 then to World War I and II continuing today to Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. The 116th Infantry, part of the 29th Infantry Division, saw service in World War I, and Soldiers of the 116th Infantry spearheaded an attack in October 1918 during what was known as the Meuse Argonne Offensive. During this attack, Sgt. Earle Gregory of the 116th Infantry earned the Medal of Honor, the first Virginia Guardsman to receive the award. Virginians all, they formed a division of troops under the command of General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 1862. In March of 1862, they numbered about 10,000 and had orders to defend the Valley from Northern forces four times their size. Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s   famous spring campaign through the Shenandoah Valley employed audacity and rapid, unpredictable movements on interior lines. Jackson’s 10,000 men marched 646 miles in 48 days and won four battles as they engaged three Union armies, preventing them from reinforcing a Union offensive against Richmond. Then the Brigade boarded trains and marched to reinforce General Lee near Richmond. During World War II, Soldiers from the 29th took part in the massive invasion of Normandy France that began the morning of June 6, 1944, to be known forever as “D-Day.” More than 800 members of the 116th Infantry were killed, wounded or missing during the assault on Omaha Beach, but their courage and bravery helped create a foothold that allowed follow on forces to continue the assault. Two days after D-Day, Tech. Sgt. Frank Peregory of Company K, 116th Infantry from Charlottesville, became the second Virginia Guardsman to earn the Medal of Honor when he single-handedly killed or captured 30 enemy soldiers defending a trench line. More recently, the 116th Regimental Combat Team and other Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen served during The Sinai Peace Keeping Mission, Operation Desert Storm and since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, more than 15,000 Virginia Guard Soldiers and Airmen have served on federal active duty in support of Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Guantanamo Security Mission, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Soldiers of the Regiment help maintain security in the United States and further the cause of freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as serving in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Kosovo. Ten Virginia Soldiers have lost their lives to hostile enemy contact during the Global War on Terror.

Rockingham County – Turkey Capital - Two Turkey statues, one at either end of Rt. 11 in Rockingham County, signalthat you are in the "Turkey Capital." Rockingham tops VA in poultry production. The turkey statues, erected in 1955.The County is proud of its deep agricultural heritage. It leads Virginia in poultry production, and two turkey statues, one at either end of Route 11, indicate that the county is the "Turkey Capital" of Virginia. The annual Rockingham County Fair is one of the top fairs in the nation, and the county has a sizeable old-order-Mennonite farming presence, supporting numerous farmers' markets.

 

In downtown Harrisonburg Virginia, you can find lenn’s Fair Price Shop, as opposed to “Glenn’s Over Priced Shop?” A staple in downtown Harrisonburg. They have everything from costumes to cameras, if you cannot find it there, they don’t make it anymore! Stop by to see why Glen's Fair Price is considered "Harrisonburg's Most Unusual Store." They offer a wide variety of costumes for any occasion, party supplies, holiday decorations, doll house furniture, Hummel figurines, Madame Alexander dolls, balloons, clown supplies, theatrical make-up, toys, Virginia souvenirs, cameras, camera supplies and so much MORE! You never know what you might find at Glen's! After 74 years in business they are dipping their toes into online selling. 

New Market Battlefield has one field that is remembered as the "Field of Lost Shoes." In the spring of 1864, Union commander General Ulysses S. Grant set in motion a grand strategy designed to press the Confederacy into submission. Control of the strategically important and agriculturally rich Shenandoah Valley was a key element in Grant's plans. While he confronted General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the eastern part of the state, Grant ordered Major General Franz Sigel's army of 10,000 to secure the Valley and threaten Lee's flank, starting the Valley Campaigns of 1864. Sigel was to advance on Staunton, Virginia in order to link up with another Union column and destroy the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad and other Confederate industries in the area. Receiving word that the Union Army had entered the Valley, Major General John C. Breckinridge pulled together all available forces to repulse the latest threat. His command consisted of two infantry brigades, a cavalry brigade, and other independent commands. This included the cadet corps of Vermont Military Institute, which had an infantry battalion of 257 cadets and a two gun artillery section. The two forces made contact south of New Market about mid-morning, with the main Union line west of the town near the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Additional Union regiments arrived throughout the morning and deployed between the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and the Valley Turnpike, with the main line centered on Manor's Hill. Once past the town of New Market, the Confederates halted to dress ranks, shift units along the line, and reposition their artillery units. They resumed the attack as the Confederate line formed near the Bushong farm, massed Union rifle and artillery fire disorganized the Confederate units in the center, forcing the right wing of the 51st Virginia Infantry and the 30th Virginia Infantry Battalion to retreat in confusion, while the rest of the Confederate line stalled. They reluctantly ordered the VMI cadet battalion to fill the gap; while the battalion was moving forward to the Bushong orchard, At this time, Sigel launched two counterattacks. After the repulses of the Union attacks, they started their advance again with an infantry force; while crossing a field near Bushong's orchard, several VMI cadets lost their shoes in the mud, which led to the field being called the "Field of Lost Shoes". The civil war history is rich in this area and we could talk about so many battles, heroes and unique areas. But, we won’t fill this blog with that.

As you drive along US 11 and on Interstate 81 for that matter, you see countless roadside signs inviting you to see the caverns … you can see the Dixie Caverns, the Natural Bridge Caverns, the Grand Caverns, the Endless Caverns (you might not come back from that one, if they are really endless!) The Luray Caverns, the Shenandoah Caverns, the Skyline Caverns and the Crystal Caverns. Wow, seeing all of them would keep you underground for a long time! Most of Virginia’s more than 4,000 caves are in soluble carbonate rocks (limestone and dolostone) in 27 counties in the western portion of the state. Virginia’s caves range in size from a short crawlway up to miles of interconnected passages.

Our Soldiers Cemetery is located in Mount Jackson, Virginia. It was established in 1861 across the road from the Mount Jackson General Hospital, which was operated by the Confederate Medical Department. During the war graves of the soldiers were marked with their names, units, and death dates. But after the war the graves were neglected, and by the time the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected the Monument To All Confederates in 1908, 112 had been lost. The monument To All Confederates is topped with the statue of a Confederate soldier contemplating his comrades was placed in the center of the cemetery. Behind it the monument to the Confederate Hospital lists the names, units, states and death dates of the 359 Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery. A bench in between the two monuments commemorates D. Coiner Rosen.  It is dedicated to the Preservation of Confederate History. This bench was dedicated May 12, 2007. Today only three of the original 359 graves still stand. The three surviving marked graves in Our Soldiers' Cemetery are those of: 1st Lieutenant Daniel C King, Company C, 16th North Carolina, died Jul 27 1863; Private John Hackett, Company E, 60th Georgia Infantry, died Aug 1 1863; and Solomon Shrader, Company C, 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry, died Aug 11 1863.

In yesterday’s blog we talked about Washington’s trip to Red Hill. So, today we will explore Washington’s long relationship with Winchester. There is a marker on US 11, across the street from the Fort Collier site that speaks to George Washington first visited Winchester in 1784, then known as Fredericktown, as a surveyor for Lord Fairfax. Washington purchased property in Winchester in 1753 and was an unsuccessful candidate for a House of Burgesses seat here in 1755. Winchester served as Washington’s headquarters from 1755 to 1758 while he commanded Virginia troops on the western frontier during the French and Indian War. He was also involved with the construction of Fort Loudoun here and a series of other frontier forts authorized by the Virginia General Assembly during this period. He represented Frederick County in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1758 to 1765.

We drove through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and into Pennsylvania today. We ended our day outside of Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania at Western Village RV Park. It is a Good Sam park located not far off US 11. It is a bit chilly up this way; we have the small ceramic heater running. Should be a good night for snuggling! Good Night All!

Traveling on US 601, 52 and US 11

Leaving the Lake Myers Encore Campground in Mocksville, NC we came across the historical marker for the Boone Tract. Frontiersman Daniel Boone was born in 1734 to Quaker parents living in Pennsylvania. The family moved first to Virginia and later to North Carolina where Squire Boone, his father, was granted 640 acres from Lord Granville on Bear Creek. Young Daniel learned at an early age how to find his way in the frontier, often supporting his family through hunting expeditions. At the age of twenty-one, Boone participated in the French and Indian War and later helped to defend western North Carolina colonists against Indian attacks. Daniel Boone purchased his father’s property in 1759 and, having recently married, made the area his home for his new family. Traveling extensively throughout the frontier of western North Carolina into what is now Tennessee and Kentucky, Boone sought to promote settlement in the region and worked to encourage migration into the areas, eventually moving his family to a frontier station in Kentucky called Boonesborough after working with other explorers to cut a path through to the area, called the Wilderness Road, for future settlers. Boone helped to expand the American frontier, Daniel Boone apparently called the western section of North Carolina home longer than any other place while he perfected his skills as a frontiersman, surveyor, and politician. Local tradition holds that his home on the property granted first to his father fell into disrepair and by 1840 a new owner of the property had torn down the remaining portions of the building and re-used some of the lumber in a new home, leaving only stones from the chimney and foundation.

We entered the “Gateway to the Yadkin Valley.” The Yadkin Valley, was the first American Viticultural Area (AVA) in North Carolina, established in 2003. It’s the most densely populated wine region in the state. In North Carolina there are now more than 100 wineries and is ninth in the country in wine production, thirty-six of those vineyards are located in the Yadkin Valley. The AVA is shaped like a boomerang, bordering Virginia with Mt. Airy as its northernmost city and extending south past Lexington and west to North Wilkesboro. Winston-Salem sits in the “heart” of the AVA and the center of the boomerang. There is the Hanover Park Vineyards. From the soil and climate of the Yadkin Valley comes a selection of wines that could be easily confused with the wine from the Rhone River Valley in France. Surprising? Not really, when you compare the Yadkin Valley with the south of France and the owner’s love for Old World wines. These wines reflect the time, care, and research necessary to make the best wine that can be made in an Old World style that begs for the perfect food pairings. They have created an old world atmosphere, from the 1897 farmhouse tasting room to the outdoor spaces under the centuries old oaks which encourages friends and families to relax and linger. As modest and inviting as the vineyard itself, they’ve created world-class wines that appeal to wine lovers from the connoisseur to the weekend novice.

Have you ever seen a log cabin church? Well we did and you can in Yadkinville, NC. The Southside Baptist Church celebrated the grand opening of their new beautiful log cabin church in December of 2012. It sits on the side of a hill overlooking the Yadkin Valley. What a beautiful place to worship!

We went through Boonville, NC and thought of our friends from Booneville, NY. They are on the road to the north country of New York … here is to you Claude & Shirley Riegler!

In Dobson NC, we saw Cody Creek Ranch. The entrance had a beautiful entry arch and an iron sculpture. You enter on a twisting-single lane through a covered bridge into a beautiful park like area. Visitors to Cody Creek are met by a restaurant, chapel, country store, and cabins for rent. Although Cody Creek is a popular spot for food, the cabins are a perfect choice for a wine country or romantic getaway.

Also in Dobson, NC is another vineyard. Shelton Vineyards is one of the largest on the East Coast. On the estate, several varieties of vitis vinifera grapes are grown: Cabernet Franc,Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec, Tannat, Petit Verdot, Riesling,Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. Interestingly, all varieties of vitis vinifera grown at Shelton Vineyards–and throughout the world for that matter–utilize bud wood of European origin grafted onto Native American rootstocks to create a more disease resistant vine. Shelton Vineyards' belief is that fine wine begins in the vineyard. Shelton Vineyards' commitment to sustainable farming practices and hands-on attention enables the vineyard to produce the highest possible quality of grapes. The Shelton Vineyards' wines are reflective of the terroir of the Yadkin Valley. Along with expert winemaking techniques, enhancing what our land has given us, Shelton Vineyards has produced many award-winning wines. The winery has a unique feature, it is a gravity flow facility.

The gravity flow system eliminates the need to pump the product from one step to the next. Vineyard workers harvest the grapes by hand and crush them immediately after picking.  Workers gather any parts of the grapes not continuing on to the next step of fermentation and make a compost that is later employed as fertilizer in the vineyard. Shelton Vineyards uses a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. After aging in barrels, the wine is bottled. The technologically advanced bottling equipment bottles 52 bottles per minute, or over 2000 cases per day. Wines are released for sale after a period of bottle aging appropriate to the wine. Makes you kind of thirsty doesn’t it?

Mount Airy NC was where Andy Griffith grew up and he used it as the inspiration for Mayberry, the fictional locale of his classic 1960s TV series, "The Andy Griffith Show". Even though the show went off the air in the late 60s, Mount Airy still celebrates its favorite son all over the older downtown area. Mount Airy is actually a pretty big place now, with a Walmart, motels, fast food and a population of over 12,000. But if you head to the old downtown area, you can still get a taste of the small town that Andy loved. As Barney always said, “no much gets by me …” We headed onto Route 52, also known as Andy Griffith Pkwy. Mount Airy is the last town in NC before we headed into Virginia.

We began to climb the mountain, ears popping and cars passing us on the left. We headed to the top!

Again on this leg of the trip we ran into icons of days gone by, in an amazing looking vacant hotel or restaurant. We are sure that in the day, this was a great place to stay or eat.

At the top of the mountain we crossed under a rock archway into Fancy Gap, VA where we purchased the cheapest gas ($2.39) of the trip.

We also saw many antique (junk) stores. If you can call setting the stuff out all around your house and your lawn a store?!

In Hillsville, VA you can see the “The Hale-Wilkinson-Carter Home.” It is a thirteen-room three-story home built in 1845. The original home was a brick home with four chimneys made in the Federalist style. The Hales were among the wealthiest families in Carroll County which was carved out of Grayson County in 1842. The home is on the highest hill in Hillsville, Virginia and was built on the Wytheville Pike which was the only North-South route through the mountain gap at the time it was built. In

1864 the home was purchased by James Wilkinson, whose daughter, Mayetta, married George Lafayette Carter. The Carters lived in the home following Mr. Wilkinson’s death in 1914. The Carters added significant additions to the home in 1924 to make it a 34 room five-story home. In 2001, the house became a community project under the supervision of the Hale-Wilkinson-Carter Home Foundation. The county was able to secure two grants totaling $248,000 for the restoration project on the home.

The West Wind Farm Winery is located in Fort Chiswell, VA at the Humphrey Family home.  West Wind Farm is the current incarnation of what started as Mount Zephyr in the mid-19th century.  The Humphrey family came to own the farm in 1914 and Brenda and Paul were able to keep it in the family by establishing West Wind Farm Vineyard & Winery.  Just in case you’re wondering, Zephyr means “west wind”. The grapevines were planted in the spring of 2003 and the first wine made here was in the fall of 2005.  Currently there are over five acres of grapes being cultivated on the farm. 

We turned onto US 11 North, which is also known as Old Carolina Road. The Old Carolina Road is the old road from Pennsylvania to the Yadkin Valley, over which early times settlers passed going south. Today US 11 climbs over Draper Mountain just south of the Town of Pulaski. On top of the mountain is an overlook on the side of the road where you can stop and admire the scenic views overlooking Draper Valley to the south. There is a historical marker at the overlook. Draper Valley is named for William Draper and his wife, Mary Draper Ingles, who was captured by Shawnee warriors and later escaped walking home along creek and river banks.

In Pulaski, VA we found the Maple Lodge which closed in the 1990s. The Maple Lodge served as a prime spot to house travelers along US 11 when the highway was the main passage between Pennsylvania and Tennessee before the construction of Interstate 81. The overgrown vegetation, chipped paint and a defunct sign give the appearance of disrepair.



Outside of Dublin, VA we found a graveyard of VW Vanagons. There had to be 300 if there was 1 there. Some were covered with tarps, some had parts missing and looked pretty good. It was quite an amazing sight!

Radford University is under serious construction. They are building to meet the needs of the future! With more than $330 million in university capital projects, including new construction and renovations, since 2005, the campus is transforming. These projects provide state-of-the-art teaching, learning and wellness space that enriches the campus community. The College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences building will be the largest academic building on campus. The new building will provide state-of-the-art academic space consisting of classrooms, offices, laboratories and student/faculty collaborative space. The new Student Recreation and Wellness Center houses fitness, active recreation and wellness space designed to help students live healthy lifestyles. The Initiative for the Center for the Sciences will transform the Radford University College of Science and Technology into a premier science destination. Radford University seemed to take up most of the town of Radford.

Lewis-McHenry Duel was the first duel in Virginia fought with rifles in Christiansburg. This event occurred at dawn on Monday, May 9, 1808 near Montgomery County Courthouse in the vicinity of the present day Sunset Cemetery. The Lewis-McHenry duel had far-reaching effects, as in 1810, it influenced the passage of the Barbour Bill outlawing dueling in Virginia. The participants were Thomas Lewis, a 22-year old lawyer and grandson of General Andrew Lewis and John McHenry, a resident of the western part of the county who was a much older man than Lewis. Legend has it that the two men were friends but were angered over a political argument and were urged on by a third man Thomas Bowyer, in order that he might destroy a witness (McHenry) who could prevent his obtaining coveted land. Both men died as a result, Lewis immediately and McHenry the next evening. Lewis is buried in the Madison Cemetery in rural community of Shawsville, and McHenry in the Craig Cemetery in Christiansburg

In Roanoke VA the 65-year old Carlin Amoco gas station is frozen in time. When built the service station was modern for its time. The station was renovated to help preserve the automotive history in Roanoke.

In Buchanan, VA US 11 and Interstate 81 combined and we were back to the swish, swish, swish of 18 wheelers passing by. In Natural Bridge we passed by the Natural Bridge and just before Lexington, I peered over the bank and saw many old cars and an old house. The cars were all rusty but looked to be complete. It would be quite a find for someone who restores cars!

On US 11, north of Lexington at Sam Houston Wayside, there is a Stone Marker Birthplace of Sam Houston.  Until I came across this marker, I did not know that Sam Houston had been born in Virginia.  I have discovered many individuals were born in Virginia then later went on to achieve fame in other parts of the country. Sam Houston was born here north of Lexington, VA on March 2, 1793, the fifth child of Samuel and Elizabeth (Paxton) Houston, on their plantation within sight of the Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church. He was of Scots-Irish ancestry and reared Presbyterian. When he was thirteen years old, his father died; some months later, in the spring of 1807, he emigrated with his mother, five brothers, and three sisters to Blount County, Tennessee. A great deal has been written about Sam Houston and I will not attempt to repeat in all, but there are a few facts that I found interesting. He did a wide variety of different things during his life and you find out a great deal about his life by a search on the internet. For example, in his teens he lived among the Cherokees along the Tennessee River. He joined the United States Army as a twenty-year-old private and by the end of the year 1813, he was given a commission as a third lieutenant. As part of Andrew Jackson's army, he fought at the battle of Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River on March 26, 1814 where he received near-fatal wounds.  In 1818, he read law in Nashville for six months and opened a law practice in Lebanon, Tennessee. He received steady and regular promotions in the state militia during his time in Tennessee. He held public office as attorney general in Nashville, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and was the Governor of Tennessee.

We stopped just south of Staunton, VA at the Staunton / Walnut Hills KOA. We are on top of a hill, overlooking the park. It is a great site for the night.

300 Miles on the 301 and 601 Corridor

We left the Parkwood RV Resort in Statesboro Georgia heading north on 301 into downtown historic Statesboro. The Historic Statesboro Inn is located there. It is actually comprised of two separate side-by-side homes, the Raines and the Brannen House. Both are on the National Register of Historic Places. The homes were built during Statesboro’s bustling heyday fueled by the railroad transportation and Sea Island cotton cultivation. The Raines house cost about $3,000 to construct in 1905. It stands

among the largest, most impressive and intact historic houses remaining in Statesboro’s Historic District. The house was ahead of its time; featuring indoor plumbing with hot water, plaster walls and a telephone room. It was rewired for electricity before electricity was available anywhere else in town. This home was renovated with modern amenities and opened as an inn with nine guest rooms in 1985. A 1991-92 addition blended perfectly with the original architecture and provided a kitchen, a 100-seat banquet facility and seven additional guest rooms.

Just down the road from the Statesboro Inn is the Bulloch County Courthouse. In April of 1909 the Confederate monument was dedicated. The Confederate monument is in memory of the Confederate Soldiers who served from 1861 to 1865. The United Daughters of the Confederacy raised the money for the monument that presides on Court House Square.

Outside of Statesboro, we saw a small two story building with a sign “Georgia State Defense Headquarters.” Right away you think an early version of the Georgia National Guard. But you would be wrong. The Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF, GASDF, or SDF) is an unpaid, volunteer component of the Georgia Department of Defense. It serves in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the governor and the adjutant general of Georgia. As a State Defense Force, members serve alongside the Georgia Army and Georgia Air National Guard.  The mission of the GASDF is to provide an organized, trained, disciplined, rapid response volunteer force to

assist state and local government agencies and civil relief organizations during emergencies to ensure the welfare and safety of Georgia citizens. Their members help support and augment the Georgia National Guard, provide professional skills to the Georgia Department of Defense, and assist Georgia communities. Volunteers are trained to assist the National Guard, provide search and rescue, medical support, and disaster relief.

This picture shows you that two lane roads are more well-traveled than you many think. Yes, for the most part, we can be all alone on this old stretch of two lane road that used to be one of the primary routes traveling north and south. But today, we were lucky or unlucky enough to have traffic with us. You can also see farmer’s fields, ranches and groves. Today we found a beautiful pecan grove in northern Georgia. Pecans must really only come form Georgia!

There are four historical markers along US 301, near the intersection of 24 in Screven County. These markers are for John Abbot. Abbot was a world famed entomologist and collector of Lepidoptera. He came to Georgia from London in 1790, and settled in Jacksonboro, where he remained many years collecting Lepidopterous insects. He was sent to Georgia by a London collector and publisher. Besides being an assiduous collector, was an artist of some note. Many volumes of his insects with the particulars

of their habits, food and metamorphoses were published in London. His books are the prized possessions of many of the world’s leading Universities and Museums. He died about 1840 and it is believed  that his unmarked grave is not many feet west of these markers.
As we approached the GA/SC state line, which is at the top of a tall bridge that crosses the Savannah River we noticed a relic from the old highway's history: a rusty drawbridge. This wasn't any old drawbridge, though.  Instead of raising and lowering, as most do, this one rotated out of the way.  It had been turned to the open position and left that way for many decades. The approach to the old bridge drops off abruptly (it's blocked so

that no one will drive off the edge).  Once you cross the bridge and continue north, you might notice the old road running alongside the new one for several miles.  It's overgrown, and it would be impossible to drive on it, but the raised road might make for an interesting walking or fishing place.

Coming into Allendale SC we saw a sad marker of the days gone by, the times when these two lane roads were the main

thoroughfare for travelers heading north and south. Now, these places sit, vacant, dilapidated and a sad reminder of better economic times. The Crescent Hotel is an abandoned motel on 301 in rural Allendale, SC. It is almost across the road from another empty hotel. I was lucky to find a picture of an old post card back when the Crescent Motel as a thriving business to compare to the rusted old sign seen today.

Allendale SC is also home to the Carolina Theatre, which is now part of the University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie campus. The Cooper family once owned the historic theatre. I could not find any information on when it stopped operating as a theatre, but it is interesting to see that the original nostalgic façade is still there and as beautiful as ever. A far contrast from the Crescent Motel.

River Bridge State Historic Site was an important part of the final months of the Civil War. 1,200 Confederate soldiers made a stand there on the Salkehatchie River against Major General  Sherman's sweep across South Carolina. Behind stout, earthen fortifications, which are still intact today, the Southerners fought a division of about 5,000 Union soldiers. Union troops crossed the swollen swamp on both ends of the Confederate line to finally win the battle. Today, Rivers Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only state historic site in South Carolina that preserves a Civil War battlefield. The site also includes the Memorial Grounds. Here, slain Confederate soldiers were interred and are remembered in memorial services that have been held annually since 1876.

In Bamberg, SC we transitioned off 301 North onto US Hwy 601 North. US Hwy 601 runs through St Matthews SC. This town is bisected by a railroad cut. The cut through a small hill in the middle of St Matthews has both helped to shape the town while also linking it forever with it’s past. According to local history, the cut was excavated by hand by slaves from local plantations. Soil was removed from the excavation sites with homemade stick baskets, and the fills were completed in the same manner. Each slave owner received twelve dollars per month, per slave; the railroad provided the slaves with food and clothing. The Railroad cut looks today much like it did when the first locomotive came through in 1841.

The town of St. Matthews was originally known as Lewisville. Before becoming a town, Lewisville was a post office established some time before the construction of the South Carolina Railroad (about 1840). The name “Lewisville” had been chosen in honor of Colonel Lewis, a very prominent land owner living in the area. After the arrival of the railroad, a town sprang up and was chartered "Lewisville" by an Act of the General Assembly in 1872. However, the Act was never approved by the Governor and became law without his approval. The spelling of the name "Lewisville" has long been in dispute. A Mr. Louis opened a mercantile store near the present site of the railroad depot. Many have confused the correct spelling of "Lewisville," with his name. Lewisville finally became St. Matthews, in honor of the old St. Matthew’s Parish, in March of 1876. When Calhoun County was established, Mr. Robert Welch, attorney for the county, left the apostrophe in “St. Matthew’s” out of the bill. Thus, the town name was officially “ St. Matthews,” without the apostrophe.

Another reason we enjoy these two lane roads, where else can you see a sign and make a detour to see the Forty Acre Rock's granite, as part of 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 a 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!

Downtown Pageland SC was a real treat in old town culture with a modern day twist. See the clock post and paint and flooring store in an old bank building. Nice wide and clean sidewalks with plants and planters.

Outside of Concord NC, there is a historic marker for Red Hill. The background to Red Hill involves President George Washington’s visit to North Carolina in 1791 as part of a larger tour of the southern United States to both observe the political climate and culture of the region but also to thank his supporters and instill a sense of unity in the new country. As such, his tour and stops along the way became important landmarks in the areas he touched. Proceeding from Mount Vernon via Fredericksburg and Richmond into North Carolina, Washington crossed the Roanoke River into Halifax in mid-April 1791. From there, the

President’s carriage tour took him through Tarboro, Greenville, New Bern, Trenton, and Wilmington before entering South Carolina. Washington re-entered North Carolina near Charlotte and traveled northward, visiting Red Hill, Salisbury, Salem, and Guilford Court House. Red Hill was originally one of three plantations belonging to Martin Pheifer, Sr., a Swiss immigrant who lived in Pennsylvania briefly before settling in North Carolina before the Revolutionary War. Two of Pheifer’s sons, John and Martin Jr., both lived at Red Hill at different points in their lives. Martin Pheifer, Jr. was a good friend of George Washington’s, having served as an officer in the North Carolina militia and with Washington at Valley Forge as part of a group of light cavalry from the state. For that reason, Washington was a private guest of Pheifer during his tour, dining and spending the night with the family. Washington remarked in his journal of the trip that Pheifer was a good host and that he provided well for his guests. Red Hill was destroyed during the first half of the twentieth century but local historians state that the home featured a tavern and inn in addition to serving as the home to several Pheifers.



We ended the day of traveling in Mocksville, NC which is the largest municipality in Davie County and is the county seat. Mocksville is strategically located in the western part of the Piedmont Triad. The Piedmont Triad is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the United States and forms the basis of the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point CSA. The metropolitan area is connected by Interstates 40, 85, 73, & 74 and is served by the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Long known as one of the primary

manufacturing and transportation hubs of the southeastern United States, the Triad is also an important educational and cultural region and occupies a prominent place in the history of the American Civil Rights Movement. 
 We are staying in Lake Myers, an Encore RV Resort … shhhh, don’t tell anyone … besides it was free … since Lazydays gave us 14 nights at Thousand Trails / Encore parks when we purchased the rig. Good night, another 300 miles covered today.