Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles
at The End of the Pavement
1978 - 2009
By Janice Boling
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Cars, trucks, and bikes
Cars, trucks, and motorcycles meant freedom.
Our vehicles were our only means of transportation. There were no trains, buses, subways, or taxi cabs and none of us owned an airplane or helicopter. I guess we could have used a horse and buggy but gas was cheaper than feed. Walk to town? That was out of the question.
Tony and Billy with Tony's van
I bet this van had a lot of mileage on it when it finally bit the dust. Tony and his kids camped in it almost every weekend except in the winter. There was always a mess in the back with blankets and snacks -- when you opened the door a pile of stuff was liable to fall out. That was OK -- at least Tony and his kids had a safe, warm place to sleep away from snakes and other creepy crawlers.
Car parked near horseshoe stob
This long, yellow car was around for a while. It was parked in a dangerous place. As all horseshoe throwers know, sometimes shoes can bounce or go haywire.
Joe's old van
I loved this Chevrolet van that Joe bought for us to take camping. We had a lot of fun in that old thing. There were old upholstered living-room chairs to sit on and a sleeping bag or two in case we wanted to nap.
Gwen in her red Blazer
Gwen looked good in her Chevy Blazer especially when she got through washing it. Looks like she waxed it, too. I bet she stayed clear of mud holes for a day at least.
Billy and Crystal have arrived.
I don't know what a Dakar is, but Billy, Crystal, and a box turtle are riding one. The bike looks like something from the space age, doesn't it? George and Jane Jetson meet a Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Raymond by his pickup
Raymond sips a beer while leaning on his new ride. At least it looked new in this photo. Raymond drove that thing a long time -- until it finally had one too many mishaps.
Junior and a red Pulsar NX
That was Junior in shorts but I do not remember who owned this car.
Men in shorts were a rare sight at the End of the Pavement. Junior was a regular at the End of the Pavement and we were all glad to see him drive up.
That's my Dad's American flag in the background. I still have it today.
The State of Georgia flag belonged to David. He gave it to me and said to keep it safe. I kept it for 20 years and finally returned it to him a couple of years ago -- like brand new. I think it kind of freaked him out to finally get it back.
Ab with a rifle and his pickup
Ab looked good driving this silver gray pickup. Deer season was about to open and he was showing us his new rifle. I am sure he got a big one before hunting season was over.
Julie with her new car
Julie's Mustang stood out from our jalopies and pickup trucks. I don't think she drove it a whole lot on the dirt roads but it turned heads wherever she went.
Jerry R. in a convertible
I don't know the make or model of this sporty little number but I bet Jerry had a ball riding around in it. That is a Chattahoochee National Forest sign behind him so I guess we met while out riding the roads.
Tony and his bike on Murphy Highway
Tony looked good riding this bike around town. I have no idea if he ever rode it to the End of the Pavement or not, but I bet he did. Tony was a regular at the End of the Pavement for many years.
John on a Suzuki
I think that was an air pistol. The black and red, along with John's handsome face, make this shot a prize winner.
My first S-10
It did not look like this for long.
After the wreck
Here is my 1988 black S-10 after I rolled it at the Pepper Plant one morning. I dropped a sausage biscuit and while trying to catch it, I went off the road.
I rolled my truck, climbed out, and retrieved my stuff that had flew out the window. Then I climbed back in, drove up to Sheriff Tommy Duncan's office, and asked them if I needed an accident report. Yes, I did need one.
I asked the deputy on duty, Ronnie D. if I could take it on over to the Insurance office. He said, "Just as well, you drove it here."
Then I drove it over to the State Farm office and called a friend to come get me. Wouldn't you know they fixed the truck! By the way, I have been with State Farm all my life -- over 45 years and have never been disappointed.
After the wreck, the dash rattled and it was never the same. I ended up trading it in on a teal blue S-10.
Notice in the background of the picture, Nelson's Tractor was still there. It was located where CVS and Chick-fil-a are at now.
My teal blue S-10
This is my second Chevy S-10 -- an aqua blue 1995 model. Richard and I wore it out driving back and forth to Florida -- and working down there in the hot sun.
I am still driving my third one -- it is a white, 1999 model. I don't know what I'll do when it finally wears out since Chevrolet does not make S-10s anymore.
Timmy and his white GMC
There is a dealer tag on his vehicle so I assume Timmy had just purchased this GMC. Later on, I saw this vehicle so covered in mud, you couldn't tell the color.
Timmy was a regular at the End of the Pavement. Of course he was -- his mom married Hambone. I haven't heard from Timmy in ages. Hopefully he is healthy and happy.
Adrian and his mom's Volvo
This Volvo was a classic ride that lasted Deborah for years.
Adrian liked his clothes to be roomy and this jacket fit the bill. Adrian was one of my favorite boys -- I felt like his Aunt Janice because he was so loving. He is still that way today.
HB and his Harley
HB looked good just standing beside his Harley.
HB was a character. Married to Linda, he would still stick his tongue in my ear whenever he got the chance. It was good that he had a wife that laughed at his antics or he would have been in the doghouse or divorced.
This picture was taken at Nottely River Campground where Randall Collins used to host annual Bluegrass Festivals. What a blast those were! You can see a couple more pictures here -- The Early Days.
The End of the Pavement was not the only cool place in Union County. Besides the Campground and the Cliffs, there were lots of other spots to throw a party including Johnson's Store, Below the Dam, Wolf Creek, Bogg's Creek near Nanny Mules, and Sea Creek Falls. We partied at them all.
Back then, Union County was mostly wilderness and we could get away with all kinds of things. I do not think the law enforcement cared what we did as long as we kept it out of town.
Deborah and Adrian beside her old panel wagon
Adrian was born in the 1980's so this picture is not as old as it looks. I always thought this was a great shot -- nostalgic and old-fashioned looking -- like something from the Grapes of Wrath.
Anthony's old truck
That is Anthony in the driver's seat and Sparky sitting on the ground. That brindle pit-bull was the smartest dog. I forget what all he could do, but it was amazing. So was Anthony. Read more about Sparky's offspring on the Pets page.
Joe Fox and his long blue car
Joe Fox was very proud the day he got this car but I forgot the make and model. He was waving at me as I snapped a picture.
Kim in a Caddy
Doesn't she look good behind the wheel of this Cadillac?
I loved this old classic and wonder what happened to it. I think it once belonged to Brian but it might have been Darrell's.
Gomer working on a wheel while Richard looks on
Martin is on the way to help -- or at least to offer encouragement. I don't know who owned this truck but it was a classic.
Building car haulers on Blue Ridge Highway
Harry and Gomer look on as Johnny directs operations. Is that Mike I see to the far right? Even though the men mostly wore work boots, Mike always did like tennis shoes -- and he managed to keep them clean.
Shannon in Atlanta
I did not take this photo -- Shannon gave it to me a long time ago.
Shannon was at the End of the Pavement a lot in her younger days but she left us for the big city. She ended up doing all kinds of creative things -- singing in a band, crafting designer hats, and raising two fine sons with her husband Jeff.
Purchase one of Shannon's hand crafted hats on etsy.com.
Vehicle with mirrored doors
The top of this work wagon says Chevrolet. The bumper sticker at the bottom says, "Doo-Doo Occurs". I think this was Gary Goode's ride.
This was at Trout Camp in 1990, the day I met Allen Dorton. He said my pretty legs were what attracted him. What a sweet talker.
My first car
My dad bought me this Dodge Coronet 500 when I was sixteen. He fixed the gas pedal where I could not go over 60 mph. I was ashamed of this big car at the time but now I would love to have it. That's life!
My MG Midget
This was another car I had before I moved to Union County -- the only convertible I ever owned. This MG Midget was more fun to drive than anything I have owned before or since, taking sharp curves with ease.
Too bad parts and repairs cost a fortune.
Posing with a Rolls Royce in 1973
This picture tells a story -- but it's not about the End of the Pavement. This picture was taken in Atlanta around 1973 when I was eighteen.
My friends and I were strolling down Peachtree Street in Buckhead late one evening after most of the businesses were closed. There happened to be a Rolls Royce Dealership along the way. Walking by the front door, I tired it and it opened. It was not locked! We went in, sat in a few of the expensive cars, and snapped a few photos. Then we left and went on our merry way. They never knew we were there.
Click here to see pictures of more people in their cars and trucks.