All posts – Jake & Eddie’s Excellent Adventure 😎🐶

L&D Ranch

Last stop for the trip at my brother and sister-in-law’s retreat in the beautiful mountains in western North Carolina. This will be our second visit. The Dead Horton’s Tour was timed around the Highlands Motoring Festival taking place in nearby Highlands.

This Excellent Adventure has had some great visits to museum. I have been coming to this area since the late 90s and one museum I never made it to was the famous Firefox Appalachian Village and home to the phenomenal series of books detailing early Appalachian life in the area.

Highland Motoring Festival

We first experienced the parade that occurs the night before the show. I was excellent and some of my favorite cars were on display. Good thing too since they were not on the festival grounds the next day.

The next day featured the cars on display. There was a special pre-WW2 section which had some unbelievable cars! A real treat to see some of this older engineering and style marvels in such good condition.

The rest of the show featured several modern marquees: Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Porsche. BMWs were far and few. There were some interesting cars including a Shelby Cobra.

By far the most interesting marquee was Ferrari. The post war cars up to the $750K Green SF90 Spyder were on display. One guy told me they feature one marquee every year and this year it was Ferrari. I even saw a Ferrari F40 similar to the one I drove in Las Vegas all those years ago.

The Foxfire Museum

In high school, my girlfriend introduced me to the Firefox books. Her father was a mountain man from the Pacific Northwest, and her mother was a librarian. I didn’t really pay much attention to it, but it fit into the mood of the early 1970s.

The story is much more interesting now. Turns out it was about enabling the young people of this region to fit into a rapidly changing world of the 1960s. Educators and the students attending a local school came up with a project to interview their elderly forebears. In the process, they learned the skills necessary to survive in the wilds of Appalachia. It was right up my alley now.

The museum showcases both work by the students as well as preserved homes, barns, and other structures. Signs gave you a basic understanding of what was being shown. I especially liked the woodworking and tools. I also appreciate the fact that the museum is still working with the local youth.

The feel was very similar to the experiences I had at the Wright Brothers Monument, Mystic Seaport, the museum in Lancaster County, and Monticello. A fitting end to two great learning experiences.

Ringing the church bell at the top of the hill

Back at the Ranch

We spent a few days hanging out with the family. Very relaxing at the ranch – a great end to a excellent adventure.

Hiking with the pups on Chestnut Mountain

Two days to get home with a stop back at our favorite spot south of Savannah.

First and only day of driving in the rain!

36 Nights

20 Stops

4,421 Miles

1 Excellent Adventure!

The Dead Hortons Tour

In Big Stone Gap I met up with brothers Rick and Dave to explore our grandmother’s ancestors – The Hortons. They are buried at different cemeteries in the area.

G-3 Thomas Horton

Thomas Horton ( 1801-1884) was the first Horton born in southwest Virginia near Big Stone Gap. His father, John M. Horton III, moved there sometime after the Revolutionary War. He was a minister, married twice, and fathered 15 children. His cemetery was remote but kept up.

First stop was G-3 Thomas Horton in the Miles-Craft cemetary. The cemetery was on a hillside near the Clinch River northwest of Gate City. It took us a while to figure out how to get to it but when we did we found a reasonably well kept cemetery with a new looking chain link fence.

He was the first Horton born in the area after his father, John Horton, moved to the area following the Revolutionary War. He is buried next to his second wife Martha Catherine Stewart. There was a fantanstic vieew of the countryside from the cemetery.

Harlan County Kentucky

Next stop was Coxton Kentucky. This is where Dad was born in 1929 while his father was working on the nearby coal mine. It’s nearby the town of Harlan which has gained notoriety over the years.

Mining in this area got a big push towards the end of the 1800s. Promoters claimed it was the next Pittsburg as the easy to mine coal was extracted and sent to the steel mills in the north. The mine workers sought to organize so the mine operators brought in immigrants (like my mother’s parents) to work the black seam. It didn’t go well and at one point several men were killed as the tension escalated.

In more recent times the demand for coal dropped significantly in the later part of the 1900s. People left the areas, quite often in ruins as we saw later driving home through Lynch Kentucky. Coxton was hit hard. They finally lost their post office and the unincorporated area’s most recent census showed about 250 people living there.

We drove around the area while the locals sat on their porch and glared at us. At least they didn’t shoot. Crime in rampant in the area after the opioid epidemic that swept through the area this century. It was pretty bleak looking. I found a blog on Tall Tales From Capt Rogue site that has the best information I could find on the area.

We headed back to Big Stone Gap along Highway 160. This went through the heart of coal’s heyday as exhibited in the town of Lynch. At one point in the early 1900s this town has a population over 10,000 working the mines. Large buildings for the mining operation and town were built. After the Second World War the demand for steel started to drop and the operations slowly wound down. The mine owners (steel companies) started demolishing builds and in 1963 the town was incorporated as production ceased. The infrastructure was turned over to the residents to own and manage. A good article on the town can be found on the website Abandoned Places.

We left Lynch as wound down the Trail of the Lonesome Pine into Big Stone Gap. This was a roller coasted ride of switchbacks (gracefully managed by driver Brother Dave!) that wound down into Big Stone Gap. We caught some beautiful scenery including a huge area that had been strip mined. Lots of that in this area.

We had some big fun that afternoon swapping our tall tales over some brews and bongs (herb is legal in Virginia, but you can’t buy it or sell it – huh?). The next morning, we loaded up for the final leg of the tour in the Gate City area.

Gate City

My grandmother was raised here and retired with my grandfather here in the late 1950s. We reminisced about how little we knew about her relatives when we were growing up. After her parents died, Sarah was raised by Grand Uncle Nelson Horton. He was only 10 years older than her father, Lucien. Nelson was from a second marriage of Rev. Thomas Horton, who had a total of 14 children from 1821 to 1871. We always thought she might have been an only child!

G-2 William Patton Horton

Our first stop was near the intersection called Moccasin Junction. G-2 William Patton Horton is buried here with his wife, my G-2 Eleanor Marie Ewing. The name of the cemetery bears the Ewing name. Dave dug up a great, current website of Clan Ewing of Scotland with a reference to their marriage. Located less than 10 miles east of Gate City, the cemetery was located on a hill and was reasonably kept up. Another beautiful view of the countryside.

William had the distinction of serving as a first lieutenant in the Civil War. Fortunately for us all, he survived! He was also listed as a farmer and merchant. He fathered six children, including my great-grandfather Lucien Beauregard Horton.

G-1 Lucien Beauregard Horton

Next was G-1 Lucien Beauregard Horton’s grave and that of G-1 Mary E. Ison. We saw her family name on numerous other markers in the cemetery. It was located in the town of Gate City itself and was by far the largest of the three.

Lucien, a doctor, we believe was educated by a Civil War veteran whose father Lucien had served alongside. His obituary, extensive and reflecting his Christian faith and compassionate nature towards those in need, highlights his early demise. Interestingly, my grandmother was taken in by one of his uncles and, at one point, listed as a daughter, leading me to believe she might have been adopted.

Our Grandparents

We left the cemetery and headed for our grandparents’ house. Located west of town, we visited here many times while growing up. Behind their house was a small Catholic Church that my grandfather attended. He donated an organ to the church sometime after his retirement.

To our surprise, we got to meet both the current owner of the house and Father Tim at the church! We had a great time learning about what happened after they passed.

They also mentioned an old restaurant, Hob Nob, that we frequented while visiting. We had such a good time there, and the memories resurfaced. It was always a highlight of our visit!

Our final stop was Holston View Cemetery, where my grandparents, Edward Bernard Tubridy and Sarah Ellen Horton, are buried. Jake and I visited their grave site in 2017, which was a good thing because I remembered their location on the vast cemetery grounds. Unfortunately, there was a fire, and some of their records were destroyed.

They have a great view as did most of the cemeteries we visited.

We parted ways there, and my brothers headed back to the ranch in North Carolina. Jake and I headed back to Big Stone Gap for our last night before joining them.

Big Stoner Gap

My focus changes now. Picking up where I left off last year, I rescheduled my trip to research my Horton ancestors in the southwesternmost part of Virginia. I met up with brothers Rick and Dave to tour the Hortons’ cemeteries. Our home base was Big Stoner Gap. I mean Big Stone Gap! Sorry 🤣

The two-day journey to Big Stone Gap took across the mountains just south of Shenandoah National Park. From there, it was a scenic drive southwest to Wytheville.

The campground here was spacious and offered a plethora of activities for children and families. I thoroughly enjoyed taking a dip in the pool.

It was a short drive from there to Big Stone Gap. It was like riding a roller coaster, crossing the hilly terrain. At one point, we passed a huge Hitachi power generation facility next to a coal mine. A billboard proclaimed that the locals did not want any data centers to power our robot overlords (this is a big deal in northeastern Virginia). That was the first of several surprises on this part of the trip. But I digress.

Big Stone Gap has played host to the longest running outdoor theater in the United States: Trail of the Lonesome Pine. I saw it as a child on one of our visits to nearby Gate City where my father’s parents retired. It tells the tail of two feuding families in the area. Of course, one member from both families fall in love. An Appilacian Romeo and Juliet.

Big Stone Gap shares a similar legacy with Mystic, as both have been the setting for a rom-com movie. There are several museums here too. A a Flower Shop with the name Horton on it! More on that in a bit.

We pulled into a beautiful campground on the banks of the Powell River in Big Stone Gap. We parked next to the river and a beautiful grass pasture.

We met Jesse, the daughter of the guy that built this place and current owner. She was born and raised here and takes obvious pride in her beautiful campground. The office features wood carvings her father had done.

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park

Rufus Ayers’ grave in Gate City with G-1 Lucien Horton

I checked out the museum before my brothers arrived. I was hoping to find some references to the Hortons and learn more about the area. The museum was originally the home of Rufus Ayers, who served as the Attorney General of Virginia in the late 1800s. We came across his grave in one of the cemeteries in Gate City we visited the next day.

The home is in beautiful shape and the woodwork inside is beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the exhibits on coal mining. I learned, among other things, how important the role of the surveyor was. This was a skill my Grandfather Edward Bernard Tubridy had when he lived in this area in the late 1920s when my father was born.

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park: Beautiful woodwork throughout the home.

John Horton was named on one of the displays in the museum.

I did come across a reference to John Horton. My G-4 grandfather was John M. Horton III. Could these be the same? There are references to the Gilley family, which does not show up anywhere in our genealogy so far. Another display showed the routes the settlers took.

This exhibit showed the trails used to take pioneers into this area. Our family likely traveled the Great Valley Road from Russell County Virginia near Washington DC in the late 1700s.

I also appreciated how the museum portrayed life during the coal boom era. It served as an excellent prelude to the upcoming Dead Horton Tour!

C’ville

One of America’s most beloved founding fathers believed in religious freedom – including none at all. The Dude abides.

It was a scenic drive to Charlottesville (known to the locals as C’ville), Virginia, down the Shenandoah Valley. Truck traffic was heavy but much better than the last segment of the journey. It was raining in the early morning but cleared up before we left and was very nice all the way to C’ville.

The campground was hidden away about 10 miles south of town. Our spot wasn’t great but nice enough considering it was the last one available (at least for my size) when I made the reservation a couple of days ago. The pool was nice and there was plenty of place to let Jake roll. He likes the smells here.

One family I talked to was in town to see a C&W performer. When I got set up, I checked my hunch: this was the hometown for Dave Matthews Band. They are one of my all-time favorite bands, with the stellar drummer Carter Beauford (and Dave’s not too shabby!). I expect this place to have a good vibe.

Monticello

The estate of Thomas Jefferson has been on my list for a very long time. Mostly because I know several people who visited and had very positive comments. His legacy certainly speaks to his interesting character as a founding father.

I started by joining a tour and listening to Debbie, a local 4th-grade school teacher, talk about Jefferson, the plantation he inherited from his father, and the enslaved people in his care. He named the plantation Monticello after spending time in France as an American ambassador. In Italian, it means little mountain.

Jefferson was an American Renaissance man like some of his contemporaries, including Ben Franklin. He was a self-taught architect and designed all of the buildings on the grounds. After living in France, he reworked the main building to incorporate sensibilities he picked up there.

He ventured into many different money-making schemes along the way. He manufactured nails early on. He switched crops from tobacco to wheat at one point. Most of the work, of course, was done by the enslaved people (his preferred term) – upwards of 400 of them over time. Most of them were inherited from his father and father-in-law. The museum delves into enslavement very thoroughly.

In addition to fathering 6 children with his wife, Mary (his third cousin and a widow at 23), he also fathered 6 with his enslaved concubine, Sally Hemmings, after Mary passed away. She asked him to never marry again, apparently because of the relationships she had with her two stepmothers. His relationship with Sally was very complicated and still has doubters. What is known is that at age 16 she was given the chance to remain in France as a free woman. She chose to return with Jefferson under the conditions that her children with him would be freed.

And of course, while all this was going on, he spearheaded the writing of the Declaration of Independence, was the 3rd president (two-term), ambassador to France, and designed the University of Virginia (which can be seen from the grounds). He lived to 83 to boot. Quite a man and a beautiful plantation.

After the visit, Jake and I checked out C’Ville. It was jammed with people and traffic but looked very hip. It’s a university town, and it shows. I stopped at my favorite Whole Foods for the first time on the trip. It was jammed on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Back for a dip in the pool. Tomorrow, we hoist anchor and head for a family reunion at Big Stone Gap. They made a movie about this place too, but with Whoopie Goldberg.

Confluence

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Harper’s Ferry

Our drive from Pennsylvania took us through Maryland, Virginia (briefly) and finally West Virginia. Our family has a lot of history in this state!

On my last stop in Lancaster County I learned about the importance of transportation in this area. Pennsylvania is the fifth largest state and ninth in population density. What that means, essentially, is that there are trucks fucking everywhere. Especially, it seems, on the otherwise scenic roads I traveled on to get here. One almost took us out – when I looked in the rear view camera he was awfully close! At least I know now I can make a panic stop in Starship Excellent Adventure (read activated ABS). Big fun!

Gettysburg Flyby

We decided to see what we could see at Gettysburg in Starship Excellent Adventure with both Saucer and Engine sections attached. Turns out not much. But we did get really hot walking around the Visitor’s Center (no dogs allowed inside) and a chat with Abe.

We arrived at our big campsite denuded of any trees where we landed the Starship. This one is a Holiday KOA meaning kids everywhere. I can’t believe they charged me a pet fee and want me to wear a fucking wristband.

The rest of the park was quite nice and I did enjoy a dip in the pool.

Harper’s Ferry

Confluence (I really like that word) of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers at Harper’s Ferry. The Appalachian Trail goes over the bridge shown in the beginning.

Harper’s Ferry was established in the mid-1700s by a dude named Harper. It sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers and was an excellent place for a ferry and water wheels to power machinery. Washington DC is about 50 miles downstream of here.

Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park: Site of the old armory. It was lower down to the water than the surrounding area.

George Washington visited here in 1785 and liked what he found. Not much later, it became strategically important for the manufacturing and storage of guns at an armory that was built near the river. Most of the history from that point centered around the armory.

Work was done here to prepare for the Lewis & Clark expedition. Weapons were procured from the armory. He had a collapsable steel framed boat made here that was critical to their success. Early work in the standardization of gun parts using precision molds followed as a result of this effort. An industrial revolution all our own.

Later, just prior to the Civil War, it was the scene of John Brown’s raid. Brown was an abolitionist and planned to raid the armory and arm the slaves in rebellion. It didn’t work, and they hung him. Prior to his death, he predicated that the Civil War would begin soon.

A couple of years later, he was proved right. During the Civil War the armory was a target. It was burned and all the weapons seized. Yet it remained a vital part of both the north and south’s ambitions, changing hands 8 times during the war.

The impact of John Brown’s legacy lived on as the first college for anyone was started here after the war. White, black, male and female – everyone was welcome. How fucking cool is that man!

The area changed status from a Monument to a National Historical Park. The restaurants downtown probably make a fortune in the Summertime so many people visit here. They bus them in on shuttle buses.

In the afternoon we were treated to a downpour. Heaviest rain since the Outer Banks. Next stop is Charlottesville, Virginia and a visit to Monticello.

Southbound Experiences

Amish farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They basically live in fear of God and work to suppress their Free Will. Not so sure if the Dude would abide, but hey, there’s always bowling!

After reaching the peak of our trip, we embarked on a southward journey. Our route took us back through southern Massachusetts and into the Hudson River Valley. Along the way, we made two stops before reaching our ultimate destination: Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. Lancaster County is renowned for its Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, particularly the Mennonites and Amish communities.

Sturbridge, Massachusetts

The first night’s stop was in an upscale private resort near Sturbridge. There is a recreation of an 1830s village in Sturbridge that looked interesting. The area itself is heavily wooden part of southern Massachusetts near the border with Connecticut.

Canadian Goose Shit Beach: Honestly, these feathered rats that shit like dogs are a nuisance. I mean, live and let live— right? I vote we deport these nasty beasts!

The campground was first class with many indoor pavilions. It was set on a lake, and the beachfront was full of Canadian goose poop.

💩

There were dozens of bright, sparkling, prefabricated cabins— nothing rural here. I didn’t see a single one of them occupied. It gave the place a very eerie feel. However, there was a ring of high-dollar class A motorhomes occupying the front camping area. Starship Excellent Adventure fit right in!

The next part of the journey took us through well-known names like the Berkshires and the Catskills. As we made a sharp southerly turn, crossing the Hudson River, I vowed to actually see the river at our next stop! We passed Woodstock along the way. I asked a local about what was happening there, and she suggested a visit. A missed opportunity.

Plattekill & Poughkeepsie ~ New York

The campground was located in Plattekill near Poughkeepsie. I learned Poughkeepsie is called the “Queen City of the Hudson.” Not sure about that but boy was it a confusing place to drive through! I also learned the city gets its name from a word in the Wappinger tribe’s Munsee language, meaning ‘the reed-covered lodge by the little-water place’, referring to a spring or stream feeding into the Hudson Riversouth of the downtown area. Wikipedia

We set up camp in a nice campground, set up as a destination for the with-children set. Regardless, it was mostly people like me at this point. A local told me summer really doesn’t arrive here until mid-June, and the schools get out.

We set up camp and headed to Poughkeepsie. The roads are very curvy here and in pretty good shape. That, plus an aggressive driving style of fellow road warriors, made for a fun trip! We crossed the bridge and headed for the river.

Mid Hudson River Bridge to Pouchkeepsie New York

The bridge dumps you out into a complex traffic scheme full of u-turns and other funnery! We made it safely to the spot called Quiet Cove Riverside Park. We learned from a local hanging out there that it used to be a New York State (Mental) Hospital!

In the series above, both the Pedestrian only bridge and Hudson River Bridge (two large towers) we crossed are shown separately. It was tempting to walk the Pedestrian bridge, but my back disagreed! I doubt Jake would have liked it much either.

We had another thrilling dash back to the campground after confirming that, indeed, the Hudson River met the specifications of a magnificent river!

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

The next day’s drive was a mix of beautiful scenery, heavy industrial traffic (e.g. trucks everywhere), and some seriously fucked-up roadways. After at least one missed turn, we finally made it to our campground about 10 miles east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The campground was on the side of a hill and has a stunning view of the farmland below.

We arrived at the campground and noticed our first clue that we had left Kansas behind. Unlike most campgrounds I’ve stayed at, this one was clearly designed for older travelers. There were no kid-friendly activities at all. The campground boasted gorgeous green lawns and immaculate gravel. The next thing that became apparent was the subtle wealth. Several million dollars worth of high-end, Class A motorhomes, most of which were towing luxurious cars, lined the campground. Some of the nicest motorhomes I’ve ever seen were there.

So this was obviously a draw for those that enjoy what this place has to offer. A combination of stunning country scenery, food and nostalgia.

The Shopping Experience

Shopping in Pennsylvania in a huge grocery store. Really big!

I need to resupply, so I found a well rated supermarket about 10 minutes away. I was not quite prepared for what I found. First I drove past a Smorgasbord restaurant that was as big as a Costco. That led to one serious unit of a grocery store. I mean this store was one of the biggest I had ever seen. Everything looked amazing. I bought way more than I should have!

The Pennsylvania Dutch Experience

I left Jake again and headed towards Lancaster. My destination is the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum. The museum is number of buildings hosting different aspects about early life in this area. It was started by the Landis Brothers in the early 1900s to capture what life was in the grandparents days.

I walked the grounds and spent considerable time in the three buildings that had knowledgeable staff about life on the road for men traveling the area and the art of textile and tin metal work.

This area was originally settled after the 30 year war (a nasty-ass religious war) by German speaking people of the Palatinate region of Germany. The first wave of immigrants from this area were the Amish and Mennonites. They were fleeing from religious persecution for their different beliefs. The countryside very much reminds me of that part of Germany when I traveled there in the 1980s.

The second, and much larger, wave of immigration came next. These were primarily Lutherans and other Protestant religions (no Catholics please). Regardless, they all brought a very German-like work ethic as well as traditional Arts & Crafts. To me this is reflected today in the care I saw all around for the land and the homes and buildings on the land. Very cool.

As I drove around I was continually impressed by the scenery. The place really is like a living postcard!

Pennsylvania Dutch Fare Dude Style – Traditional Sausage, German Potato Salad and Whole Milk!

I topped the day off with a most excellent meal made from my earlier shopping extravaganza! Next stop in Harper’s Ferry West Virginia for the Civil War Experience!

Amish Buggy in Intercourse, PA 😳 Here’s the rub – they changed the name from Cross Key. Who knows why? The buggies are very cool, small, and go fast. The horses are magnificent looking! No glue-factory-bound nags here!

Thickly Settled

What can you say about a place that was originally settled over 400 years ago? (Fun Fact: Massachutes has the 3rd highest population density of any state in the US) It must have had something going for it. I was about to find out!

Rhode Island

It was a busy drive through the tiny state of Rhode Island to Massachusetts and Cape Cod. (Fun Factoid #2: Rhode Island is #2 – see above 👆)

The traffic was vicious going through the industrial areas of Rhode Island and there was no chance to see anything. But at least Jake has bragging rights to being there 🐶.

I worked with a woman long ago from this area. I was in Boston visiting on a day off on a business trip. She told me the key to driving in Massachusetts was to stare straight ahead and never flinch 🤣. Apparently, his still holds true as I entered the Cape Cod area.

Cape Cod

Every school kid I grew up with learned about the Pilgrims landing in the New World over 400 years ago. They first set foot on land after their voyage in the area that is now the town of Provincetown.

The Pilgrims initially faced challenges in landing and eventually found themselves here. They anchored offshore for a while before landing and began exploring the area, which they believed could be suitable for settlement. While exploring, they stumbled upon an Indian Burial Mound with an offering of corn. They felt compelled to take some corn for their new colony, providing them with seeds to plant. This act of disturbing the burial site deeply disturbed the local residents, leading to their first encounter. In response, the Pilgrims began shooting at the fleeing Indians as they made their way back with their booty.

Manifest Destiny Ho!

Cape Cod today is both a residence and workplace for many and a vacation spot for even more. It is riddled with roadways that were originally trails giving them a very haphazard feel. The south end of the Cape is more heavily built up with many estates and resorts. Further north, where we stayed, is somewhat less populated. Overall the place had a great vibe and the locals I dealt with were very hip.

We stayed at a very nice campground outside of Eastham. It was in a beautiful oak canopy and was central to the beaches and lighthouses.

It seems like there are more restaurants per square mile than any other rural area I’ve visited. The harbors are filled with boats of many shape and sizes. A lot of the them are for commercial fishing.

The north area of the island was spectacular! Large, golden, rolling sand dunes with many tress and bushes. The beaches are very accessible and on many you can drive off-road with the proper equipment.

Our goal was to visit the major lighthouses on the Cape and take in the beach scenery. Turns out several of the lighthouses required overlanding on the dunes, so we just observed them from a distance.

We worked our way down to Provincetown. We stopped at the spot the Pilgrims first landed.

My brother told me that it was once a premier location for the LGBTetc crowd, but now the straight people are chasing them out. I couldn’t get a good look at anyone in particular, but I did see a giant Pride flag, and everyone looked like they had money.

Our second lighthouse was Wood End. It was a bit of a hike out to see it, so we opted for a long-lens shot.

Provincetown was a trip! Every square inch of land is occupied by beautiful buildings and plants. It cost $20 to park your car, so we opted for a drive through.

Our first good look at a lighthouse was at the Highland Lighthouse. Located on the eastern shore just south of the tip, it sits next to a golf course and is very well preserved.

Next stop on the lighthouse tour was Nauset Lighthouse. Close to where we are staying, this lighthouse graces a lot of the pictures and souvenirs I’ve seen with its bright red top.

Interesting to note that this lighthouse was once part of two lighthouses at Chatham, where we are visiting next.

Our fourth lighthouse was in the upscale town of Chatham. I saw a lot of very nice houses, resorts, and art galleries in this area. The lighthouse is part of a Coast Guard station and looks out on some very scenic beaches.

Today it’s part of an active Coast Guard base. There was a very nice restored motor lifeboat on display. The station was featured in a 2016 movie about the rescue of the disabled tanker SS Pendleton in 1952 that took place offshore from Cape Cod.

That night we had a lobster roll from a fish and chip place recommended by one of the locals. It was fabulous!

We woke the next morning to heavy rain. I was worried that it might last but by mid-morning it was clearing up. Then the wind started blowing! For a while it was gusting over 30 mph! Smaller clouds wished by overhead making for some dramatic photos and videos.

We made our way to the beaches on the eastern shore. This took us through some very windy, thickly settled areas. On our way we saw the liberal costal elitists out protesting en masse (well a dozen at least) on the street corners. One was for gun safety – not sure what the others were about! The rhododendrons were in bloom everywhere!

Encounter Beach is billed at the spot the illegal aliens first met the local residents. Things did not go well as outlined earlier. The beach, however, was fantastic!

A beautiful, windy day at Encounter Beach. Check out the cloud shadows whipping by half way through the video. People were here letting their dogs run on the flats. Jake lost his puppy-dog mind with all the rich smells and I had to chase after him! Big Fun!

A bit further inland where the land was higher more distinct channels had formed.

We headed further south through a lot more thickly settled areas to get to the next spot. It was aptly called Rock Harbor for the giant boulder sitting on the tidal flats.

We headed south, but we encountered another $20 parking situation as the beaches became more commercialized. It was time to call it quits and head back!

Our evening meal consisted of a delectable bowl of lobster chowder accompanied by onion rings. Jake reveled in the sunshine, recharging his batteries for the impending cold.

When we awoke the following morning, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, with howling winds and a temperature of a chilly 41°F. Brrr!

Our journey has reached its halfway point as we turn southwards to the Appalachians on our way to Amish Country in Pennsylvania.

Mystic Pizza

When I planned the trip I learned about Mystic. Such a cool name! I quickly lesrned two things: (1) There was a Seaport Museum with old ships you could tour and (2) There was a movie called Mystic Pizza that was somehow associated with the town. So I decided to stay for a day.

We headed north out of Dover and made our way northwestwards. The idea was to bypass The New York city area to the west and make our way back to the coast from there.

We left Delaware and entered Pennsylvania, driving towards the Pocono Mountains near the border with New Jersey. Years ago, I had heard about this area from my colleagues who worked in the New Jersey area near New York. It was a popular destination for skiing and mountain activities. Although I had driven through this region, I only remembered it was in the mountains.

Delaware Gap National Recreation Area

We stayed the night at a very nice campground near the Delaware Gap National Recreation Area. We enjoyed our walks and the local wildlife!

The next day’s drive went through the Recreation Area. Very scenic!

Somewhere in New York. Disgustingly dirty roadside stops.

East Fishkill 🫨 Why would you even fucking name a place this?

(Turns out kill means a riverbed or a body of water in Dutch. They settled this area and used this to name a lot of the places they came across.)

We ended up crossing into Connecticut as we dropped out of the mountians.

We drove almost the entire length of the state before reaching the campground near Mystic. While the location was pleasant, its proximity to the Interstate caused excessive road noise. To make matters worse, there was road construction on the Interstate. On our first night, we were awakened by an hour of a massive engine doing something somewhere so loudly that the trailer shell resonated!

Mystic

The next day Jake took the morning off as I visited Mystic. I promised him we would go back later and do some walks!

The name “Mystic” is derived from the Pequot term “missi-tuk” describing a large river whose waters are driven into waves by tides or wind. Mystic was a significant Connecticut seaport with more than 600 ships built over 135 years starting in 1784. The village is located on the Mystic River which flows into Fishers Island Sound. The Mystic River Bascule Bridge crosses the river in the center of the village. It is very much a tourist town, especially with the Mystic Seaport Museum.

Raised bridge on the main road through Mystic. The concrete is a counterweight for the bridge roadway, requiring a lot less energy to open and close. Usually, the counterweight is located below the bridge surface. My guess is the small size dictated they be on top in this configuration.

Mystic Seaport Museum

The museum is the largest in the United States. The site holds a collection of ships and boats and a re-creation of a 19th-century seaport village consisting of more than 60 historic buildings, including many rare commercial structures that were moved to the site and meticulously restored.

I spent a couple of hours touring the site. Some of the highlights included the Whaling Ship Charles W. Morgan, a shop filled with old clocks and sextants, and exhibits on whaling and its impact. Knowledgeable staff were in abundance and eager to answer questions.

*Charles W. Morgan* is a whaling ship which was active for 80 years. She is the only surviving wooden whaler from 2,700 ships that operated in the United States whaling fleet. On her deck are huge try pots used to render blubber into whale oil. She came to Mystic Seaport in 1941 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Wikipedia

Clocks and Sextants: The site featured numerous exhibits related to navigation. This room housed a collection of clocks and sextants used by mariners during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Timekeeping on a ship was an arduous task. Constructing a clock that would maintain accuracy and withstand the harsh environmental conditions of the sea proved extremely challenging. This was a ships clock crafted by a clockmaker in Mystic around 1800. I was astounded by the intricate construction, featuring both wooden and metal gears.

This was an awe-inspiring piece of artwork. I sensed that it depicted real-life hardships during the era of whaling. I was astounded by the intricate details of the line drawing.

Detail of the drawing. I would think the white Christian nationalists would deem this about as woke as it gets! In your face, Cheeto Satan worshippers!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. It was an excellent representation of the seafaring life of the coastal inhabitants of the New England area.

A Slice of Heaven

It was then lunch time! Time for a Mystic Pizza!

Mystic Pizza opened in 1973. A screenwriter was vacationing in the area and was captivated by what she experienced. In 1988, a movie about the lives of three waitresses working there was released. It was well reviewed and the restaurant became a sensation, with people crowding to get A Slice Of Heaven! It’s run by the grandchildren of the original owners.

And the pizza was delicious! Crispy with the cheese on top of the fillings. Yummy!

Mystic Pizza: mementos from the movie and other Hollywood glitz!

Coastal Scenes

I drove back and picked up Jake to explore some of the coastal areas. We enjoyed beautiful views from nearby Stonington and the harbor near Mystic. I briefly spoke with a guy who was about to go scuba diving in the 50-degree water! Turns out, he’s an ex-Navy diver trained in Panama City and is currently working on submarines in nearly New London. How incredible is that? And he was cleaning the bottom of a boat! 🤣 They always told me Navy Divers were a breed-apart!

Latimer Reef Lighthouse off of Stonington Harbor

There are many well-maintained cemeteries in the area. It was quite unlike anything I had seen before. Some of the monuments were exceptionally detailed and remarkably well-preserved. They served as a testament to the wealth and prosperity that the region experienced during its early days in America. They were a testament to Moral Materialism at its peak.

Thankfully, the second night it started to rain. We were spared the roadwork at 0-dark-thirty and got a good night’s sleep. Next stop: Cape Cod!

Cuz

My favorite cousins among Mom’s numerous siblings were Sandy and Pete. A unique bond formed between Mom and Sandy when Mom began assisting their mother and her sister, Mary. Mary’s first child with her brilliant but somewhat eccentric husband, my uncle Ed Shaw, was named Edwina. Tragically, Edwina suffered a severe fever at a young age, resulting in brain damage. Consequently, Mary’s primary responsibility shifted to caring for Edwina, leaving Mom to take care of Sandra and Pete.

Dad, Mom (pregnant with Eddie) and my cousin Sandra in their house in Alamogordo, NM.

Their relationship was almost like that of siblings. Sandy was present at my birth in New Mexico. At the tender age of 13, she flew out and stayed with us that summer in Alamogordo. When I was young, she visited us many times in Florida. We spent our summer vacation visiting her and her family in West Virginia. Her brother Pete was a Vietnam War veteran and my hero.

Sailing with Sandra ~ Rick, Sandy, The Dude, Mom and Dave

As an adolescent boy, I had a crush on her. However, when she met her husband, Tom, I was devastated! Surprisingly, he turned out to be a cool guy, and we got along exceptionally well. I visited them when their first child, my cousin Pam, was born in 1968. They also had a son named Todd about six years later. I had only met Pam as a toddler and had never had the opportunity to meet Todd.

Eddie with cousin Pam Kinkus at the farm in west Virgina. Late 60s.

In 1968, we flew in a private plane and visited them in their apartment near Dover, Delaware. Tom had a job as a high school teacher and athletic coach. He had that job for many years and was deeply loved by the community, as they both were. Sandra started out as a social worker, raised her children, ran her own business, and was a tremendous asset to the community. She organized many activities and made their home a vital part of the community.

Clan Tubridy and Cousin Sandra at Mom’s Service

I hadn’t seen Sandy since Mom’s funeral in 2019. We also met Todd and his incredible family. We spent one day exploring the sights around Dover, and the other day, we traveled about two hours north to Pennsylvania with Todd.

Dover

Their homestead resided in a 1960s development less than a mile south of the old town of Dover. It was settled in the early 1600s and Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution.

Dover is the home to Dover Air Force Base. This base is renowned for its pivotal role in military air transport, particularly in the re-patronization of fallen armed forces members. Surprisingly, the base houses an enormous museum dedicated to this mission, aptly named the Air Mobility Command Museum. I had no idea it existed!

Their collection is truly exceptional! I had the privilege of strolling through several renowned aircraft that have played a significant role in World War II and beyond. It was Veteran’s Day, and the museum was filled with people eager to share their knowledge about these magnificent machines. One particularly knowledgeable gentleman even took the time to show me the supercharged/turbocharger on a B17 motor. It was an unexpected and delightful visit.

We drove out to the nearby Bowers Beach. To our surprise they were having a Pirate Festival there! We had a great hamburger at a restaurant on the inlet. I had been jonesing for a gut-bomb burger since the beginning of the trip.

The next morning we made a lovely drive northwards to Oxford Pennsylvania where Todd and his family live. We drove through very pretty countryside. As we got closer we began to see the Amish in their horse and buggy wagons. We stopped at a cool store along the way and picked up a souvenir for the trip.

I picked up several floats from fish traps. The store clerk Debbie was very friendly and touchy feelies with both of us. I liked her until she wanted to trim my beard!

Todd lives in a beautiful area surrounded by farmland. We had a great time visiting a local winery and listening to some good tunes by an excellent guitar player singer with plenty of electronics to enhance his sound.

Todd’s wife Jen and his daughter Sophie are truly a force of nature! Sophie is off to college, a drama queen who loves theater and STEM. Their son, Todd, looks like he could be on the cover of a teen magazione and is a genius-level sports guy. I was delighted by the incredible awesomeness of their children.

We shared many things in common (except for the sports, but I enjoyed listening to them talk about it). I was thrilled to learn that Jen’s father was at Woodstock. I regret not getting to meet him. Todd is the coolest 50-year-old I’ve ever met. I’m truly grateful to be part of their clan.

Sandra and I spent a considerable amount of time discussing Mom and her recollections of the early days of my family. She shared numerous photographs, but I was most humbled by the writings of her brilliant father, Ed Shaw. His handwritten poetry was compiled into books, and his journal, documenting his activities in the 1930s, was filled with his observations about life. It was truly remarkable.

He is ultimately responsible for my existence because he introduced my grandfather’s son, Edward Tubridy, to his sister-in-law Betty Kovac on that fateful day. Granddad worked as one of Ed Shaw’s mining engineers. They were watching a 1952 World Series game on Ed’s new TV. Deep thoughts, indeed.

I am incredibly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful family, a testament to the incredible spirit of existence.

OBX

We journeyed along the coast, heading towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It had been over two decades since my last visit to this area, when I had crossed by ferry at Ocracoke. Instead, I chose to ascend the western side of Pimlico Sound.

New Bern

We spent an overnight here. New Bern is located on the southern end of Pimlico Sound, north of Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. The campgrounds are situated on the north side of the Neuse River, across from New Bern. This area was founded by German-speaking Swiss in the early 1700s and named after the Swiss Caton of Bern. Bern is German for bear, which is why the coat of arms features a bear.

The campground was absolutely fantastic! We had a great time exploring the surrounding area on several walks. We also took a refreshing dip in the pool and indulged in a long, hot shower in the bathhouse.

The next morning we explored some of the nearby area, slowly making our way northwards towards our destination in Coinjock on Currituck Sound.

Currituck Sound

The campground was situated at the very northern tip of a peninsula, affectionately known as Church Island, nestled between Coinjock Bay and Currituck Sound. A canal was constructed to facilitate transit through the Intercostal Waterway. I had the pleasure of witnessing several breathtaking boats, including the one depicted below. Could it be a tax write-off?

This was our home port for exploring the Outer Banks. The facility was very nice, with many long-term campsites and cabin rentals. They had a supply of kayaks and plenty of kid-friendly activities. They’re also building a huge pool at the entrance, which is supposed to open this summer.

Lighthouse Tour

Our first day’s adventure involved a 200-mile round trip to visit two of the southern lighthouses: Bodie Island and Cape Hatteras. The day was beautiful as we embarked on our journey to the beach. Our first stop, approximately halfway through the trip, was Bodie Island Lighthouse.

This lighthouse stands as the third to be constructed on this spot, following the initial lighthouse built in the late 1840s. Unfortunately, the first two lighthouses didn’t last long. This one, however, has been standing since 1872.

The grounds and boardwalks were in excellent condition. We thoroughly enjoyed a walk around the grounds, including the boardwalk that crossed the marshlands.

The next part of our drive led us to the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. There are several very impressive bridges and trestles that appeared remarkably new. In fact, they were so new that they were not visible on the map software built into Starship Excellent Adventure in 2016.

The final part of the drive led us to Buxton, the home of the renowned Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Standing at an impressive 210 feet tall, it holds the distinction of being the tallest lighthouse in the United States.

The lighthouse, originally built in the early 1800s, was tragically destroyed during the Civil War in 1862. A second lighthouse was constructed in the 1870s to replace the lost structure. However, by the late 1990s, this lighthouse was in dire condition, on the brink of collapse into the sea. Remarkably, an incredible engineering feat was undertaken to relocate the structure over half a mile to the southwest. This remarkable achievement earned the lighthouse widespread acclaim, as it was the largest masonry structure ever moved. Despite numerous lawsuits filed by skeptics who doubted the project’s success, the lighthouse was successfully relocated.

When I first laid eyes on the structure in the summer of 1999, I could already see the roadway that had been constructed. Over 25 years later, I was filled with immense excitement to finally see the final resting place!

WTF?

Imagine my surprise when I first saw it, driving down the coastal road—covered in fucking scaffolding! Indeed, it was being refurbished. And, boy howdy, did they ever do a good job of covering it up! You could barely tell there was a lighthouse behind all the hoo ha!

For some inexplicable reason, this always seems to occur whenever I revisit a place after experiencing a setback on my initial visit! This unfortunate incident has happened to me thrice while attempting to dive the renowned walls of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and every time I have tried to see the Statue of Liberty!

We did visit the beach nearby where the lighthouse was located before the move.

The following day was a rainy day. A strong southwest wind brought thunderstorms and wind in the morning. By afternoon, the wind had nearly 180 degrees of change and started blowing out of the northeast. We enjoyed walks around the campgrounds during our breaks. That evening, I treated myself to some crabcakes at the local marina. Many multi-million-dollar yachts were parked there, including this stunning wooden beauty!

Wright Brothers National Monument

This has been on my list for some time now. I visited here in 1999 but did not visit. The weather cleared nicely and we headed out to the beach again.

While the Wright brothers were not the first to fly like a bird, but they were the first ones to do under power. They worked patiently in their shop in Dayton, Ohio but needed a place to test their designs and Kitty Hawk was the place. It offered them everything they needed including seclusion.

One of the nicest things was the ability to see out over the built-up shoreline and see the ocean. The monument sits a top a 90 foot tall hill, formed and stabilized from the shifting sands the Wright brothers tested their glider designs on.

Wright Brother National Monument looking out to the ocean.

The site comprises a monument and a vast grass field where flight tests were conducted. Markers indicate the distances and times flown during the first four powered flights. The visitor’s center is situated at the far northern end of the field. Replicas of the buildings used for hangers and living quarters are displayed, reflecting the four years the brothers spent here from 1900 to 1903. Additionally, there are other exhibits, and on the eastern side of the monument, a small airstrip serves as a haven for private pilots.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Our final visit took us northward from the Monument, along the coast, through Southern Shores and Duck, to Corolla. The area is quite different from the lower part of the Outer Banks. A single-lane road winds slowly through million-dollar beachfront homes and low-key resorts.