Loading...
April 25, 1996 - Taking the Slow Road Nome6A • The Suffolk Times • April 25, 1996 Taking the Slow Road Nome We turned in our winter's work of pho- tographs, slides and lists of observations to the Army Corps of Engineers at Ortona Lock in Florida and headed home early on Sunday morning. It was a grand day for traveling; blue sky and cotton clouds followed us all day. We had a map of the southeast showing all the Corps' camping areas and wanted to sample some of them on our way north. None were at hand the first day out so we stopped at . Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest. Here at what was once a massive estate, underground springs of crys- tal -clear water flowed into a swimming area that once was the focal point of a more glo- rious and relaxed time, hard to imagine today. With its sweeping lawns, huge live oaks and stair- ways leading down to a promenade that surrounded the .pool, it must have been an elegant place in its day. We had visited this place on our way south when it was cold but now the 80- degree temperature tempted us to head for the sparkling waters of the pool. When we arrived we were surprised to see so many others had the same idea. Groundwater flows cold but once you take that initial plunge and catch your breath, it's just beautiful. We floated, dove some and loafed for a full hour in those clear see - through waters. Then it was back to the camper for the last piece of homegrown steak in our freezer. The next day we did find an Army Corps site to the north at J. Strom Thurmond Lake in South Carolina, where we found campsites that would rival the best. In deep wooded areas that ran around one of the many peninsulas of this lake, each level, roomy campsite had a lakeside view. We couldn't believe it. We picked out Site No. 2. By the afternoon it had clouded over and we were surprised to hear rain on our camper as we ate dinner. It's a nice sound, a faint tapping noise. A sound that makes sleep come easily. Our third day was again north, all on back roads. We didn't make great time but we weren't in any hurry. We would get lost once in a while but that was only when we had to go through a city or large town. We headed for W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir, another Corps campsite in North Carolina. The rain of last night had opened the door to gusty winds up to 30 mph, . bringing weather that was clear and cool. We got to the campsite about 4:30 and drove around to check out the sites. We couldn't believe how wonderful they were — most on the water — all perfect. We chose No. 17 and promptly set- tled down to dinner. After that it was out for a walk up and down the hilly ter- rain where we found a clump of maypinks, one of the loveli- est spring flowers we have at home. Barbara had to get down to sniff its rare sweet fragrance. We saw shadblow, that white flowering blossom we see along and through our woods. It's the first of our spring flower- ing shrubs. Then there were the violets, the same we have at home. I'd pick a few —just enough to put in a small vase to remind us of the wonder we all can share. Back at the camper we found night creeping up on us all too soon and after a busy day it wasn't `There's no long before we were lulled to sleep by the call of spring peepers he in the nearby marsh. Our next campsite — would be entirely different. We'd head for Big Meadows Campground atop the Blue Ridge Mountains along the famous Skyline Drive. We hadn't been there since we camped years ago with our kids one glorious Easter week. Now we want- Focus on Nature by Paul Stoutenburgh Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh CROCUS — There's no more reassuring sign of spring than our crocus. The varied colors and brightness make each new day a wonder, especially if you look into their inner secrets. ed torevisit it and see if it still held its charm, so we left the springlike roadside of the Shenandoah Valley and started our climb, twisting and turning, dipping and climbing. We could see the seasons change as we gained altitude. Once on top it was like winter again. No trees were in bud, no leaves or blossoms. The life- giving warmth that stirs the juices in place like all living things had not yet started to flow. Once we were set- tled in at Big Meadow we took a walk and found the campsite almost deserted. The main reason was that the temperature was hovering around 30 degrees — some difference from the 70 or 80 we left below on the sunny valley floor. Back at the camper we settled in snug and warm, as our horse, especially re on the East End.' 1_e69e i_. aft& nswL 75 Years Ago April 22, 1921 New Hotel for Southold: Bennett De Beixedou of Brooklyn, who recently purchased the Stuart Terry place on Peconic Bay at Southold, is soon to erect a large summer hotel thereon. The old house has been moved, and on its site a hotel, 120 by 38 feet, three stories, will be built. There will be three rooms on the main floor — lame public room, dining room and kitchen. There will be 16 rooms on the second story and 19 on the third story. Henry Goldsmith has the contract to do the work, which is to be finished by July 1. The lake to the east will be dredged out and improved. Greenport News: The Village Board of Greenport has voted to adopt the daylight saving plan. East Marion and Orient will probably fall in line with this plan. If they don't conditions will certainly be very trying in many ways. The daylight saving plan has certainly worked all right and no doubt will continue to do so. 50 Years Ago April 26, 1846 New Suffolk Inn Gutted: The Harbor Inn, located on the bay at New Suffolk, was gutted by flames about 1:15 this morning. The fire, which is supposed to have started from defective electric wiring, started in the main dining room of the inn and swept through the room, breaking out through the roof. The inn was scheduled for its official opening for the sea- son on Saturday of this week. The Harbor Inn, which was conducted by Mrs. Opal Walty for over eight years, has been one of the most popu- lar eating places during the summer season on the North Fork. The adjoining general store, of which William Januick is the proprietor, was damaged by smoke and water. The Cutchogue and Mattituck fire departments responded to the alarm as well as the Southold department. 25 Years Ago April 22, 1971 Route 25 to be Straightened: The curve on Route 25 near Laurel has been the scene of 23 accidents in recent years, including at least two fatalities and 16 injuries. Plans are now under way to straighten the road, eliminating the curve from a point about 1,300 feet west of Aldrich Lane to about 1,000 feet east of it, as has been requested by the Southold Town Board for some years. The present road will be rebuilt as a two -lane highway. The new highway would be built to the south, cutting across its U- shaped loop which connects with Aldrich Lane. The existing roadway would be retained as a service road, with the new section providing straight routing for through traffic. Construction costs are estimated at $481,000, with right - of -way costs at $42,000. There is only one residential relo- catee. heater had come on. That night we studied the maps and camp books and found a national park called Catoctin Mountain Park in Mary- land. We put that as our goal for the next day. It was nice to revisit Big Meadows with its sweeping views with the .blue haze of the valley 3,600 feet below, but it was nicer to get down to spring again in the lovely Shenandoah Valley. We rolled past beautiful farmland, some with cattle, some with horses, some just being plant- ed. All looked lush and green. It was a wonderful way to travel, no schedule, no hurry. As a side trip on our way to Catoctin Mountain Park we stopped in at Harpers Ferry, that historic spot that helped stir the nation into rebellion against slavery and eventually the Civil War. John Brown's memory was well documented in this all- important town that exchanged hands between the north and south eight times during the Civil War. At Catoctin we were pleasantly sur- prised to see we were some of the first visitors of the year, for the park had opened just three days before. It's well laid out with many of the sites alongside a sparkling little river. From there it was into Pennsylvania, where we stopped in to see an old friend, Ruth Cooke. While here we stayed at one of the more com- mercial campsites that are not at all to our liking but nevertheless provided us with a night stop. Knowing the hazards and frustration of going through New York with its usual traffic and congestion, we got up at 4 a.m. and headed for the Jersey Turnpike, the most direct route home. Not driving a pas- senger car, we had to take the truck route across Brooklyn on the BQE and then finally the Long Island Expressway. I won't burden you with that horrendous trip around Brooklyn except to say it was the worst traveling since we had left home. The Expressway was a joy to travel on compared to the BQE, even though there was lots of traffic. The closer we got to home the more familiar things got. Finally we drove into our back pasture, where our two cows greeted us and we were home. It was like the old saying goes, "There's no place like home," especially here on the EaSi End.