Still, based on nearly 13,000 miles of observation, I can definitively report that drivers in North Carolina are crazy. To be more specific and borrow a phrase from my father, these drivers are nucking futs. North Carolina is the center of NASCAR and apparently I-40 through the state - most of which is rural, but all of which is very crowded - is an Official Approved Training Track. These people will zip in front of somebody just to cram up behind somebody else. This was not just one or two people - it was like a NASCAR Wannabe Club. It's remarkable, really.
Now that I've gotten that off my chest, we can talk about the good, less terrifying, things in the Tar Heel State. Thanks for listening.
Completing the Great Aunt subtheme of the Driveabout, I had a nice visit in Durham with Aunt Ken - that is short for Kensington, her maiden name, and it rhymed nicely with Len, my great uncle's name, so we always have called her Aunt Ken although her given name is Eunice. One of the great benefits of the Driveabout is catching up with relatives I haven't seen in decades, and it was nice to have dinner (gourmet shrimp and grits - it's the Research Triangle, after all) with her, her son Cousin Richard (who took us on a driving tour of Durham after dark) and his wife Carrick. Aunt Ken lives near Duke, where Uncle Len worked and taught for decades, and she suggested that I check out the Duke Chapel and the Sarah Duke Gardens. Good call on both.
I'm sure there is an ecclesiastical reason why the Duke Chapel is called a chapel rather than a cathedral, but the reason is not because the building is small.
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| photo credit: TripAdvisor.com |
The Sarah Duke Gardens are equally impressive, even in the winter. Of course there's not much blooming yet, but the gardens are still pretty.
And then, on to Asheville.
The three nights I stayed in Savannah were the longest I'd been in one place in a while, so I've been doing a lot of driving lately. Perhaps because of that, the first hour of the trip west was tedious. When I saw the sign for Alamance Battleground outside of Burlington, I decided it would be a good stop.
Civil War history buffs will know right away that I am not one of you because I didn't realize that Alamance was not a Civil War battleground. Actually, explained Lisa Cox, the very knowledgeable and helpful ranger, there weren't many Civil War battles fought in North Carolina. (When everything started collapsing, Lee had planned for his troops to escape to the mountains of Carolina for guerilla war, but didn't make it that far.)
Anyway, Alamance was one of those pre-Revolutionary War events that has become lost to time. Or at least, lost to most of us - Lisa said that her child wasn't taught that history in school, and they live nearby. Ever hear of the War of Regulation? Me, neither. When I think of the events leading up to the Revolution, I think of stuff that happened in Boston and Philadelphia (and now Charleston, but that's recent knowledge for me.)
Remember that in the 1760's, North Carolina was more or less the end of the earth. Lisa showed me a map from that time that showed the two westernmost counties in the state not having western limits. Seriously - the maps just showed north, east and south boundaries. Many of the residents were farmers who mostly wanted to be left alone. Too bad for them they were governed by a British-appointed baron type of guy with expensive tastes and the ability to collect significant taxes to pay for his parties. A group of people called "Regulators" grew up - so-called because they wanted to regulate excess taxation and corruption.
One of their leaders was a Quaker named Herman Husband. He tried to resolve their problems peacefully but since the court system was run for the benefit of the British, and since the royal governor wasn't interested in hearing about problems, he didn't get very far. Specifically, he got as far as the local jail. (His inability to find a nonviolent solution makes one even more impressed with a Martin Luther King, Jr., who could find one two centuries later.)
There was a battle, and not surprisingly since this was real life and not a movie, the well-armed militia (made up of North Carolinians drafted and supported by the British) crushed the smaller and poorly armed Regulators. So ended the War of Regulation. But some of the lessons of the war were used during the Revolutionary War which as we all know ended up a lot better for the Americans.
The historic battlefield site, not too far southeast of Greensboro, is run by the State of North Carolina and is really nicely done. If you're in the area, you should definitely stop by. In addition to information about the battlefield and visitor center, they have an original log home from the period. It was owned by Husband's brother-in-law (this is where the name Husband seems a little funny, but that's neither here nor there), John Allen. It is decorated with many pieces from the period including a number of pieces that belonged to the Allen family. Unfortunately it was too dark inside to get any good pictures but here's what it looks like from the outside.
When I told Lisa I was from Indiana, she said that a lot of Hoosiers trace their roots back to North Carolina. Mine don't, of course, but if yours do, Hoosier friends, this place is a don't-miss for you.
I don't know about you, but all this history has worn me out. You'll have to check back later for the Asheville part of the Driveabout. In the meantime, I hope that wherever you live hasn't been overcome by snow.
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