Friday, November 5, 2021

Swamp Rabbit Trail

 We returned to Greenville, South Carolina and were yet impressed again. It is an amazing urban renewal success story. An energetic mayor in the 90's was able to romance banks and other companies, like BMW and Michelin, to the general area and embarked upon a great redo of the city.  A new theatre brought Broadway road shows and restaurants followed. Fine restaurants. It is a surprise to find culinary center.

The downtown was built around the Reedy Creek Falls as its centerpiece and the new downtown was built around that. While the dining was fun, we came to ride the Swamp Rabbit Trail. It is a terrific biking/walking path that runs from Greenville to Travers Rest, SC. 

Here's some photos:

downtown park below the Falls area

A "swamp rabbit" sculpture stuffed with plastics waste.

The Falls in the center of downtown.

A nice tree laden section of the ride.

Food and beer along the way.



Thursday, October 28, 2021

Vito's Roadside Cafe and Grill

 


Our RV is a Winnebago, model Vita.  Somehow, right after we purchased it, it became Vito Davita.

We were driving the Blue Ridge Parkway and were stopped at a view turnout. The view was great and it was lunchtime. We decided to put out our folding chairs and table and dine there. I had put together roast beef sandwiches on a toasted english muffin and for fun, opened Vito's sliding access on the screen door. The call was, "Number 38, your order is ready". 

Got to keep things light on the road.

Friday, August 27, 2021

Saltwater Marsh

 Scarborough, Maine has over 3,000 acres of saltwater marshland.  

It is a land of grasses and muck and who knows how many critters.

Here's some pics from sunrise.




Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Minnie's Rest

 Passing bye a lovely old cemetery in Maine, we were inspired to stop and have a look.

Goodbye, Wife Minnie. I bet you were a hoot to know.




Tuesday, August 3, 2021

The Skyline Drive, Shenandoah

 A most marvelous and pastoral member of the National Parks of America. Shenandoah National Park and its long share of the Skyline Drive. We are in our RV, with our ultimate goal to be Maine. August 2nd, 2021.  A chance to escape the oppressive heat and humidity of a North Carolina August. 

Today was a long held bucket list item. Biking the Skyline Drive which runs the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We hit 2900 feet above sea level today. Not a big deal altitude for western US folks but for us Low Country folks it presents a fine and dramatic relief from the southeastern, change your shirt 3 times a day, humid late summer days.

Started in 1930 and finished in 1937, the Skyline Drive is a lovely piece of engineering. We lucked into a quiet traffic day and had a terrific ride.





 

Friday, February 5, 2021

Bath, North Carolina

 Our first getaway, the virgin voyage, for our Winnebago was to Washington NC, and to neighboring Bath.

Bath is very charming and has a good list of historic elements. Established 1705, as North Carolina's first incorporated town. It was the first port in North Carolina, situated calmly up the Pamlico Sound. It was the hideout for Blackbeard, the pirate, killed in 1718.

The oldest standing church building in North Carolina is here. Built in 1734. Pictured here. 

What is very enjoyable is all this and more are not commercialized in the slightest. There is not even a single restaurant within the "town", which is a few B&B's and a couple of antique stores.

It is a residential community with much waterfront living. A pristine and pretty place.

 




Saturday, January 16, 2021

 Here We Go Again. Vagabonding.


In 1940 The first all black cast Broadway show premiered. Cabin In The Sky. Three years later, the show was adapted and enhanced to film. It was the first film directed by the legendary Vincent Minelli, husband to Judy Garland and father of Liza. A song from the show and film , "Taking A Chance On Love", is one of the most covered songs in history. Over 90 artists have recorded it including Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck and on and on. Even Harpo Marx did a harp recording of it way back when.

Anyhow, The first line of the song is, "Here I go again. I hear those trumpets blow again."

So we have purchased another RV. It is a 25 foot Winnebago on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis. We have missed our life on the road and this past year of pandemic craziness has convinced us and our vagabond inclinations that travelling in an RV is about as safe a social distance way to get out and enjoy America as is possible. We stay home, we go to the grocery store. We drive in the RV, see new sights and go to the grocery store.  

There is bonding and there is vagabonding. This blog goes on.