A buck starts here

Magnet #1220 - Dan Nicholas Park

One of the top attractions in the state of North Carolina is Dan Nicholas Park. Most of us take it for granted because we grew up with it, but it really is a great state park.

Save the World Couple and I went to play putt-putt today, something I haven't done in ages.

It's funny how the two courses that I've played several times over the years have grown smaller. The once-insurmountable windmill, wishing wells, loop-de-loops and roundabouts seem to have gotten easier.

We had a fun time, playing both courses - I got two holes in one! Go me!

Of course, for other folks, that would signify a good round or two, but it really just offsets the number of times I blew par...by several strokes. Thank goodness they cap us at six!

The rest of the park, however, has changed drastically over the years. We grew up with paddle boating and an aging nature center and petting zoo. Now, there's a carousel, a zoo and aquarium (which ya'll know I refuse to visit), and a little corporate sponsored choo-choo train!

And when I say corporate sponsored train, I mean, I'm talkin' the Stanback Train, sponsored by the Salisbury Post, riding over the so-and-so Trestle, under the Cheerwine Tunnel, and through the woods (sponsored by Nature, I guess) into the Suntrust Tunnel.

We're talkin' crazycakes local sponsorship - I was both amazed and appalled. But you know what? It works, because I remembered most of the sponsors...and I just blogged on the local goodwill.

Mind you, I also benefited from this local goodwill because the price tag for the train ride?

A single buck.