Day 40 - Wednesday, July 28 – Hickory to Richmond Hills. Deja vue.

Day 40 - Wednesday, July 28 – Hickory back to Richmond Hills.

A pleasant morning with Chrissy serving us breakfast.

Chrissy, Renate and Miles

Renate and Miles

Chrissy was happy about tomatoes in garden, and alarmed at weeds and overgrown bushes – which escaped my attention when admiring the overall beauty of the place.

"Community garden" in Chrissy's backyard produces tomatoes for her

Crepe Myrtle common on whole trip

Eric continued discussions of Spanish language and Portuguese music with Renate. But a nerve was struck on talking about coffee. He has traveled with videographers and has footage on coffee growers, especially in Mexico.

Eric

According to him, most coffees are ground and bagged in one place in North Carolina. (I think he said S and&; D in Concord. I learned that they grind McDonald's coffee). He frets about effects of NAFTA on laborers, since it allows goods to flow, but restricts the laborers whose livelihoods are lost when the jobs move.

During the cold war, efforts of US price stabilization were motivated largely by our desire to keep political stability. After communism’s “fall”, prices flew wild based on weather and wars and governments and – of course – the poor suffered the most. Eric’s daunting task is to get a little more video, to EDIT HOURS down to 40 minutes, and to produce a film.
There are many other issues with coffee. If interested, try these:
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/99aug/9908ecocoffee.htm


Googling led me to thes

Talking stole into the afternoon, and we went out to I-Thai. Paying only $49 (incl. tax/tip) for a lunch buffet for all 6 of us provided Renate and me with a painless means to express gratitude for the hospitalities from the Schramm’s.

Eric drove us around lakes areas and around his university, Lenoir-Rhyne. It is growing despite the times and its high tuition. Eric is excited about growth and changes in which he has input. 

We left around 3:30 pm, not sure how far we’d get. US 321 about 20 miles to pick up I-85 north, towards nearby Charlotte. Switch to I-77 south bound for Columbia.

Carawinds Amusement Park straddles Carolinas borders along I-77

Then I-26 east until it hits I-95, about 50 miles shy of its Charleston destination. 

About 5 weeks earlier we had traveled I-26 westward from Charleston to the same intersection with I-95. 

I realized I was feeling okay enough to keep going and the plan was to make it to northern Georgia and regroup for a final attack on a vacation.

We found a Quality Inn in Richmond Hills – same exit as our first night going up. But no Southern diner this time. 
A nicely decored Steamers served shrimp and scallops to both of our likings.