New Bern -- the Road Less Traveled

Interstates and by-passes are great things.  They have the advantages of higher speed limits, no stoplights, and shorter travel times.  However, Jason and I decided to take Business 70 down to New Bern.  We wanted to take the scenic route, and we really had a fun time.  Business 70 goes through such wonderful towns as Clayton, Smithfield, Goldsboro, Kinston, and LaGrange.  These towns did not disappoint.

On road trips, we sometimes talk about everyday stuff (troubles at work, things on our calendar), future stuff (features we'd like in a house, places we'd like to visit), or just-to-talk stuff (who would you like to see in concert, stories from high school, etc.).  A lot of the time though, we ride along in silence, occasionally commenting on things we see along the road.

We comment on choices for business names...

"Why Peek-a-Boo Boutique?  Why not Peek-a-Boutique?  That's so much better."

"Larry Peedin Automotive?  Really?!?  Do they offer the "peedin" guarantee?  Do people brag about owning a  "peedin" car?"

We comment on unexpected billboards...

"Home of America's Largest Pork Display?  Count us in!"

I serenade Jason with jingles I grew up hearing on local television...

"O, O, O, O'Reilly!  O'Reilly!  O, O, O, O'Reilly... Auto Parts!"

"At Tal-Y-Bont Interiors, you can afford your dreams!"

We have geeky conversations based on stuff we see...

"Goldsboro Neon Signs.  Who knew Goldsboro had such a need for neon?"

"Hey, if you were to have a neon sign, what would it say?"

"NEON."

"What color would you get it?"

"Orange, of course." [for those who don't know, the gas neon only makes orange neon signs; all other colors of "neon" signs are actually other gases]

"What would your sign say?"

"SCIENCE!"

Saturday night, Jason wondered out loud where 70 East ends.  Three touches on the iPhone, and we had an adventure planned for Sunday.  We drove through Morehead City and Beaufort to the town of Atlantic to find the end of Hwy 70.

We also drove along Hwy 12 (the one that runs down the Outer Banks) to Cedar Island.  The combination of it being February, rainy, a Sunday, and 40-some degrees meant we had the road pretty much to ourselves.  We couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a few photos.

We took the road less traveled... and had a blast!