Category Archives: Travel

A Quick Visit to Southport, NC

Sunset over the harbor in Southport, North Carolina

Kathy & I made our return trip to Southport, NC this past Thursday & Friday to get our second round of the Covid vaccine.  Kathy fared pretty well (so far) but it really kicked my butt.  Not unusual I suppose, but I had been very optimistic that my experience would be a non-event.  Not so.

Fishing trawler “Cape Point” in the marina at Southport, North Carolina

The weather this time was conducive to spending time in town and having dinner at one of the many waterfront restaurants there.  We spent a little time walking around after dinner before finally needing to escape what I can only imagine were sand fleas.  Pesky little buggers who like to get in your hair and other places you don’t want bugs.  Yuck!

Rickety dock in the harbor in Southport, North Carolina

We depart on Sunday for our latest road trip – a journey to the Southwest through Texas, southern New Mexico & Arizona with a return via parts of Route 66.  We should be gone about 3 weeks and I’ll likely be posting my “postcards” as we go.

American Fish Company restaurant on the waterfront in Southport, North Carolina
Container ship transiting the Cape Fear River enroute to the Atlantic Ocean from Wilmington, North Carolina
Homes along the waterfront in Southport, North Carolina
Fishing pier in Southport, North Carolina
Downtown Southport, North Carolina

Shadows, Lines and Angles

Lamp Post – St. Augustine, Florida

I finally finished up processing photos from our recent Florida trip.  I didn’t have an interesting story to go with them but they are pretty interesting on their own.

Lake Placid, Florida
Historic Downtown Parking Facility – St. Augustine, Florida
Historic Downtown Parking Facility – St. Augustine, Florida
Tiles – St. Augustine, Florida
Castillo de San Marcos Fort in St. Augustine, Florida
Castillo de San Marcos Fort in St. Augustine, Florida
Castillo de San Marcos Fort in St. Augustine, Florida
Castillo de San Marcos Fort in St. Augustine, Florida
Castillo de San Marcos Fort in St. Augustine, Florida

A North Carolina Ghost Town

Abandoned looking downtown in Fair Bluff, North Carolina

We were only gone from home for a little over 24 hours, but I came back with a number of stories.  This is the last one from our vaccine quest.

Abandoned looking downtown in Fair Bluff, North Carolina

On our way home from Southport, we decided to stop for lunch in Whiteville, a town just off the main route.  The Chef & The Frog, by the way, was excellent.  On our way there we passed through the town of Fair Bluff.  I had seen a billboard promoting their “Depot Museum” and wanted to stop.  As we entered the town it was clear that the place was nearly deserted.  The main street was almost completely devoid of shops.  A former car dealership sat empty with parts of the building on the verge of collapse.  Directly across the street was a building marked as being the Municipal Building, but it was boarded up and silent.  Urns along the sidewalks contained plants that appeared to be reasonably well cared for, or as well as could be expected for late winter.  Farther up the street a gas station was open, and a pizza shop showed signs of life.

Former car dealership in Fair Bluff, North Carolina
Abandoned looking downtown in Fair Bluff, North Carolina

So what happened here, I wondered?  As it turns out, Wikipedia summarizes the events leading up to the situation we came across:

“In 1999, Fair Bluff experienced a 1-in-100 year flood event.

In 2012, the Police Chief of Fair Bluff Marty Lewis was arrested, tried and convicted for selling and delivering oxycodone and possession with the intent to sell and conspiracy to traffic while acting as police chief. He was sentenced to a minimum of seven years in prison and fined $100,000. On April 9, 2015 Marty Lewis filled an appeal of his case. On November 3, 2015 the verdict was unanimously affirmed by the North Carolina Court of Appeals, leaving in place the 90 to 117 month prison sentence originally imposed. Lewis will not be eligible for parole before November 2022.

In 2016, the town was devastated by flooding on the Lumber River caused by Hurricane Matthew, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of residents. As of June 2018 the rebuilding effort was still underway but several hundred residents who had fled rising floodwaters never returned and a number of businesses remained shuttered.

In September 2018 Fair Bluff was flooded again by the impact of Hurricane Florence, again forcing evacuations and leaving the downtown area under water again, and devastating the town for the third time in under 20 years. After Florence, many buildings in the downtown area of the town lay abandoned, with no plans to reoccupy or fix the buildings.

The population was 951 at the 2010 census but is believed to be lower following the two disasters, some estimates going as low as 450 people.”

Old building that appears to have possibly been a railroad building in Fair Bluff, North Carolina
Old building that appears to have possibly been a railroad building in Fair Bluff, North Carolina

That pretty much explains it – a town with a troubled past and cloudy future.  But they do have a very nice train station.

Train station in Fair Bluff, North Carolina now used as a museum
Train station in Fair Bluff, North Carolina now used as a museum

An I-95 Landmark: South Of The Border

The 104-foot tall “Pedro” welcomes visitors to South of the Border, a tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border. Pedro contains 4 miles of wiring, weighs 77 tons and is said to be the largest neon sign east of the Mississippi.

Anyone who has traveled I-95 up or down the east coast has seen them.  Endless billboards, counting down the miles to Pedro’s Place – South Of The Border at the NC/SC line.  Sayings that these days might trouble the Easily Offended, but meant and usually taken in good fun.

YOU NEVER SAUSAGE A PLACE!

(YOU’RE ALWAYS A WEINER AT PEDRO’S!)

South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, my family vacationed in the mountains of North Carolina, where my dad was from.  On the one occasion I can remember when we went to the Outer Banks, we drove across North Carolina to the coast.  I don’t remember how we got back, but we never went that far south.

South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border
South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border
South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border. The Sombrero Observation Tower is over 200 feet high and its glass elevator gives riders a full view of South of the Border’s grounds as it glides to the top.

Kathy’s family, on the other hand, made an annual summer vacation trek to Florida from Ohio.  Back in the 60s, there was no I-77, or at least it didn’t go as far as it does now, so the preferred route was the PA Turnpike to somewhere in eastern PA, probably Breezewood, then over to I-95 to Florida.

So imagine, riding down I-95, July in North Carolina, 3 kids in the back seat of a Volkswagen Somethingorother with no air conditioning, Day 2 of a 3-day adventure, tired, hungry and bored.  Those signs looked like an oasis to a person dying of thirst in the desert.  The closer they got, coming from either direction, the higher the hopes.  Seeing the signs for miles and miles, until as the border approached, the Sombrero-topped observation tower and the 100+ foot tall Pedro statue loomed on the horizon.  Three kids silently willing dad to take the exit.  But he drives on by, hopes dashed for another year.

South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border
South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border

So on our trip out to Bolivia, NC this past week, Kathy realized a lifelong dream – I took her to South Of The Border! 🙂  And it was about what we expected.  We had an average lunch served by an enthusiastic but largely ineffective waitress, prepared by what I imagined to be a single moody cook, preparing each meal in the order in which it was received.  The interior of The Sombrero Room Restaurant, while clean and cozy, looked like it might have been salvaged from a former Chi-Chi’s.  We didn’t go into any of the shops, but they looked to be filled with the kinds of things we call “mommy-can-I-gets,” to tempt gullible kids (and their parents) into leaving some of their money behind for Pedro’s safekeeping.

South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border. The Sombrero Observation Tower is over 200 feet high and its glass elevator gives riders a full view of South of the Border’s grounds as it glides to the top.
South of the Border tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border

The place evidently attracts a crowd during peak tourism season – it’s been in business and growing steadily for 70 years.  There is something for everyone – a gas station, truck stop, motel, two restaurants, a convenience store (actually two), a campground and more shops than I can count.  Not to mention the observation tower and 100 foot Pedro!  But on this grey chilly Thursday in March there appeared to be more employees than guests.  It’s certainly attractive – clean and colorful and large enough to make it impossible to miss and almost as impossible to ignore.  I’m sure many strong-willed dads continue to resist the pull of the place, but many more likely succumb to the wishes and requests of their passengers.

The 104-foot tall “Pedro” welcomes visitors to South of the Border, a tourist attraction along I-95 at the SC-NC border. Pedro contains 4 miles of wiring, weights 77 tons and is said to be the largest neon sign east of the Mississippi.

A Quick Stop At Lake Okeechobee

Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida

We’ve passed by Lake Okeechobee on a number of occasions as we’ve transited central Florida, but have never taken the time to stop until this last time.  The reason we hadn’t seen the lake before is that it is almost completely surrounded by a 30 foot earthen dike, preventing views of the lake from the roadway, but keeping the water where it belongs.

Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida

The only way to actually see the lake is at one of the access points to the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail.  Even in the few towns around the lake there is no actual ‘lakefront.’  There is a large roadside park at the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam on the east side of the lake about 30 miles south of the town of Okeechobee.  We stopped there on our way to Okeechobee, where we spent the night before heading out to St. Augustine.

Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida
Park at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on Lake Okeechobee, Florida

We only spent about an hour at this stop, but it looks like a place with a lot of photographic opportunities depending on weather conditions.  If you don’t mind man-made objects like dams and pilings in your photos they might really add some interest to a nice morning or evening sky.  We had a few clouds around for our time there, but it was a little early in the evening for really nice light.  It had already been a long enough day, so we went on to our day’s destination.  We’ll see about returning for longer on a future trip!

Critters Galore

Anhinga drying his wings beside the lake in Nalcrest, Florida

While we didn’t specifically look for wildlife during our time in Florida, we did come across some examples of the local fauna.  Here are a few of my non-wildlife-photographer results.  I don’t think I ever saw an armadillo in the wild before.  If I did I don’t remember it.  I have seen plenty of the others, however.

Great Horned Owl at Lake Wailes Park, Lake Wales Florida
Dolphins swim in the waters behind the Apollo Visitor Center at Canaveral National Seashore, Florida
Alligators enjoying the sunshine at Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center on US-41/Tamiami Trail near Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee, Florida
Sandhill Crane wading the shoreline at Nalcrest, Florida
Limpkin wading the shoreline at Nalcrest, Florida
Osprey in search of lunch in Nalcrest, Florida
Osprey nest on a platform in Nalcrest, Florida
Alligator enjoying a relaxing afternoon by the lake in Nalcrest, Florida
Snowy egret wading the shoreline at Nalcrest, Florida
Limpkin wading the shoreline at Nalcrest, Florida
Wild turkeys wandering through the community of Nalcrest, Florida
Wild turkeys wandering through the community of Nalcrest, Florida
Armadillo at Nalcrest, Florida
Cathy’s green gator

The Murals of Lake Placid, Florida

Even the trash cans join in the themes in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals

I did a postcard from Lake Placid a few weeks ago but wanted to share a few more of the photos.  I know 25 seems like more than a few, but there are a lot of murals!

Mural celebrating the path to Eagle Scout. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals

Small towns these days have to work hard to attract tourism, and these murals are a testament to the pride of the community and the hard work required to see the project to completion on such a grand scale.  It was an enjoyable day, we had a good lunch and enjoyed a few hours walking around this pleasant town.  Thanks to our friends Bill & Cathy for sharing it with us! 🙂

Series of murals celebrating the history of Florida at Rotary Park. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Series of murals celebrating the history of Florida at Rotary Park. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the harvest of pine resin for gum terpentine and sold by Consolidated Naval Stores of Lake Placid. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the harvest of pine resin for gum terpentine and sold by Consolidated Naval Stores of Lake Placid. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting Lake Placid’s championship-winning basketball team in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the medical profession. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals

I have a number of “non-mural” photos too, and will save them to illustrate some future post.

Mural depicting Lake Placid’s championship-winning basketball team in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the natural beauty of rural Florida. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the natural beauty of rural Florida. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural at the Post Office in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting early telephone communication. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Celebrating the history of the orange industry. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the fishing in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the printing industry. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting the natural beauty of rural Florida. Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Mural depicting a bank robbery that took place in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Even the trash cans join in the themes in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Even the trash cans join in the themes in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Even the trash cans join in the themes in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals
Even the trash cans join in the themes in Lake Placid Florida, known as the Town of Murals

Florida Air Museum in Lakeland, Florida

Stearman biplane at the Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida

One of the spots we visited on our recent visit to Florida was the Florida Air Museum, located at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland.  Airplane buffs will recognize ‘LAL’ as the home of the annual Sun-N-Fun Aerospace Expo.

Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
“Woody Pusher” homebuilt airplane at the Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
“Woody Pusher” homebuilt airplane at the Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida

I was a little disappointed in the museum given the status of Sun-N-Fun in the aviation world, but to be fair they are in the process of a major facilities upgrade which should provide a lot more exhibit space and room for more aircraft.  Plus, we have visited some awesome aviation museums over the last few years, in particular the Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon.  How can you compare seeing photographs of Howard Hughes to actually standing inside the Spruce Goose? 😉

Pitts Special displayed in a typical configuration. Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Ford Flivver homebuilt airplane at the Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida’
Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida

It was a nice day and a good place to spend a little time.  And there are definitely a few one-of-a-kind aircraft housed here, including the Lockheed XVF-1 which was designed to be a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle long before Space-X figured out how to re-land rockets.  I can only imagine trying to set that thing down on its tail!

Lockheed XVF-1 at Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Lockheed XVF-1 at Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
Piedmont Airlines Boeing 727 on display at Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida
F-14 Tomcat on display at Florida Air Museum at the Lakeland-Linder International Airport in Lakeland Florida