Fun, and Not So Fun, on the Road

 This getting behind on my blog entries makes for some very long posts that's for sure. 

So, here goes....

As seen in a window near Arden, NC. Applies to so many aspects of life in these trying times, don't you think? Then again, what choice do we have?

On a more positive note, before leaving the area near Arden, I noticed a sign for the North Carolina Arboretum and asked Bruce if he thought we had time to stop. Well, stop we did, and it was time well spent. 

Lush and green with mountain views, what more can a girl ask for? We had stopped to take a photo of this amazing planter for our new pickleball friend, Erika, who is a welder. She was duly impressed. One of their claims to fame are Bonsai trees and rightly so as they were very impressive indeed.

I was very smitten by the size and great color of this blooming azalea tree.

Another super cool thing was the model railroad. So cute! There is a viewing platform above for watching it run.

No gardens are complete without cool water features,

benches and sculpture. Shade works for me as well!

After a nice sandwich in their cafe we began making our way home. Adjacent to this place, there is an entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway and once again....please honey!

While I was happy to be on this iconic road, it was probably not my best suggestion because after visiting the BRP visitor center, 

where we learned about the building of the road and that it is actually a National Park,

we had to figure out a way to head South which was no easy feat. However, we were saved by the iPad and Google maps once again. Eventually we made our way back to I-26, but not before being stuck in a mile long back-up on a mountain road that was being resurfaced! Before too much longer we left the mountains behind upon entering South Carolina.

What we did not leave behind was the rain and in the next few hours, this was a screen constant.

No sooner than I would shut it off, it would appear ten minutes later, and so it went for the next two hours.The threatening skies confirmed the warning. In fact, the skies got really bad before they got better.

Our goal was to reach Columbia, SC so we carried on, but it wasn't long before we wished we had not as the rain came down in sheets, making visibility nearly impossible. Add to that, by then we were on a stretch of highway under construction with barriers on either side, something I hate. Soon thereafter, we found out that was the least of our problems! Picture this: blinding rain, way dark skies at 6:00PM, barriers, big semis splashing water everywhere AND puddles that splashed the roof of our car because they were SO deep. Seriously, the clay and rain were pouring off the hillside, making for treacherous conditions, to say the least. At our earliest opportunity we got off, breathing a sigh of relief and although it was till pouring, with the help of the trusty iPad, I was able to guide Bruce the last twenty miles on surface streets. By the time we arrived at the Hampton Inn that I had called earlier, there were only two rooms left, both premium, which we gladly took as our nerves were frayed. Lesson learned, make the reservation when I call, rather than leave it up to chance.

It was an exceptionally nice Hampton adjacent to a lovely park.

After beginning our journey home on the Interstate, we hopped off when we came to Hwy 321, the same road that we took on the way up. With no traffic to speak of, we, once again, enjoyed the small towns we'd gone through before. Stopping for a rest in the tiny town of Olar,

I had some fun taking some artsy photos of an abandoned strip center----if you could call it that.

A memorial to the founding family stands in the grassy area, behind which is a housed an old police car, and I do mean old! According to this, it is housed in the former police station! 

Turns out the name on the handle is an advertisement for an old ice cream brand. Well, who knew?

Peering into the windows remnants of the past remain.

From what I could find, Rock-ola was a jukebox company. When I saw this pile of books and notebooks,

I couldn't help but think that top title says it all. Seemingly everything has a life cycle, including us!!

This highway runs alongside the railroad tracks which is why any of these towns exist.

It is unclear which door actually led to the restaurant!  That said there seems to be a handy ATM in case they only take cash.

More photos were taken along the way, but for long stretches it looked more like this.

Finally the last interesting thing we saw before arriving in Florida was this.

Located in Townsend, GA, how tiny was it? Pretty darn tiny!

The remainder of the trip was uneventful with nary a drop of rain, a pattern that would continue for the next eight days. 

And then it rained. So what Gail, that's what it does in Florida during the summer?

In my next post you will discover why that factoid was so important to us! I will leave you with one of the famous white squirrels we saw on this trip to Brevard. Pretty interesting indeed.

Whew.....you made it!

your friend,

Gail