On the road in Union County and beyond

We took road trips on local dirt roads and on interstate highways.

Road trips were a part of our life. We had some awesome trips to the Pickle Bash, concerts, and even the Outer Banks. Some of the best times of our lives were spent in our vehicles.

The Blairsville Hillbillies

Forget Beverly Hills -- we had Cooper's Creek and the whole Chattahoochee Forest.

Ab, his girlfriend, Gomer, Billy, Lena, and Gwen had fun this day riding in style.

Jan, Diane, and Gwen on the Green Gate Road

We had a great time getting away from the crowd for a little while, just enjoying a ride in the mountains. Ab, Gwen's son drove us and took the picture.

Look at the flowers in our hair! I bet Raymond gave us those -- he was always doing romantic things for the ladies.

For more pictures of friends having fun, visit the Friends page.

Gwen rides in back

We rode in the back of pickup trucks our whole lives.

For a while at the End of the Pavement it was a thing to ride in the back. Gwen even put a lounge chair in there for long trips through the dirt roads. Just as well be comfortable. Go Gwen!

Bridge spans Nottely River

This old iron bridge rattled and groaned as you drove over the Nottely River leaving Owltown for Gainesville Highway. It has been replaced with a safer concrete version.

Coopers Creek Wildlife Management Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest - A Federal Aid Project.

Riding through Coopers Creek was a fun road trip. Part of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Coopers Creek had 30,000 acres of wilderness located right next door to the End of the Pavement.

Some people took fishing poles, other might picnic at the falls, some just hurried to the bootlegger.

We did not think anything about drinking and driving through Coopers Creek -- I guess because we never met any traffic. It was wilderness!

No one paid much attention to DUI laws back in the old days. Local police stayed in town and the State cops patrolled the main highways. The only thing we had to keep a lookout for were game wardens. As long as we didn't have loaded guns on the refuge we were OK.

By 1995, things had changed. Law enforcement got stricter. The days of drinking and driving were over. We still rode the back roads but learned to stay put while drinking.

What do I remember most about riding through Coopers Creek? I guess it was the time it rained real frogs. That was exciting. The little amphibians fell from the sky and covered the windshield and hood of the car. Maybe they had just hatched and were jumping out of the trees but it looked like they were falling from the sky.

Coopers Creek trips were always interesting. One time a bunch of Army guys traded us some expensive camping equipment for beer. I got to looking really close at some movements in the trees. A whole bunch of military dudes in camo were hid in the woods.

Another time Hambone drove us through there at 50 miles and hour with a flat tire. That ride about beat us to death -- my back hurt for a week. I don't see how we made it but we did. By the time we got to the End of the Pavement, we were riding on a beat-up metal rim.

Foster's Package Store

Foster's Package Store, better known as Nanny Mule's, was our go to place for beer and wine. It was a nice ride on Highway 180 past the entrance to Brasstown Bald past the Town's County line.

Billy C and JC used to work there part time. I would ride along for the day and read a book in the shade, watching customers come and go.

I am not sure who is getting ice from the cooler but he sure does remind me of Dwayne England. Could also be Buck Payne, Joel H, or one of a dozen local blonde men with curly hair.

At Nanny Mule's in 1983

I don't know if her nickname was Nanny because she kept goats or for some other reason but I don't think she liked it.

Nanny preferred to be called Lorraine or Miss Foster. I have had many nick names over the years but I can't get anyone to tell me what they were. I can just imagine!

Photo submitted by Brenda Wiggins

This is a more recent picture of Foster's Package Store.

The old package store is closed down and about to fall in.

When driving on Highway 180, look for Mule Foster's memorial garden across the street from the old store. I am sure the perennials are still there.

Richard, Jan, Rhonda, and Brian in Cohutta Wilderness Area

One Sunday four of us took a ride through the Cohutta Wilderness Area in Fannin County in Brian's jeep.

Old man in Cohutta

Somewhere along the way we met Boyd Johnson. He lived way out in the boonies. There were no other houses for miles in either direction.

The old man was proud of his home and flowerbeds. He told us about a writer that did a story on his hydrangea bushes. Then the man went inside and got this picture to show us. The reporter had mailed it to him after the article ran in a magazine. I think it was Southern Living.

Brian's gold jeep

Brian was waiting for Rhonda to get back in the passenger seat before crossing the creek. She grabbed my camera and took this shot.

Richard and I are riding in the back. Did we make it through the creek? With Brian driving a jeep, no problem.

Waiting for the Sorghum Parade

Sometimes we loaded up the kids and took them on road trips. One October we went to the Sorghum Parade. That's Lisa, Chad, John, James, Caleb, and Adrian.

I think Caleb is practicing a kick. During that time, Caleb and Adrian were taking Karate lessons.

Look at Caleb's Harley Davidson hat. Darrell and Ben always did keep their boys in nice clothes. I don't know who picked out Lisa's shorts but they sure were colorful. And the guy in the stripes to the far left? That's Jerry E. I remember the shirt.

This was the day we all watched the parade from the side of the four-lane. Gomer had two cages full of poisonous snakes -- rattlesnakes and copperheads -- in the back of his truck. People were looking at those snakes instead of the parade!

An old hippie in Piedmont Park

That was Linda in the middle. She was a natural beauty. All of the people that hung out at the End of the Pavement were good-looking.

In this picture we were in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. We made a day of it, ate Mexican, went shopping, and visited some of my favorite places.

Back then, I was back and forth from Atlanta to Blairsville a lot. One time I loaded up a few friends from the End of the Pavement and we all went to a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I had seen it before but my Union County friends had not.

If the devil had walked down the theater aisle, that would have shocked them, but Tim Curry prancing around in a corset and garter belt was even worse. Looking back, I bet those guys had never heard of a cross dresser.

One of the men got up and waited in the lobby for the movie to end. The others finally relaxed enough to enjoy themselves. They had a good time looking at sexy girls in costumes and watching the show.

This was in the 80's when Rocky Horror fans dressed like the characters and danced in the aisles. One thing for sure, I bet those men never forgot that road trip.

Darlene, Gary, little April, Denise, and Mark

Sometimes it seemed like we lived in our cars. Cars were our wings! Without a vehicle we were like earth bound birds -- stuck at home with nothing to do. Since there was no public transportation, a car meant freedom!

Dwayne in his truck

I wish this picture of Dwyane was sharper -- he was a good looking man with a fun personality.

Paul in his truck

Paul had a huge smile and was always laughing. He made the best wine and did not mind sharing. Paul and his wife Tina knew a lot about wine, way more than the rest of us. I liked it sweet. Some liked it dry. We all toasted Paul and Tina no matter the vintage or type.