Gaffney SC to Clemmons NC 10-31-15 to 11-04-15

10-31-15 Saturday We departed the service center about 10:30AM, stopped to fill up with diesel fuel. Fuel is always cheaper in South Carolina. We have never purchased diesel fuel for $2.01 before today. We had a nice drive of about 115 miles to Clemmons NC. We checked in at Tanglewood Park and set up in campsite #11. This is really nice county owned park. The campground has 44 full hookup sites with long paved parking pads and free WiFi. The park has very nice paved biking, jogging, walking paths. Mountain style biking paths, two dog parks, two swimming pools, two fishing ponds, horse riding trails, two golf courses, 6 tennis courts, etc. There is a very large willow oak tree between each site for summer shade. Some of the sites are sloped too much for a motorcoach but would be okay for a travel trailer or 5^th wheel. This is our third stay here so we knew which site to reserve.

We set up, had lunch and read for awhile and then took a walk on one of the trails. They have a Christmas Light Show here in the park from late November to early January. The lights have already been setup. You pay a entry fee and drive your vehicle through the park after dark to view the lights.

Site 11

11-01-15 Sunday We woke up to drizzling rain. I had swept the oak leaves off of our site yesterday but this morning the site and everything on it had wet Willow Oak leaves stuck all over it. It continued to rain all day so we stayed in, did some paperwork and read. Yesterday the campground was almost full but by noon today about 2/3 of the campers had departed. I guess they have to go back to work Monday.

11-02-15 Monday Well the rain is still coming down and is supposed to continue all day. And it did, so we stayed in for awhile but got “cabin fever” so we went to the Club House here in the park for lunch and then went to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and doughnuts followed by a trip to a local grocery store to stock up on some coffee and snacks.

11-03-15 Tuesday We got our walking in today. We walked 1.5 miles before breakfast and then after breakfast we went to Old Salem and must have walked at least another 2 miles. For any that doesn't know this is a Moravian town that was founded in the 1700's by Moravians. It has dozens of original buildings and many are open for touring for a fee. The gift shops and eating establishments can be entered without paying a fee. Several buildings have crafts people performing crafts like would have been done in the 1700's, including long rifles and shoes. We had not been to Old Salem in years and had never paid the fees to tour the inside of the buildings. We decided to pay the $23 fee per person and tour all the buildings. We were glad we did. You don't really get to see how the people lived until you go inside the buildings. The guides in the buildings were in period dress and were very informative. There is still an active female college on the grounds – Salem Academy and College. Also two active churches are on the grounds - Home Moravian Church and St. Phillips African Moravian Church.

A documentary film crew was on site making a film about the Revolutionary War Period in our country. It will be aired in the Summer of 2016 on Fox. It is a segment of the Legend and Lies Series produced by Bill O'Reilly. We were allowed to take all the photos we wanted of the cast and crew but were asked to not post any online until after the film has been aired so I will not post any here.

We stopped at The Flour Box Tea Room and Cafe for coffee and a desert and later in the day we went to The Tavern for a great late lunch. George Washington ate in this tavern when he was in the area. There are several houses in Old Salem that are private residences and are not open to the public. There is also a nice museum with several pieces of period furniture, pottery and dinnerware.

Gunsmith Shop

Stable

Single Brothers House meeting room with pipe organ

Wide board flooring

Wood Lathe

Coobler

First family home in Old Salem

God's Acre cemetery

Doctor's House

Home Moravian Church

Inside Home Moravian Church

African American Moravian Church

Leaves

Inside Tavern

Looking out window in Tavern

Outside Tavern

Gunsmith Shop

After a great day we returned to the campground about 5PM.

11-04-15 Wednesday Before breakfast we walked 1.85 miles and later we drove several miles to check out a local butcher shop that our waiter at The Tavern had told us about. I had ordered a bratwurst plate and thought the bratwurst was very good so I asked him where they purchased it. It came from a meat shop in Greensboro but he told me a local butcher shop made some that he thought was even better. We found the butcher shop but they did not have any bratwurst so that was a wasted trip.

After picking up a few groceries we returned to the campground for lunch and some reading. We will depart tomorrow for Greensboro so I can attend the North Carolina Woodturning Symposium.