Finally arrived in NC...

[DGXSER]

My sister used to live in Mt Airy NC. Now, I grew up in farm country in Ohio. Which is now one of the more "affluent" areas in the Cincinnati area. But 20 years ago, it was hogs, cows, and corn. But Mt. Airy even makes me hear Dueling Banjos, and walk backwards from most strangers.

[DJinNH]

Please don't take ofence, just joking. You would be suprised how welcome you would feel. Southern hospitality is still alive. It doesn't mater where you go, your still going to have some rednecks. I've seen them in all states. There are older homes with small amounts of land everywhere. You just have to do the leg work. I work out of town a lot, but if there is anything I can do, I would be more than glad to help. Are you moving for work?

My dad and his wife moved down to Pulaski, VA maybe 8 yrs ago....from NH. They got tired of the homeowner fees they were paying up here at some condo.

I've visited them down there on a few occasions. The people around there...I doubt you can find neighbors that could be any nicer. Great area, very quiet and relaxing. Probably boring if you want a night life but there's alway Blacksburg (Virginia Tech) not too far down the road.

I drove through Raliegh one day to head to Camp Lejeune, NC to see my son in the Marine Corps. It was 104 degrees F.
Don

[magnum440]

Don, I have been to NH. It has a lot nice rual areas. I was up there with a NASCAR team I used to work for. Actually had some time to go up to Mt. Washington. When we left the track that day it was in the 80's, when we got to the top of Mt. Washington it was in the 40's. We had shorts on. Like to have froze to death. Anyway, there was this shop in the town of Loudon that a guy had alot of old Indian's and Harley's. He passed away will we up there for a race. I was wondering if his wife or family still kept it open. I know that Michael Waltrip and Kyle Petty were impressed with his collection.

[wingnut]

I move down here in 89. Raised both kids in this state and have watched this area down by the beach grow and grow and grow. Yes I'm one of what the locals call a "Damn Yankee". Thats someone from up North that doesn't leave. There is true Southern hospitality down here. The further you get away from the larger metropolitan areas the more prevalent it is. These people are friendly and polite in most cases. Like was said , you can find red necks in any state. You talk of gated communities and home owners associations. They are the bane of the independent mans existence, the Cary area out side of Raleigh is a prime example. Folks call it little Long Island. Most of those associations are the result of people who retire down here for the weather and the prices then spend all their time tiring to make it just like the place they moved from. There is a bumper sticker around that reads " We don't give a damn how you did it up north" That about sums it up for me. OK rant over. Now back to bikes. I'm really glad to have fellow EXsives moving in. The western part of the state has some of the best riding roads on the east coast. Down east here its really flat and pretty much straight but the scenery by the water is a good trade off. So If you plan a ride down this way let me know. I'd love to get together. Also there is plenty of good Harley hunting to be had They moved a big Harley rally up to New Bern after the city of Mertal Beach threw them out. Its this weekend so I'm tuning up the XS and headed out to RT 70 for some good natured sport.

[thewiz]

Interesting, Wing ...

I remember that you were very hospitable yourself when you helped me out with a connector for a fairing. Was much appreciated and thanks again ... lookin' forward to ridin' more around here .... if it ever stops raining. Would love to meet up.

Did have a funny incident the other day. I was doing a large load of laundry at the laundromat when a big ole NC boy came over (after having apparently noticed my California tag) and he proceed to rail on what he referred to as "foreigners" ... how "they" had spoiled the communities and driven up the prices of real estate and on and on. I just listened patiently and when he was finished, I looked him right in the eye and told him, "I served in the US Army during the late 60's. Some of my mates were from the Carolinas. I spent my money in Fayetteville. The job I was doing then was for the whole United States, that's how I saw it. So, although a person can only be born in one place sir, and true enough, I was born in another state, I don't consider myself a foreigner in any of 50 states in the Union." Shut him up pretty quick.

I was working in Columbia for Hurricane Hugo too ... my mother was vacationing in Myrtle. Bought a new Tauraus SHO in New Bern on Labor Day that year a couple of weeks before the storm. Took food, milk and ice to people stranded in Charleston. Now I'm here to stay. I'm sure they'll get used to it eventually ...

Walked into a restuarant yesterday and the proprietor, who was obviously of Asian decent, spoke with a thick NC accent. Now that blew my mind !! .. very different from the left coast. Ain't this country a trip?

[magnum440]

Did your big ole boy have all his teeth? Just curious. I was born and raised in this state and the worst ones don't get much sunshine. It's embarassing sometimes.

[thewiz]

I believe he did ...

have all of his teeth, Stacey, but not completely sure. lol He didn't really seem hateful in any way toward me either ... he actually looked to me like a regular woking guy ... I think he was just sharing with me what he felt were the facts from his perspective. Every state and probably everywhere has some of these types too, as someone else here also stated .... shouldn't be embarassed. I find that overwhelming majority of the men I have dealt with down here, while in the process of moving into Wilkes, are masterful straight-talkers. Man, I like that.

[wingnut]

Stacy +1 on the sunshine. I wonder if the gene pool wasn't over chlorinated sometimes. Wiz I can say this, you will meet all kinds here and a laundromat is one of the best places to meet them LOL. I've been assigned to military aviation for most of my career and it had us moving around the country allot in the early years. I think it gave us an advantage by exposing us to all types and classes of people. It also made it real easy to say yes to a more permanent assignment here in NC. I'm thinking we need to get a NC XS1100 ride together. There are a bunch of XJ riders around Raleigh, maybe get hooked up with them and do a ride. State Fair would be fun and pretty central to all of us.

[DJinNH]

Don, I have been to NH. It has a lot nice rual areas. I was up there with a NASCAR team I used to work for. .

One of my buddies I knew from Jr. High and High School moved down to NC later on. I heard from him last year and he works for the Roush-Fenway team.

We met up years ago in Homestead the day before the first race ever there. He introduced me to his driver at that time, Dick Trickle.

Don

[thewiz]

Speakin' of sunshine ...

I think I finally see some out my window today ... I'm down with the NC riding too. I'm essentially retired so I can go just about any time according to when you guys with families and jobs can work it in. The locals tell me that once this rain quits, the sun will shine with a vengance.

My former state of residence is in the throws of a heat wave with no end in sight ... came early this season .... the vegetation should already be scourched into brown straw thus raising the fire danger off the scale ... add to that an earthquake here and there .... oh yeah, buddy! I'll take the rain and the heat once it arrives. LOL

I do miss my XS buddies out in Cal though ... Planedick, Garth, Tom and the Mikes. I hope to find some more out here.