GOOBER SAY HEY!!

After the Wake Forest - Clemson Football game in Winston Salem, I spent the night at the Comfort Inn in Mt. Airy. Sunday Morning I decided to have a nice breakfast at the nearby Cracker Barrel and then spend at few minutes in the real life Mayberry.

Andy Griffith was born here in Mt. Airy and a lot of the places mentioned in the Andy Griffith Show are based on the surrounding area, such as Mt. Pilot (Pilot Mountain), Fancy Gap and the Snappy Lunch.

The area has embraced it's claim to fame and welcomes fans of the show and tourist. Each September the Surry Arts Council host its annul "Mayberry Days" where some of the performer from the Andy Griffith Show make appearances along with local people who portray characters from the show.  The 2017 Mayberry Days Festival is scheduled for September 19-24. It's a wonderful event and if you are a fan of the show you must attend.

Have a Pork Chop Sandwich at the Snappy Lunch

Walking around downtown Mt. Airy, visitors can visit such spots at The Blue Bird Dinner, Walker's Drug Store and have a pork chop sandwich at the Snappy Lunch.  Being Sunday morning most people were at church and none of these places were open.


Just south of downtown is a small area that has been turned into a Mini-Mayberry. Here you can walk into a replica of the courthouse, Wally's Service Station and see The Darlin's Truck and The Mayberry Squad Car.

Looks like Brisco, Charleen and the Boys are in town

You can have a Nectarine Crush at Wally's

VETERANS DAY - THE FACES OF FREEDOM

Today was one of the most amazing and Humbling day I have ever spent. Today was Veterans day. A day we Americans set aside to Honor and remember the man and women who are responsible for our Freedom. Today, I had the honor to meet and visit very briefly with some amazing veterans. I stopped at the United States Marine Corps Museum and met a 92-year old World War II Veteran who stormed the Beaches of Normandy during the D-Day Invasion. (He didn’t want me to take his picture). After spending a very few minutes with this humble hero, all I could say was Thank You for Your Service, but that just didn’t seem like it was enough, but it was all I had. 

A little while Later I was driving north on Route 1 and saw a family taking Photos near a replica of the Iwo Jima Memorial at entrance to Quantico. What an amazing site it was to see a son saluting his father who has spent 26-years in the service to his country. I waited patiently to shake their hand and once again “Thank You for Your Service,” just didn’t seem sufficient, but it was all I had.

Later in the Day I move on to Mount Vernon, the home of one of our first veterans and our First President. As I was walking the grounds I saw two gentlemen wearing shirts embroidered with the “Tomb Guard Badge.” There are currently less than 600 individuals who have served as sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknown. Twenty-four hours a day, 7-days a week, in all weather, these elite members maintain watch at our most sacred site. What and honor it was too visit with these proud but humble heroes.


Finally, as I was leaving Mount Vernon, I had the honor to meet Sergeant John Francisco, a member of the 3rd Infantry Regiment. He was a musician who has performed for Presidents, Heads of State and at ceremonial functions throughout the United States and the world. As I visited with him, I was struck by the love that he has for this country and what an honor it was for him to “represent the greatest nation on earth.” 






What an honor it was for me to stand in the presences of these heroes. I was truly humbled. If you every wonder why this is the greatest country on earth look no further than our veteran, because they are the faces of freedom.