Cherry Point Marine Base - North Carolina

Day Care Center at Cherry Point
Bridge across Neuse River
Leaving Cherry Point
Looking toward where Trav and Noell lived
Base at Cherry Point
Some Azalea bushes
Tank Crossing signs at Camp Le Jejune
Bridge across Charleston Harbor at Mount Pleasant

March 31st - Cherry Point Marine Base - North Carolina

We left Charleston AFB and traveled route 17 , crossing over Charleston Harbor at Mount Pleasant. We just marvel at the Dogwood, Wisteria, Azaleas , it is a pleasure to enjoy springtime in so many locations throughout our travels.

As we pass the many churches throughout the countryside, we notice the crosses that are draped with majestic purple fabric reminding us of the Lenten season that we are passing through on our journey to the arising of our Saviour on Easter Sunday.

As we journey on Route 17 we see the many stands where the local people are selling the pine baskets. Even though many folks sell these baskets, seldom do you see two identical baskets. This route is lined with the beautiful pine trees that line the Great Pee Dee River.

We arrive at Cherry Point, NC at 12:30 pm. This is a bittersweet time. As previously Travis and Noell were stationed here and we made many happy memories here. After Lou and I got settled in on our campsite we walked to the commissary and a young couple was coming in as we were coming out and it just seemed that it should have been Trav and Noell. I came back and called Noell and told her we were there and all set up and were ready for Trav to come and pick us up so we could go to the Sanitary for dinner. Just couldn’t do it!! Oh well great memories. We didn’t even unhook, couldn’t go out and eat with out them.

We left Cherry Point about 10:30 am on the 31st and it was raining, as we crossed the bridge in New Bern on route 17 there was a man fishing in the Neuse River, and he put his boat under the bridge so he could still fish and stay dry, I thought that was pretty smart.

As we were driving up the road on 17, we saw signs for a barbeque sponsored by a fire department, so Lou said if we could pull of we would stop and get that for our lunch, well, not only could we pull off, we could pull in and pull through, so we did and wow what a meal they put on, it was barbequed pork, cole slaw and hush puppies, we got two dinners and we had enough for two days. We took it wish you and stopped at a roadside park at lunch time and had a feast.

We later drove through Edenton, NC where Carolina Moon was written and then of course, Hertford, NC which is the home of Catfish Hunter, the great baseball player.

I never tire of driving through North Carolina, I just love to look at the huge fields. Some had already been planted with potatoes and some are ready to be planted with cotton. Us poor farmers in Pennsylvania wouldn’t know how to work such flat huge fields. It would be pure pleasure.