Randolph County, North Carolina

 On April 20, I visited Randolph County, just a little over an hour from home. I didn't get to see everything I wanted to, but I really enjoyed my visit! It helped that it was a lovely spring day, weather-wise.

Randolph County was formed in 1779, and named for Peyton Randolph, who served as president of the First Continental Congress. Before European settlers arrived, the area was inhabited Siouan Native Americans.

Since it was a beautiful Saturday morning in April, I decided to start my day trip at the North Carolina Zoo in the county seat of Asheboro. I'd been to the NC Zoo before, so I didn't do any research before arriving (other than checking on opening time and looking at the weather forecast). It was fun being spontaneous, but a little more pre-trip research might've been good. I still had a fun time, and would recommend it! It costs $15 to get in (a good deal, in my book), and parking is free. I enjoyed exploring the North America and Africa areas, and look forward to the Asia area opening (ETA 2026). My advice--get there early! I arrived about 10am, and the wait at the Ticket Office was short. On my way out around midday, the line was maybe a football-field long! Whoa! 

I could've spent all day at the North Carolina Zoo, but I wanted to see more of the county! Next on my list was the Randolph County Courthouse in Asheboro. It was closed, being Saturday, but it was nice to find. Afterward, I decided to find a local place for lunch. I found a parking spot in downtown Asheboro, and stumbled upon The Flying Pig. I enjoyed a Turkey Reuben sandwich with a side of broccoli slaw before heading on. It was a nice stop, and I'd return!

My next stop was the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove. Seagrove is a quaint small town, known for the many potteries in the area. The two-lane roads in the area are spotted with local potteries, so charming! The North Carolina Pottery Center was an excellent stop, part-visitor-center, part-museum, part-store.

After leaving the Pottery Center, I found a geocache nearby, a fun way to end my day in Randolph County. I gave a nod to the lovely Pisgah Covered Bridge, near Asheboro, one of two remaining covered bridges in the whole state! I didn't visit that day, but George and I had a fun time finding it during the COVID-19 pandemic. I'd recommend checking

it out, if you're in the area!

Famous people from Randolph County include Richard, Lee, Adam and Kyle Petty of NASCAR fame, Braxton Craven (second president of Duke University), and author and current resident Jerry Bledsoe.

The rest of my Randolph County photos are on Flickr, and can be viewed here.

Jones County, North Carolina

 On April 6, I took a day trip to Jones County. It was my first county visit in over a year, and it felt great to get back into the North Carolina travel groove! 

 Jones County is in eastern North Carolina, a rural county with the fourth-least county population in the state. The county has three incorporated towns. Trenton, the county seat, is one of those towns. Just 238 residents lived there in the 2020 census. It's a cute little town, though! I stopped to take a few photos of the downtown area, including the Jones County Courthouse. Jones County is an agricultural area; most of its land is farming (and swampland).  Only 8 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, Jones County doesn't border the ocean, but the Trent River and the White Oak River run through it. I found a little bit of water during my Jones County travels, enjoying a surprise stop at the lovely Brock Mill Pond.

I enjoyed a stop in Maysville, the largest town in Jones County. One of the highlights of my day was finding the Maysville Public Library. It's closed on Saturdays, but  I found a geocache in the landscaping!  

 A little bit of Jones County history: the area was inhabited by Native Americans (members of the Tuscarora tribe) before European (German and Swiss) settlers arrived. Jones County was named for Willie Jones, a planter from Halifax County, North Carolina. (Jones Street in Raleigh is also named for him.) Jones County was formed in 1779 from part of neighboring Craven County.

On a personal note, I've driven through Jones County a number of times on my way to visit family in Emerald Isle. It was fun to slow down and explore the county, and to learn more about the area!

The rest of my Jones County photos have been uploaded to Flickr, and you can find them here.

Lenoir County, North Carolina

I made a recent trip to Kinston, North Carolina, the county seat, and Lenoir County. Most of my experience with Kinston and Lenoir County before has been passing through on U.S. 70 on the way to the beach, sometimes stopping at King's BBQ. A few years ago, George and I drove to Kinston to eat at Chef and the Farmer, Chef Vivian Howard's restaurant. I decided to return to the area to get to know the county a little bit better.

One of the highlights was finding the unincorporated town of Tick Bite! There wasn't much to see there, but the Google Maps voice welcomed me to Tick Bite, thank goodness! It looked like a lot of rural eastern North Carolina, which I enjoy. Wikipedia tells me that Hurricane Floyd (September 1999) really did a number on Tick Bite, but there are still some homes there.

I also enjoyed having lunch at the Boiler Room Oyster Bar, another one of Vivian Howard's Kinston restaurants. It's more casual than

the Chef and the Farmer, and easier to get into (no reservations). I thoroughly enjoyed my shrimp burger and fries, and warm banana pudding for dessert. I'm glad (and a little jealous!) that Kinston (population around 21,000) has these wonderful restaurants in town.

Geocaching is alive and well in Lenoir County! I found several while I was roaming the county.

The rest of my Lenoir County photos are here.