Summer Land Cruising

Hi everyone!  The land cruise continues... recently we stayed for several weeks in New Bern, North Carolina.  This is a great little historic town on an inlet off the Atlantic coast, with many fun tourist-y things to see.

Touring the Tryon Palace was like stepping back into the 1700's - furnished with period furniture, clothing, pottery, etc. Surprisingly, it looked very similar to pictures I've seen of the very early 1900's. I guess things didn't change much before the industrial revolution. We're told that George Washington campaigned in New Bern and stayed a few nights in a local mansion.  

Tryon Palace - royal governor's mansion & gardens that was built and
 used before Washington's presidency... "where Governor's ruled and    
George Washington danced."                                                                          

New Bern was the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola.  Here's the very spot of it's humble beginnings - originally named "Brad's Drink".  This is located in downtown New Bern.

The architecture throughout the town was phenomenal and we visited a very cool old Civil War era cemetery.

After New Bern, we visited Greensboro, NC (where I'd attended a conference once) -- still as pretty as I remembered.

Then on to Charlotte.  We loved this beautiful city!  We visited the Billy Graham Library there. What an amazing, humble man of great integrity.  The library tour was fantastic and we'd recommend it to anyone. His life and legacy is captured with many photo's, candid videos and artifacts on display. And the gardens around the library were so peaceful - really beautiful.

Pictured here is the Billy Graham Library on the right (opened in 2007) and his childhood home on the left.  

Next we stayed for a spell in Asheville, NC just down the road from Charlotte in a more mountainous region very near the Great Smoky Mountains.  What a pretty little town surrounded by hills covered with deciduous trees. We'll probably return when the fall colors are at peak.

The photo's below were taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Asheville.

Steve & Harley standing at the highest point in North Carolina

Then we headed to Chattanooga and then on to Nashville.  The weather was rainy for the few days we were in Nashville, so we really didn't get to tour the town like we'd hoped.  Maybe next time!

As we started to make our way back home to Denver, we headed through Kentucky & Illinois and on to St Louis, Missouri where we visited a colleague of Steve's. We drove right past the arch and stayed at a lovely KOA campground just outside of town.

We made a wrong turn in the Magic Bus (ughhh!!!)
 right in downtown St Louis by the arch, but quickly
recovered and made it safely to our destination!

Next we drove across Missouri and on to Topeka, Kansas.  I was fortunate to be able to say hello to one of my oldest friends, Allyn who lives in nearby Lawrence.  She's as sweet as always.

Pals since the 1st grade!

After a quick stop in my hometown of Russell, Kansas - we made it "home" to Denver for our annual visit with family & friends and doctor's appt's.

We had fun sailing with friends Buck & Janice who own a sailboat & live near Chatfield Reservoir which is one of the spots we stay each time we visit Denver.

My first time on a sailboat!  Steve's 2nd time.

Chatfield Reservoir

Janice & Buck on their boat

Until next time - so long and happy trails!!!