Charleston & Western Carolina Railway

This caboose sits fully restored in the Varnville SC city park.

In 1894, the South Carolina legislature forced the financially ailing Central of Georgia to give up its railroad properties in that state. These were the Port Royal & Augusta Railway, which ran from the South Carolina coast to Augusta, and the Port Royal & Western Carolina Railway, which linked Augusta with Greenville and several other towns in the South Carolina piedmont.
The Central had gained control of the PR&A in 1881, primarily to prevent it from capturing freight traffic that otherwise might go via Central rails to Savannah. To further feed traffic to Savannah, the Central helped construct the PR&WC and soon gained control over it too.
Only about 14 miles of the two railways were in Georgia, but Georgia was seeing most of the benefit, according to South Carolina. After the Central was pushed out, the Charleston & Western Carolina was organized, in 1896, to operate the lines.
The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of the C&WC in the following year. It was not, however, until 1959 that the smaller road was merged into the parent line.

Laughter-Silvered Wings

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earthAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirthOf sun-split clouds - and done a hundred thingsYou have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swungHigh in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring thereI've chased the shouting wind along, and flungMy eager craft through footless halls of air.Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,I've topped the windswept heights with easy graceWhere never lark, or even eagle flew -And, while with silent lifting mind I've trodThe high untresspassed sanctity of space,Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941

Code Orange Travel

Due to the recent raising of the terrorist level from yellow to orange by the Home Land Security folks travelers in the US are no longer able to pack toiletries in their carry-on luggage.
After having my checked luggage lost three consecutive times I have decided to let the terrorist win and carry-on without toiletries! Travel sizes toiletries are my new friends!
$10.00 per week X 52 weeks = "yep that's right, lol!"

Southern Home

Located on Main Street inVarnville SC is the most beautiful three sided porch home I have ever seen. With white wicker furniture, hanging ferns, hummingbird feeders and a perfectly manicured lawn it is a post card picture.

Mint Julep anyone?

Killer Oak Tree

I have had numerous discussions with Beth around the fact that I will die a victim of an over hanging oak tree on Putman Ford Road falling on me as I drive under it.
Well today while driving outside Hampton SC I happened upon another even bigger killer oak tree.
Beware of the killer oaks!!!!

Holiday Inn Charleston Airport SC

If you're planning a trip to Charleston SC in the near future I would suggest a stay at the Holiday Inn Hotel Charleston Airport and Convention Center. The hotel is located minutes from everything. Charleston, SC Historic District is only 10 miles and within walking distance is the Coliseum, Performing Arts Center and Convention Center. With Tanger Outlet opening in the fall of 2006 bargain shopping is just around the corner.
The hotel is 100% Non-Smoking.

Fort Sumter

On my drive along Charleston Harbor I was also able to take this picture of the famous civil war Fort Sumter.

On April 10, 1861, Brig. Gen. Beauregard, in command of the provisional Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Garrison commander Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to reply effectively. At 2:30 p.m., April 13, Major Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter, evacuating the garrison on the following day. The bombardment of Fort Sumter was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Although there were no casualties during the bombardment, one Union artillerist was killed and three wounded (one mortally) when a cannon exploded prematurely when firing a salute during the evacuation.

For more visit: http://www.civilwarhome.com

CS Hunley

During my visit to the CVS in Hampton SC I was unable to stop by the CS Hunley museum however I was able to drive along Charleston Harbor and see this sign marking the spot where the Hunley embarked that eveing in 1864. I hope to visit the museum next week.

On the night of Febuary 17, 1864 history was made. At the same moment, a mystery was born. The Hunley became the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship, but why had she suddenly disappeared? What caused her to sink? And would she ever be found?
Since the end of the War Between the States, explorers and treasure seekers have scoured the sea around the site of the fallen Housatonic, hoping to discover the Hunley and her crew. Early in the Twentieth Century, a reward of $100,000 was even offered by the great showman, P.T. Barnum to encourage mercenaries to find the lost vessel. But as the years passed by, the story of the Hunley remained shrouded in mystery with her secrets hidden and her resting place unknown for well over a century.
The world would have to wait until the tools of modern technology would begin to unlock the secrets of the Hunley.

For more visit: http://www.hunley.org

Great Display. A Fire Marshals Nightmare!

With the grand opening just around the corner the CVS staff at the new Waterbury CT store decided to construct this fantastic display advertising 12 pak Pepsi products 4/$10.00.
Unfortunately the dispaly as you may be able to see is blocking the fire break out doors!!
The Fire Marshal agreed that it was a tribute to the Pepsi Gods however it had to go before he would give the okay to the final fire inspection granting us our final CO!!!!

CVS Waterbury CT

For all those that think I just jet across the US taking pictures for a living here is a picture of the new CVS in Waterbury CT.
One of my crews just finished it's three week project and I was there to do the final walk before the store opens Sunday.
See I really do work, lol!

The Smaller The Town!!!

The smaller the town the smaller the airplane! In and out of New Haven CT is only on a US Airways De Havilland Canada DHC-8 two engine turboprop.

For more visit http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=121

NYPD Mounted Unit

While waiting for the light to change today I noticed one of NYPD's Mounted Units on patrol or resting in the shade!

For over a century, the NYPD mounted unit has patrolled the streets of New York from the saddle, a constant presence at parades, protests and in Central Park. From the officers, who are often the second or third generation in their families to serve in this elite unit, to the civilian ranks that care for the city's 92 horses, the mounted unit has a tight-knit culture and a venerable history. This family of horse lovers takes great pride in its traditions.
The unit was founded in 1871 to stem the city's reckless horseback riders. The first 13 officers arrested 400 riders that first year, and the department increased from 15 to 400 horses a few years later, mostly to control crowds at strikes, parades and protests. By 1904, there were 800 officers. Today, there are 100, used mostly for crowd control because an officer on horseback can do the job of 10 on foot.

For more visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/transportation/mounted.html

The Holland Tunnel

This week brings me to New York City with one CVS store in Brooklyn and the other in Queens. I took the Holland Tunnel back to Newark NJ and my hotel.

The tunnel opens in 1927 after seven years of construction, during which only thirteen "sandhogs" (as the construction workers were called) die. The greatest danger facing the workers is the bends. Construction is carried out under air pressure, which has to balance river pressure. Workers have to pass through decompression chambers, much as divers do coming up from deep water. None of the worker fatalities are from the bends, however. The toll in 1927 is fifty cents, and the trip takes only eight minutes. The tunnel when it opens is the longest underwater tunnel in the world, with its north tube 8,558 feet long and its south tube 8,371 feet long. On its first day of operation, 51,694 vehicles pass through. The total cost of the tunnel is $48 million. Today, it would cost approximately $1.4 billion.

For more visit: http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/tunnels/html/holland.html

SS United States

During the past year I have made several trips in and out of the Philadelphia International Airport. Each time I have noticed a large ship sitting at berth near the airport. After much research via the internet I discovered that Philadelphia is the current home of the once beautiful SS United States.

With some time to spare before leaving on a flight from Philadelphia back to Atlanta Thursday I decided to search out the SS United States.
Here's one of several pictures I took.

Not since the Monitor and the Merrimac had sounded the knell of wooden ships in the War Between the States had American shipbuilding been able to claim the leadership it originally won with the old Yankee Clippers, speed champions of their time. With the launch of the new ss United States, America once again led the forefront of innovation and could lay claim to the largest passenger vessel ever built in the Western Hemisphere and the fastest passenger vessel afloat. Red, white and blue stacks towering 175 feet above the keel, the striking profile of the liner gave unspoken promise to reassert theUnited States of America as a contender in the North Atlantic Trade. This remarkable ship has captured the imaginations of many throughout the years. In years past, and in years to come, the fascinating story of America's last ambassador of the Atlantic will continue to catch the attention of those who long to understand and recapture a kinder, gentler era.

For more visit: http://www.uncommonjourneys.com/pages/unitedstates/unitedstates.htm
Also visit: http://www.ss-united-states.com/i2.html
Also visit: http://www.ssunitedstates.org/SSUShome.html

Schooner Amistad at Mystic Seaport

While visiting the CVS in New London CT I took my morning walk in Mystic Seaport. Here's a picture of the Schooner Amistad at her berth in Mystic Seaport

Amistad America, Inc. built a recreation of the freedom schooner Amistad at Mystic Seaport. Keel laying was on March 8, 1998 which was the nearest weekend day to March 9, the date the Supreme Court handed down its decision in favor of the Amistad Africans.

For more visit: http://www.ctheritage.org/news/Amistad100203.htm

New Haven Light House

Also while in New Haven I drove out to Light House Point before leaving for NJ.

For a brief 73 years light beams from the lighthouse at Lighthouse Point extended welcoming, comforting arms to ships and sailors returning from voyages from the four corners of the world.
Today the beacon from the New Haven Light House at Lighthouse Point is dark, but the tower remains, greeting ships from around the world to New Haven.The New Haven Lighthouse at Lighthouse Point in New Haven is located at the Eastern point of New Haven Harbor. Old Maps show it as Five Mile Point called that because that is the distance between it and the center of New Haven. It was also called Morris Point during the Colonial period.

For more visit: http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=795

Eli Whitney/Grove Street Cemetery

While in New Haven CT this week I visited the Grove Street Cemetery burial place of Eli Whitney!

The Grove Street Cemetery, the first chartered burial ground in the United States, succeeded the previous common burial site, the New Haven Green. After severe yellow fever epidemics in 1794 and 1795 the Green, which held perhaps as many as 5,000 burials, was simply too crowded to continue as the chief burial ground. ln 1796 a group of New Haven citizens led by U.S, Senator James Hillhouse planned a new cemetery on a location at the edge of town. Their efforts were officially recognized in October, 1797 when the State of Connecticut incorporated the cemetery as The New Burying Ground in New Haven. The first burial, that of Martha Townsend, took place on November 9, 1797. Among the internationally renowned persons interred here are Eli Whitney, inventor; Noah Webster, lexicographer; Josiah Willard Gibbs, Jr., scientist; Lyman Beecher, abolitionist and prohibitionist; O.C. Marsh, paleontologist and Lars Onsager, Nobel Prize winner.

For more vist: http://www.grovestreetcemetery.org

Roxy Moresi

Roxy Moresi during the family get together on July 4th.
She had a great evening chasing flash light beams on the ground!!!!

Monmouth University.

Located just down the street CVS 7182 in Oakhurst NJ isMonmouth University. I had a chance to walk around the campus the other day. It's beautiful tree lined streets offered a pleasant mornings walk.

Monmouth University's historic 155-acre campus is located in attractive, residential West Long Branch, near the ocean and close to New York City and Philadelphia. Monmouth offers a high-tech learning environment, professors who meet the highest standards for teaching and academic excellence, and the vibrant life of a large university combined with the individual attention typical of small liberal arts colleges.

Visit their website at http://www.monmouth.edu

Saturday Napping!

With summer temperature rising Lola decided to spend the day Saturday enjoying the air conditioning, having her nail trimmed and napping!
Even Janie's weekly bath didn't seem to faze this relaxing bunny!