PutnamLIES.com

YOUR TRAVEL: 194 Grace Drive

What's the big deal?

Our correspondent Lee recently won a guitar from ROCK 105 and on the way to St. Albans to pick it up, he decided to make a stop in Hurricane to explore fatsack's claims of noise, visit a couple of "family members" and do a "travel feature."

Lee's account follows.

I passed through Hurricane one Tuesday between 3 and 4 PM. After turning onto Progress Drive, I proceeded up a filthy little lane known as Grace Drive. After passing a scenic metal sculpture area on the right, I arrived at my destination, the house of Mark Halburn's second wife. What a place! I didn't know it was possible to stack 3 double wide trailers like that.

And amenities?
We're talking a yard full of amenities including a tire swing for hours of fun, a couple of old lawn chairs for relaxing, a basketball hoop that my son would love and a Walmart wooden play set that gives kids all the outdoor fun they could want with swings, slide, and a built-in picnic table.

Neighbors told me that in the summer, the yard features a blow up pool and a "party tent."

One said, "They're out there all the time. They don't seem to be too concerned about noise then. They make enough of it. It's like a hillbilly convention."

The only things missing were a car up on blocks, a burn pile and a lawn jockey.

The small withered evergreens planted along the road add to the sense of decrepitude.

I heard the "excessive noise" for myself and it's non-existent. Just normal noise for a neighborhood such as this. I love the fact that the neighbors are a red and white house then a trailer catty-corner on the hill...that's pretty much it.

Even the grates aren't bad, again...just something that goes along with the territory.

On the way out I decided to visit the Walmart and see for myself what the big deal was. Driving up the road, I see plenty of neighboring stores as Rent-A-Center that generate traffic as well, not just Wal-Mart.

I must say, for a Walmart, there was plenty of parking available. There couldn't have been more than 25 cars in the lot. There were virtually no customers inside. I would really enjoy shopping here.

As I exited the parking lot and drove slowly past crisco's house, I blew my horn and lovingly gave the house a one fingered salute.

I urge everyone to drive by and see for yourselves. Admission is free and is a great way to see just what Halburn has been whining about all these years.