On Saturday we waved goodbye to palm trees and alligators and began the hike up the East Coast to home.
The majority of the first leg of the trip is a pretty dull affair. It's mostly just plant the front tires on route 95 and head north, with trees and other cars as our only companions or view.
Still, it was fun to have the scenery broken up by some old-time billboards:
"Krispy Kreme - hot doughnuts all day!"
or
"Peach Cider!"
As intriguing as these sounded, they were soon eclipsed by two advertising campaigns that competed for our attention - the Glory canning company and a destination in South Carolina knows as South of the Border.
Glory began with enthusiasm: "All hail the kale!"
moved to promises like
"Home cooked flavor in a can",
and then broke out the puns with
"Make them turnip to the table!"
South of the Border is a place my husband remembered from college runs 50+ years ago to Daytona Beach, and which looked a bit the worse for wear when we stopped there for gas. After a look at the outside of the public restrooms, I channeled my skills from years of teaching with minimal access to a bathroom and told my body to wait for the next rest stop.
Their billboards, though offered all kinds of food for thought:
"True Grits at South of the Border"
"Virgin Sturgeon!"
"Unused Bagels!"
My favorite, though, was:
"Super suites! Sleeps six! $62!"
Now that's what I call quality.
YIkes! My teacher skills would never have allowed me to wait, but I'd probably have found another spot pretty quickly. You made me laugh out loud at those signs! :-)
ReplyDeleteHave to say I've resorted to some of Glory's southern seasoned products since moving to the Pacific Northwest. There are a few things the stores don't carry here that us Southerners eat, okra, hoping john blackened peas, white cornbread to name a few. I don't like shopping at Walmart but if that's the only place I can find white cornbread and okra then so be it.
ReplyDeleteWe traveled I-95 last weekend from Florida too. We did take some toll roads in Florida, though, and must have missed South of the Border. Although I don't know how anyone could miss it! Your signs were fun finds.
ReplyDeleteMy body refuses to listen to the teacher. My mind regrets it.
ReplyDeleteSnorting with mirth at the signs. Thank you.
Good eye on finding some humorous signs.
ReplyDeleteI love that "you never sausage a place" sign!
ReplyDeleteUmm, "unused" bagels?
Surely there isn't a market for 'used' bagels (*~*)
Saw this place when we first drove to D.C., didn't stop, I hate public bathrooms, is that from being a teacher?
ReplyDeleteI can handle public bathrooms, but I am averse to the ones so awful that even the outside looks dirty. Kind of like there wasn't any room left for the grubbiness inside.
DeleteWe used to drive I-95 up to my grandparents' in the '70s, and a lot of those South of the Border billboards were there even then! I distinctly remember "Virgin sturgeon! Also unused bagels!" And the one with the sheep spinning around the moon.
ReplyDeleteI was always frustrated as a kid because my parents would never stop. But I stopped there in 2000 when I moved to NYC and it was looking pretty ratty even then.
It is definitely appealing to an 11 year-old sensibility.
DeleteAmazingly, it's been there since 1949, according to one of the signs.
nice that some of the old stuff still exists. seems these days America has become totally homogenized what with nothing but national chains along the highways.
ReplyDeleteHi there Marty! Thanks for reading by blog. I finally found you through Steve. Oh my ... South of the Border. In the early 60s when I was a kid and my grandparents started vacationing in Clearwater Beach, FL they always stopped and brought my sister and I back the most wonderful kitschy things! When my parents started to go as well we always stopped there. It was a tourist attraction and not ratty at the time. It was the highlight of the trip from New York to Florida! I think my sister still has her alligator purse complete with head on the flap!
ReplyDeleteSo glad I could conjure up a memory for you. And I'll. bet that place still holds magic for the young
DeleteI just love the way you write, Marty. And after delving into your blog a little more and reading some back entries and more info on you, I now know that you were an English teacher and have written a book. Duh, no wonder you write so well! Looking forward to more!
ReplyDelete