TWEETSIE

      My ears start to pop when we pass Hickory on 321N headed to Blowing Rock.  All of a sudden, I notice that we're definately in the mountains.  And it's easy to see why they call them the Blue Ridge!  A soft, bluish haze fades acoss the rolling hills.  Fog dances along the peaks.  I have to keep my eyes on the curving road and call out for my little passenger to look over there!  We notice the giant wall of rocks behind a fence on one side matched with the depth of the forest valley on the other.  Cars pull off the road at local produce stands.  The Tweetsie billboard appears ahead.  We're almost there. 

     Around the curve we spot the entrance.   As we pull into the parking lot, the little man is wiggling with excitement.  Climbing the concrete stairs, I can see the building on a hilltop.   As he gets unbuckled, I grap our travel pack and slather on the sunscreen, give him his hat, and throw the camera in my bag.   

     We scurry up the walkway.  Puffs of smoke rise toward the sky.  The sound of the train's bell matches the rhythm of our steps.  If we hurry, we can make the first train of the day!  We look for a window seat on the right side of the last car.  The conductor rides in the last car, and you can look behind you to see where you've been! 


     Two views are important from the train at TWEETSIE.  If you sit on the left, you get a good view of the cowboy antics in town before the train leaves the station.  They have mics so everyone on the train can hear clearly.   If you sit on the right, you'll be able to see better the show at the outpost and Fort Boone. 


     Casey Jones informs the passengers about the history of TWEETSIE and the E.T. & W.N.C. Railroad.  (To help you remember the name, think EAT TATERS and WEAR NO CLOTHES!)  Cowboards hop on the train cars.  ALL ABOARD!  The conductor gives the OK signal.  TWEETSIE chugs smoke and everyone in town waves.

    
     The best place to listen for the famous TWEETSIE whistle is right before the trestle at the beginning of the ride.  I keep my camera video running to capture the same sound folks heard way back in the early 1900's when the train provided lots more than transportation, and TWEETSIE was the icon of mountain culture.

Memories of Travel

     I can only remember traveling on a vaction once as a child.  In the early 60's, our car didn't have air-conditioning.  My brothers and I leaned out the opened windows, bounced around in the seat, whined and argued.   My dad's right arm became both a front-seat passenger restraint in case of a sudden stop and thrust of discipline to any child within reach.  Rest stops were hours apart.   Restrooms were dirty.   You couldn't count on passing an open gas station or even a sit-down restaurant.    There were few interstate highways.  Just bumpy two-lane roads with miles of fields and pastures.  No MacDonalds.  No DVD  or MP3 players for entertainment.  At points along the way, we could listen to a static-ridden, snowy AM radio station playing early pop or country/western music until it faded out of range. 

     So, it's understandable that my parents didn't enjoy traveling with three youngsters.  Work filled most of their lives, and recreation was a new concept.   Travel was a real luxury.  For the most part, we stayed pretty close to home and usually visited relatives "on the farm" to get away.  It wasn't all that bleak though.  The beach was right around the corner.   A short thirty-minute drive offered peace for my mom and  wonderful memories of sand and surf for everyone except my fair-skinned dad. 

     The one real vacation of my youth was a trip to Tweetsie Railroad and Grandfather Mountain.  Remember we lived at the coast.  It was a two-day trip to visit the mountains.  Luckily, my dad had a cousin in Burlington for a night's stopover.  She showed us around the town and took us to ride a train in the town's park before we headed out the next day.

     Most of the event is a blur, but two moments from the entire trip are planted firmly in my memory.  The first is a scene of the Indians boarding the train at Tweetsie met with the screams of my little brothers.  And the next is the horror on my mom's face as the boys headed for the cliff at Grandfather Mountain. 

     I understand why that was our only vacation.  From then on, we stayed close to home! 

    Today, travel is still a luxury.  I appreciate the cost and time sacrifice.  However, the contemporary path to discovery reaches out to us with comfort and convenience.  I hope to bridge my grandson's eagerness for thrills and entertainment with my desire to enrich his understanding of our state's cultural wealth.  Hopefully, he will write one day about the year he spent with Mimee and the trains!

The Journey

A journey begins with a simple step forward. A single thrust of momentum that moves toward a goal. This blog is a scrapbook of my journey experiencing museums, parks and entertainment sites of North Carolina alongside a five-year old boy. Together, we're going to discover the heart and soul of our state's attractions. While we're building memories, we'll share our thoughts and reviews.

What does North Carolina offer that interests a little boy? Where can we go to enrich his understanding of history, the arts, and science while keeping him engaged? I looked to one of his favorite toys for a jumping off point. My grandson loves TRAINS! Luckily, we are blessed with many attractions with train rides and train museums. So, our goal is to visit all the trains and related North Carolina fun spots in a year! Come along with us as we enjoy the ride. ALL ABOARD!