Exploring the American Landscape From Our Airstream
Old people and things
The last time we visited Ken’s brother and his family in Silicon Valley was way back in 2018, when we stayed in the area the week of Thanksgiving during our time on the road. A return visit was way overdue, plus we were in no particular rush to get back to the heat, humidity, and … Read more
The heyday of cigarette and underwear companies as employers in Winston-Salem was during the middle years of the 20th century. Eventually automation, the lower cost of overseas labor, and general market changes led to much of the manufacturing exiting the area, leaving Winston-Salem relatively bereft of major employers. The 1980s were not a great time … Read more
Judging by today’s numbers, Winston-Salem doesn’t seem like a powerhouse in North Carolina. With a population of about 250,000, it ranks as the fifth-largest city in the state and isn’t even the largest in its immediate region, with Greensboro taking top honors in the Piedmont Triad. But today’s population figures obscure the significance of Winston-Salem … Read more
After our scenic relocation from the Asheville area, we immediately dove into the activities available in the Winston-Salem area. The city is probably best known as the home of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, particularly thanks to the Winston and Salem cigarette brands, and there’s no question that RJR had a defining influence on the … Read more
There were many terrible things about the global pandemic of 2020-2021 — sickness, death, fear, and loss of social interactions spring to mind — but even after finally returning to normal life there is one thing that was still bothering me. Back in March of 2020, we were traveling through Florida and just days away … Read more