Maybe if I put big handlebars on my Schwinn nobody will notice I don’t have an engine.

Part of being married to a photographer is you have to put up with the occasional detour for a photo op. Last weekend was our 24th anniversary so we headed to the outerbanks of North Carolina for a few days. Turns out it was also bike week and Hooters had a special-Hooter Girls in bikinis washing motorcycles. Another one of those times you just have to turn around and go back. “Happy anniversary honey. Let’s hang out with the bikers at Hooters.” What a guy.

Ashland got it’s 15 minutes of fame this morning, actually more like an hour and a half, when Good Morning America came to town. From what I could gather they are broadcasting from small town’s to see how they are coping with the economic downturn. Apparently it was a big secret until about 3 yesterday afternoon, when emails and phone calls starting flying, trying to get a big turnout of people.

This little girl dressed like a princess. Better chance for some air time.

The Nekkid Men From the Center of the Universe Calendar even got a little publicity when Mr. February was interviewed about his calendar experience. So far the calendar has raised $28,000 for Ashland Christian Emergency Services.

On the way back from Charlotte we stopped in Salisbury, NC for lunch and found this great general store called the Okey Dokey Company. I love a good general store. Lots of neat old stuff to see, including a tin rooster.

The first floor had all the old candy I used to eat as a kid, an old soda pop machine and ice cream freezer, along with lots of tools and useful things. The basement had the cool stuff and everything that either hasn’t sold or had to be moved to make room for newer stuff. Mary’d been looking for a caster to replace a broken one and sure enough, foung a barrel of them in the basement.

There are some things that you just have to stop what you’re doing and take a picture of. We were on our way to dinner Friday when we passed this booty mall…err, rolling blue jean shop. Usually when this happens I manage to get a couple of blocks while trying to convince myself not to stop, just keep going, but lose the arguement, make a quick u turn in front of oncoming traffic, pull off the road whereever I can and get out the camera. This was one of those times.

Lowes is a big facility. They have a drag strip, a short track and a major speedway. In the infield of the speedway is a go kart track and they were holding an endurance race while we were there. I used to race go karts when I was a kid, until I cut a turn to close, flipped it and ended up with the go kart riding me. That’s when I decided I wasn’t going to be Richard Petty.

She had a special interest in someone on the track, found her spot at the top of the infield grandstand and would watch them all the way around.