Day One: NC to DE

This is Chicken Alley in Asheville. I got up and apparently forgot how long it took me to get ready because I was behind right off the bat. I gassed up the car, grabbed an OJ and hit downtown Asheville. I found Chicken Alley easily enough and the only thing that creeped me out was the complete lack of other humans on the streets of Asheville at 9:15 on a Saturday morning. I snapped a couple of pics and jumped in the car to continue. Day one was my most ambitious day in terms of states attempted.



It was a short, easy drive to Johnson City, TN. At Okolona Road I pulled to the side of the exit and placed my car in neutral, waiting for it to move. Nothing happened. I realized I might be on the wrong side of the exit and circled around to the other on ramp. That one was more steeply downhill and, at the bottom of the hill, I set my car in neutral and found my car being rolled uphill faster and faster. I have no illusions that this was due to a ghost but it was cool nonetheless. I videotaped the incident from inside the car. That was the first and last time I used the video camera, in fact. Above is a pic of the exit.



With two successes under my belt, it was time for a long drive to Harrisonburg, VA, where James Madison University is. I pulled up to the elementary school above and saw that the woods behind it were set very far back from the road. Also, there were kids playing in the playground. I figured a grown man lurking in the woods with a camera behind the school was a bad idea and I left. My first failure but far from my last.

I drove next to Harper's Ferry, WV. As you can see, no photos. I had no idea the place was a historic recreation village like Williamsburg or Plymouth. The streets were narrow and there was zero parking. In order to see the town, you had to park 20 minutes away and ride a shuttle in. I had no time for that crap and decided to press on with my score now at 2-2.



I raced like crazy to get to Baltimore before sunset caused the cemetery in which Poe is buried to be locked. I had listened to the entire 6 tales of horror audio book I bought and The Fall of the House of Usher was on there. I was ready to respect the Poe and got lost as the sun winked out below the horizon. I finally found the church, parked, and rushed to the gate to find it still open. I wondered "how do I find Poe's grave?" Asked and answered as I turned to my right and it is the first grave inside the gate. I snapped some pics, contemplated Poe and then headed off to eat in Delaware.




I found the Dead President's Tavern easily and went inside to find a very sporty sports bar. The mischief making ghost of the place may have caused the men's room to be out of paper towels but I can't be sure. Otherwise, nothing spooky. Just the delicious Chicken Nixon sandwich (juicy, marinated chicken cut with cheese, bacon and BBQ sauce on a slightly toasted bun...yummers). I had a beer and skipped out to my very scary Motel 6 (with no internet). I had to show my ID and give all my info to a rent-a-cop who had been hired to watch over the Motel 6 since so much shady stuff goes down there. Oy. I survived the night with all my stuff and my person intact. More later, now it is time to sleep and hope I am not snowed in when I wake up.

Josh