Journey Through North Carolina – Part 1

by usathroughoureyes

Hello everyone and welcome to part 1 of our journey exploring the beautiful state of North Carolina.

Have you ever had that moment when you woke and as you’re lying there the overwhelming desire to just get out and explore strike you?  Well that’s what happened to us that one morning in May.  The weather here in Rochester was typical for this season, cold, rainy and just flat out depressing.  Each morning waking up you don’t know whether to leap from bed and grab the shorts and a “T” or put on long johns and a coat.

So, sipping our coffee, thoughts of a warmer place began to form.  We knew warmth and sunshine were what we wanted or, guess you could say needed, to re-stimulate our minds and drive away that textbook thing called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  We believe SAD is real especially in regions like Rochester where there is a great deal of cloud cover and precipitation.

Following our general rules of: where do we want to go, what do we want to discover and what path do we want to take offering the most opportunity for spontaneity, we started brain storming.

Sunshine meant southern states like along the North Carolina east/west latitude so we figured why not explore there.  We couldn’t really decide on an area so we said what the heck, let’s get there and figure it out.  How does one narrow down a state 500 miles long and 150 miles wide with so much to see.

Our second question: what do we want to discover was well, everything.  Those of you following our journeys know we like discovering not only places but more so people and their stories.  It’s the stories that bring to life the places.  After narrowing down what to discover caused us to move into the third question: what path do we want to take offering the most opportunity for spontaneity.

Our choice was take as many back roads as possible from here to there.  We wanted to pick up the historic and scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and follow it toward Table Rock mountain near the Tennessee border.  Then we would head east through the central parts of the state making our way to the Outer Banks to wiggle our toes in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Well there you have it for our 1st  post in this series about our May 2017 road trip.  We hope you come back and see how the trip unfolds as we share more of the USA Through Our Eyes.  Until then be safe.

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usathroughoureyes

~ USA Through Our Eyes ~ Stories Told Through Words, Photographs, Videos and Sound

108 thoughts on “Journey Through North Carolina – Part 1”

  1. Hello there. It is so nice to know you are along with us on the road. We are getting ready to begin posting again after a brief sabbatical. It’ll be great checking in on your site too.

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  7. This is interesting to know of the “gap”. The great thing is that with those prayers healing comes because He says He will heal the land. Selfishness seems to be on the rise everywhere doesn’t it Peter.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. The gap is wide between America and Nigeria. We are only praying and working hard to harness our resources and talents together in order to be like the great countries of the world. Some people are selfish here!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. We often look at other countries where we follow others and they follow us and try to relate the differences and similarities to help us understand. Nigeria and Africa has always been a place we feel called to see.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Yes, North Carolina is one of the 50 states and it has about 740 cities. Our travels brought us into NC from the North and we headed to the western part of NC where we traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway. From there we zig and zag’ed arriving at outer banks NC which runs along the Atlantic ocean.
    We live in the western part of New York State outside Rochester. NYS has about 62 cities and is about the same size as NC. It will be great when you come over here and we’ll be able to tour you around. There are so many states in the US that we haven’t yet explored so ours is a journey in process. It is going to be great for us to learn your country.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. North Carolina is one of the states in the United States of America. I learned from your post, Rochester is one of its city. How many cities all together in North Carolina. If there is the North of Carolina, do we have the West, South, and the East? I have already confirmed that of the east. I’ll make sure I read the series from part 1( one everyday), until I cover the parts I have not read. Keep learning! Keep teaching! Keep enjoying!

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  15. Thanks Mathias. It is so great having you take time out of your schedule to share in our journeys around the USA and that it allows you to be in it with us. Being able to contrast Tokyo where you are living now with the USA is something few can relate too.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Hi, Audrey and Tom. Exciting how you paint this departure. And what a beautiful combination of the weather description together with the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)! Such articles allow being part of an amazing journey:-)

    Liked by 1 person

  17. We are glad you are back. We hadn’t seen you for awhile and wondered if you found that place in the woods and didn’t come out again. We liked your recent post. Yes, we took you up on that post you did on NC and just had to go see it up close and in person. We covered it from east to west and north to south. An incredible state.

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  18. Wonderful to hear that you are currently in North Carolina. I’ve been a tad absent from the blogger life recently, but am looking forward to catching up on your posts through the state. Hope you’re having a fantastic time so far!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. We can relate to the terror/delight emotions. There were moments when we would park and hike that we too just wanted to keep walking. It pleases us that our journey brings you along with us and opens fond memories.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Oh, the Blue Ridge Parkway. I once found myself driving on it and didn’t know the terror and delight that was ahead. Runaway truck lanes, coaxing my little 1987 Horizon up through the clouds…But the beauty and grandeur was so worth it. I wanted to park my car and walk among the mountains. Your posts always unlock my good memories…thanks!

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  24. It is great isn’t it. Amazing when we begin dreaming then see how others brought their dreams to reality then we get the courage to step out and make our dreams reality. We learn so much from the blogging community. Its great having you along with us. When you come this way please let us know and we’ll do our best to take you to some neat spots.

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  32. It certainly is – even those who can come up with the up-front. Worse for those who cannot!

    My point was that it would be a cost-effective decision, long-term, for the IRS to allow things like this as medical expenses and/or for insurance companies to cover them. ::sigh::
    xx,
    mgh

    Liked by 1 person

  34. I guess it depends on your carrier and your doctor.

    I had a client with a severe & chronic back problem as the result of an accident whose doctor wrote a *prescription* for one of those exhorbitant massage loungers (the only place she could get good quality sleep). Insurance paid a portion, and the IRS allowed her to claim her portion as a medical expense.

    Miracles do happen! Of course, she had to come up with the bucks in the first place – these chairs redefine “costly!”

    Win/win/win, since she was able to reduce her reliance on pain meds and that expense, which also gave her the brain-functioning to work from home.
    xx,
    mgh

    Liked by 1 person

  36. I worked with a client for whom *nothing* else worked to lighten her seriously debilitating depression, however. Those light lamps were worth their weight in GOLD in her case – even though they probably are a considerable line-item in the family budget.

    She and her husband (and child) live in an area where rain is practically constant during the summer and winters are consistently dark and gloomy. Extended family and hubbie’s business make a move to a sunnier climate unlikely.

    The newer lamps are apparently even better than the ones she started with (years ago now) – and she is on some kind of marketing list to let her know whenever new technology is available. I’m sure she’s one of their best customers – she has them everywhere in her home.

    Since I can’t do sunlight (melanoma survivor), that would have to be my solution as well, were SAD part of my functional profile. ::pause for a moment of gratitude::

    I LOVE knowing that this kind of help is available.
    xx,
    mgh

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  40. Sorry to read that you turn into dank mid-winter. Ain’t it grand that nature has provided such a simple fix – even if we have to drive ourselves out from under the cloud cover.

    Do you have a full-spectrum light for when you cannot get away? I’ve read they work wonders.
    xx,
    mgh

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  41. It is such a beautiful state with so much diversity from nature to man made. We could not believe the way they fashioned the Blue Ridge Parkway to blend in unobtrusively. Yes, we need the sun. Along about March there is this feeling like a fungi (not fun guy) that can only be eradicated by bright light.

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  42. I am SO looking forward to seeing one of my favorite states through your eyes — and I love your process of deciding where to travel and how to get there.

    Time in the sunlight definitely brightens the mood. I’m not a sufferer personally but am well aware that SAD can be debilitating for many – some who have no idea of the science behind it and don’t take it seriously. Glad you are – and DID!
    xx,
    mgh
    (Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
    ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
    “It takes a village to educate a world!”

    Liked by 1 person

  46. That’s for sure. When I was in high school at a track invitational, It was one of those mostly cloudy days you couldn’t see the sun and since I didn’t see sun and there was wind occasionally, I was under the impression you couldn’t get burned. Boy was I wrong. My sister and I came in the door and Mom saw my sister’s burn and my sister said to Mom if you think this is bad you ought to see Crystal-meaning me. I was burned to the place I had a huge blister near my shoulders and had chills. I know all about burns and I am very careful.

    Liked by 1 person

  53. Yes, we’re back home now Theresa although we are excited about going back soon. The area is rich with resources that draw us. Maybe the next journey down we can take you up on the intro to your friend and we can enjoy a cup of coffee together and see our family and friend link grow.

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  54. Hi Daisymae. Yes, SAD is real and I know it can effect me so am careful to get into the sun as much as I can. We are happy knowing you are enjoying our journey which we agree is amazing. So many wonderful folks met along the ways. Thank you for being a part of it with us.

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  56. … thank you! Or me, as well. I have a good friend in Raleigh, NC, a poet. You’re already back home, I assume? I’d be happy to make an email introduction to my friend if you were still in NC. At any rate, looking forward to reading more.

    Liked by 1 person

  58. This is so neat to know of your interest Theresa. There is so much territory and as we are planning for a journey we’re checking out every possible secondary road we can so we never travel the same roadways twice. We try to note in our post some of the places we navigate through because you’ll see they are way off the beaten path. It is so great though because we meet some of the grandest folks that have hearts of love and joy. It is so nice having you along with us Theresa. Our hopes are to make it your way on one of our journeys.

    Liked by 2 people

  62. It’s so fun that you posted more about your thought process, and also about your planned route. Being here in Seattle, I’m not very familiar with the mid-Atlantic part of the country. So, I brought up Google maps and took a look at the areas you mentioned. Fun!

    Liked by 4 people

  69. I’ve been to most of the lower 48 on family trips. Indeed so much to see. As A Fulbright teacher in Germany twice for one year, I brought our two along to immerse in the culture and language. We traveled all throughout Europe. Travel is the best experience and education to learn about ourselves and others. Happy 4th.

    Liked by 1 person

  73. In Arizona, you definitely have to see and stay in Sedona with its beautiful red rocks. Reminds me of the Colorado red rocks. Sedona is about 2 hrs. from the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff is a must see. Higher elevation and cooler in temp. Have you been to the SW at all? I highly recommend Colorado and New Mexico. In the 4 corner area of Colorado is a world heritage site called Mesa Verde which has the old Indian cliff dwellings. Stellar scenery! We spent many family vacations in Mesa Verde. Enjoy your travels.

    Liked by 3 people

  75. After having lived 7 years in TN and 10 yrs. in VA, I was glad to give up the awful humidity. VA was especially brutal for me. Our daughter has never been to AZ so I will introduce her to dry heat. Hope the wild fires are going by the time we travel. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  81. Hi Ann. Yes another journey of seeing the world through the lives and stories of others. We are happy you found the video pleasing and gave you a glimpse into what we encountered along the way. There are more to come and we eagerly await your thoughts. Emma says woof woof to Mandy.

    Liked by 1 person

  83. An other journey, with a lot of things to see and meeting people for the stories about some of them. Ik like the vidio very much, it brings that country near by. Greetings, Ann.

    Liked by 2 people

  100. Thank you so for this nomination and we humbly ask your forgiveness in not pursuing it. We just enjoy being a part of this process and growing through the teachings of others. It is a joy just having folks like you along with us on our journey of discovery.

    Liked by 1 person

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