Road Trip To The Capital

Beaufort  

We hit the road today and made our longest day trip yet as part of the Chicken Salad & Lemonade Tour. Just shy of a three-hour drive up the Neusse River Basin lies Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. Most of our trip was through wide open spaces with only an occasional concentration of big box development. We found the names of independent business such as Big Larry's Cookers, Uzzell's Wild Game Processing, Hog Slat Equipment Rental, and Pappy's Army Navy Surplus interesting and made the miles pass quickly. Also interesting were the number of barbecue restaurants along the way. From locals such as King's, Wilber's, McCall's, and Adam's Roadside, to regional chains like Smithfield's, Cookout, and even Bojangles, all competed with their special recipe for the regional delicacy. Our overcast drive eventually turned into a rainy drive as we approached the east side of Raleigh. Fruit trees bloomed along the highway interchanges. Our destination was the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences. From the moment we walked in the door we knew this was a special place. Skeletons of several whale species were suspended overhead. Living exhibits featured amphibians, reptiles, and birds. 

We continued to marvel at the extensive dioramas that represented every ecological niche and habitat possible. Every detail was covered from the foliage to the taxidermic animals placed throughout the scene. Other areas featured larger-than-life representations of insects. Also wandering the four floors of exhibits were multiple school groups. It was great to see their enthusiasm about the exhibits. After most of them filed out the door to get lunch, the place was a lot quieter. Barry and I took the opportunity to visit the interactive play area to see a live colony of honey bees. Their hive was contained behind clear panels in a large cabinet. A tube led outside and the bees were free to fly in and out as they desired. We did find the queen amongst all the worker bee. (She is the one with the orange dot on her head.) There was an entire room devoted to gemology. Of the garnet, amethyst, gold, and other specimens shown, I thought the 1,225 carat uncut crystal emerald was the best. It was found in Alexander County in 2011 and is one of only 10 emeralds over 1,000 carats ever found in North America. 

Dinosaurs were well represented in all shapes and sizes.

Our next destination was right across the walkway at the North Carolina Museum of History. Not unexpectedly, a replica of the Wright Flyer soared overhead in the foyer. An intricate maze covering the entire lower floor traced the state's history from early Spanish settlers and English colonization through recent times. The butter churn and spinning wheel caught my eye as being similar to those of my grandparents. As a life-long Virginian, I have many images ingrained in my mind of George Washington. I can definitely say this was not one of those images. Italian sculptor Antonio Canova chose to portray Washington as a Roman soldier-turned-statesman. The image became famous and appeared on objects ranging from dinner plates to money. I still prefer to think of him on horseback or in a boat crossing the Delaware River.

There were many displays covering North Carolina products and inventions. Pepsi was given a spot as well as the trio of home-grown headache powders. Speaking of heads, if there's a sign with a head hole, you know by now that we're going to take advantage of it. My favorite spot in this museum was the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame on the second floor. Baseball, golf, football, stock car racing were very well represented. I could have stayed in the basketball section for hours, walking down memory lane with names like Bones McKinney, Kay Yow, Terry Holland, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Valvano, and Dean Smith. It was good to see legendary UNC Coach Karen Shelton's commemorative national championship field hockey stick, a football representing Appalachian State's back-to-back-to-back national football championships, and trailblazing reporter Mary Garber's press pass (which stated that no women were admitted). Time was running short, so we had to get moving. The best part about these wonderful museums is that there is no admission fee.

Because it was raining, we did not go for a walk around the state capital grounds although they were right across the street. We did, however, still have two other stops to make on the way back to Beaufort. The first was to Pullen Park, which was the first public park in North Carolina and is the fifth oldest operating amusement park in the United States. A beautiful carved tree trunk stood at the entrance gate. The Dentzel Carousel, built in Germantown, PA, arrived in the park in 1921 and is complete with a Wurlitzer #125 band organ. Just outside the carousel building stood a statue of Andy and Opie form The Andy Griffith Show. Although their fishing poles were missing, it was still a wonderfully nostalgic piece of art -- much like the Bronze Fonz we found in Milwaukee while on the Great Loop. As we walked back to the Escape, I spotted a bed full of tulips enjoying the heavy shower. I love all these signs of spring.

Our final stop was at Historic Yates Mill. This water-powered gristmill served the residents of Wake County from colonial times through the early 1900s. Today, the mill is owned by NC State and is still operable. A short walking trail from the parking lot led past old grinding stones and alongside a busy highway. A sign asked that we not disturb the snakes. Not to worry, that would be the last thing on my list. It was a shame that the day was so dreary as this is one of the most picturesque places in the state. A sluice box diverts water from the mill pond to the water wheel. The remainder of the water spills over the dam and flows down the creek, eventually making its way to the Neusse River and then to the Atlantic. After a full day, we started back to Beaufort as the light of day faded and the showers continued. The weather in Beaufort will be nasty tomorrow with showers and predicted gusts of 45 mph. Those conditions will give our new bimini a good test.