Roads Less Traveled to and from Daytona Beach Journal€¦ · winding its way through the hills along the borders of West Virginia and Kentucky. Once the Ashland metropolitan area

1 All rights reserved © 2020 Kenneth Davis.

Roads Less Traveled to and from Daytona Beach Journal August 2020

This trip with the TuesCrew to a sequestering at Daytona Beach, encompasses nine states and uses US Routes rather than Interstate Highways, where possible, by Bev and Ken. As we have progressed through life, we have taken the position to “Always Take the Scenic Road.” – (Unknown author, but it could have been us.) Jim and Deb left southward on Tuesday August Eleventh. They are heading to Lakeland, Florida to visit family before making their way over to Daytona Beach. They made stops just outside of Wytheville, Virginia on Tuesday and in Savannah, Georgia on Wednesday before heading into Lakeland on Thursday. Meanwhile, Joan and Pam decided to fly down to meet the rest of us on Saturday. Wednesday morning, Bev and Ken started southward using US-35 to Chillicothe and then took US-23 and finally picked up US-52 at the Ohio River. With only a couple diversions due to a choice, US-52 would be followed all the way toward Florence, South Carolina and then Interstate 95 to Savannah, Georgia.

Day 2

Day 1


Out of Savannah we used US-17 to travel to Brunswick and over to Saint Simon’s Island. Then Interstate 95 again into Jacksonville, Florida for the night. Finally, US-1 to Saint Augustine and A1A south to Daytona Beach and Ponce Inlet.

Out of Ashland, Kentucky and on to Kenova, West Virginia, US-52 followed the Big Sandy River south, winding its way through the hills along the borders of West Virginia and Kentucky. Once the Ashland metropolitan area is in the rearview mirror, the road has little to offer except scenery. It took an hour to get to Williamson, West Virginia from Ashland. In that time, we passed a Taco Bell and Dairy Queen. They were next to each other.

Williamson offered a few places to eat as well as gas up. We chose Miss Wanda’s for lunch. Bev had a BLT and Ken had a Boe Burger with onion rings. The BLT was good as was the burger which is served on Texas Toast. The onion rings were missed by the waitress and they had to cook them up real quick like. They came out hot and crunchy. They were delightful.

Day 3

Day 4


On the other end of town stands the Coal House. It was built as a publicity stunt in 1933 out of Bitumen Coal. It is currently the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce. It’s pretty cool to see. The building was closed when we were there and we could not enter. Outside though, is a fountain honoring Chief Logan of the Mingo Tribe.

Out of Williamson, we headed south again on US-52. The road here became very steep and curvy as it wound its way through the Appalachians. This is Hatfield and McCoy country. West Virginia and Kentucky both have several Hatfield and McCoy Trails winding through the Appalachians. The journey through the hills was beautiful if, that is, one could have their eyes escape focusing on the road. The downside to the scenery was the condition of the housing along the road. It seems that very few residents take care of their properties, homes or other structures. Most were also precariously perched upon the hillsides above and below the roadway with very steep driveways. We arrived in Gilbert, West Virginia and followed signs to the Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine Distillery. We never made it as the very narrow roads to it were very steep and scary. We opted out after three switchbacks and meeting a huge pickup coming down. The next stop was Bramwell. This town at one time was tagged as the wealthiest in the nation in terms of millionaires per capita. It was home to many coal barons who built mansions here. Now they are just some nice old homes in a small mountain town. These homes are all well-kept.


Out of Bramwell, we entered Bluefield. This is a larger town where we planned to get some gas. Unfortunately, the gas stations we came to were derelict, had broken pumps or nasty looking. We opted to get gas after getting on Interstate 77. All roads merge into 77 here to go through a pass efficiently. With rain pelting the car, Bev requested staying on the Interstate into Mount Airy, North Carolina as it would be safer than winding mountain roads. The bad part is the constant drama caused by Semi Trucks dodging each other across the lanes. There was none of that on US-52. Mount Airy is the town of Mayberry RFD of the Andy Griffith Show. We had spent some time here exploring the sites back in June on our way to Topsail Island. See what we did in that journal by clicking the link: TopsailIslandJournal-June2020 We spent Wednesday night in Mount Airy. As it was raining, eating outside on a patio was not an option, so we grabbed some Mexican Food from Chili Rojo across the street from our hotel and ate in the room. The Enchilada’s Bev ate were very good and Ken’s Chimichanga was good. The meals came with some chips and salsa, beans and rice. A major thunderstorm occurred over the hotel during the night. The lightening squeaked through the blackout curtains and flash-lit the room on occasion. Sleep came anyway and we awoke ready for a new adventure. The first adventure of Thursday was to get something for breakfast since the hotel was not serving any on weekdays. Ken found Biscuitville just down the street and brought back a couple English muffins with bacon, egg and cheese. They were good, but not great. They needed some jelly maybe? Back on the road, we travelled south on US601 out of Mount Airy Through Yadkinville and into Mocksville. As we were making a turn, we saw the cute downtown. We made a U-Turn and stopped in the center of town for Bev to window shop. The downtown main intersection has shops in EL-shaped buildings on each of the four corners with a rounded parking area in front of them. Here we got a picture with President Trump. We thought it was special that he wanted to be in one of our selfies.

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After the trip through rural West Virginia, these small towns along US-601 in North Carolina were refreshingly pretty and well kept. Entering Salisbury where we were to pick up US-52 again, we found George Washington and family Outside the old Courthouse. Ken shook George’s hand as it was offered. Fancy that, we met two presidents in an hour! There is a beautiful courtyard and garden behind the Old Courthouse. And around the corner from George was a Transformer Buffalo. A few weeks ago, we saw a couple Autobots in Stillwater, OK and now this new one. Click the link to read about that trip: MO-OK-Journal-July2020

As we wound around to exit the downtown area, we found a stunning mural on the side of a building and the remains of an old stately bell tower standing without the rest of the church. The city is building a park on the old church grounds. It will be called, “Bell Tower Park”. The plans look nice. It would be nice to pass through in a couple years and see the completed park. After passing uneventfully through Granite Quarry, Rockwell, Gold Hill, Misenheimer and New London, we came to our next stop in Ablemarle. Here we lunched at Cookout on hotdogs, onion rings and a milk shake. The hotdogs were grilled dressed with mustard, onions and coleslaw. They were very good as were the onion rings which burnt our tongues, they were so fresh. The Chocolate Chip Milkshake was not able to be drunk through a straw. One must eat them with a spoon like a blizzard. Yup, we’d go back.

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Cookout is positioned in a large shopping complex. Bev decided we needed some retail therapy. Ken got a pair of sandals out of the deal and Bev got to walk around stores. Out of Ablemarle we didn’t see much in Ansonville, Wadesboro or McFarlan where we entered South Carolina. But, then the town of Cheraw, South Carolina caught our attention. This town is full of stately old and newer homes. All of them very well kept. Street after street we were awed. This would be a great place to look at homes decorated for Christmas, if they do that. It could be a destination travel event for folks. When we saw the signs for Society Hill just south of Cheraw, we thought maybe this would be better. NOPE! Unless there’s good stuff back off the highway, this is a place to avoid. Through Darlington we finally came to Florence, South Carolina. Here we had a decision to make. Here we could continue on US-52 and drop into Charleston or we could fight our way south with the semi-trucks on Interstate 95 on to Savannah. We chose Savannah, Georgia to spend the night. A hotel near the Savannah Airport was reserved and we made our way south. And into a huge rainstorm. The “frog strangler” type of rain. Bev was driving and took the first exit she found and switched seats with Ken. The GPS took us to US-301 and dropped us south for several miles before the rain abated and we returned to the Interstate. This was easier driving as there were no trucks nor any other traffic. Rain was hit and miss until we got about fifteen minutes from Savannah. It was finally gone and we checked into the hotel in the sunshine and dry. Dinner was in downtown Savannah on the river. We were guided to a really cool area on River Street. Many shops, bars and restaurants are located here along with a few hotels. The cobblestone streets are bumpy and have train tracks running down it. The tracks are unused and in places are covered by asphalt repairing major issues in the cobblestones.


Taking care of our hunger with some seafood was the first priority after parking. We could not get into a restaurant we have picked online, so we looked around. We happened onto Barracuda Bob’s Bar and Grill. The menu had items we were looking for and they had a table. Actually, they had several tables. It was pretty empty. Bev ordered a Seafood Trio of Scallops, Shrimp and a Crab Cake. Ken got the Shrimp and Grits. Both were delicious and well executed. We really enjoyed this meal.

Afterward, we walked the River Street and Bev checked out a couple shops. We then came to the Savannah’ Candy Kitchen where we drooled over many varieties of confections both packaged and homemade onsite. Ken grabbed a Key Lime Gelato from the ice cream section of the store. It was good and refreshing after seafood dessert.

We awoke Friday to sunshine and a new adventure. And after a “not the best” breakfast at the hotel, we took US-17 south toward Jacksonville, Florida. The road flows through a lot of swampy lands as it makes its way south.


Cruising through Midway and Riceboro, we came upon The Smallest Church in America just to the north of South Newport, Georgia. The little park it is located in was quiet and serene. The church itself is small with maybe a dozen chairs and a pulpit. It’s interesting that we have seen many of these “Smallest Churches” across America during our travels.

The next town was Eulonia. Here we stopped to pick up a couple stamps at the post office. Then on through Ardick, Darien and into Broadfield where a couple of beautiful old plantations still stand. A few miles further is the city of Brunswick. Here we hung a left and went across the FJ Torras Causeway onto Saint Simons Island, Georgia. Saint Simons is part of the Golden Isles and is a gorgeous place. The homes along Kings Way and in King City were absolutely stunning and very well maintained. The water front, beaches and pier are really clean and a great place to walk around. There is also the Saint Simons Light House at the waterfront.


While we were admiring the St. Simons Waterfront, Jim was enjoying the pool at their sister-in-law’s house in Florida. She has an awesome pool which overlooks the lake behind the house.

Just off shore from the pier lies the capsized Cargo Ship Golden Ray. It rolled over while exiting the through St. Simons Sound from Brunswick on September 8, 2019. There are crews working to salvage the hulk as it will never be able to sail the high seas again.

We walked about forty-five minutes and decided it was time for lunch. We located Brogen’s where we were able to sit on a shaded second floor deck overlooking the waterfront. It was beautiful. We ordered a Club Sandwich with fries and a Shrimp Po’ Boy with Onion Rings. The sandwiches were good as was the service. We would eat here again. After lunch we walked around a bit and Bev shopped at a store or two. Then back on the Causeway to Brunswick. Here we found the pot claimed to have been used for the first making of Brunswick Stew. It is located in Mary Ross Waterfront Park. This park also has a memorial to a World War II naval ship named, “City of Brunswick”.


Next to where we parked was Maggie Mae’s. It’s a small café in downtown serving classic American Fare. And they have Brunswick Stew which Ken had been wanting to try. We bought a cup to go and sat under a shade tree in the car to give it a taste. It was very good! Too bad we had just stuffed ourselves. We could not eat it all and wished we could. We recommend you try it. It is worth stopping here when traveling nearby.

On the way out of Brunswick, we tried to do a quick drive through of Jekyll Island. Unfortunately, there is an entrance fee and we were not going to be there long enough to justify the cost on this trip. So, a U-Turn and back on US-17 to Interstate 95 south. We took the interstate to our reserved hotel on the west side of Jacksonville, Florida. After checking in and a short rest, we headed thirty minutes east to the Jacksonville Beaches area. We were on the tail edge of a rain storm that passed over the region. When we arrived at the beach, it was doing some final sprinkling so we drove around to see what there was until the rain stopped. We passed only a couple of restaurants that were on the beach and chose Southern Kitchen to eat dinner at. A table on the patio with a view of the beach dune and a small portion of the ocean through the gap provided for vehicles to enter and exit the beach. Ken had a quick scare as he sat down, the chair seat broke. A new chair with all required support welds intact and we were good.


Bev ordered the special which was Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Grilled Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus while Ken got a bowl of New England Clam Chowder and a Caesar Salad. The scallops were very good and perfectly done and the potatoes were awesome. The rest of the meal was good, but not memorable.

After dinner, we walked over to the ramp leading to the beach we had looked at for the last hour or so. A short stroll on the beach to give us a head start on the upcoming week.

Heading back to the hotel for the night’s rest, we stopped at Sam’s Club and picked up a few items for the upcoming week at the condo. We went in for a couple food items and came out with shirts and a laser thermometer as well. Impulse buying at its best! A fitful night was had by both Ken and Jim in their respective locations. Bev and Deb fared better at sleeping. In the morning, Bev and Ken left Jacksonville just a few minutes before Deb and Jim left Lakeland, Florida. Our goal was to meet for lunch in the Daytona Beach area before check-in at the condo. Meanwhile, Joan and Pam were prepping themselves for the flight through Atlanta and on the Daytona beach. Six people in three cities converging for several days of rest at the ocean together. Bev and Ken left their hotel and hung a left onto US-1 south towards Saint Augustine. Moving out of the Jacksonville Metropolitan area, they drove through Twelve Mile Swamp Conservation Area and into Saint Augustine. Just past Castillo de San Marcos (A National Park we toured previously), we crossed the Mantanzas River and made our way to the Saint Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. We had toured the museum a few years ago, so this was just a reacquaintance stop. It is a beautiful facility and the trees provide a shady ceiling over the parking lot all day. We then travelled south on Route A1A through Saint Augustine Beach, past Fort Mantanzas National Monument and Marineland, down through Beverly Beach, Flagler Beach, Ormond by the Sea, Daytona


Beach and finally to Ponce Inlet. It was a pretty drive most of the way as the ocean was to our left and beach homes or Tiki Bars were on our right. Many cars were parked along the roadside belonging to those who were down in the sand and sea. Until we got into the dense condominium and hotel strewn areas of Ormond and Daytona Beach. Highrise’s blocked any potential view of the beach and Atlantic Ocean from the road. Ponce Inlet has a wonderful lighthouse itself that we have visited in the past. It is near the Lighthouse that we stopped for lunch at Down the Hatch Seafood Restaurant. Here we sat outside yet under roof for shade to have lunch and catch up on all that has happened in the several days we have been apart. We ordered the Fish of the Day which was Trigger Fish, A Shrimp Dinner, Fish Tacos and a Fried Clam Basket with Fries. The food was yummy and the service from our Waitress Demi, was really good. The place was busy with most all outdoor tables filled. A good sign in these times where businesses are having issues staying open. After wearing out our welcome, we headed north to Publix for perishable groceries we could not bring with us. And then on to the Condominium to check in. The weather looked a bit ominous as we drove north into Daytona Beach. And proved to be so. When we exited the office from checking into our respective rooms, we saw the rain coming down in sheets. Ugh, the timing was impeccable… It took a long time to offload the cars into the respective condos. The rain would cease for a few minutes and then restart with a vengeance. The chore was finally accomplished and just in time for Ken and Jim to run out to the airport and retrieve Joan and Pam. The ladies arrived on time and we picked them up without incident. A short drive around construction and we made it back to the condo. As the luggage was being hauled into the condo, Bev informed Ken


that she had left her credit card at the restaurant earlier. So, back to Ponce Inlet to pick it up. At least it was an easy task to retrieve it. We had pizza delivered from Genovese’s Italian Café. We have eaten there a couple of times and it is phenomenal. We were not wanting to eat inside and they deliver to our condo. A salad prepared by Deb and Bev along with the pizza outside at the condo was perfect. We sat and bantered about our day and realized the few things we missed bringing or grabbing at the store. So, a list was made and those items will be retrieved in the morning. Sunday morning came early. Bev and Ken, coffee cups in hand, sat on the front porch and watched The waning Crescent Moon and Planet Venus hang in the eastern sky as the clouds across the ocean horizon became highlighted in colors of white, yellow, orange and red while the sky morphed from black through shades of gray and into hues of blue as the sun took the sky. Jim eventually joined us to marvel at the dawning of a new day. Breakfast was toast and cereal as folks, already in swimwear, decided it was time to eat. No one was cooking nor was anyone in a rush. We were in the “Beach Time Zone”. It’s always whatever time you wish, somewhere! So, why not here! As mentioned earlier, we had missed a couple items either from home or when we went to the grocery. Ken grabbed the short-list and headed to Publix just up the road. All items were available and quickly retrieved. Go-For run complete! Jim headed to the pool first followed by Joan, Pam and Bev and finally Ken when he returned from the store. Deb is not a swimmer and enjoyed relaxing on land. This is such a pretty and relaxing place to sequester oneself.

The eventuality of lunch came as did breakfast where we all just made a personal sandwich and grabbed some chips. We basically all ate at the same time, but that was not really planned. The afternoon saw


Jim and Ken playing in the ocean waves for a time and then back to the pool. We all sat around one of the tables outside one of the rooms if we were not engaged in water activities. There were phones scanning email, news, Facebook and Google. Books of Sudoku and Crossword Puzzles for others or just sitting and chatting about life. For supper, Deb had put together her famous Bow-Tie Pasta Salad, Bev made Baked Beans and Ken grilled Hamburgers. The meal was fabulous and hit the spot for everyone. After supper, we relaxed, hit the hot tub, pool and just sat around enjoying the evening as the sunset and filled the sky overhead with a fiery orange glow. The evening waned to night and some sound sleep. Monday started early again when Jim texted at five-thirty that he was out on our porch with coffee and waiting for us. We promptly joined him and Pam joined us shortly thereafter. We watched an almost exact duplicate sunrise as we had the morning before. It was amazing. We then fried bacon, scrambled eggs and baked biscuits. We decided to actually set a time of seven-thirty for breakfast as a family. The breakfast table photograph was censored with the threat of bodily harm by the ladies if posted. The rest of the day was similar to the day before. We played in the ocean and pool and relaxed around the table outside the room. Dinner was ribs, Deb’s mini potatoes, her pasta salad and Bev’s beans. The grills were giving Jim and Ken fits though. One would not completely light, the shelf broke on the other. We used the broken shelf one


as it had three good burners. Ken ruined one of his favorite shirts when using some cleaner to semi-sanitize it before we used it. Then, the meat kept sticking and was shredding the ribs when Jim would attempt to flip them. Although the final product off the grill was less than pleasing to the eye, it was delicious and all ate hardily. Jim and Ken attempted to go back into the pool after supper and were chased out by a resurgence of lightning and thunder. It never rained but the threating clouds, lightning and thunder surrounded us all evening. Since it was not overhead, Deb, Bev, Jim and Ken made their way to the beach and took a walk that turned out to be a little over mile in the sand and water. The sunset encased the sky with a colorful display as we walked making the journey even more pleasant. Daytona Beach is hard pack sand which can be driven on. It was interesting to see the route flooded with high tide waters as we walked.

Tuesday morning Bev and Ken awoke and expected to Jim awaiting us on the porch again. He was a no-show. Eventually, Pam came down and let us know Jim was not feeling well and would not be joining us. Bev, the family nurse, made a house call to Jim. She recommended a couple things and for him to call his doctor. Breakfast was random acts of cereal or toast again. Ken and Bev made their way out to the ocean for a while. Joan and Pam sat at the pool as was their habit. Deb, sat out at the table and checked on Jim occasionally.

After lunch about one-thirty, we were out chatting or researching when we started hearing thunder in the distance. A few gray clouds appeared, but seemed to be distant again. Then out of the bright sunny sky came some big drops of rain. We gathered stuff and threw it in the rooms and tipped up the chairs to maybe keep them from getting too wet. The wind was blowing from the East and thus the porches were getting wet and we had to all go inside as well. The pool looked like the water was boiling.

The rain kept coming into the evening and we had to change our supper plans from grilling to just heating up some leftovers. Unfortunately, on top of the rain, the Television in Joan’s condo was dead. The ladies were not happy.


Jim talked to his doctor over video conference and took some recommended medicine. This helped and he was up and partially functional in the late evening. The rain finally moving out to sea, Ken took a walk on the beach down to the pier. It’s a three-mile round trip. A lot of people were making their way out on the beach after having been forced inside all afternoon by the torrential rains. Children and adults all frolicking in the water and sand. It was good to see folks enjoying themselves. The pandemic has taken quite a toll on fun this year. Wednesday morning, Jim joined us to watch the sunrise again. It was good to see the smile on his face and hear his chuckle as we discussed the morning skies. And plans were made for the upcoming day as Deb, Joan and Pam all joined us for the sunrise. There was some light swimming, especially by Jim and Ken in the morning. The ladies were getting all gussied-up for us to go out to lunch and then they would go shopping. We drove down to Ponce Inlet and on to Down the Hatch again. The great outdoor seating and good food were the big draw. For the first thirty minutes we were the only ones who were there. Much different from the crowds of Saturday. Lunch was various forms of fish and shrimp. They were all good and the service was really good.

After lunch, the ladies took off to find bargains. The guys went back to the condo, turned on some beach tunes, swan in the ocean and the pool, and sat back enjoying the quiet of the afternoon with a nap.


Eventually, the ladies returned with some bargains, but alas, not all they had hoped to find. Dinner was soon after and the rain stayed away for us to grill this evening. We had steak, parmesan potatoes, corn on the cob and salad. The grills were an absolute pain though. One grill would not light any burner and the other grill had one that refused to light. The steaks had to be cooked in shifts as the front of the burner was not hot like the rear. We made it work and put a lighter on our next grocery list. The meal itself was fantastic even with the frustrations. Thursday morning, Bev was frightened when she opened the door and Jim was standing there taking pictures of the predawn sky. It brought a chuckle to the start of the day. We sat on the front porch and found cool cloud formations. One was either a poodle or a dragon. The other became an Eagle with its wings stretched out. Behind the poodle-dragon, there were orange sunrays spraying in a semi-circle. It looked like the old Japanese flag for a few moments.

Breakfast was again at Bev and Ken’s as they fixed sausage gravy and biscuits with eggs. After breakfast, Ken made his daily trip to Publix to pick up a couple items. Mainly the lighter as we would need the grills to work for supper again.

The first order of business was to wish the sister Deb still in Ohio a happy birthday. This was done via FaceTime. And the rest of the day was spent in the water or discussing potential dream trips in our future. Fortunately, the rain went both north and south of us and we remained dry. The cloud cover provided a coolness which we enjoyed as we sat out at a table. Joan, Jim and Ken went out to boogie board and body surf. Well, Joan boogied as the second board snapped on Jim’s first ride.

Dinner time meant grilling both corn and chicken for a Southwest Chicken Salad. Ken and Jim approached the grills again with much trepidation. And, of course, one of the burners would not light again. Ken retrieved the newly purchased lighter and solved the issue. YAY! Three functioning burners! The chicken and corn were roasted successfully. And the salad was a hit. It started to sprinkle a bit after dinner sending the ladies inside and the guys onto the porch for a while until it was shower and jammie time. It was a good day.


Friday morning, Jim and Ken spent some quality time body surfing in the Atlantic. The waves were really conducive to the activity. The ladies were getting their faces and hair fixed up because we were having company. Just before lunch, Aunt Pat and Cousin Mitch came up from Titusville to visit. We grilled hotdogs with chips, baked beans and potato salad. Picnic on the beach with the family. After lunch the guys went down to the ocean to boogie board a while. The waves this time were not very good. The ladies sat around the table and talked.

In the evening we had Genovese’s Italian Café deliver spaghetti, ravioli and meatballs. It was a grand feast and a few leftovers for later. The ladies left for a quick shopping spree after dinner, but were limited by the stores closing early these days. Bev was able to pick up a couple items and thus, it was not a bust. While they were gone, Jim and Ken discussed the vastness of space, the Glory of God’s creation and how can any man ever understand the workings of the female mind. That last one, of course, is the most unanswerable of the three. Conversation around the table after the return from shopping focused on how the timeshares worked and how the fees were assessed and used while watching the sunset and listening to the sound of the waves as they approached high tide. When one considers the ocean waves constant crashing on the shore, one word seems to describe it best, “relentless”. Actually, relentless seems to describe the maintenance fees of a timeshare or condominium as well… Saturday morning saw us once again watching the sun rise with a cup of coffee. On demand breakfast was again the rule of the day. Then the sad process of packing to leave for Bev and Ken. Jim pitched in and helped load the car and we gathered for a “see ya later” moment before departing.


Bev and Ken headed north on A1A to Saint Augustine. Here was the first stop at San Sebastian Winery to pick up a couple bottles of favorite wines. San Sebastian, founded in 1996, is the second largest winery in Florida. It uses wine making processes from 1562 when the muscadine grape was found here.

Our next stop was at a Zaxby’s. This is a fast food restaurant serving chicken strips and sandwiches we wanted to try. We both got the strips with French Fries combination. The chicken was hot and good, but nothing special. The fries are crinkle-cut with a season salt coating. Neither of us were a fan. Zaxby’s is a one and done for us.

Finally getting onto US-23/US-1/US-301 North, we started looking for points of interest. We went through little non-descript towns like Callahan, Hilliard and Andrews before crossing into Georgia where Folkston, Hortense and McKinnon had the same look. We passed a big Metal Man made from furnace duct near Jessup, Georgia. It was not in that great of shape and there was nowhere to stop for a picture anyway. More towns slipped by on our way north.

A quick stop at a Dairy Queen for a Heath Blizzard, satisfied a sweet tooth issue on our way to Claxton. This is touted as the Fruitcake Capital of the World. There’s a place in Texas stating the same thing though. Neither of the bakeries in Claxton were open on the weekends so, Bev was unable to buy or taste a fruitcake. In Statesboro we left US-301 and took US-25 north toward Augusta. Augusta is where we decided we would eat dinner. Ken had a desire for a Taco Salad and so the search for a Mexican Restaurant ensued. One was found with pictures of outdoor seating and only a couple blocks from the Augusta National Golf Course where the Master’s is held. The GPS mapped us through some questionable neighborhoods to Los Cabos on the corner of Baker Avenue and Walton Way. Obviously the almost five-star rating is not for location or the ambiance of the restaurant. We parked and sat on the patio. Our server did a good


job of taking care of us. We ordered a Chicken Fajita Salad and the Steak Taco Loco Salad. Both were flavorful and hit the spot. There was a bit too much sauce on the Taco Loco Salad and both us agreed the whole baby carrots in the salads were not pleasant.

Meanwhile, the rest of the folks we left in Daytona Beach had found outdoor seating at The Ocean Deck Restaurant for seafood. We chatted about our respective dinners over the phone afterwards. On the way out of Augusta, we passed by the golf course and could see nothing from the road. There are dense trees and bushes lining all the fence lines. It seems the only way to see the beauty is by watching the Master’s on television or playing the course which requires an invite from a member. We left Augusta behind as the sun was setting. Our trip to the hotel we booked during supper which was just south of Greenville, South Carolina lacked sightseeing as the darkness enclosed upon the roadway. We arrived safely even though the guidance had us take some very back roads to save thirty seconds or so on the trip. Check-in was a bit exciting as a woman was trying to check-in using an invalid debit card. She was very loud and not wanting to leave. The clerk was patient. There was a plastic engraved sign right in front of the woman that said the establishment would not take debit cards like hers. This kind of activity must happen frequently in the Greenville area to have that sign in place. Her boyfriend finally convinced her to leave without incident.


A decent night of sleep started the day. Breakfast at the hotel was miserable again and the coffee was rationed by the front desk clerk. Never seen that before. We went to Cracker Barrel for a real meal. We had great service and ordered up Eggs, Bacon, Pancakes, Grits, Biscuits and Fried Apples were consumed. The biscuits at this location were the best we have ever had at any Cracker Barrel. The grits were not very good and the pancakes needed about thirty more seconds on the griddle. The breakfast was still a thousand times better than what was offered at the hotel in a brown paper bag. Winding our way out of Greenville, we found US-25 again and entered North Carolina. The mountains were beautiful as we wound our way through them. In the little town of Hendersonville, we ran across R & P Cycle Supply which had sculptures of bikes and a couple of Choppers mounted on high sign posts. Finally arriving in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, we parked at Pack Square so we could walk the Asheville Urban Trail. This is a set of thirty locations in downtown that are significant in defining Asheville and its history. There are marker plates at each position. Some are a bit difficult to find though

http://www.ashevilleurbantrail.com/


as the map is not very accurate. It’s kind of a scavenger hunt for facts. We made it through just over twenty of them. We can return to do the others at a different time. It’d be nice to do with other folks.

While Bev and Ken were on the trail, the crew in Florida had brunch at the Peach Tree Café. Good food and good service, but no pictures.

We drove over to the Asheville Mall for Bev to shop at Belk which is not available up north where we live. Ken sat in the food court sipping lemonade to keep from bothering her.

For a late lunch, we headed into the South Slope Area. This has become a Brewery District located just south of downtown Asheville. We picked Wicked Weed Brewing Funkatorium for lunch as wings sounded good. Bev ordered Jerk sauce while Ken ordered the Lactobacillus sauce. (They make yogurt

Pack Square

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell

Bench

Flat Iron

Mini Bank

Dancers

Ceramic of YMCA


with Lactobacillus.) Bev liked hers and Ken was not a fan of either sauce. Ken stated that maybe he should have gotten a pizza until one was delivered to another table. It looked good, but was more like a loaf of thick flat bread with toppings. We each tried a beer with lunch and those were good and we would order either one again.

We walked around the area a bit and stopped at Catawba Brewing Company South Slope and tasted a couple of theirs. A brown Ale and an Amber Ale. Bev was not pleased with either, but Ken liked both.

Around the corner from Catawba we found an art display named Wake. It is a ship skeleton and the Figurehead which was a lady who someone has masked to keep her healthy in her travels. The carved lady is actually Jenny Lind, a famous singer from the 1850’s.

Our time in Asheville spent, we headed north into Tennessee. The trip was again beautiful as we swerved through the mountains and then through Johnson City and on to the Meadow View Resort just south of Kingsport, where we had booked a room for the night. The resort property includes a golf course and large conference center. It is beautiful and peaceful. Sunset across the fairways and hills was spectacular.


Sunrise at both Daytona and Kingsport was beautiful on Monday morning. Bev and Ken had a great breakfast of eggs, sausage, potatoes and biscuits at the hotel before checking out and getting on the road northward on US-23. We found ourselves marveling at the beauty God has provided as we coursed through the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, Virginia and into Kentucky. Clouds hung across the middle of the hills looking like smoke. Occasionally, the hillsides would open to a large vale of serene meadows and farms. This would be a great drive in the fall as the leaves bring forth a plethora of color. Through the towns of Gate City, Duffield and Wise in Virginia and Jenkins just inside the Kentucky border, on up to Robinson Creek we took in the scenery as it flashed by the windows of the car. Our first site of the day was in Pikeville, Kentucky. Here we stopped at the Pikeville Cut-Through Overlook. The “Cut-Through Project” was begun in 1973 to relieve flooding issues from the Big Sandy River. The project was the largest earth moving engineering feat in the United States and second in the world only to the Panama Canal. They moved eighteen million cubic yards of earth. The overlook allows one a panoramic view of the result and a great view of Pikeville from above. If you are on US-23, do not pass this by. Just beware that the road up and down is the same and it is single lane at times and very steep in sections. Coming down from the overlook we took a drive around the town. A mix of new and old like most towns, however, the University of Pikeville is quite modern and a beautiful campus. Back on US-23 we made our way to Paintsville where we met our sister-in-law Page. We had lunch at the local Bob Evans. We all had the half sandwich with soup or salad. It hit the spot. We sat for quite a while catching up on each other’s families. Eventually we tired of sitting and Page wanted us to see her freshly painted house.


We drove over and did a walk through. The new paint really brightened everything and revitalized the interior. Retiring to the family room, our discussion was interrupted by our nephew Scott stopping by to give us a hug and say, “Hi”. It sure was good to see them both as we journeyed home. When the visit was over, Page gave us a few items to deliver up north to the family. We were able to jam it all in and got back onto US-23 north. We stopped again in Louisa where a rest stop and tourist trap is located at the junction with Kentucky Route 3. Here there is a small replica of Lady Liberty and a large Guitar along with a plaque describing the US-23 Country Music Trail of Fame. There were many Country Music Stars who were born and raised in this region such as Ricky Skaggs, The Judds, Patty Lovelace and Loretta Lynn. Here’s a tidbit: Bev’s grandmother was Loretta Lynn’s school teacher as a child.

Just before leaving Kentucky, we stopped at the Port of Ashland on the Ohio River. There is a beautiful park area there. As you cross some bouncy railroad tracks and enter the park, there is a large bed of flowers to the left planted in the shape of the letter ‘A’ for Ashland. Behind the flowerbed are the bridges crossing the Ohio River. And just to the side of the flowers are statues of Venus, Vulcan and one named Genesis. These are new and were dedicated in January of 2020. They are an artist’s representation of labor and peace in the area.


Crossing the bridge into Ohio we stopped in Ironton to grab a milkshake at the Shake Shoppe. We both ordered a Turtle Shake and it was awesome! Down a few blocks we stopped at the Iron City Hardware Store. Bev’s sister Deb is looking for canning jars and lids. Seems even the out of the way stores are lacking stock of these items. Oh well, we tried. Heading out of Ironton, we went through Waverly, Chillicothe and Washington Court House before arriving safely home. Tuesday in Florida, Joan, Pam, Deb and Jim headed south to meet Pat and Mitch at The Goodrich Seafood and Oyster House in Oak Hill. The restaurant is located on Indian River North. They all had a great dinner with fired shrimp, fish, hush puppies and some sweet potato fries. They had a great time together. It’s so much fun to connect with family whenever you can. Thursday, Pam and Joan safely flew back home while Deb and Jim completed the first leg of their return trip with an overnight in Wytheville, Virginia. The trip had been a successful getaway for all of us to keep ourselves healthy as possible while having a change of scenery. There is no place like home is a very true statement, but fondness seems to grow stronger with distance. It is good to get up and get out from time to time to smell the roses, see a statue, eat stew and ice cream, explore a park or town and just experience new things especially with family. While the Interstate Highway System is an amazing feat of planning and engineering to move people and goods across the United States efficiently, sometimes one needs to break from the wide road and take the narrow path. Find the little gems and WOW-Moments along the way. There are adorable little towns everywhere that have good things to offer if we just look. Sometimes we come across an area or town that is not so adorable or has little or nothing to offer. That’s ok, it’s all part of the journey. You will never know either aspect from a recliner with a TV remote in hand.


Some of the route we took on this trip we will never return to, however, some we are already planning on returning to. This was one of the most relaxing long driving trips we have taken. No agenda, limited schedule, comfortable speeds and very little dodging of trucks. We were with family and we got to fill our eyes and minds with the beauty of God’s Creation. A favorite was the Crape Myrtle tree. So beautiful as it lines the roadways across the South in pink, purple, white and red. A constant WOW-Moment for us as we wandered the Roads Less Traveled.

“People Don’t Take Trips, Trips Take People.” – John Steinbeck

Documents

Roads Less Traveled to and from Daytona Beach Journal€¦ · winding its way through the hills along the borders of West Virginia and Kentucky. Once the Ashland metropolitan area