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go here to buy my stock photography Alan Creech
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aaron klinefelter
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 Goooooood Lord. OK, yesterday, between Liz and myself, we drove over a 1,000 miles! Yes, that's right, in one day - no overnight stays, etc. We started off at 5am and drove to Raleigh, North Carolina. Apparently that's about 494 miles from here. We took a small detour on the way, that made up the "over 1,000" number in case you were counting. Why? Good question.  Well, here's the reason. I bought me a "new" truck on the internets! Good deal too - that's why so far away. Anyway, it's a 2002 Toyota Tacoma, SR5, 4x4, 5-speed, V6 with Toyota's TRD off-road package - wheeew. Our Isuzu Trooper developed a bad engine problem that would have been too expensive to fix a while back, so we sold it "as-is" to a mechanic who could fix it on their own - annnnd, went on the hunt for this. It took too long to find this thing, I'm tellin' you. Tacomas as HOT, it appears.Anyway, we tried to get a delivery service to bring it but no one could give us a guarantee about time and it's expensive - soooo, we finally decided to just go pick it up ourselves. Even with gas prices now, it was still significantly less money. Positives: got to drive through some very pretty country (sorry to myself and all Kentuckians, but the most beautiful part was in the state of Virginia, land of my ancestors if you go back far enough); good time for Liz and I to spend together talking; got to go to Mayberry! (more about that in a second); uuuhmm, I think that's it. Negatives: Looooong ass drive! My back felt like someone had boot-kicked me several times; tiiiiired, we were sooo tired - you wouldn't think driving would wear you out so much but it does if it's that much at one time; gas prices! Holy crap! Paid my all-time high of $3.89 per gallon somewhere in the middle of West Virgina, not good. I-64 East took us to Charleston, WV. Ashland, KY, Huntington and Charleston, WV are sort of industrial towns - oil, coal, etc. So, what surrounds them is pretty but the towns, at least driving by them, seem a bit dirty. The interstates that run through West Virgina are nuts! They wind through the many mountains and have the steepest grades I've ever seen on a big road like that. It's pretty country to drive through though. I love the mountains - being from Harlan, it's sort of in my blood I guess. The neck of Southwest Virginia, from Bluefield to the NC border, is gorgeous. I mean, it's like look at idyllic paintings all the way through. A lot of the countryside looks like Ireland as well. The part of North Carolina we were in wasn't the most picturesque - a little flat once you got past the mountains.  Anybody and Andy Griffith Show fan? It's always been one of my favorite TV shows of all time. I've probably seen every episode 20 times or more. Anyway, it takes place in the mythical town of Mayberry, North Carolina. Mayberry is based on the town that Andy Griffith is from there, actually called Mount Airy - in North Central North Carolina near the Virginia border. I've known this forever and have always said it would be cool to go there someday and visit.Our trip yesterday took us right by Mount Airy so seriously, there was no choice - it had to be done. It was only a 15 minute detour so we went to Mayberry (commence whistling TV show intro song now) - and we did that as we drove into town, ha! It doesn't really look like the town on TV except how all small towns in the South and mountains look the same I guess. It's a nice little town - and they know who they are. I think tons of tourists come there because of the show. We got out, walked around, took some pictures, went in some shops, etc. So, I can say I have officially been there, done that, and yes, bought the t-shirt (wearing it now). Here are a few shots we took in and around town - Snappy Lunch, Floyd's Barber Shop, and Mount Pilot! It's actually called Pilot Mountain but you know, it's Mount Pilot to me.    That's it I guess. We got back home around 1:30am last night, driving the last few hours in rain. I think it makes you more tired if it's dark and raining. It takes more effort to be safe. Anyway, we made it and I thought I'd share the adventure. technorati tags > driving, buying cars, mayberry, mount airy north carolina, andy griffith show Labels: personal, television :::
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easter
lectionary readings |::
> today
three quotes |:: "Then, if we cannot as yet think alike in all things, at least we may love alike. Herein we cannot possibly do amiss." "Keep your eyes on the crucifix, for Jesus without the cross
is a man without a mission, and the cross without Jesus
is a burden without a reliever." "...I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be
completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self."
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