Sunday, October 28, 2018

Road Trip #331 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 226 to Virginia Mile 15

We wrap up our fourth state in this series as we approach the North
Carolina/Virginia border, beginning at Mile 226 in North Carolina. We
encounter an accident on the highway due to a tire blowout, and then
enter the Commonwealth of Virginia, entering Mecklenburg County. We
cross Lake Gaston, and pass through a rural area, ending at Exit 15.

Road Trip #330 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 202-226

We continue through North Carolina on I-85, beginning at mile 202 in
Fishing Creek Township, Granville County. We pass through the town of
Oxford, and then enter Vance County, and Dabney Township. We pass
through the city of Henderson, and encounter another construction
project that narrows the interstate down to one lane in each direction
for about 5 miles. We conclude at exit 226. In our next video, we will
reach the commonwealth of Virginia!

Road Trip #329 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 179-202

We continue north on I-85 beginning in Durham County, North Carolina,
and then into rural Granville County. We conclude at exit 202.

New Orleans Neighborhoods #14 - Navarre

Navarre is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of
the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City
Planning Commission are: I-610, Canal Boulevard and Florida Boulevard to
the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, City Park Avenue to the south
and the Pontchartrain Expressway and Pontchartrain Boulevard to the
west.

Road Trip #328 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 157-179 (Durham)

In this video, we begin at the eastern edge of Mebane, North Carolina in
Orange County headed north on I-85 and west on I-40. We pass through
the town of Hillsborough, and then enter Durham County and the city of
Durham.

Road Trip #327 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 135-157 (Burlington)

In video #23 of the I-85 series, we begin in Guilford County, North
Carolina at mile 137, just past Greensboro. We quickly pass through
Whitsett, and then enter Burlington, which lies half in Guilford County,
and half in Alamance County. We pass through the city of Graham, and
end in Mebane at Exit 157.

Outtake #5 - Distracted Taxi Driver Can't Maintain Lane - Hits Guardrail

Streets of NOLA #4 - Laurel Street - Uptown

Another residential street in uptown New Orleans--one of the few that
crosses Exposition Blvd--we begin in Audubon Park and head through
Audubon, West Riverside, East Riverside, Irish Channel, Lower Garden
District and St. Thomas neighborhoods. This is a realtime video with
the sound of the streets...no voiceover.

Road Trip #326 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 111-135 (Greensboro)

In video #22 in the I-85 series, we travel from mile 111 in the city of
Archdale in Randolph County, into Guilford County, and the city of
Greensboro. We see concurrencies with US-29, US-70, I-84 business and
US-421.



Friday, October 12, 2018

Road Trip #325 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 88-111 (Lexington)

Video #21 in the I-85 series, we continue north beginning at mile 88, in
Davidson County in the city of Lexington. On a section of highway
between mile 97 and 100, the travel lanes swap sides, with opposing
traffic on the right. This accommodates rest areas in the median with
standard right-hand exits. The rest areas are connected by a footpath,
and the North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park is located in
between.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Road Trip #324 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 68-88 (Salisbury)

Video #20 in the I-85 Series, we continue north beginning in Rowan
County, North Carolina at mile 68, through the city of Salisbury, and
into Davidson County, ending in Lexington. Concurrencies seen along the
way are US-601, US-52, US-29 and US-70.



Hotel Review #039 - White House Hotel - Biloxi, Mississippi

A room tour of a King Suite Gulf View at the historic White House Hotel
in Biloxi, Mississippi.

the room review may seem a bit negative, but when we wanted to check
this place out, and when I went to book a room for the night for the
first weekend of the Cruisin' the Coast event, it wasn't easy to find a
room. I decided to spend what I thought was $175 on a King Suite at the
White House. Unfortunately, I misread something, and it was actually
$275. We were a bit disappointed when we got to the hotel, got a ground
floor room, and the King Suite was actually just a slightly larger than
normal hotel room with a couch and coffee table. Upon checkout, I
mentioned to the desk clerk that we were a bit disappointed in the size
of the room, and inquired as to whether it was indeed a suite, she
conceded that it is more like a Junior Suite. We've stayed in Junior
Suites in other hotels before, and they usually had some sort of
separate living and sleeping area, and this room was more like the
Studio Suites at the Hampton Inn, only smaller...and those usually go
for $89-109 a night.

All of this aside, the hotel was actually very nice, and the bed was
comfortable, and everything was clean. Despite being on the ground
floor, the room was quiet. We'd stay here again, but not for the price
we paid. The room, at best, would be worth about $120 a night.

Streets of NOLA #3 - Annunciation Street - Uptown

We drive Annunciation Street from beginning to (almost) end, beginning
in what the City Planning Commission calls the Lower Garden District,
but could probably be considered the Warehouse District or even the CBD.
We travel through the former St. Thomas Housing Project area, and into
the Irish Channel. Then into East and West Riverside, and finish up in
Audubon. This is mostly a quiet residential street once we cross under
the Pontchartrain Expressway, and isn't in nearly as bad of a condition
as the previous two streets covered in this series. We only had one
detour because of some sort of construction, and didn't bottom out or do
any suspension damage on this one!

Road Trip #323 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 46-68

Road Trip #323 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 46-68

In video #19 of the I-85 series, we continue north beginning in
Mecklenburg County, just past the northern city limits of Charlotte,
North Carolina at Mile 46. We cross the I-485 loop for the second time,
and travel along a short section of highway named for NASCAR driver
Jeff Gordon. We enter Cabarrus County, home of the Charlotte Motor
Speedway, and self-branded as the Center for American Motorsports. We
pass through the eastern edge of the city of Kannapolis before entering a
lengthy construction zone with slow traffic. We enter Rowan County and
conclude at mile 68.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

US-90 Drive - Cruisin the Coast - Gulfport/Biloxi, Mississippi

A drive down US-90 from Biloxi into Gulfport during the first day of Cruisin' the Coast 2018. America’s Largest Block Party.

Cruisin’ The Coast® began in 1996 as a festival to celebrate antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic music and related events. 374 vehicles registered that first year and in 2017 we had 8,308 registered vehicles. Car enthusiasts from 40 states plus Canada, Germany and Puerto Rico arrive on the Mississippi Gulf Coast once a year to showcase their rides and to cruise our beautiful 30-mile stretch of beach-side highway with designated stops in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. Each venue is set up as a mini festival with a stage for live bands, reserved parking for registered cruisers, spectator parking, and vendors for food and event merchandise. Registered cruisers will receive an ID card in their registration packets to exhibit all week in their car’s front window; this ID allows entry into the venues where reserved parking is available. A program with maps will also be part of the registration packet so cruisers can plan their individual schedules as this is an open cruise – events are scheduled and you decide which ones you are interested in attending. Our week long event includes cruise-ins, a Salute To Our Veterans event, car auction, swap meet, car corral, and a parade. Spectators are welcome and will find that our cruisers love to talk “old cars.”

Cruisin’ The Coast® has 12 Host Car Clubs providing over 700 volunteers who help with registering vehicles, directing cars at the venues, giving directions, and welcoming our guests. These are just the jobs cruisers see. There are hundreds of behind the scenes and pre-event activities that our volunteers help with all year long. When you see someone in a bright yellow staff shirt – that is a fellow car lover who is donating time to make this a fun event for all. If you get a chance you may want to say thank you to a volunteer during your visit.

Cruisin’ The Coast® has become the biggest special event in the state of Mississippi. As Cruisin’ The Coast® has grown, the honors and awards have followed suit. Cruisin’ The Coast® received the Governor’s Excellence in Tourism Award as Festival/Event of the Year in the State of Mississippi (by Jarvis Brannon). Cruisin’ The Coast® was also named the recipient of the “Shining Example Award” for Best Festival/Event of the year by the Southeast Tourism Society, one of the “100 Events for the Year” for 2001 and in 2011 by the American Bus Association and was also named a Southern Travel Treasure by AAA’s magazine, AAA Southern Traveler. In 2007, the Automotive Restoration Market named Cruisin’ The Coast the 2007 Restoration Event of the Year.
https://cruisinthecoast.com

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Cruisin the Coast - 9-30-2018 - Gulfport/Biloxi, Mississippi

We set out on foot to check out the classic cars out at Cruisin the
Coast 2018 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

America’s Largest Block Party. Cruisin’ The Coast® began in 1996 as a
festival to celebrate antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic
music and related events. 374 vehicles registered that first year and
in 2017 we had 8,308 registered vehicles. Car enthusiasts from 40
states plus Canada, Germany and Puerto Rico arrive on the Mississippi
Gulf Coast once a year to showcase their rides and to cruise our
beautiful 30-mile stretch of beach-side highway with designated stops in
Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian, Ocean
Springs and Pascagoula. Each venue is set up as a mini festival with a
stage for live bands, reserved parking for registered cruisers,
spectator parking, and vendors for food and event merchandise.
Registered cruisers will receive an ID card in their registration
packets to exhibit all week in their car’s front window; this ID allows
entry into the venues where reserved parking is available. A program
with maps will also be part of the registration packet so cruisers can
plan their individual schedules as this is an open cruise – events are
scheduled and you decide which ones you are interested in attending.
Our week long event includes cruise-ins, a Salute To Our Veterans event,
car auction, swap meet, car corral, and a parade. Spectators are
welcome and will find that our cruisers love to talk “old cars.”

Cruisin’ The Coast® has 12 Host Car Clubs providing over 700 volunteers
who help with registering vehicles, directing cars at the venues,
giving directions, and welcoming our guests. These are just the jobs
cruisers see. There are hundreds of behind the scenes and pre-event
activities that our volunteers help with all year long. When you see
someone in a bright yellow staff shirt – that is a fellow car lover who
is donating time to make this a fun event for all. If you get a chance
you may want to say thank you to a volunteer during your visit.

Cruisin’ The Coast® has become the biggest special event in the state of
Mississippi. As Cruisin’ The Coast® has grown, the honors and awards
have followed suit. Cruisin’ The Coast® received the Governor’s
Excellence in Tourism Award as Festival/Event of the Year in the State
of Mississippi (by Jarvis Brannon). Cruisin’ The Coast® was also named
the recipient of the “Shining Example Award” for Best Festival/Event of
the year by the Southeast Tourism Society, one of the “100 Events for
the Year” for 2001 and in 2011 by the American Bus Association and was
also named a Southern Travel Treasure by AAA’s magazine, AAA Southern
Traveler. In 2007, the Automotive Restoration Market named Cruisin’ The
Coast the 2007 Restoration Event of the Year.

https://cruisinthecoast.comWe set out on foot to check out the classic cars out at Cruisin the
Coast 2018 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

America’s Largest Block Party. Cruisin’ The Coast® began in 1996 as a
festival to celebrate antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic
music and related events. 374 vehicles registered that first year and
in 2017 we had 8,308 registered vehicles. Car enthusiasts from 40
states plus Canada, Germany and Puerto Rico arrive on the Mississippi
Gulf Coast once a year to showcase their rides and to cruise our
beautiful 30-mile stretch of beach-side highway with designated stops in
Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian, Ocean
Springs and Pascagoula. Each venue is set up as a mini festival with a
stage for live bands, reserved parking for registered cruisers,
spectator parking, and vendors for food and event merchandise.
Registered cruisers will receive an ID card in their registration
packets to exhibit all week in their car’s front window; this ID allows
entry into the venues where reserved parking is available. A program
with maps will also be part of the registration packet so cruisers can
plan their individual schedules as this is an open cruise – events are
scheduled and you decide which ones you are interested in attending.
Our week long event includes cruise-ins, a Salute To Our Veterans event,
car auction, swap meet, car corral, and a parade. Spectators are
welcome and will find that our cruisers love to talk “old cars.”

Cruisin’ The Coast® has 12 Host Car Clubs providing over 700 volunteers
who help with registering vehicles, directing cars at the venues,
giving directions, and welcoming our guests. These are just the jobs
cruisers see. There are hundreds of behind the scenes and pre-event
activities that our volunteers help with all year long. When you see
someone in a bright yellow staff shirt – that is a fellow car lover who
is donating time to make this a fun event for all. If you get a chance
you may want to say thank you to a volunteer during your visit.

Cruisin’ The Coast® has become the biggest special event in the state of
Mississippi. As Cruisin’ The Coast® has grown, the honors and awards
have followed suit. Cruisin’ The Coast® received the Governor’s
Excellence in Tourism Award as Festival/Event of the Year in the State
of Mississippi (by Jarvis Brannon). Cruisin’ The Coast® was also named
the recipient of the “Shining Example Award” for Best Festival/Event of
the year by the Southeast Tourism Society, one of the “100 Events for
the Year” for 2001 and in 2011 by the American Bus Association and was
also named a Southern Travel Treasure by AAA’s magazine, AAA Southern
Traveler. In 2007, the Automotive Restoration Market named Cruisin’ The
Coast the 2007 Restoration Event of the Year.

https://cruisinthecoast.com

Monday, October 1, 2018

Streets of NOLA #2 - Chestnut Street - Uptown New Orleans

In this video, we cover Chestnut Street, a residential street in Uptown
New Orleans, driving downriver towards the CBD. We drive through the
New Orleans City Planning Commission's defined neighborhoods of Audubon,
Uptown, Touro, and Garden District. See if you can spot the Ford Model
T and a very old Mercedes sedan along the way!

In this weekend series, between our regularly scheduled videos, we're
not doing voiceover or music. Just the sounds of the street (and
potholes).

Road Trip #322 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 23-46 (Charlotte)

We continue north along I-85 in North Carolina, beginning at Mile 26 in
Gaston County, and into Mecklenburg County, and the city of Charlotte,
the largest city in the state. We conclude at mile 46, just outside of
the Charlotte City Limits.

Road Trip #321 - I-85 North - North Carolina Mile 1-23 (Gastonia)

Our 17th video in the I-85 series, we reach the state of North Carolina.
We enter into Cleveland County and the town of Grover, then into Kings
Mountain, entering Gaston County. We pass through Bessemer City, and
then into Gastonia, the county seat of Gaston County, where we conclude
at Exit 23.