POST 488 - DAY 282 / 25: JACKSONVILLE - SWANSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

Please say HELLO to FIRST SERGEANT DAVID OGLESBY, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, JACKSONVILLE, N.E.

Sgt Oglesby took out a few minutes from his busy schedule to chat with me in his office at the Intersection of US 17 and SR 24.

I must walk SR 24 to MOREHEAD CITY, NORTH CAROLINA in order to reach the N.C. State Ferry to OCRACOKE, NORTH CAROLINA on the Barrier Islands.

Sgt. Oglesby said SR 24, even though posted as a FREEWAY, is truly not a Freeway and I may walk the SR 24.

At Sun up, walked from WALMART back South on US 17 for 12 miles, completing the walk of those miles driven last evening to reach JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA before darkness.

Later, walked another 10 miles East on SR 24, after which we drove SPIA to the village of SWANSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, parked in the lot of the FOOD LION Supermarket for the night. Still had three hours before darkness, so walked back West toward JACKSONVILLE for another 8 miles...total = 30 miles for the day.

Somehow, I feel a bit "empty". I do miss SAM.

I call this photo: Leveling The Playing Field.

Was pleased to discover the above "Manufactured Home". Looks altogether like an on-site traditional home.

SR 24 nearing SWANSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

We are back in "farm land" country.

This business caught my eye as being quite unusual. In fact, it is a Second Hand Store called NEW TO YOU.

I stopped in and chatted for a half hour or so with the Owner, Cindy. Cindy says she finally has the job she always wanted and is pleased that there is no evidence of an economic turn-down for her company...business is good.

Cindy was camera shy and I did not push her...although, I felt she would be a good photo subject.

One of Cindy's "treasures".

This is a model of the famous English and French sailing ships of late 1700s and early 1800s.

It is called a "74"...so called for the number of major cannon on board...a cannon hides behind each of the small square ports (holes) in the side of the ship. In today's navies, it would equal a large Cruiser. The battleship of the period carried from 91 to 100 guns and many hundreds of crew.

SPIA is once again parked overnight in a public lot, safe from the "wide spot" along the road.

SPIA has developed yet another defect...they are piling up fast and furious...a challenge to me to keep SPIA whole and functioning...

Yes, it has become much more than just a walk.

In the morning, will walk East on SR 24, heading for MOREHEAD CITY, NORTH CAROLINA, about 25 miles away. We should reach OCRACOKE, NORTH CAROLINA - the place where BLACK BEARD THE PIRATE lost his head.

It was on the news today that one of the cannon from one of BLACK BEARDs four ships has been brought to the surface from the harbor bottom of BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA...the beautiful city we recently visited.