I BE DR. DOCK EDIT - Oriental, NC

Remember how I said there comes a time when you just hit the road with what you've got?

Well, I did. I showed up in Oriental with a wagon whose sign some folks might have wished I'd spent a bit more time on...

Now when I originally set out to name my trip, I came up with "CAPTAIN BERNIE'S DRY DOCK EXPEDITION".

The CAPTAIN BERNIE bit? Well, I really am a licensed captain. 'seems I documented enough days afloat (360) to qualify for my US Coast Guard 50 Ton Master's ticket.

And the DRY DOCK bit? Remember, I want to run my mule wagon down the Great Plains, which used to be ocean. About 250,000,000 years ago.

So right before I left for Oriental, I painted CAPTAIN BERNIE'S DRY DOCK EXPEDITION on the passenger side of my wagon. I figured I'd practise on the side away from traffic.



Jack closing a blind eye to what's written on the other side... (Bayboro Pottery, Bayboro, NC)

Then it started raining. And then it got cold. The night before I left for Oriental, I tried to write the "D" in EXPEDITION on the other side.

But I messed it up. So I just wrote a few more words to fill up the blank side before it got dark.

I came up with this...


Here comes DR. DOCK EDIT (Bayboro, NC)

I don't know why I chose those words. I just reckon I was overcome by the same sign painter's urge that hit Gus McCrae of Lonesome Dove fame when he wrote my favorite sign of all time...

"... We Don't Rent Pigs ....Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit"

"I God Woodrow!" I could hear folks saying from behind their windows. "What n'the devil's that mean?"

But it didn't matter.

I had my wagon and two mules on the road.

Oh, and I brought my pedometer with me.

Anyone know how many mules steps it is from Oriental, NC to Aurora and back?

Bernie
RiverEarth.com

(Thanks Norm, Candace and Claudia for your photos! Bernie)