YEAR VISITED: 2006 & 2020

FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPERIENCES: In 2006 my friend, Rick Ames, and I decided to apply for a Civil War Conference. The conference lasted a week in Virginia and transported the entire class to ten Civil War battle sites. Room and board was free – all we had to do was love Civil War history, travel, and be fortunate enough to be accepted into the program. While we only half heartedly thought a couple of history teachers from Kelso, Washington would ever be accepted, we ended up not only being selected but were also awarded an additional stipend to offset our travel costs all the way from the Pacific Northwest.

As a result, following our week crisscrossing the southern states learning about the great American war, we each flew our families out for an additional week on the east coast. In 2006 Bailey was under a year old, and Jill and her flew out together to meet me. One of our first states to explore was North Carolina. Our visit centered around Durham and interestingly enough when I returned to the state with the family in 2020, our trip also centered around Durham. While not much seemed to change, at least drastically, it is a beautiful area and we greatly enjoyed our time. North Carolina is extremely attractive and I feel like both of our visits merely scratched the surface to what the Tar Heel State has to offer. I would expect us to return any summer now. In particular we can’t wait to get to the Outer Banks.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: The Durham Bulls, the minor league baseball franchise made famous by the 1988 Kevin Costner movie, were playing the Columbus Clippers when we were there in 2006.

We excitedly bought tickets and attended a night game.

The stadium, which is also the home of USA Baseball, was beautiful. In particular it was extra thrilling getting to see the famous Bull that was moved to the new stadium in the 1990’s. Just like the movie the sign reads, “hit the Bull win a steak.”

While we would have had a phenomenal time no matter the outcome of the game, the cherry on top was a no hitter was thrown that night. Jason Hammel, the starting pitcher for the Bulls who graduated from South Kitsap HS and pitched at Treasure Valley CC in Idaho, started the game and ended up throwing a combined no hitter. It was the first no hitter in Durham Bulls AAA history. Needless to say, we had an awesome evening witnessing history in this beautiful stadium. To this day, I have a framed ticket to that game in 2006, a signed program, and a scorecard commemorating the historic event.

In 2020 the family and I toured the Durham Athletic Park. This used to be the home of the minor league Bulls from 1926-1994, and was the setting of the movie Bull Durham.

NOTABLE DESTINATIONS & STOPS: Growing up a sports fan, no game was bigger than the Duke vs North Carolina basketball game. I always looked forward to watching this matchup of two college basketball giants.

Coaching legends such as Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams always had their teams highly ranked and when they met twice a year, no matter where in the country you lived, you always wanted to tune in. As a result, on both visits to North Carolina I was drawn to both campuses. In both 2006 and 2020 we visited Duke first.

We walked the grounds of the private University where we stumbled upon Cameron Indoor Stadium, the famous basketball arena of the Blue Devils.

Fortunately for us we found it unlocked for a summer volleyball camp and were able to walk in and take a peak.

I couldn’t help but get goose bumps thinking of all the history that has taken place within those historic walls.

I remember being quite shocked at discovering the arena that hosted such larger than life games was in reality a rather intimate place to watch a college basketball game – which I am sure adds to it’s charm. (capacity is under 10,000) We then drove the less than ten miles down Highway 15, which has come to be nicknamed Tobacco Road, to the campus of the University of North Carolina. On both visits we parked near the baseball facility and then explored the campus from there.

Both campuses are beautiful, unique, and charming. While we weren’t able to find a way inside like we were at Duke, the family and I were able to walk around the outside of the historic and massive Dean Dome.

Someday I hope to return to attend a Duke vs North Carolina basketball game.

ADVENTURE(S): For context, earlier in the summer of 2006 I had attended the College Baseball World Series in Omaha where Oregon State had won their first national championship. The team they played in the final was North Carolina.

Seeing as I was rooting hard for the relative hometown team, which had many local players on the roster, I felt compelled to take a photo with Beaver baseball gear in the stands of the Tar Heel’s baseball stadium.

• OUT LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
• Chimney Rock State Park
• Hanging Rock State Park
• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Outer Banks
• Cape Hatteras
• Basketball game at the University of North Carolina
• Basketball game at Duke University