Off Topic Topics

VA_in_CA

Okay, this is the thread to move any discussion of interest that people want to continue--BUT WE ARE IN THE WRONG THREAD. So when we wander off topic, we'll move here. To start, let's take the discussion about where we are located geographically out of the Injuries and Fatalities Thread and put it here. Several of us got off topic and started talking about locations in the North Carolina and eastern Virginia region. So go for it people----

VA_in_CA

My connection with this region is ancient ---hahaha--I was stationed at Cherry Point, NC. in the early 1960s--before most of you were born, I guess. But some members were talking of places in the area with much more familiarity because they grew up there, or still live there. We were just starting to talk about Emerald Isle in NC, and I'm going to copy and paste the last posting on that topic from the Injuries thread.

VA_in_CA

This one is from shellcollector:

Emerald Isle is part of what is now being called the Southern Outer Banks. The actual land mass is called Bogue Banks, Fort Macon State Park anchors the eastern end and Emerald Isle the western end with Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach and Salter Path in the middle. Atlantic Beach is across Bogue Sound from Morehead City. I vaguely remember the ferry from Cape Carteret taking cars across Bogue Sound to Emerald Isle. This ferry has long been replaced by a bridge. There is a bridge from Morehead City to Atlantic Beach but no bridge from Beaufort to Bogue Banks.

VA_in_CA

This is fascinating to me because there was no State Park there in the 60s. You had to go through Morehead City--was the highway # 17. or 71? For some reason I think there was a 7 in the number. You then went south, maybe toward Newport? Or even past Newport? to get to the ferry. I should look it all up on a map. I'm doing this all from memory. This was a longer way around but was very time-consuming in the summer, esp. on a weekend because the ferry carried very few cars at a time. We always drove north up the island to the end where the bridge to the mainland was, it may have been between Morehead City and Beaufort. All vague. I mostly went in the winter with my dog. We would have at least half a mile of beach to ourselves in both directions. It was wonderful. One summer my boyfriend and I would drive out there after midnight and sit in his car and talk, or smooch, and often wait for the sun to rise. There was never another soul around. Very peaceful with only the sound of the waves slapping the shore, or pounding, depending on weather conditions at sea. Guess those days are long gone. It was in 1964, so that was 50 years ago. HOLY COW!

shellcollector

Highway 70 (now 4 lanes) takes you from Cherry Point by Newport to Morehead City. Highway 24(also 4 lanes) on the outskirts of Morehead City would have taken you to the ferry to Emerald Isle. Was the greyhound racetrack still in Morehead when you were stationed at Cherry Point? Did you ever go to the amusement park at the "Circle" on Atlantic Beach? This area (Atlantic Beach to Emerald Isle), of course, has built up greatly with condominiums and beach houses, but it is still a peaceful place to go. You can cross over the bridge, stick your toes in the ocean and leave your day behind for a few hours.

VA_in_CA

I don't remember a greyhound racetrack, but that doesn't mean there wasn't one. I also never went to Atlantic Beach. Is it on Emerald Isle? Like I said, there was only a ferry going over that way. It seems to me that there were more than one island and there were bridges connecting them. Not sure. The only bridge to the mainland was the one at the northern end. I'm glad things are still peaceful in parts of Emerald Isle. I don't have any prints taken there, only slides--35 mm. I wouldn't know how to get them onto a computer. Proabably have to get them put onto a CD first. Too complicated for me.

I used to correspond at Christmas time with my old sergeant who retired while I was at CP. He lived in Newport. But he's long gone now, so haven't kept up on the area for many years.

casey

I've been in an email group for 18+ years and we started out way back when on the AOL message boards. We always got in trouble for never staying on topic. This was a good idea VA_in_CA!

shellcollector

Fort Macon State Park is at the very eastern end of the island. Across Bogue Inlet from Fort Macon is an island called Shackleford Banks. On this island is a herd of wild mustangs (110 + horses) that can be traced back to the horses that were on the Spanish Galleons that shipwrecked off Cape Lookout. It is very interesting to visit the island and watch the herd dynamics. There are bachelor bands and stallions with harems. The herd is maintained at a population of 110 to 120 horses. There is an occasional capture and removal of horses to maintain a population the island can support. The horses removed and can be adopted once they are safely on store bought food and used to being handled by humans. Needless to say, the highlight of visiting the island is to see the horses, but if you like to go shelling, the Oceanside beaches have some wonderful shells.

VA_in_CA

I've been in an email group for 18+ years and we started out way back when on the AOL message boards. We always got in trouble for never staying on topic. This was a good idea VA_in_CA!

Thanks. The Discussion name just popped up in front of me and I thought it was so funny that I used it. But it does exactly describe the situation. hahaha

marepower

From Carrollton, Illinois. Not many know where that is. We always comment when our town or a neighboring one is on the news that "someone put us on the map". Dad was in the service, so I lived in Ohio, Illinois, Louisianna, and the Phillipines. I started working at Dairy Queen in early 1989 and my boss and I decided that the following year we would go on vacation together and travel the country. I let her know that I wanted to go to Claiborne and see Secretariat as he had captured my heart and imagination and sparked my interest in horse racing. We started saving for the trip which would occur in 1990. Totally crushed when it came across the news that on October 4th, 1989 he had to be euthanized. Long story short, the trip never happened. Just wasn't the same. It was the only thing I really wanted to see. But tears of happiness today. Our football team won today and will play for the state championship next Saturday. The first time in school history! Wish us luck.

VA_in_CA

How does one get to that island with the wild horses?. How cool! I don't think it was well-known at all when I was there. If it had been, I surely would have visited. Maybe it was only accessible by private boat. I presume the waterway between the Outer Banks and the mainland is still part of the Inland Waterway?

There are islands all down the coast. I think Roanoke Island, where the lost colony was located was off the So. Carolina coast, wasn't it.? I think you could drive there over a bridge; it's a very narrow water way there. It's not far from Parris Island, the Marine Corps training base. I went there a few times. The place is heavily wooded and has a mysterious atmosphere, feels kind of haunted in a way.

When I was at PI, I used to drive over to Hunting Island which was part of the Outer Banks and had a beach on the ocean. In the winter it was fun to walk along that beach on which there were virtually no people. My Golden Retriever loved the ocean and played for hours in the shallow water there. In the winter there was always fascinating "driftwood" tossed up on the beach. It was fascinating because the "driftwood" was very smooth, grey, weathered wood that was actually whole trees-- huge trunks and major limbs and branches. All the smaller branches and twigs had been worn away. I took some great slides there.

It was either to Hunting Island in SC, or Emerald Isle in NC that I took my dog one December, and he swam way out to play with a group of dolphins. They were all leaping and frisking together. Too far for pictures--no telephoto lenses for us peons in those days. But it was amazing to see and watch the two species interact so well together.

Someday when I get organized, I plan to write a book about my experiences with that dog. In a nod toward Steinbeck's Travels With Charlie, I'm going to call it Adventures With Ginger. I've got to quit spending whole days on this Forum and the Mea Ola's discussion groups. Aauugh. LOL

VA_in_CA

Sorry marepower, wasn't ignoring you. Your post didn't show up on my screen until I came back here after posting my post about the various Carolina islands.

Carrollton, Illinois. Hm. I wonder if I ever drove through there. I've driven across the US 4 times and the last time I went across the middle part of the state, I think. The other times I went across the northern part, or missed it entirely on the southern route across country. I've also take the train many times. Is the town located anywhere along the Amtrak routes from the LA area?

Do you have horses?

Speaking of mare power, there's a mail-order catalog that has horse-related things and I got my friend a t-shirt that says "Don't Mess With the Boss Mare." If you're interested, I can send you the on-line link.

marepower

Carrollton is about 60 miles Northeast of Saint Louis, Missouri, approx. an hour south of Springfield, Illinois. This is 100% farm country for sure. We live in town Don't currently have horses. Been around them most of my life. Mark's uncle sold his gelding he had at the farm because he was moving. My son currently resides on his grandma's farm (100) acres but the fences would have to be repaired and the barn areas cleaned up. Too much for small timer like me to accomplish. Sad though that he has such a nice area but no livestock. There is three ponds on the place. Harness racing is the most popular around here. Friend of ours used to do train them.

marepower

After I graduated high school, we went to Colorado. Rode up into the mountains. It was close to Colorado Springs. There was a ranch there at the base of the mountain that had several horse that came off the Indian Reservation. It was pretty nice. Unfortunately I don't think i'll ever ride again though. We have several riding stables in the area but I've gotten terrible with being afraid of heights I can barely stand on a chair. Guess it's one of the perks of getting older.

shellcollector

Shackleford Banks is accessible only by private boat and by the local pedestrian ferries. The inland waterway is routed a little deeper inland in some places because of more navigable waters. Roanoke Island is in the northeastern part of North Carolina near Manteo. My dogs, past and present, have loved going to the beach, particularly if a tennis ball was involved. That must have been quite a sight to watch your dog and the dolphins playing. Dolphins are curious creatures. I love to watch them swim in the bow water along side a boat.

marepower

Forgot to mention that our local thoroughbred track is Fairmount Park. About an hour and half drive.

VA_in_CA

My years in the Carolinas were totally horseless years for me. I didn't have a TV, and when I finally got one in 64, there were only 2 channels--NBC and CBS. Some ABC programs were broadcast on both of the two channels. None of them had horse racing I think.

marepower

My Uncle lived there about five years ago. Was there only a couple of years but said it was "beautiful country".

VA_in_CA

Very flat though. I like hills and mountains in my scenery.

jen_bloom

VA, this is a great idea for a discussion thread! We all tend to get off topic around here, so now we have a place for that. Thanks!

VA_in_CA

Yes, we do indeed. LOL

Celeste_in_TX

Interesting off topics so far! Thanks for getting started. I've enjoyed learning about the beaches and places in the Carolinas. My geography is sadly lacking I must admit so I always like to learn about new places. Most of my life has been spent in Texas except for short stints in Colorado and California ages ago. The only time I've ever been on a ferry is when we were in Vancouver and rode the ferry to Victoria for a tour of Butchart Gardens as part of our Alaska cruise tour. It was so much fun for such a land-lubber as myself.

VA_in_CA

Well, ferries are one thing I've been on a lot. My father used to take us kids out to ride on the Staten Island ferry to NYC some times, to give my mother a break. When we were in Vermont, where we had a summer house out in the country, we often used to take the Larabee's Point ferry across Lake Champlain to go visit Ft. Ticonderoga in NY State. There you can walk around inside the fort and check out the museum, etc. The fort play important roles in the French and Indian War and the Revolution, and a smaller role in the War of 1812. Sometimes when I drove home to NJ from N. C, I would take the Chesapeake Bay ferry. It was about a 3 hour ride, but it was a relaxing break in a very long drive. There were others, but those were the ones we went on the most.

VA_in_CA

I've only been across he panhandle part of Texas. My son lives there now, in Austin, but I haven't been there to see him because he's not speaking to me and he would just slam the door in my face if I went there, so why go to all the expense and bother. lol

carolinarkansas

My son is in Austin also.....small world....i have a daughter who would do the door slamming thing to me....she says i ruined her life....but then she also says her life is perfect.....got real mad when i pointed out to her she could not have it both ways

casey

I'm in So. Cal, originally from No. Cal.. 4th generation Californian to be exact, which is a bit of a rarity. Grew up in the East Bay, spent my winter weekends on skis in Tahoe, and summers swimming. Fell in love with horses as a little girl but kept getting the "you'll out grow it.." from my parents. When I was working at Disneyland, I actually transferred to work with the horses, taking $1.00/hr pay cut. DIdn't tell my mom until I'd been working back there for a month. Ironically, when it came time for Buddy to retire from Disneyland, my mom was the one who said I HAD to take him. LOL.
all photos taken by me.