BS: What I did on my vacation

Subject: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: RangerSteve
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 11:08 AM

Since some of you offered suggestions for things I could do and see on my trip, I thought I'd share my experiences with you.

I left home on Fri morning, taking I-78 west, I-81 south, (travel hint: 81 in West Va is under construction. They scraped away the surface for repaving. It was this way two years ago, I assume this is another repaving, and that it isn't taking two years.) I turned around and took I-70/68 west. 68 is a very scenic road. Somewhere west of Cumberland MD on the north side of the road is a large steel frame with a sign reading "NOAH'S ARK BEING REBUILT HERE". Noah didn't use steel beams, so this is cheating. This may be worth going back to check on once in a while.

I got to Kentucky on Fri night. On Sat. I headed to Renfro Valley and got tickets for some shows. The mountain music show was good, with Jim Gaskin on fiddle and Ethan Ebersol (sp?) on banjo. It was only half an hour long, but the musicians are good and the music was traditional. I also saw the Renfro Valley Barn Dance, which was a nice combination of C&W, bluegrass and Old-time music. A highlight was the Sherman Family, who I had never heard of before, singing gospel and sentimental tunes. This show has been going on since the 30's and is probably what the Opry was like at one time, without the ads for Marth White, Goo-Goo Clusters, and Goody's headache powder.

I didn't stay for the Renfro Valley Jamboree, which features name acts, and more modern music, which takes place in a newer facility, because the seats in the Barn Dance theater were not that comfortable and my back hurt. And it would cost me 20 dollars, as opposed to 10 for the barn dance.

I also checked out the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, (thanks to Mary in Kentucky for the suggestion). It's definately worth checking out, especially if you're an old-time music fan.

On Sunday, I checked out the mountain crafts in and around Berea, also worth checking out, but I think I've seen my fill of pottery for quite a while.

If you're in KY, check out Renfro Valley. You won't be dissappointed.

After KY, I stayed with some friends in Asheville, NC, played a lot of music and toured the Blue Ridge Pkwy, where I saw vast amounts of fog, with occasional scenic views. The Folk Art center is worth taking in. I just wish I had some self-control when it comes to buying stuff.

Then on to South Carolina, where my Mom and younger brother live. SC remains one of the least interesting states in the country, but if you happen to be there, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway is worth the drive. I also went with my brother to a livestock auction, (he was buying some chickens). It was a great people-watching experience. Anyone who says the Clampetts were not an accurate portrayal of southerners was right. The Clampetts had teeth. These folks were exactly like the more grotesque characters in the Li'l Abner comic strip. But, as it usually turns out, they were genuinely nice people.

I left for home yesterday,(Sunday), taking I-77 north through WV, stopping at Tamarack, the WV craft center. More great mountain crafts, and more money spent. By then, I had enough of vacation. I can't sleep in strange beds, and I missed my own. And I was running low on money. I passed up Padre's recommendation to travel up along the Ohio River. I'll do that some other time.

A week later, the work on Noah's Ark hasn't progressed. The bible says he used gopher wood. I also read somewhere that no one knows what gopher wood is. I guess that could prove to be a problem, but if they're using steel beams, I guess accuracy isn't important.

I have to unpack now, and look over the stuff I bought; Sorghum molasses, corn cob jelly (really), hand made brooms, a really cool hand painted necktie, ramp biscuit mix (ramps are what they call parsnips in WV.), two boxes of Goo-Goo clusters, lots of cheap cigarettes, (they cost three times as much in NJ, yeah, I should just quit smoking), a hand carved back scratcher, a corn husk angel for my christmas tree, hickory nuts, and lord knows what else that I forgot that I bought.

and I didn't buy any musical instruments, I'm proud of myself.

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: fretless
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 11:30 AM

"and I didn't buy any musical instruments"

Steve, how could you resist? About that ark, I've been traveling route 68/70 for about a year now and can't recall seeing any progress in that monstrosity. Don't know much about gopher wood -- maybe Western Maryland's gophers are different from the ones in the Holy Land. In any case, I travel that highway with a fair regularity. Will keep you posted on the ark's pace toward completion.

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 11:36 AM

How much wood would a gopher-wood gopher chuck if a gopher-wood gopher could chuck gopher-wood?

A

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 12:02 PM

"Somewhere west of Cumberland MD on the north side of the road is a large steel frame with a sign reading "NOAH'S ARK BEING REBUILT HERE". Noah didn't use steel beams, so this is cheating. This may be worth going back to check on once in a while."

I drove by it off and on for three years and it hasn't changed one bit. I think that Noah mighta run out of money....

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: fretless
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 01:25 PM

Ohmigod! The Maryland ark has a Web page! Click this, http://www.godsark.org/.

I vaguely recall seeing a similar construction somewhere between Richmond and North Carolina's Outer Banks. Is this a trend? Is Noah planning a flotilla?

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 01:45 PM

Gopher wood is any wood you have to go fer.

bada-boom

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 04:09 PM

And if it's far away, you hafta go far fer it, making it gofarfer wood.

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 04:26 PM

Which when used for making small cars lends them the name Gofarfervagens.

A

Subject: RE: BS: What I did on my vacation
From: RangerSteve
Date: 20 Oct 03 - 05:47 PM

Thanks for the info on the ark. I'll wait awhile before I go back to check on it. I have a feeling that the local health officials have a problem with keeping animals in a closed environment like that.

Fred - I didn't buy any instruments because I didn't see anything that I really liked, other than a bowed psaltery at the WV craft center, but that was at the end of my trip, so I was low on money. I got their business card, though, and I plan on getting one eventually. They sounded great.

Also, if there's an ark in NC, then I think these people know something that the rest of us don't. And if there's going to be a flood, then it's going to be one hell of a flood, since the one on I-68 is at a pretty high altitude.