# House in the Horseshoe



## RWright (1 Aug 2013)

This is a ride I did on July 9th. The route is a 100k route that is used as part of a charity ride for the local animal shelter. They have other shorter routes that share parts of this 100k route but I had done them before. I missed the 100k ride this year (forgot about it until a couple of hours after it started ) I still haven't done a group ride. Maybe one of these days. 

I had just done a 100 mile ride a few days before this ride so I felt confident I could handle it, so off I went. I also wanted to check out this state historic site I have not been to in a long time. An old house that was the site of an American Revolution battle between Loyalist and Patriots. I have been to the site before but never inside the house, so I thought it would make a good stop.

The Strava route is here http://app.strava.com/activities/65951435 The big loop section is the animal shelter ride route itself, the small loop and connecting line between them is my ride out to it and back home. It is mostly all out in the sticks so need to consider your water stops before hand. I planned them and it was no problem.

I started out mid morning and rode to the route starting point and took off. It was a not a bad day but overcast and with a chance of showers, mainly in the area I was going to be riding. There was some wind coming from the south, the direction I was going out into but I figured that will be fine, I will have the tailwind on the way back. 

I rode the route for an hour or so against the wind and was ok. The only problem had been a road closed with a detour...on my planned course , well not today for me, I blew right thru it and went right by the construction they were doing, the guy on the equipment just waved. I had plenty of room to get by and he didn't seem to have any problems with it so it worked out well, this time. It was not a daredevil stunt either, these roads are very low traffic to start with and I was very careful and going slow.

Next I had a planned stop in a small town called Goldston, when I say small I mean small, I don't remember for sure but I don't think they even have a stop light. They do have a small diner and a tractor place, hardware store and a small grocery store but not much else. I stopped at the diner and ordered a burger, hotdog and fries. It seemed like it took forever to get my order and this was during lunch time and the place wasn't that busy. The waitress was nice and kept my cup of ice water full but I did get tired of waiting. Then I got the check, almost 8 dollars, and I drank ice water, which is free. I then understood why the place wasn't that busy. The food was expensive and my burger was dry and it took forever to get it to me, not a good combination for a diner. Hot dog and fries were ok though.  I finally got out of there after about 45 minutes and was on my way. Next time I will make other dining arrangements. 

I was off again riding rolling hills constantly, some were pretty long too. The route had more elevation than I had thought but it wasn't too bad thus far, just combined with the wind in my face, I was getting my money's worth of work. I had my GPS with me but the route was marked with big white paw prints painted on the road, so it was pretty easy to follow without even checking the Garmin.

I finally got to the road that the historic site was very close to, the House in the Horseshoe is the name of it, aka the Alston house. The road I was on now was a long downhill, I figured out why I had been getting tired. I was pretty high up. It was getting fun now, this downhill had a great view and it was fast. I was smiling, coasting at about 30 mph and checking out the great view when I see painted across the road in big letters WEEEEEEEE! This gave me a laugh as well. I wish I had taken a picture of it but I had not taken my phone out of the saddle bag yet.

I was soon at the House in the Horseshoe. I remembered there was a great view from the house to the river below that makes a horseshoe around the bottom of the hill the house sits on. When I get there I see this.






Corn. Someone had planted corn in the big fields all the way around the house.  It busted my little panoramic picture idea bubble. At least the corn looked like it was growing well.

I then decided to get a picture of the sky to show the blustery clouds I had been riding under so far.




Looks like a great place for a flag to me. I didn't even ask.

Here is the house. (along with the Red Rocket )




I have been in a lot of old houses like this, had friends that lived in similar and nicer ones. This one was built in 1772 they say. I know, it is a young pup for over there.

Rather than explain stuff, I will just post a wiki site and state historic site for the house. I don't want to rewrite history incorrectly because it is late and I am a little tired. I will give a little spoiler, loyalist won.
I took pictures of the bullet holes that are still in the house.





I had a better one but uploaded the wrong picture. The black dots around the windows and doors are bullet holes from the battle. I got a few pictures on the inside too. I had to take my SPD SLs off to go inside but my feet didn't mind. There was also air conditioning inside, which surprised me but it suited me fine. 

I am going to put the inside pictures in another message. Stay Tuned!


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## RWright (1 Aug 2013)

The inside wasn't too bad, it did look old school, I guess that is part of the plan. 

Walking in you first notice the stairway but this is taken from the top.





Upstairs were some bedrooms.




notice the deluxe plumbing devices in the corner, at least I think that is what they are. Fortunately I am young enough to never had to go that route. 

Another bedroom shot, oh I forgot to apologize for the blurry pictures. I am more a point and shoot type photographer and the light was crazy because of the clouds blowing around all day.





I think this was the kids room. The chairs gave it away.





Downstairs were several rooms with reproduction paintings and such. There was a tour guy that works there showing a family around when I got there so I first went upstairs to avoid interrupting them. The tour guide guy was very nice and we talked for a while after the other people left. I asked if it was ok to flash the pictures...being considerate like I am.  He said sure, everything here is reproductions, we keep the real stuff at the museum in Raleigh.  As remote as this place is I should have figured that out by myself. 

I don't know the story behind most of this stuff so here is where my historical narration will get very general. I let the tour guy off easy and we just chatted about where we were from and general chit chat for 20 minutes or so. I didn't make him give the dog and pony show. He told me he was from the mountains and that the well water in the water fountain was excellent and cold, which it was, mountain people do know good water, I lived in the mountains myself for a little while. He was a very nice guy and would have told me anything I wanted to know but I was not in history mode.

Living room with pictures of a couple of old dudes (told you it would be very general)





Old school cutlery




(The apples are not real, I was a little hungry)

A patriot oath of allegiance (Sorry it is blurry, I was struggling in the light there)





I didn't get all the text either. One day maybe I will learn how to take good photos.

Some money. I think it is UK money. I did think about a new set of wheels from wiggle while no one was looking.






and lastly, the lady of the house. I read that she is the one that negotiated the truce to the battle at her house. She looks kind of mean. I would have probably negotiated with her too.






After drinking water and filling my bottles with more, I took off to finish the route. The wind was still hitting me and it was getting warmer since it was early to mid afternoon. I started to tire and it became a chore. I was waiting to start heading north and catch the wind. At 50 miles I was tired and ready to get home. I finally start heading north but then it happened, storm clouds started forming to the north and wind was STILL going against me, not as bad as it had been but still no relief. I kept pedaling but it was taking much longer than I had hoped now. Not only were clouds forming to the north but they looked mean and I was hearing some serious thunder.

I finally got back to within a few miles from the end of the 100 k route but decided I better stop and get a Pepsi and some peanuts, and see what this evil looking cloud was going to do, it was between me and home. I sat around at the little general store for about 20 minutes and decided to go for it. My muscles were getting stiff. I only got hit with light sprinkles while I finished the ride route. I was very happy to get it done. About 7 miles later I was home. This had been a fun ride but it had been the roughest ride I had ever done, took more out of me than even the 100 miler I had done earlier. I am going to go do the 100 k route again sometime in the not so distant future I hope. I owe it one, it whipped me the first time. I want some payback.


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## Pat "5mph" (1 Aug 2013)

Well done! A great report of a very interesting ride!
Did you see Scarlet O'Hara?


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## Saluki (1 Aug 2013)

Looks a great ride. Burger, hotdog, fries and never ending ice water for £5.25 seems pretty cheap from where I am sitting. It would be the same for a Macburger meal, without the hotdog in the uk. I reckon that's pretty reasonable.


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## RWright (1 Aug 2013)

Saluki said:


> Looks a great ride. Burger, hotdog, fries and never ending ice water for £5.25 seems pretty cheap from where I am sitting. It would be the same for a Macburger meal, without the hotdog in the uk. I reckon that's pretty reasonable.


 
It wasn't terribly overpriced but for the quality and quantity it was high for around here. We have a burger chain here called Hardees that I like. It was like a McDonalds copy that started here in North Carolina back in the 60's. There you can get your choice of two burgers or two hotdogs or a burger and hotdog, fries, apple pie and large drink of you choice for 5 dollars. Only problem was the closest Hardees to my route was about 20 + miles from where I was at lunch time. I even considered stopping there later to get an apple pie or something but I was getting tired by then and riding the extra mile or so to get there wasn't very appealing. We also have a lot of very good local mom and pop burger joints that are better and less expensive. I may just be spoiled by the other places.

This isn't exactly promoting healthy eating but it is good to me once in a while.


I forgot to mention that this coming weekend on Aug 3rd and 4th they are doing the battle reenactment at the House in the Horseshoe. It is free to go watch. I haven't ruled out going yet. I have never seen it before.


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## Rickshaw Phil (1 Aug 2013)

Looking at the money I immediately thought those were segments of florin (two shilling) coins, but now I'm not certain. The style is very similar as you can see in these 20th century versions:





but the word "hispan" round the edge makes me wonder if they might actually be spanish?


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## Saluki (1 Aug 2013)

RWright said:


> I forgot to mention that this coming weekend on Aug 3rd and 4th they are doing the battle reenactment at the House in the Horseshoe. It is free to go watch. I haven't ruled out going yet. I have never seen it before.


 
Aaarrggghhhh Battle re-enactment *runs off to hide under the bed before the flashbacks start*
I am sure you will love it. I am told they are excellent fun to watch.


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