The Road Trip Begins

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
07/09/2019 at 10:31 • Filed to: None

Headed down to Camp Lejeune for work. Im pretty excited about this one, it's going to be a bit different than what I normally do. Any Oppos have any suggestions on things to see/do if I have some free time? Places to eat?

DISCUSSION (14)

Just Jeepin' > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/09/2019 at 10:40

Hopefully Chuckles will chime in. H e used to live in Greenville.

Something h e recommended along your route is visiting Washington, NC. Apparently a nice little town.

If you have clearance on your vehicle, talk to the personnel about forest roads around there. My nephew was in the Marines there and loved driving around that area.

Ash78, voting early and often > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/09/2019 at 10:41

My Marine buddy spent a lot of time there a while back. Based on his drill sergeant’s recommendations:

Eat: Shit

Go: To Hell

Chuckles > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/09/2019 at 11:15

It looks like your route goes through Kinston. I recommend stopping at Mother Earth brewing. Great place. It’s also a f ew blocks from a full size replica of a Confederate ironside.

If you have a chance to hit the beach, my preferred one near there is Atlantic Beach. Great beach, great food (Amos Mosquitoes), and it’s next to Fort Macon, a civil war fort that you can tour.

New Bern is also a neat city, with living history folks walking around and the old governor’s mansion. It’s also the birthplace of Pepsi.

The best bbq sandwich on your trip would be found at the Skylight Inn in Ayden (or the related Pete Jones BBQ in Greenville). Get a bbq sandwich with slaw. Don't worry, the slaw isn't mayo based. It adds a good crunch. Dowse it in their vinegar based bbq sauce and enjoy.

Chuckles > Just Jeepin'
07/09/2019 at 11:15

Washington is a little bit off of their route but I made some suggestions.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/09/2019 at 11:44

Ahh E mporia. Rumor has it they shoot on sight if you’re clocked going 3 over the speed limit.

12and35 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/09/2019 at 12:31

Best bet is to head into Jacksonsville and hit up The Osprey also you’re gonna be an hour drive from Wilmington and Wilmy has a lot of fun stuff to do. Go and see the USS North Carolina it’s docked down there. North Topsail beach is up that way, too. Oh and it’s pronounced “Topsull” not Top Sail.

Chuckles > 12and35
07/09/2019 at 12:57

I second your Wilmington rec. Great city with a lot more to do than Jacksonville.

NC pronunciations are funny at times. There were two small towns near me: Pinetops and Conetoe. Pinetops was pronounced “Pine-Tops,” but Conetoe was not pronounced “Cone-Toe” like you might expect. Nope, Conetoe is pronounced “Co-Nea t-A.”

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 19:11

Thanks for the advice. When I drove through Kinston I was several hours early for Mother Earth, but I tried their IPA at a place in New Bern and loved it. And Im not a huge IPA guy, just starting to get into them.

We finished orientation super early on Wednesday so my co-worker and I just drove around for 6 hours and hit the highlights. We went down to Surf City, had a decent lunch there, then back up to Atlantic Beach & Fort Macon. By pure chance we showed up just in time for the weekly gun salute.

We also went up to New Bern, though sadly didn’t get much walking in, but we did have a delicious meal at Persimmons. Thanks for all the tips and advice.

T he exercise kicked off in high gear yesterday and the Marines have been running us ragged. Ol’ Petty Officer 2nd Class Snuze isn’t quite in fighting shape anymore, though this awful head cold isn’t helping. Then again some people fell out yesterday because it was “too hot” and I managed to stick it out (barely). But I got back to my room and slept coast to coast and was serviceable today and should be back in it tomorrow 100%.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Just Jeepin'
07/12/2019 at 19:14

I have full base access but we are pretty damn busy no w that we’re in full swing, though my coworker and I had some time on Wednesday and drove all over, from Surf City to Atlantic Beach, to New Bern, following a lot of Chuckles suggestions.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Ash78, voting early and often
07/12/2019 at 19:15

I've eaten some pretty good seafood since I got here. But it's so damn hot and humid I don't see how hell could be any worse.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > 12and35
07/12/2019 at 19:25

Im going to go see the USS N.C. next week on my way home. My grandfather was part of the Marine anti-aircraft gun crew onboard during WWII.

Ill try to hit up the Osprey one night. Thanks for the recommendation.

Chuckles > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2019 at 00:32

I'm glad you're enjoying your time in NC. It's not often that people actually ask for advice for the small corner of the world that I've lived in. I spent 5 years in Greenville and exploring eastern NC. I definitely miss parts of it.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Chuckles
07/13/2019 at 07:24

So far its going well, the work is interesting, and I’m getting over this stupid cold. The Marines have been great hosts and the people of NC have been full of southern hospitality. I was stationed in South Carolina for a year and this reminds me of that in a lot of ways, I can see why you'd miss it, or at least parts of it.

Chuckles > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2019 at 09:59

I grew up in PA, and that's where I live now. Eastern NC was a little too flat for my liking, and the summers were too hot and humid for me. Plus, I actually like getting some snow in the winter. But the people were great.