By Jacob Berman, Eric Kanzinger, Jon Sarver Jr.
Near mile marker 139 where Westbound I-40 and Southbound I-85 run concurrently just outside of Burlington sits a North Carolina Rest Area. On a chilly Friday afternoon, the rest area parking lot is a hive of activity.
Dog owners stretch their legs while taking their pets out for relief. Weary drivers sit at picnic tables, which are placed around the main restroom. A disheveled man smokes a cigarette in front of his rusty pickup.
When one car backs out of a parking spot to go on its way, there is always another vehicle pulling in to replace it. Rest stops like this one serve as a way for drivers and passengers to get a short break from the road, and each other.
The Renaissance travelers
Over by a tree next to the picnic tables are two women with cats. One cat is on a leash, while the other one, a minuscule white cat, is cradled in one of the women’s arms. The woman holding the cat is named Erica.
Erica says she is from Garner, North Carolina. She and two of her friends are on their way to the Carolina Renaissance Festival near Charlotte. Along for the ride is a pit bull named Darwin. The tiny white cat is Kokomo, and the Siamese cat on the leash is Zara.
At the Renaissance Festival, there are games and food, and festivalgoers can wear medieval-themed costumes.
“I didn’t bring anything but I heard you can rent costumes,” Erica said.
The group is staying with one of Erica’s friends who lives near the festival, so they don’t have to worry about finding a pet-friendly hotel. Erica’s friends load the animals into their Toyota Prius, and they head off on their way towards Charlotte.
Deciding on his future:
The following morning at the rest stop, a high school senior named Brooks Griffin dressed in khaki pants, a white t-shirt, and a heavy flannel stops during his marathon of a college tour. A tall, skinny kid with a scraggly beard, Griffin exuded confidence as he tried to decide which school he was going to go to.
“We’re going to Elon, High Point, UNC, and NC State,” he said. Griffin said he is applying at 15 different schools up and down the East Coast, as far south as Florida. “North Carolina is just a stop along the way.”
Born and raised in Westport, Connecticut, Griffin’s main reason for looking South is to get away from the cold. He’s lived in Westport all his life and, like many high school seniors, is ready for a change in scenery.
When asked why he was applying to 15 schools, he said, “all of my friends are doing the same thing.”
As Griffin and his family pulled out of the rest stop to get back on the busy highway, a flurry of travelers pulled in to replace them.
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