trip to clemson Sc

[Irish_Alley]

So I took a week off from work due to the state cutting our wages "I aint complaining we still have a job" but in exchange they gave us 5 vac days. So I cashed in 4 of them to go down south to see Clinton Anderson who is a horse whisper it was to see one of his clinics. well I rented a car from avis about a month before we needed it cost about 177 for six days then I found a coupon for pay for 6 get the 7th day free so I got it for 7 days. We get there at avis, and the woman behind the desk says “we don’t have the Pontiac g6 but we have the hhr". she could tell by my face that I didn’t want it, so to humor her we went out into it and sat in it the window seamed only like a foot high blind spots all over I was like no way in heck. She reliantly said we do have the dodge avenger I was like heck yeah. so we got that I give the car a 3 out of 5 stars because the engine was only a 2.4 or something like that small in my mind for a car of that size and the seats were ok, but not good on 4 hour trips, but over all the design was spacey and nice looking even had a soda/beer cooler made into the dash that got cold air from somewhere kept the drinks cold. We left eastern shore of md on Wednesday and got to VA beach about 2 am Thursday. left there that night got to Goldsboro nc thurs night Friday we left there picked up my brother in rockhill sc and then departed to Clemson sc on the way down there not a cop in sight till Friday so it was smooth sailing saw about 4-5 accidents due to the rain and speeding went past charlotte motor speedway Friday. but anyway before we left wed I was getting over what I thought was a sinus infection nothing big just a 24hr thing, well Thursday my wife got it but hers was much worse she was sick the whole trip never went to see Clinton just went down there do get away but it was nice to get away from everything

[Lt.Del]

I agree with you about the HHR's....whatever those letters stand for.  I drove one and you have to stop 20' from the white line at a traffic light so that you can tell when the light turns green and you still have to bend over to look up through the windshield.

Some people would be envious of you...you leave the beautiful eastern shore of Maryland to get away?
Most would be content right there.   But, I know what you mean, it does the brain and body good to get away and see a change in scenery and experience something different.

My wife and I went to old town Fredericksburg yesterday.  Nice weather.  Shopped the old 200+ year old shops along the Rappahannock River on Caroline St and Princess Anne St.  So much Civil War activity there, two major battles. One of which was very well depicted in Ted Turner's movie Gods and Generals. Ate lunch in a building built in 1804 that still shows signs of damage from the war.  Even stood on the hill where my ancestors played their role in battle of Dec. 1862, as part of the 12th Va Infantry

 www.12thVa.com.

Anyway, Md's Eastern Shore, near Assateague and Assateague State Park is beautiful.  I'd love to take my canoe up there some time soon.  I did the Chincoteague Pony swim thing years ago.  Too many people there for that pony auction.

a few pics of a trip we did at Nags Head North Carolina two weeks ago. www.delbridge.net/nagshead.html


 

[Donut]

Wow, must be vacation time.  My wife flew back Monday from a week in SC (Clover area)  She and her oldest daughter went down, visited with friends, and did the "NASCAR tourist" thing.  Caught the race Sat. night.  Also caught the sinus thing and is still sick

SgtDel, thanks for sharing the pics.  Even more convincing for me, winters up here are starting to get a little old.

[Jim Rockford]

I use to like OBX before it go too popular, now there is just too many people, I grew up in oak Island N.C. back when it was 3 beaches, caswell, yaupon and long beach  and man I hated tourist. they have ruined my hometown.

[Lt.Del]

and man I hated tourist. they have ruined my hometown.

I guess you can blame people like me then.  I don't live down there but I sure like to visit there. It's a beautiful area, especially Ocracoke.  I bet some locals love the jobs and economy brought down there though, however they may not admit it.

My hometown has changed too, and not for the better.  It's a part of life.  When this country's population goes from 120 million, when I was born, to over 300 million now, well, ain't much we can do. 

[73micrys83]

Thanks for sharing the pics of your trip, SgtDel. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune for 3 months back in '85. The Corps kept me so busy with guard duty, training and studying, that I didn't get to see much while I was there. I still regret not getting around North Carolina much....And when we get older, it seems like our world gets smaller, in other words, I'm more content to stay closer to home...  But, as soon as I can get Crystal out of bed, we're going over to the Marble Mountains for an over night trip to the family cabin. The fall colors should be pretty across Trinity Lake and Fort Jones area.

[Lt.Del]

I was stationed at Camp Lejeune for 3 months back in '85. The Corps kept me so busy with guard duty, training and studying, that I didn't get to see much while I was there

good ole onslow county.   i was born at the camp lejeune hospital while dad was in 'nam.   My brother was born there too, 18 mons before me.  We lived on base.  When I was born, I had a subdural hemotoma (blood clot in my brain) and was immediately flown via miliatry copter to Portsmouth Naval Hosp.  They couldn't do much, and again via military helicopter, was flown yet to another hospital, Bethesda Naval Hosp near Wash, D. C. to have my operation.  I was only  a couple of days old.  Dad had already been shot three times but when his commanders got word about me, they flew him out on the next plane and he then got his honorable discharge to be with us.  He came out of 'nam right as the stuff was heating up in the late 60's.  He says because of my problems, I saved his life.  Ironic.  If he wasn't in the military and we weren't on the Camp Lejeune base when I was born, and therefore no access to copters and such and other hospitals, I wouldn't be alive today. Back in the 60's the military had the best hospitals and doctors. I was the most traveled 3 day old in history!

[73micrys83]

I gotta get a camera soon! The trip to the Marble mountains was beautiful! We spent the night at the cabin and my brothers and I replaced a couple of the porch posts, some of the tin on the roof and enjoyed each other's company...Good times, there!
See, SgtDel, I didn't even know the name of the county that Camp Lejeune was in...My son was born when I was in Okinawa. My wife called the First Sergeant to request that I come home on emergency leave and he told her, "Ma'am, babies are born all the time...that is not an emergency!"  I didn't see my son 'til he was 4 months old! And if they had given me emergency leave, I would have had to have paid for my own flight! Times sure have changed...Now they bring our boys home in the middle of the night if they die overseas...No heroes welcome or press coverage or nothing...I hate it when the news says, "...Four Americans were killed in Iraq (Afghanistan) in action today... Mrs. Obama wore a sleeveless gown to an official function at the White House this evening..." I could not imagine having a child overseas and hearing of ANY report of our military dying...I'd be stressed and texting or emailing him (her) so much I'd drive them nuts!

I was in San Francisco Airport a couple of years ago and a commercial flight brought one of our National Guard units in on a flight from Saudi Arabia. They had been deployed for 13 months in Iraq and they announced it over the PA...EVERYONE, Left, Right, Hippies, Bikers, Businessmen, Women, Children (you get the picture)... stood and applauded...I mean everyone...in liberal SF...Made me feel good, proud, and have a little hope...