Road Trip

Welcome to North Carolina folks.  I had my trusty Nikon D300 in hand the other evening and decided to take pictures out the window of our car just driving down the road to see what I wound up with at the end of the evening.  I'm fly by the seat of my pants like that.   So, if you would like to see the scenes of our 7 mile trek to the Americana Restaurant from Weddington to Matthews, you're in the right place.  (That's South Charlotte for anyone who is not familiar with Charlotte, North Carolina)

I like this house.  Reminds me a bit of Tara in Gone with the Wind but not nearly as Charleston Big.  By the way, it was a gray and gloomy early evening when we left home.

Nice fleld.  I noticed a few weeds popping up.  Amazing that I was able to get such clear pictures while driving at 40 mph down the road.

Nice driveway you got there, dude - whoever you are.  There are a lot of driveways like this in North Carolina.  Looks like he has a garden goin' on there too on the left of the picture.  I'll bet he grows some nice veggies.

Not sure if this is a double-wide.  They need help with their lawn.  Yeah, right, I'm one to talk.  My lawn looks just as bad - if not worse!

Oooooooo, pretty.  I would feel right at home all tucked away back there in the woods.  Makes me think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  I think the birds must be chirping and the rabbits hoppin' along.  Squirrels probably run up the trees and all the animals in the woods listen to the homeowner whistling while they work.

Pretty house.  Almost missed it in the frame.  Remember, we're driving along at about 45-50mph now.

Okay, what is this?  Small house.  Weeds.  (Looks like our front yard), shacky but cozy, don't you think?

I spy a school bus.  I spy a fire hydrant.  I spy some trash in the grass on the side of the road.

Hello house!  Sorry I took half a picture of you but I clicked too soon.  Tree needs trimming.

Nice pad you got there, Bo.  Nice truck too.  Double cab.  Fancy.  Hey, dig that lopsided basketball hoop.  Or maybe the garage is lopsided.  I can't tell.

I almost got me a full house in this frame.  Pretty flowers.  A gardener must live here.

Hey! I got an entire house in the frame!  Pretty.  So cozy.  There seem to be a lot of cozy homes in North Carolina.  The kinda place that Little Red Riding Hood traveled thru the woods for - to visit Grandma and beat the wolf over the head with a stick.  That is how the story goes, right?

Hey!  It's the Burger Joint!  Oh, it's deserted.  Hmmm, broken windows too.  Somebody must have been really hungry for a burger to break a window to get one. 

Glen:  "Are We There Yet Dad!"

Dad:  "We have a few more miles to go and a hundred more pictures of the North Carolina landscape before we get there.  Patience is a virtue."

Some trucker must have gotten lost with this house.  He dumped it on the side of the road and left it there.  On stilts.  Or is that the trailer still stuck under the house?

 

My lens must be dirty.  North Carolina dust ya know.  (just kidding) (Just some crazy Action from Totally Rad called "Dirt Bag" that I thought would look neato with this picture) Another deserted somethin' or another on the side of the road. 

Well, Hello Sir.  Are you enjoying your drive on this gray day?  Nice truck.  Hope you don't mind me taking your picture and posting it all over the internet. 

Hey, looky there, it's the Comedy Zone!  Haven't been there.  Don't know if they are actually funny.  Lopsided picture, though.  Big Bear must have hit a bump in the road.

Gas, junk food, where's the pay phone?  Is this 1970?  Was this picture taken with my Kodak? 

Yay!  We're here!  Our favorite Family Restaurant - The Americana!  WooHoo!  Cheers!  We're Hungry!  Are we students?  Any students in this car?  You can't park here if you are a student!  No Students allowed!

Of course, Sarah is only interested in talking on the phone.  Girls.  Teenagers.  Phones. Students.

"Oh No, Mom with a camera.  I can never get away from this woman.  I hope I never get pimples."

"I'll smile big for you, Mom!  I'm just so happy!"  Check out that big front tooth coming in.

Big Bear gets right down to business.  As always.  Of course, he needed his glasses.  Getting older is a pain in the butt-ocks.  I think I'll talk like Forrest Gump tonight.

Of course, why am I not surprised that she has not touched her drink.  Sarah?  Sarah? Are you going to order - Sarah?  Food - Sarah?

My, don't you look happy, son.  Smile.  Maybe you're just hungry.  It's coming.  Promise.  They serve fast here. 

Matthew:  "Mom - I really don't want you to take anymore pictures of me."

Me:  "But Matthew, you are so handsome and adorable and smart and clear complected and handsome - oh, did I say that already?"

Glen is such a good doobie.  He is diggin' right into that menu.

 

Me: "Sarah, look at your menu, Sarah?  Drink your orange drink, Sarah.  Ice is melting, Sarah.  Why are you smiling, Sarah?"

Well, my goodness, who put the brick up your butt?  Na - na na - na - na.

Is that a smile I see?  Nope, I think it's a smirk.  I do see Glen picking his nose, however.  I just hope he doesn't eat them.  Nope, he didn't eat it.  I do think he wiped it on his shorts though.  Such nice table manners.  I've taught them so well.

She must be on the phone with some boy or something.  She hasn't been in high school a week yet and she already has the boys on a short leash - THAT'S MY GIRL!  hee hee.  She still hasn't picked up that menu yet. 

Me: "Hey, Sarah, what's the deal?"

Me: "Sarah?"

Me: "What's so funny?  Why are you so happy?  Are you flirting?  What's the joke!"

Why is it that 14 year old girls lose their hearing? 

Now that Matthew has had some steak, a bowl of soup, some fried squash, and some french fries, he's ready for a nap.  Sarah is still talking on the phone. 

I think it is time for the check and to go home.  If you would like to see the North Carolina landscape going home, put this post in reverse and look out the driver's side window.