Vacation Shorts

As you know by now, I just got back from vacation.  Here are some random thoughts on my latest journey.

Long Trip

We traveled to Jacksonville, North Carolina.  A trip of quite a few miles.  It took over 12 hours, including stops, to make the trip by car each way.  That is a lot of car time.  But being who I am, I kept thinking in the historical context.  How long would that be on horseback?  By wagon?  Walking?  A very long time.  Think in terms of months.  For me it was just a half of a day. 

And during the car trip, we were able to entertain ourselves with music and games on a phone.  Who knew?  And the fact that you could stop every couple of miles and get whatever you wanted, from gas and food to adult videos, well that is just frosting on the cake!  The infrastructure of America is great.  We have come a long way in 230 years.

Quite A Bang

I was correct about the Marines being able to light off some great fireworks.  And the fact that I was viewing them from a sailboat anchored in a bay in the middle of a Marine base, just way cool.  The only thing missing was the concussion that you feel in your chest when some of the big boomers go off.  The fact that you could hear the sound waves travel around the bay more than made up for that, though.

Need To Say Thank You MORE!

Before the Fourth, there was a big party and there were many active and even more more former Marines present.  They were all in civilian clothes, but there is no mistaking the mark of the Marines.  Most of these folks were and are active in our ongoing wars.  Thank you!  I have to admit that I felt a little awkward in the presence of so many soldiers and veterans.  Especially with the fact that I never served.  This fact hit home as one of the folks went around asking all of these soldiers if it was going to be okay if he lit off some firecrackers later that night.

I was wondering why a Marine was being so polite after a evening filled with so many insults and adult language. It took me more than a minute to figure out that he was asking because he didn’t want to freak any of the veterans out.  This would not be funny for them to see one of our hero’s diving for cover on the Fourth.  Again, my heartfelt thanks! 

And the ones that may have been bothered were warned before hand so that they could seek shelter.  How serious is that?  And, again, they show their bravery by removing themselves so that others can enjoy some home-brewed fireworks.  More sacrifices on their part.  So I had no problem cooking on the grill for these folks.  The least I could do!  

Jar-heads Are Jar-heads

No matter how old they get, no matter what rank they are or were, no matter how much they imbibed, Marines are Marines and there was at least one fight during the big party.  Just think of what they do to people they don’t like.  As I was leaving the party, I made the mistake of saying goodbye to the host, who at the time was in an intense stare-down with someone.  As I turned to leave, I found myself in a headlock and was about to be beat into the patio.  OOPS!

Other Marines came to my quick rescue and the original combatants were just as quick to go back to their stare-down.  I was asked the next day what had happened.

“I said good bye.”  I replied.  I was then asked how I got in the position that I found myself in and why didn’t I prevent it.  I laughed out loud on that one!  You see, nothing I could have done would have prevented the head lock.  He could have come from behind me,  from the side, straight on, or even on a pogo stick and I still would have ended up in a head lock.  I am just not good at physical confrontation and I just had to prove that point!  We all dream of being bad asses.  In most cases, such as mine, not so much.

Needless to say, I beat a hasty retreat! 

Just Who Is McGee?

As we were traveling around the area, you can not help but see the road signs proclaiming what you you were traveling over.  New Bern River.  Nuesse River Basin.  McGee’s Crossing.  Okay, just who was McGee and why did he have a crossing named for him?  You see these things everywhere, not just in North Carolina.  I still do not know who McGee is or what is his story.  I do not know if he is even a “he”.    I am reminded of the movie, “Back To The Future” where they take the train over the gorge and the character used the the name “Clint Eastwood”, so the gorge was named, “Eastwood Gorge”  I know, thinking too much again!

Good Trip

All said and done, a very nice trip.  When you can get home and want to go back, I would say that is a successful vacation.