North Carolina Summer 2016-- Part 12: On the Way Home

July 31, Sunday.

US-70 to Raleigh and then I-40.  Doing this on a Sunday means there is no traffic jams.  Got off on US-421 and stopped at a Cook-Out restaurant which has a really good Carolina bbq, slaw, fries and hush puppies for $3.99.  Good deal.

Then US-52 to I-77 and gas and Chocolate Uglys at Wytheville.  Gas now $1.87.  I always love gas under $2.  Experienced long back ups at the first two toll booths heading north on the West Virginia Turnpike and just plain heavy traffic.  Sunday must be a big travel day in the state.  Then I hit quite a long traffic stop a few miles outside of Charleston.  Never did see why we had that backup.

I-77 north to US-33 and then into Ohio.  Stopped at a place I've been meaning to stop at in Logan, Ohio, called Millstone BBQ.  I'll definitely stop again..

I-70 through Columbus to Motel 6 in Richmond, Indiana, for the night.

A Traveling, Eating Kind of Day.  --RoadDog

OH HELL! ... Let's Offend Everybody:  What is the difference between a southern zoo and a northern zoo?  Answer:  The southern zoo has a description of the animal along with a recipe.

Sorry If You're Offended, But These Are Funny.

Just Got Back-- Carolina-Style BBQ, Philly Cheese Steak, and Autumn at Topsail

I was gone and On the Road the last two weeks from October 11th to the 25th.

The first day, I drove to Cincinnati via Illinois Highway 47 and I-74. Got together with road buddy Denny and had a great chicken meal at the Silver Spring House which dates to the 1930s. Then played NTN with his team at Buffalo Wild Wings and we had three Number threes on some games I really wasn't able to help much on as they were movies.

October 12th- Friday-- Drove on two of the great two laners I've ever been on, both in southern highway, Ohio 247 and Ohio 125. Talk about your roads following the contours of the land. Plus, 125 went through the beautiful Shawnee State Park. Caught I-64 and took it to the West Virginia Turnpike. I know that we two lane types disparage the interstates, or, Superslabs, as we call them. But, this drive is equal in beauty to anything a two lane can offer. I'd put it right up there with I-70 from where it starts in Utah , to Denver.

Took I-74 past Andy Griffith's hometown of Mt. Airy, NC, and picked up I-40 at Winston-Salem and all the way to Raleigh. I-40 is some of the heaviest driving you'll find anywhere. I mean, there are a LOT of cars and trucks on this road. Never a real pleasure to drive this road because of the congestion.

Decided to stop and get my first taste of Carolina-style pulled pork vinegar-based bbq at Smithfield's in Mebane, NC, about 12 miles east of Burlington. There are about twenty stores in this chain, many along interstates, so if you're ever int he area and would like to find out what I'm talking about, give it a try. Nothing like bbq, cole slaw, hush puppies, and sweet tea. Now, that's good eatin', or as Andy would say, "Gooooooodddd."

Got to Mom's after getting a bit lost in Goldsboro, as usual.

Drove 985 miles over these past two days.

Gas was usually around $2.80 with a high of $2.95 in Elburn, Illinois, and a low of $2.54 just south of Wytheville, Virginia. For some reason, this is always cheaper. They must actually have competition to sell that gas.

On Da Road Again, Even if It Was Mostly Superslab. --RoadDog

More on My Schools- Emma Conn School- Raleigh NC

Come to think of it, I didn't go to Fourth Street School in Greenville, NC, for fifth grade. I went to a lab school for East Carolina University named Wall-Coates. We had quite a few student teachers that year, as well as Mrs. Fennel, a teacher I really hated, but the best I ever had as it turned out. She MADE me change my ways and improve my grades.

I did not know who Emma Conn was, so I went on the internet and found some really interesting stuff about her and Emma Conn School in Raleigh, NC, where I went from 1st to 3rd grades. It was named for a Raleigh city school educator of 50 years, 20 as a teacher and 30 as a principal.

Emma Conn had an interesting philosophy on discipline. She would always give a student three choices when they did wrong: 1. sent home with a note- the absolute worst thing that could happen to a kid back then, let the beatings begin, 2. get a switch, and 3. go back to the room and behave. I'm sure most students in trouble chose the last one. She felt that corporal punishment should be done at home. "School discipline consists of guidance, understanding, and patience," she once said.

When she found out the school board was going to name a new school after her, she said, "I will have to be really good for the rest of my life." The new school was to open October 15, 1954, but due to construction delays, the first actual day was January 3, 1955. It cost $390,000 and had 505 students in grades 1-7, 15 teachers and 20 classrooms.

One stipulation from Emma Conn was that her name was not to appear on the outside of the school while she was alive. She died in May of 1970 at the age of 90 and is buried in Raleigh's Oakwood Cemetery. A sign was put up immediately after that. I attended first grade starting in 1957 so it was still a new school.

Tomorrow, I'll do Fremd and Palatine high schools.

Quite a Remarkable Educator. --RoadDog