the pic~a~nic day way back when

So remember when, a long long time ago I mentioned in a post that we'd gone to look for some local music and took a pic~a~nic with us?  Yeah, it was Memorial Day weekend when the festival turned out to be a town wide (that went on for a mile at least) flea market (aka, in Tracey speak, "a flea circus")

Well we had taken that drive a few days prior (up and over some of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Hillsville, VA where the "festival" was) when we were just out "exploring" the area ~ something I love to do, something Rick, I think, tolerates if we are in the car, if it's on the bikes I think he loves it as well.  However Rick would not have loved this journey on his bike - it was windy with steep steep drop offs.

So, once again I digress.  When we did this route a few days earlier we traveled by this really interesting old building that we figured to be an old hotel/motel.  We didn't stop that day ~ I think we may have planned to stop on our way back to Mt. Airy, but ended up returning a totally different route.

This is where we stopped for our picnic on the "festival trip".  Not exactly what I had in mind for a picnic stop but it worked out terrifically for all of us.  We ate, Arlo played and Rick explored!

The photo above shows additional motel rooms behind this large old building.  We didn't notice this back building when we went by the first time ~ Rick discovered it on his exploration.  He didn't go into any of the rooms (not even sure they were accessible) but he did say that you could clearly see that the bottom portion of the back wall of this building is being pushed in by the mountain that it is built against!  WOW that could have led to an exciting stay back in the day if that sucker just came crashing into your room huh!  

Like I said, Sir got to do some water play.  This was such a pretty little stream coming down the mountain.  This stream was behind the smaller of the buildings out front - the one with the balconies.  There was pipework to the left of the stream that eventually fed the waterwheel in front of the property.  

It was such a neat place but we just couldn't find any information about it.  I believe it is in the town of Cana, VA but not sure.  We did ask a gentleman at the campground we were staying at in Mt. Airy if he knew anything about it and he commented that he'd been coming to the area for ten years and he'd never known it to be open.  

We did leave Mt. Airy (after extending and extending our stay) yesterday and spent last night and tonight at a fabulous campground in Romance, WV.  OMG words can not do this property justice.  Unfortunately it rained today so I don't have any pictures of it and they do not (strangely enough) have a website.  We are at Rippling Waters (Church of God) Campground.  To say the least I was very apprehensive to even make the phone call because it was church related and I had "odd" feelings but I'm so glad I did - absolutely outstanding, peaceful beautiful place.  On a scale of one to ten I rate it a nine point nine nine nine.  There are cardinals and bluebirds all around as well as deer and who knows what else that we can't see, but they can see us!  Oh what a place this is.  Another place I'd love to work camp at but I don't think I'd fit in real well in that capacity.

Our plan is to leave here in the morning unless Rick hears back from a friend from way back who lives in WV.  

I do have photos ~ many many photos ~ uploaded for the next post, pictures of our travel from NC to WV.  I'll try to do that post in a day or so ... seems I just can't do them when we get to our destination on a "travel day" however.  Suffice it to say for now that it was  a beautiful trip.

A follow up to a previous post - we did get brave enough to color my hair which is now a lovely shade of greenish/blue.

The washer, we were successful in repairing - Chuck and Anneke email me (tpw0607@gmail.com) and I'll give you the specifics as best I can if you are still having issues - I don't want to bore people here with  what we did .....

Monday morning "humor"/irony

Interesting sign to see at a BP station don't you think!  

(thank you Bethie)

Hey diddle diddle

The people and the fiddle(s)

lots and lots of fiddles, banjos, bass fiddles (cello???) guitars, mandolins...

I think the first photo is dulcimers, but not certain (Jon or Candy care to chime in here?)  Last night reminded me so much of you two - a long long time ago with banjo and guitar in hand at a Peck party I believe (maybe the one where baby Owen slept in the drawer ~ speaking of which Owen may have the pictures of the event I am remembering)!

Anyway, this is the weekend of the 39th Annual Fiddlers Convention here in Mt. Airy (being broadcast live, streaming live on the web at WPAQ).  I know I'm posting this late but hopefully someone may read it in time that they are still broadcasting (they do broadcast live every Saturday morning from one of the downtown Mt Airy venues).  I believe the broadcast of the convention will go through tonights performances.

We attended last night and had so darn much fun.  This is the music/instruments we wanted to hear in this area.  Last night's performances (being judged) started at 7:00.  The rain started around 7:35 (at least it was a bit later than last Friday nights outside entertainment!).  It did clear up enough about 25 minutes later and the entertainment resumed for about 45 more minutes and then the skies just opened and we decided to call it a night.

The photo above is of a family (well I did assume they were related) doing some dancing.  I think there is a dancing competition today but I'm not positive (there were no printed programs available at the convention!!)

Last nights program started with Bluegrass Music and ended with "Old Time".  I'm not sure what the definition is of Old Time, but boy we loved the Bluegrass.  The program tonight starts with Old Time and ends with Bluegrass (both are being judged again).  I don't know what the itinerary is for today, because we will definitely NOT be there ~ it is predicted to be in the low 90's today and it so humid I just can't deal with being outside.  So after I finish this post I will be settling in to work on some doll clothes!

The pictures in this post are just random photos in and around the event.  I don't remember, unfortunately, the names of the groups so I won't be a wealth of information today (useless or otherwise).  

The photo just above is a group that had just gotten off the stage (look how young they are).  Each group performed one song then the next group came on.  I was very very impressed how rapidly and smoothly it all went (I guess that being the 39th annual, they've worked out all the "kinks" ... well they do have no control over the weather!!)

Strolling the grounds there was lots of strumming and fiddling and pickin' going on - Rick was so disappointed that we were not staying there.  I did read that dogs were not allowed in the campground area which really surprised me - seriously, fiddlers don't travel with dogs ~ how is that possible.  It would have been a hoot to stay there, surely we wouldn't have gotten much sleep but what a terrific way to be exhausted - staying up listening to these local tunes all night!

The photo below is one of my favorites.  This little girl with crossed arms (all right "young lady") was so intent on what was going on.  I never did see her perform, but check out that fiddle case with all those stickers.  She was just precious.  The Arts council here has free fiddle and guitar lessons on Thursday nights for children 6-16 years old.  I am so impressed with how the area keeps this aspect of their heritage alive and promotes it so actively.

So the photo below .... was one of our favorites from last night - Kill Basa Bill's Roadshow.  OMG, hopefully you can enlarge it and and check out the "outfit" front and center ~ hopefully truly appreciate them.  Their entertainment starts as soon as they step on stage - without even opening their mouths!  The song they performed last night was titled something to the effect of "I Met Her in the Porta Potti Line" or "I Fell in Love in the Porta Potti Line" - it was, not surprisingly, hysterical.  Unfortunately, it is not on the play list on their myspace page -BUT the page is worth going to!

Hopefully, the heat and humidity will back off a bit, the rain will hold off (predicted at a 40% chance tonight - UGH) and we will return to the 39th Annual Fiddler's Convention ~ we sure had fun.

With all that said, I still have a post to do about our pic-a-nic day last Saturday, in search of the "festival" aka miles upon miles of "flea market" in Hillsville last week.  

We are out of here on Tuesday morning - headed north and west - Sioux Falls here we come .... slowly slowly, ever so slowly, but here we come!

Memorial Day festivities

Yes, I do realize I am a few days behind with this post ....  

Rick went to the brief Memorial Day celebration (is it really a celebration?  I think it should be referred to as an acknowledgement of the day, but then again it is half past midnight and I should be in bed, so work with me here a bit).  Anyway, Rick went to that (photo above) while Sir and I stayed back at the campground just "chillin'" for a bit.

The campground had it's own "time" and what a great time it was, I refer to it as a "holiday picnic" for no other reason that it really didn't have much that I could see to do with the  "holiday" (well other than red, white and blue balloons etc) it was just a festive event ... and a fun festive event at that, I thought.

The campground had local entertainment ~ the Easter Brothers.  They played the instruments we'd hoped to be listening to in these parts - although it was "gospel music" which isn't what we listen to, but it was a nice time, followed by hamburgers and hot dogs and rain rain rain ~ have I mentioned that it seems to rain here every day?  First it is so hot you can't stand the thought of putting on jeans and boots and getting on your bike then it rains.  

But, once again, I digress!  The three previous photos are the event that the campground put on Monday and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well Rick and I did - I had taken Sir out for a walk while Rick was at the downtown festivities.  The Easter Brothers were doing sound checks and "warming up" or whatever it may be called.  As soon as that started Sir was headed back to the coach.  NOT because it was offensive in ANY way, but because it was a louder than normal (for these parts) noise and because he didn't recognize it.  Yeah the big brave fool that thinks he is the boss of the entire acreage here runs for his coach when anything "startles" him.  That's my dog .... 

a date night

So here in Mt. Airy they have a wonderful arts council  and are very very "into" their local culture and history ~ as I think I've mentioned in a few previous posts.  


The local music was one of the reasons we wanted to come here (well that and of course, Mayberry!).  Unfortunately, we had not come across the local traditional music we'd hoped for and I'm not convinced it was for lack of trying, but for some reason the Arts Council seems to mostly book "beach" music for Friday and Saturdays at this marvelous amphitheatre.

We decided the other night that this amphitheatre was just such a terrific venue that we should just go and enjoy whatever the music was.  The entertainment this evening was "the Fantastic Shakers".  What the heck, at $10. each  it seemed like a decent night out (date night, date night).  

There is a dance "style" in the Carolinas called "shagging".  Since we aren't much for dancing I couldn't begin to describe it because I don't know for sure if I've seen it!  We were first aware of it a few years ago in the Myrtle Beach area.  Well the Fantastic Shakers schedule indicates they play at shagging events ~ seemed like yet another reason to go see them!  

It started out great - what a terrific venue ~ gorgeous green grass, bring your own chairs (or in our case, a sheet to sit on ~ why we don't keep two "bag chairs" in the car is beyond me, but that would be a different blog post for sure).  Come to find out you can even bring food - a pic~a~nic (I LOVE pic~a~nics.... I have such fond memories of picnics when the boys were young with my Mother's favorite picnic recipe ~ "gooey buns" ~ another blog post, but trust me, in spite of the name they are oh so yummy).  

Once again, I've digressed .... The first song in their set (and I can't remember what that was, after all it was four days ago!) people were up dancing away having a grand ole time.  In fact the fourth song they played (yup I can't remember that either, other than it was a Righteous Brothers song) we got up to be dancers.

 Then the skies just opened up - seriously not even 90 seconds into our dance!

The Shakers had to cover their equipment, and take cover, as did the audience .... so under the amphitheatre roof we went and stayed and stayed and stayed as the rain came down, the lightning flashed, the thunder rumbled ....

We waited and waited and chatted with the others, made nice with the Shakers and waited and waited and waited, then decided after about 45 minutes of this downpour that we'd just spent money to hear four tunes, got part of one dance and it was just time to "call it a night".  We sure did have fun while it lasted!

With all that said, while the weather did not want to "play nice" this is an outstanding venue and the town of Mt. Airy and Surry County should be very very proud of what they've created.  Rain, however, is out of our control ....

With all that said, there is the annual Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention this coming weekend, so guess what ~ 

yup, we've extended our stay again!

Goofer goofer ~ we have a goofer

the tour

So, as I think I mentioned we were going to do a Mayberry Squad Car Tour (serious Mayberryism).  Well we did it either Monday or Tuesday (yup, I DO know that I AM a slacker and getting worse by the month and have to look at the day clock to know indeed what day it IS).

While a bit on the "hokie" side the tour was informative to some degree (dangerous to another degree as we were damn near "broad sided" at one point).

With all that said, the tour "company" has three of these vintage Ford Galaxies (no padded dashes though JRP).  I believe we were in a 1965 model.  One of the facts we learned on the tour was that while the Andy Griffith Show was being filmed a local Ford dealer in Hollywood would give the show a new car each year - SO if you are ever inclined to watch repeats and if you know vintage car years, you can determine the year the show was filmed by the model year of the car.  Now seriously, am I not a wealth of information or what!?  One just never knows the amount of useful (less) information one may learn on our blog, do one?

So the first stop on our tour was the North Carolina Granite Corporation.  Actually, I did find this rather interesting as I'd lived in the Barre~Montpelier Vermont area for a few years many many many years ago (and it was Montpelier we lived in).  It was my belief that Barre was considered (perhaps by the locals only, but I'm not sure) the "Granite Capital of the World" ~ Kim, Jack care to confirm?

Anyway, the NCGC claims to be the worlds largest open granite quarry.  That was pretty interesting in itself.  In the years I lived in Montpelier I never did see the quarries in Barre (Kim did you ever do a school field trip there with Dylan or Emma?).

The facts and statistics we learned about the granite quarry here were really mind boggling, and my mind is so boggled I can't remember much of them other than

1) astronauts use this open quarry as a "landmark" on a sunny day to be sure they are on course (I swear, that's what we were told), there is so much mica (Candy, tell Brayden this the next time you are out gathering mica on your walks - he will undoubtedly be very impressed ~ in ten years or so!) anyway, I digress ... on a sunny day the amount of mica in this granite is a clear indicator to astronauts that they are on course!  The next fact is far more important.  

2) Apparently the contract for the granite for the September 11th memorial in NYC has been awarded to an African and an Italian company.  Something just doesn't feel "right" with this ~ not that anything about September 11th is or ever will be "right"  Yes, I do realize there are many many granite quarries here in the United States (aforementioned Barre or Quincy, MA, where I used to walk to the Granite workers memorial on my lunch hour back in my working, walking, more fit days) so why on earth would this be "out sourced"?

Okay, rant over .... the photo above is the open quarry and the photo below is the office building for the NCGC.  There are many many many old (and new) beautiful granite buildings here in Mt. Airy.  Several of the old homes have granite foundations.  It was interesting to have pointed out to us at one church that the early granite wasn't cut in squares and rectangles when building ~ it was random shapes and sizes.  The church I reference had an addition done some years after the original building.  The original building is very random shapes and sizes where the addition is very precisely cut ~ quite a contrast.  The photo below (if you enlarge it and see the walls of the church) shows the early cuts, I guess my photo of the addition went into the trash for whatever reason (keep in mind it was taken through the window, open of course because there was no air conditioning on a 90 degree day ... poor me wha wha wha) but if you enlarge the office building picture you will see the more precise cutting.

With all that said I really did enjoy the granite industry part of the tour - it was certainly the least "hokey" of it all, which is not a 'diss ~ after all it's Mayberry and it's all just so good ~ no parking meters, no cussing, no dissing and seriously ("serious as a heart attack here friends) people walk down the street and greet you and smile and ask you how you are ... absolute, total strangers!  I just LOVE it here.

Okay, moving along on our tour we came upon the .... you got it Andy Griffith Home place. 

Yup, that's it above.

Papa Griffith bought it for $6,000. way back when and swore he paid too much.  If you are so inclined you can stay here for a night, a week, however long you want.  Seriously, yes you can folks by contacting the Hampton Inn in lovely Mt. Airy (nope I did not and likely will not, get a commission, a kick in the butt or even a free cocktail for that plug, alas my corporate travel planning days are behind me, far far behind ~ although I really DID love that part of my job, other than the constant, and costly, last minute changes) but it is a true statement ~ YOU can stay at the home place ~ not just any home place, but THE home place of himself Mr. Andy Griffith!  What a hoot huh and I'm thinking perhaps WE should do it, just because we can (then again, what about Sir?  If Sir can't be there then I guess we can't either, but why would they not allow a dog in this bit of Americana?  hmm I will have to look into this).

Alright that is the end of the post part about the Squad Car Tour (well mainly because that was the end of said squad car tour!!)

Here we are folks in downtown Mt. Airy (aka Mayberry).  By the way I am doing this post tongue in cheek I guess the saying goes (another of those sayings that I have no clue what the heck they mean, or more importantly how the term originated) but I am truly truly loving the Mt. airy area.  Remember we came in here two weeks ago for three nights ~ well we are extending our stay for at least another week tomorrow.  I could be very very happy here for a few months (work camper work camper work camper??? ~ YEAH)

Yup, I did that digress thing yet again.  Above is himself, King Richard, in front of the Blue Bird Diner ~ yes the same Blue Bird Diner where Deputy Barney Fife would call his "pal" Juanita and sing to her - remember?  You never did see Juanita did you, but Barney sure crooned quite a tune to her!  And Andy had fun with the whole scenario right!  By the way, we have had so much fun watching the TV Land reruns since we've been here, we are truly seeing them through different eyes right now.  

So yes, Richard went out on his bike the other day to check out a local shooting range while Sir and I stayed here and did laundry or tried to stay cool with all the air conditioners going or whatever it was that we did.  Along the way Rick decided to go into the diner and order himself a malted ~ what a hoot his version of the story is.  Rick has this habit of asking a waitstaff person what they recommend.  Apparently he was dealing with someone who was just petrified to recommend anything - all he wanted to know was what is the diner's most popular malted, what is YOUR favorite whatever - just bring him a malted ... I think, but am not positive that he ended up with a chocolate malted (that would certainly have been MY preference, but as I mentioned I wasn't there).  I guess he enjoyed it, he did say he consumed it all and it probably contained his sugar allowance for two months or so ....

And as the photo above shows, there truly is a Floyd"s Barber Shop here in Mayberry Mt. Airy.  According to our tour person, Floyd (I don't believe that is his real name, but can't remember for sure and Rick isn't here to confirm or deny) is 92 years old.  I really wanted Rick to go in and get a hair cut - yeah yeah yeah don't even go there with the what would they cut jokes.  I do the neck shave and trim the tail every month or so, but I seriously think Rick was afraid that, in these more conservative parts, if he went in for a trim he'd leave minus that tail that I so love ... I told him it just wouldn't happen, that I would put that tail up and hold it to the side with a barrette and no one would notice ~ well he still wouldn't go for it.  What the heck's up with that?  Moving on ......

And yes, there is indeed a Snappy Lunch in town as well.  According to their brochure/menu they are the "only existing Mt. Airy business mentioned on the television show".  I am pretty sure that Floyd's is mentioned in nearly every episode but who am I to question such a thing!  Anyway, other than the show, Snappy Lunch's claim to fame is a pork chop sandwich (honest, I couldn't make this up if I wanted to).  So we went in the other day and had ourselves a pork chop sandwich.  Interesting creation that pork chop sandwich ~ which comes, unless ordered otherwise, with chili, cole slaw, mustard, onion and tomato) ~ so from what I could figure someone pounds that poor chop oh so thin (1/4 inch or so) then breads it and fries it (of course, cause we aren't like really conscious of fat or calories in these parts) then puts it in a bun with the aforementioned "dressings" and serves it.  It really was a tasty concoction, but I couldn't quite eat it all - seriously, I know I don't say that very often but, it was, the equivalent of two lunches for me.

Now we are back at THE campground.  Have I mentioned in the last paragraph or three how much I love it here?

This campground is on the homestead of many generations (well the campground owner, who is younger than yours truly by several years, is the fourth generation) of the Siamese Twins  (the first is the better link FYI)   Eng and Chang Bunker who traveled with Barnum Circus.

Below is a photo of the homestead here on the property (not open to the public but if you want the owner will give you a tour).

Such an interesting story the whole thing is.  I believe I posted, admittedly morbidly, a photo of the twins headstone in a previously, with "details to follow".  The twins (from my best memory of the stories we've heard) purchased THIS land we are on (2000 +/- acres in fact)  as their initial land purchase in these parts, as history tells more land was purchased, homes built, children born (21 between the two) ... etc.  It is interesting for me, as I chat with the campground owner (keep in mind how much I hate history and it bores me to no end) that he is ONLY the fourth generation of these twins then we chat with the owners young (18 and 14 year olds, perhaps) daughters, and it is mind boggling!

Have I mentioned how much I love this area?

Stay tuned for a post about our "date night" (yeah, well word has it there was a drive in theatre here until three months ago, but we did, indeed, have a date the other night - just King and I, Sir was NOT ~ no way, no how, invited)

and a post about our travels for a picnic today.

An odd thing for us ~ there seems to be NO honoring of Memorial Day tomorrow in these parts.  How is it possible that there are not parades and festivities?  Rick did go to the COC the other day (as the COC person was posting here) to get information about events in the area - He was looking for festivities appropriate to the day as well as "local" music etc ... we were sent to Hillsville, VA (about 25 miles over the Blue Ridge, a gorgeous ride, but Rick, unfortunately, can not do the "Parkway" ~ another post, another time!).  Well the "event" in Hillsville we were sent to was a "town wide" flea market - you know vendors renting tents yada yada yada - NO local music as he'd inquired about, just tent upon tent upon $5.00 parking then $3.00 parking to go to see tee shirt vendors, sox vendors, junk vendors, whatever ... not at all what he was inquiring about .... No thanks ... no music, nothing that was relevant to Memorial Day,  nothing that interested US ... How is it that this day is of NO significance here?  What am I missing?