Editor's Notes: There’s still plenty of time to visit our national forests  

By David Kennard

The Robesonian

Our country’s national forests are gems; each one with a unique personality, from the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest that borders Canada, to Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys.

Depending on your philosophic level, you may agree or disagree that our federally protected lands need more protection from development.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit many national forests and each time, I have come away enriched.

North Carolina is home to four national forests that span our state’s vast landscape from the Appalachian Mountains on the west side of the state to the Outer Banks that stretch into the Atlantic Ocean.

As a relative newcomer to the area I’ve had the opportunity to visit the Nantahala National Forest, but only briefly as I passed through. I look forward to spending more time there on a future visit.

The Pisgah National Forest, also on the west side of the state, is one of the most visited forests in North Carolina thanks to its location near the population center of Charlotte.

Uwharrie National Forest is one of the smallest National Forests in the country, but it offers an abundance of forest wilderness and varied uses.

Croatan National Forest is what some call the gateway to the Outer Banks. It’s a coastal pine forest that includes saltwater estuaries and low lying bogs, as well as wilderness galore if you stop, listen and watch.

Most recently, I’ve enjoyed exploring our outdoor world with my youngest child — and first mate — Sam.

Sam’s middle name is Christian — which comes from my love of the book “Mutiny on the Bounty.” Around our house when I need something from my first mate, I’ll frequently bellow in my best Capt. Bligh voice, “MIS-TER CHRIS-CHUN! The garbage needs to go out.”

A while back, my Sam — who incidentally just graduated from college — began a weekend trek to ride our mountain bikes through part of the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina.

The Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto State Trail proved to be formidable. We had hoped to complete most of the 47-mile trail in a weekend, but our excursion ended miserably when we were chased away by clouds of bloodthirsty mosquitoes that were unfazed by our layers of Deet.

Years ago I took a trip with a forest ranger who worked in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California. You’ve not been on a hike until you’ve hiked (and by hike I mean jog) with a forest ranger.

Forest rangers know everything about the forests they manage. The plants, animals, trees and streams are their front yard. I learned a lot from my forest ranger friend that day, including that one of the original purposes of the U.S. Forest Service was to manage our forests to maintain an inventory of trees for lumber.

Sam, er, Mr. Christian and I saw first hand how some of the management is carried out as we inched our way through Francis Marion’s flatland forest.

Large sections of the forest had been purposely cleared and burned to weed out invasive plants and dead trees that prohibit healthy tree growth.

I’m not too concerned that we may never complete the last few miles of our original 47-mile trek, especially when there are so many more trails to wander in the wonderful national forests we have nearby.

David Kennard is the executive editor of The Robesonian. Contact him at dkennard@robesonian.com.

Editor's Notes: Robesonian makes good companion for summer swingout  

I was looking through some back editions of the paper this week and stumbled across a fun little feature.

The series of articles featured local folks holding up an edition of the paper at exotic locations all around the world.

It was fun to see the community paper in places like Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Africa; or spread out across the Great Wall of China. One picture showed a woman holding up local news in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Another reader carried her edition to the wilds of Asheville, North Carolina.

I got a kick out of that.

Here at the Robesonian we’re all about local people and local news, so if you’re planning on taking a trip anywhere in the next little while, throw your Robesonian in your bag and snap a picture while you’re fuming over your canceled flight or taking out a loan for your next gas fillup. You can send me your picture at dkennard@robesonian.com. You can also go to https://www.robesonian.com/community-photo-gallery#/. I’ll find a place for you in the next edition of our Community Photos feature.

Speaking of vacations, it’s about time to get out of town before things start to cool down. I’ve been lucky enough to explore some fun places around our great country so here is my short list of recommended stops that you can drive to this spring or summer if you have a day or a week.

Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf. Drive time: 1.5 hours. 843-272-5467. We loved this place. After gorging yourself on any of the 100 or so seafood buffets in Myrtle Beach, head on over to Professor Hackers for a fun train ride to the top of a small mountain — you can see the beach from there. Work your way down the path of miniature golf holes that take you over streams, around waterfalls and through scary mining caverns.

Jungle Jim’s - River Safari Water Park. Drive time: 7.5 hours. 302-227-8444. Go for the golf, stay for the water park. This is a great destination for anyone afraid of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean at nearby Rehoboth Beach. Your journey will take you through the congested metropolis of Washington, D.C. Be alert for gangs of protest marchers and discarded political placards.

Boondocks Grill, Draft House and Miniature Golf. Drivetime: 15.5 hours. 305-872-4094. This is one I’ve not actually been to, however I have visited other Boondocks locations, so I can’t imagine it’s much different — I mean other than you are in Key West, Florida. And since you are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by convertible sports cars and marinas, you might as well play a round or two on the really miniature, miniature golf course. (It’s a small course.)

Dinosaur Adventure Golf. Drive time: 12, 15 minutes hours. 1-905-358-3676. Bring your passport if you want to get home. This excellent course is located on the banks of the Niagara River in Canada. A nearby waterfall is a serious distraction and you may need a rain poncho if the wind is blowing the mist your direction.

Cody City Park Miniature Golf Course. Drive time: 32 hours. 307-587-3685. This is actually a pretty crappy little golf course, so you’re better off skipping this tourist attraction and taking a short drive into Yellowstone National Park. You are guaranteed to see some Rocky Mountain bison — the kids and I did when we were there — and perhaps a moose if you are quiet. Old Faithful, which isn’t all that faithful anymore erupts about every hour or so depending on how big the last eruption was.

Zion Ponderosa Mini Golf Course. Drive time: 33 hours.800-293-5444. This course is built on the slope of a Ponderosa Pine populated hillside in southern Utah. If you plan to stay the night, book ahead to bed down in one of the many log cabins, which range in size from covered wagon to multi-room western ranch house. We stayed in one of the Cowboy cabins and loved it. It was just a short drive to nearby Zion National Park, one of the most popular parks in the country - again, call ahead, rock slides have been known to close highways in and out of Zion NP. You are guaranteed to see herds of deer, bighorn sheep and flocks of smelly hippies hitchhiking across the West — go ahead, pick them up, they don’t bite and imagine the great photo memories.

If you’re not a miniature golf fan, there are other fun things to do in or around most of these great destinations.

And remember, if you make it to these or other fun places, bring along your Robesonian.

Editor's Notes: Independence Day significant in Robeson County 

 I knew something wasn’t right a few years ago on the Fourth of July when my daughter quietly walked into the living room and declared, “Um, Dad, there’s been an incident.” 

She and her college-aged friends were out on the street in front of the house celebrating with fireworks. I know this because the TV show I was trying to watch was interrupted every few seconds by artillery fire that she and everyone else in the neighborhood were blasting well into the night. 

No blood was drawn, but the neighbor’s cedar fence had a sulfur burn, as did the neighbor’s garage door across the street, as did the neighbor’s rose bushes around the corner. In fact the errant aerial sent blasts everywhere except into the air. 

Everyone was a little shook up, but otherwise OK. 

My garden hose put a quick end to the fireworks for the night. Friends went home and my daughter reluctantly went to each neighbor to apologize for “the incident.” 

The Fourth of July has been a day to celebrate since the earliest days of our nation, but like many of our holidays, the reason we celebrate has been diluted amongst the many celebrations. 

Here in southeast North Carolina, we have a connection to the Revolutionary War and the cause of independence that many of our fellow Americans enjoy only by proxy. 

As one of the 13 original colonies, North Carolina was the first to vote for independence from Great Britain during the Continental Congress. 

As a relative newcomer to North Carolina, I’ve come to understand the significant role our state played in the formation of our nation. 

In that regard, one of the things I enjoy here in Robeson County is the collection of the weekly history features that you enjoy in the weekend edition. The ongoing series takes a look at historical sites in the greater Robeson County area, a large number of which reference events centered on the Revolutionary War. 

Places like McPhaul’s Mill, which was a rendezvous point for local Tories. During the American Revolution, McPhaul’s (McFall’s) Mill served as a Tory stronghold. Neill McPhaul was one of the leading Loyalists in the county, and often operated under the command of David Fanning. In July 1781, Fanning encamped at the mill with the prisoners taken in the attack on Chatham Courthouse, and in late September he bivouacked there with individuals captured in the attack on Hillsborough. 

Closer to Lumbertain you can find a stone monument that honors those who were a part of establishing the town back in the late 1700s, a time when the country of America had yet to establish its full identity. 

That monument, which stands on North Water Street just north of West Fifth Street, reads in part “On August 14, 1787, John Willis deeded to the Lumberton Lottery Managers 170 acres of land, being well known as Red Bluff where the courts are held.” 

A month later on Sept. 17, 1787, delegates signed a new document known as the Constitution of the United States of America. 

The founding of Lumberton and the United States share the same history in many regards. 

In fact, it’s my feeling that settlers to Robeson County came to this area to find freedom, prosperity and opportunity. And despite the blighted history of slavery in the new country, it’s more significant now than ever that we should honor the vision and sacrifices of our city’s earliest forefathers. To them, celebrating the cause of freedom was much more “than a fireworks incident.” 

Enjoy a safe Fourth of July holiday.