GPS, Oh Garmin Where am I?

(Charlotte, North Carolina)
We've made it to N so far in our challenge.  N for Navigate.  "Re-calutating", Make a U-turn.  Can you hear the winy voice telling you that?  You do if you've ever used a GPS be it a Tom Tom, or Magellan, or the most popular of all Garmin.  We have a Garmin, why I sometimes wonder.  Hubby will ask me where's so and so, or such n such.  I turn it on and he precedes to argue with the machine, almost 100% of the time.  I love it personally, because I do not have a good sense of direction, AND...men, I'm willing to admit it.  Not something many men are willing to admit to........ask for directions, surely you jest.

A GPS gives us comfort, by us I mean those willing to listen to it.  You can navigate using your cell phones, but it's not really the same thing as a true GPS, and if you loose cell coverage you loose your directions.  So, I personally much prefer a GPS.

However, they can be frustrating.  We have the type of unit that can be updated.  However, I wish I'd never done it.  Why?  It's a bit of a come on, and very misleading.  I had the whole US when the unit was purchased, finally decided with construction perhaps I should update.  Apparently they've added so many graphics with updates that you don't have room to do the whole update.  So, once you've plugged it into your computer and waited 20 minutes you get a message telling you there's not enough room to load the new maps.  They ask what section of the country you'd like to add.  We were traveling in Arizona, so I choose the SW and added all the addresses of the hotels we would be staying in.

We arrived late at night, turned on the GPS as we exited the airport, and it spoke to us in Spanish....gees that was helpful, NOT.  Hubby turned to his smart phone.  Took two more attempts the following day to get the proper updated maps in English.  When I attempted to add my home area, once we were home; I again got the message insufficient room.  Nixed that idea and decided to load maps of Spain for an upcoming trip.  They wanted an additional $75.00 for that.  My unit is 2 years old, most new ones run around $110.00.  My choice add Spain, then attempt to remove and add my area once home again???

Solution..........currently I took the GPS out of the car, it won't be packed for the Spain trip, and I currently can't use it for here.  Do I opt to purchase a new one?  Isn't that their plan?  Planned obsolescence?  Jury's out on what to do next, but my advice is NOT to do the updates and just make adjustments to the areas you know have construction or have changed slightly.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Escaping the Snow

Escaping the snow in Central Ohio, hubby and I headed south a few days ago. A man that used to work with hubby told him once he wanted to strap a snow shovel to the hood of his car and drive south until someone wondered what the item was...he would then know, he'd gone far enough south.

Well, we didn't exactly do that, but we did leave town to get away from the snow and the cold and the winter. As we headed south we lunched at Sonic Burger. Have never eatten there, and probably won't again. Strange place. Seems they can't decide if they want to be a fast food place or an old style car hop type place. It filled the tank and let us travel on, but it's not a place I would recommend nor a place I care to eat at again.

A tip for traveling in your car this time of year, once you've filled your window washer fluid, put the bottle in your car so you can refill. You definitely use lots of it this time of year with snow, road junk being thrown up, and salt.

Our first stop was Charlotte, North Carolina. We didn't take anytime to explore there, just pasted through. Though last year (about this same time), we did stop in a very historic cemetery (even though there was snow on the ground). It's called Pioneer Cemetery. Am also hopeful we'll stop on the way back north this trip so I can see it, explore it a bit without the snow. Thus far, we've faired better this year in our escape the snow trip then we did this time last year. It's 30 degrees warmer here then it is at home, that's worth a smile. Temps at home where minus 2 degrees as we departed Charlotte to head further south....Hilton Head next stop.

Myrtle Beach, North Carolina

Look closely, what's missing in this picture? YOU, that's right. Picture yourself there now; sitting on the edge of the pool soaking in the sun's warmth, sipping a cool beverage or reading a book in the lounge chair, with the sound of surf filling your ears. Soon all your cares will melted away.

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Charlotte, North Carolina

We were passing through Charlotte, North Carolina on our way to Hilton Head, South Carolina. We were searching for Sun. We altered our travel arrangements to skirt a storm as best we could; which is how we landed for a night here in Charlotte. Reviewing maps and weather reports over breakfast before heading out Dear Hubby spotted Old Settlers' Cemetery within a few blocks of our hotel. Naturally, we stopped!

Even in a short cold walk through the cemetery you can see how historic it is and wonder about the many stories it holds.

The oldest known burial is that of Joel Baldwin who died at the young age of 26 in October of 1776. Many Revolutionary and Civil War Hero's are buried here. Many of the early pioneers who formed and settled the area are buried here.

The area was first settled by Scots-Irish who belonged to The Church. It is felt the graveyard was first attached to the church. Though time has changed the church affiliation from non-denominational to the current day Presbyterian, which is the church you see in the background.

Servants of the early families are buried in the NorthEastern portion without markers; or at least none of the plain wooden or stone markers from those early days has withstood the test of time and vandalism.

Vandalism has played a hand at this historic graveyard on multiple occasions. Sadly, some of those records are forever gone. Thankfully there have been periods in it's history that caring people have done what they could to restore and preserve it's history. From my research I believe the cemetery has been cleaned up and restored 3 separate times, each time falling again to lack of attention and vandalism. Hopefully now, this park like setting will be maintained and those there properly honored.

One of the more famous burials is Colonel Thomas Polk, who died in 1793 and is the great uncle of President James Polk.