Hobby Shops In North Carolina

Hey Thanks Mike for the heads up, Will do if I ever get there.

Thanks

Fred

Dewey, Thanks for the history lesson, Alot going on there, My girl friend did mention about Tom Dooley.As far as the area what I was really wondering is it a nice place to live or are other area's better, Millers Creek is actually where she is now not North Wilkesboro, and Millers creek and I was told that it is supposed to be a really nice area, Problem is to be able to find a place to live there so she can be close to family I have been told that North Wilkesboro is not a great place to be(live)  reason for the question.

Thanks

Fred

Fred,  as a relative newcomer to the state (up from New Orleans 10 years ago) I would heartily recommend that you settle in an area of at least 2500'+ elevation. The climate in the mountains is much mo' better than in the lowlands! We get the full four seasons and because we're still in the south with good sun, winter temperatures below 4000' are quite moderate from what my northerner friends tell me. Humidity is generally much lower at altitude as well - big factor in comfort.

The scenic beauty up here year round is hard to beat, especially along the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs from Cherokee N.E. across the state into Virginia. This would be the area to look at.

Anywhere else in NC is just plain hot in the summer....

c.sam, Sounds like a great place, But I am not sure what I am going to do yet, I am not sure if I am going to sell my house here at this time, So I would have to find a place to rent,I am not sure if coming down would be

permanent at this time or not, My girl friend might change her mind and  come back up here Not sure, Not sure if your area has apartments or houses to rent. I also think at this time it might be to far away from my girl friends family, But it sure sounds like a really nice area,Cool in the summer sure works for me!!

Thanks

Fred

Fred

New Jersey property and income taxes were astronomical when I had a home in Morristown, N.J. If taxes are still as high you can buy a lot of trains with the difference living in Wilkes County. I am sure your girl friend can tell you that some of Wilkesboro's banking and business folks lived in nice homes in Miller's Creek[median price for detached homes..$183,500]. I worked in Newark's east ward and lived in Elizabeth for over 4 years so I experienced both the City and Suburban living while there.

Promoting N.C  

Fred, I'm really suggesting that you look for a place with some elevation which I believe you can find reasonably close to Winston-Salem - North, north east. Is that correct Dewey?

The mountains run across the northern part of the state I think..

Fred, also in North Carolina you do NOT have to register your bb-gun like in NJ.

If you go to Tom,s trains in Cary, you may also want to check to check out Todd's Trains Depot in Wendell, 3169 Wendell Blvd, Wendell, NC 27591.  He has a nice selection of cars and also MTH and Lionel House's etc.  They also do train repair there.

C. Sam

Wilkesboro is about 1,500 ft. altitude but only a short visible distance away it quickly rises up to the 3,900' at the Continental Divide,[Parkway].

Northwestern N.C. has the highest mountains west of the Rockies,of course topped by Mt Mitchell at 6K plus feet. 

The Sauratown Mountain chain northwest of Winston[Pilot Mt,etc] is lower but has a better climate than down here in the Piedmont where humidity is as bad as New Jersey's in August[just look for the A/C window units and compressors in the Jersey yards]. And the worst drivers in the snow I have seen short of Boston[that should tear it].

A story you will appreciate Sam:

North Carolina's "Mountains to Sea Railroad", The Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley[1879], originated in Wilmington and terminated in Mt. Airy [of the Sauratowns], reaching diagonally across the state. The CF & YV's high capital expenditures and debt to complete the road by 1889, coupled with the "Great Financial Panic" of 1893 put it in receivership by 1895.

Enter newly incorporated Southern Ry[1894] and the ACL's predecessor as well, they acquired the CF&YV and split it up. The Piedmont Division of CF & YV , Sanford to Mt. Airy, became a subsidiary of Southern in 1899, renamed the Atlantic & Yadkin. North Carolina's Attorney General,"on behalf of the citizens" sued both SRR and ACL, a suit that ended only 25 years later in the N.C. Supreme Court. James "Buck" Duke of Southern Power [later Duke Power] and the emerging Textile Mills of N.C. were among the "citizens". Coal and cotton inbound and cloth[and KWs] outbound. Freight rates were the real issue.[Mt. Airy Resort Hotels became concerned that their regular oyster shipments from the coast would cease.].

Southern[Richmond & Danville RR]had already leased the State-owned N.C.Railroad for 100 years dirt cheap,had just acquired the Northwestern North Carolina Railroad [Greensboro to Wilkesboro] and now had the A&Y, the key lines serving the State's emerging industry. Thus the four rail lines in Greensboro, giving it the name "Gate City", became one. Southern finally punted in 1916 and spun the A&Y off to Independent. It had become a PR "PITA" and Southern needed to get the acquisition debt off it own puny balance sheet. A Greensboro Insurance Executive became President of the A&Y.

We lived a number of places in the last forty years, including Pittsburgh, Pelham NY, and Manhattan, before moving to North Carolina 23 years ago.  We will never go anywhere else.  Yes, the cost of living is much lower here in NC and the winters are much milder - the climate is just perfect, frankly, but beyond that, NC is just a great place to live.  The people are nice, there is a lot to do, its not too crowded, and it's the only place I have ever lived where people who work in the state, county, and city governments always act like they work for you whenever you contact them. 

I would again like to thank all you guy's for all of your responses, And for all the encouraging from everyone about moving to North Carolina(Dewey, Thanks,) (my taxes are pretty low here in Butler compared to other towns around here,But everything else is ) Everyone seems so friendly, you make me want to leave now. Story: I had a friend who was a master carpenter, Could build anything, He moved his family down I think somewhere near Greensboro and he could not get a work, No matter where he applied he was turned down, He saw other guys getting jobs who could not hammer a nail straight but not him, He later was told my a friend he met that he was from the North and no one was going to hire him because they hated people from the North, So after a year he had to move his family and come back here because he could not find work no matter where he went, and he ran out of money.At least I am retired so no problem.

Now you guy's are making feel at home and I am not even there yet, Sure blows that story out of the water, Now I really can't wait to come down , Again not sure when but I would sure like to jump in my car now and just go, But we still need a place to live when I get there and not sure if we can find a place to rent?(apartment or house)and everything I own his here and I did some checking on renting a truck and it was very expensive(almost $2000,00 one way)then what to do with my car to hard to tow, So it will be a little while before I can get there, But from all your encouraging you guy's are making me teary eyed now I sure would like to come down!!! AndI miss my girl friend too.

Thanks Everyone

Fred

When the Christmas rush is finally over Fred you could always start shipping your stuff slowly down to her and before you know it - you wouldn't need that $2000 truck!

Great story Dewey, thanks.

c.sam,

Thanks for the reply, I thought my thread was dead, Thought about that,   there is place to send all this stuff to yet, My girlfriend is living with her daughter right now,most of the stuff that has to go down there is very big and heavy furniture, there is no where to put this stuff yet until I can get there for us to find something to rent(house,Apartment)to put it in and it should be at least another month until I can get there, I am going to fly down one way in Feb.find a place,then I we will drive her car back here, Load her car and mine with small stuff and drive down, so now my car is there, Then in a little while I will fly back here one way and get a truck and bring rest of the heavier furniture down,What is the old saying, Best laid plans?My daughter will be living here for the time being.I really can't wait to get down there. (sometime next year before it ends) 

Thanks for your interest

Fred

Hi Guy's,

I Can't wait until the end of Feb. to fly down so I am thinking about driving down now for a week to North Carolina,Anyone know how I can find out or look up the weather conditions for the drive down,I would be going RT.78 to 81s to 77 then to 421 into North Carolina,I tried and got nothing,I think I am going to try and drive it, Like Dewey said, just get in your car and go,(just hope my car will make it?)But I would like to know the weather if possible, I would not like to hit any storms on the way down like Dewey did, so would like to know what to expect, Either to go or not to go that is the question, I know that 10 years ago I would have just left, but at my age (66) I don't have the nerve now, I appreciate any help you guy's can provide.

Thanks in advance 

Fred

Fred, Here are some weather sites for you to check out. Good Luck.

I wouldn't come down next week. It's going to be frigid.

I'm thinking about flying south.

Fred, Here are some weather sites for you to check out. Good Luck.

Try this web site.  http://www.highwayconditions.com/nc/

Jmiller,

Thanks for the link, It only gives conditions for North Carolina,I need condition from New Jersey to North Carolina RT.78 TO 81s to 77s to 421 to RT.16 in Millers Creek nc.I just keep trying with no results so far.

Thanks

Fred

If you goggle highway conditions and add your state of interest you will find your answer.  

http://www.highwayconditions.com/nj/ 

http://www.highwayconditions.com/md/

http://www.highwayconditions.com/va/

Fred

The Weather Channel's [you can Google and call them]prediction for next week after Monday is mostly dry but colder than a well diggers big toe for the U.S.Eastern section along your route, including Southern Pennsylvania, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, Western Maryland and Western Virginia/Eastern West Virginia.

You should have decent travel conditions on the I-78/I-81 routes you laid out if traveling south after Monday. Temp in Wilkesboro area is expected at 6-7 degrees Tuesday night, 22 during the day.

Now I know where all this cold air is coming from lol!!

Thanks Guy's,

I am checking out all your links,So far I can't get any of these links to give me what I am looking for, But will keep trying.

Thanks Again

Fred

Dewey,

Thanks a lot, I am probably going either Tuesday or Wed. if everything works out,It is not going to any colder there then it has been here, -2 here last night w/out wind chill and with 11" of snow on the ground makes it feel colder, I am not sure what the temp is going to be but Monday night it is suppose to be the coldest in 20 years.

Dewey Again Thanks

Fred

Sean,

Yea,-2 last night,So by the time I do go it might be even colder,But made be I will bring some warmer temp there by the weekend.

Fred