Men at the End of the Pavement
1978 - 2009
By Janice Boling
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Men at the End of the Pavement
Men gathered at the End of the Pavement for many reasons. Over the span of 30 years, I bet thousands dropped in for a game of horseshoes or a cold beer.
Six guys at the End of the Pavement
Larry, Charlie, Jerry E, Gomer, Ab, and John enjoyed spending time at the End of the Pavement. Half of them are gone, but their memories remain.
Since I usually had my camera handy, people called me Walter Cronkite (after the famous news journalist of the 60's). They also called me bossy.
George and Raymond with beards
These two men enjoyed a beer on a cold day at the End of the Pavement.
Three men in a row
Billy was telling a story about something while Cecil looked on.
Darrell was keeping an eye on the game -- or one of the women.
Men at the End of the Pavement
Sometimes being on the sideline was more fun than being in the game. I don't know who had hold of Jerry's balls but they got a handful.
Doug was cooling off on a summer day.
He played horseshoes with the best of them. He even won a tournament or two.
Early Seabolt
He was always talking or laughing so it was hard to get a picture of him. Be still Early!
Three men on a sunny day
Shaun waved while Billy pointed a finger. Richard had a weird expression. Maybe he had a toothache.
George, Harry, and Brian in blue jeans
George never said a bad word about anyone -- at least not to me. He was a good man, a good father, and a good friend.
Harold, better known as Harry, kept us all on our toes. One minute he was making a crazy bet. The next minute he was goosing a friend or playing some kind of prank.
I remember going for a dune buggy ride with Harry. It was an experience of a lifetime -- flying through the woods, the wind in my face, holding on for dear life. Forget the sand dunes of Florida, we dirt roads and Georgia red clay.
Brian took some licks that would kill the rest of us. I saw him go off this big swing, turn upside down, and come back down to land on his head. I still don't see how he kept from breaking his neck. Brian's crazy escapades could fill a book.
Angry men
Hambone looks furious, someone is pointing in a threatening manner, Raymond is up in some man's face, and Alvin is ready to back them up. I don't know what was brewing, but it wasn't nice.
Things weren't always peaceful at the End of the Pavement. Knock-down drag-outs were rare but they did happen -- maybe once every year or two. Not a bad record if you ask me.
Gomer, John, and Pete
Unlike most of the other men, John often wore white pants. He looked good in them, too.
John at the End of the Pavement
John was always polite and friendly. He could throw a good horseshoe, too.
Jerry and Eddie
Jerry and Eddie were dressed for cold weather. It must have been hunting season -- when an orange vest came in handy.
Billy enjoyed a day in the woods.
Billy was always polite and kept a smile on his face. He was a handsome man with a caring personality.
Gregg was ready for anything.
With dark hair, Gregg looked good in red. I think he was doing some target practice.
Time for a break
Larry, Shaun, Gomer, and Vince relaxed on this afternoon at the EOP.
Ronnie J at the End of the Pavement
Ronnie was a regular visitor to the End of the Pavement. He was a quiet, good looking man that kept to himself.
Ronnie was a gentleman -- never caused trouble or said a bad word about anyone. If a woman came around, he would jump up and offer her a chair.
Danny in the sunlight
We didn't see Danny a lot although he did surprise us and drop by once in a while.
Donald in dark glasses
Donald was a regular at the End of the Pavement.
We go way back. Donald and Shawn were two of the first friends I made after arriving in Union County.
Eddie, Timmy, and Duke
Eddie was a tall man with long arms and a far reach. He knew how to fight and should have been a boxer.
Many of Eddie's adventures happened on Shot Gun Alley. Linda, Marie, Judy, David, Carolyn, Pam, and Steve all lived there at one time or another.
Shot Gun Alley was later named River Road. I guess changing the name helped boost home values.
Duke, and his son Timmy, were from Owltown. Duke was a product of the 50's -- like a hillbilly version of James Dean, Duke pushed all the limits. He liked fast cars, fast women, and everything else that went with those rebellious days.
Duke was our elder, but we didn't have to hide anything from him. He probably hid things from us!
Gary and Alvin sample the BBQ
We roasted a lot of pigs at the End of the Pavement. Fifty or sixty pounds of meat went a long way to fill our hungry bellies. Sometimes we had potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and other side dishes. Other times we just had meat and bread.
Gary was always a good cook. I think Alvin was helping -- or maybe he was sampling the meat to see if it was done.
One night I caught a bunch of drunk men eating raw pork -- blood was running down their arms as they ate chunks of meat half-cooked meat. It was like a scene from Quest for FIre.
I sure hoped that pig wasn't infected with Trichinella parasites.
Alvin watches the horseshoe game
Alvin had really nice bone structure. He was tall, handsome, and quiet. He also had a distinctive voice like a sports announcer or DJ.
Gathered up around a truck
Brian, Gene, Jerry, Richard, Larry, and Martin took a break at the End of the Pavement.
Look at all those downed trees in the background. This was shortly after Hurricane Opal blew through North Georgia.
Gary G and Raymond
We partied all through the day into the night. Gary and Raymond were both very handsome men.
Gary was married to Deb but Raymond was single. Raymond was a confirmed bachelor that never lacked female company.
Eddie, Shaun, and Tony
Looked like they were warm enough in flannel and denim jackets.
Eddie was always quiet but when you got him talking, he was full of interesting stories.
Shaun and Tony were talkers that did not need prompting. They had stories and jokes galore.
Alan and John watched the horseshoe games.
Alan and John saw or heard something funny. These two guys were ready for some excitement.
Cecil was all decked out in camouflage.
The deer would not see him coming in that mossy oak shirt but they might hear him. Cecil could get on a roll and out talk everyone.
Keith and his brother Tommy
Keith was a regular character around the End of the Pavement. He was quiet around strangers but once he got to know someone, he could talk their ears off.
Jim and Keith at the End of the Pavement
They enjoyed the shade at the End of the Pavement. Look at that convertible -- we didn't see a lot of those in Blairsville.
See more vehicles on the Cars, Trucks, and Bikes page.
Martin was a familiar face for many years.
He was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet.
Tony and Steve
Tony was a regular at the End of the Pavement once he arrived from Indiana
Steve -- from the western side of Union County -- put in a rare appearance.
Rick T came around with Trish once or twice.
He looked very serious while visiting the End of the Pavement.