🚗 Returning from my trip to Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, I stopped by Lexington, NC, which promotes itself as the barbecue capitol of the world. "Barbecue" used around here is the pit-cooked style, the origin of which is indigenous/Caribbean barbacoa.

🔥 I was after a variation of the barbecue meal popular in central NC, served at Lexington Barbecue.

🏠 Found the unadorned white building before the lunch crowd piled in. Wasn't sure at first if this was what Southern Living magazine ranked as Number 10 of the top barbecue joints in the South.

🍽️ Ordered their classic plate: barbecue, baked beans, hush puppies, and my first time tasting red slaw a.k.a. "barbecue slaw". This slaw is red because ketchup is in the recipe. Sounds weird from my slaw tradition but it tasted good. Everything was good.

✔️ Another barbecue joint checked off my list! Trying to work in soon the Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden, NC, ranked Number 6.

#WhatsInYourStomach
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🥾 Hiking in Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, I get to the top of the 90-foot (30 meter) high cliffs. Far in the past, a seismic event uplifted these cliffs from the flat plain forcing the Neuse river to make a 90-degree turn.

🌄 Later, I hiked down to the muddy tree-lined riverbank to look up at the cliff. Millennia of history and life are now visible in the colorful geological layers exposed.

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Going my way?

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🚗 Finally made it to the park, about an hour and a half northwest of Beaufort. Because there was an early cold wave coming all the way down south where I was, I chose to try out a "camping cabin." This is merely two rooms with beds. No water, but it did have a heater.

🌳 Got out to hike as soon as I could. When near the Neuse river, I came upon a huge Sweetgum. The base is about a meter/yard in diameter, one of the largest trees in this park, and rare for this species. Standing at the base, I could barely see the limbs and yellow leaves.

#ThickTrunkTuesday
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While in Beaufort, I wanted to support local businesses and - what luck! - I found an ice cream shop.

They had cookie dough (one of my favorites) and pumpkin pie flavors, among many other tempting flavors. Both very creamy and had that "chewiness" that comes from good quality.

10/10 Will eat there again. And again.

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Small Town Resistor with Global Impact

🚗 I traveled next to Beaufort, NC, pronounced "bo fert" (unlike Beaufort, SC which is pronounced "byoo fert"). It has a little historic district. In that district is this house, where a man named Jacob Henry lived.

Henry was the first Jewish member of the North Carolina legislature in 1808, at a time when members were expected to take an oath agreeing to the "truth of the Protestant religion" and the "divine authority of the New Testament."

He resisted.

🗣️ After another legislator attempted to oust him, he made a speech that is now famous. In it, he
🔹 Agreed that if religious principles incompatible with freedom and safety of the state, then they should be excluded from being a representative
🔹 Stated that he did not know of any incompatibility among the many diverse religions then existing in the state
🔹 Wondered whether the oath was dictating modes of belief similar to the countries in Europe (which the independence movement recently fought against)
🔹 Confirmed he was supportive of government and his religion had taught him to act properly. Thus, there was no reason to keep him from his post.

✅ He was allowed to retain his post as a representative.

❌ The oath was then adjusted to apply only to leadership and was eliminated altogether in 1835.

His speech was soon referenced nationally, even globally, by other resistors, and is still to this day.

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