Bulls and Biking in Durham

We had a couple fun activities in Durham this past Friday and Saturday evening.

Friday:


A group from work met for a night at the Durham Bulls, the triple A minor league team in our area. I work with wonderful people that are supportive and fun. I enjoyed meeting my co-workers significant others and seeing everybody relaxed outside of work It was such a pleasant evening. We spent most of the time visiting. The Bulls did win 10-5. Being at a baseball game on a warm summer night is such a treat.

Whenever a home run was hit the Bull in the outfield's eyes would turn red and he would spew steam out of his nostrils like this:

After the game they had Fireworks:




Saturday:

We took off on our bicycles on The American Tobacco Trail. They converted an old train line into a paved trail. There are tall trees and Kudzu on both of the sides along most of the trail. The segment we went on was about six miles each way. It started by the freeway and ended at the Stadium. It was a wonderful evening and it was great to get some exercise. We are going to try other segments of the trail another time.

Never Surrender!

Welcome to the South

Today we drove up to Durham to Bennett Place, the site of the largest troop surrender of the Civil War with some friends. This was a special day to be there since it was the anniversary of the surrender negations in 1865. The North Carolina Historic site marked the day with a living history staging of the meeting and negotiations of the Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph Johnson.

My other car is a horse

The people who dressed up were totally into it. They wouldn't admit it was 2008 when you talked with them and they would make jokes about the poor condition of our shoes (we had flip flops and sandals on). They were wearing full get up in the hot sun and seemed to be loving playing the parts they played.

Oh yeah, my bayonet right here says Federal rights trump States rights!

I notices that more people dressed up in Union uniforms than Confederate uniforms. Most of them were mature men. They were all really knowledgeable and made historical inside jokes that I didn't really get.

The staging of the surrender occurred in this building and the actors were really into it. Sherman was very commanding in his portrayal. Sherman talked about how he hadn't told his troops of Lincolns assassination but would if the confederate troops did not surrender under his terms. Next to the building there is a marker commemorating the sight and a walking trail around the area. All in all a fun little historical and cultural experience.