A Feather In My Cap

Linda Burton posting from Raleigh, North Carolina – Faithful followers, we have reached the Journey’s halfway point! Raleigh, North Carolina is the 25^th stop; I’m on the east coast now and see license plates from Virginia as the “out-of-states” in the parking lot. And Connecticut. I was feeling downright jubilant over my accomplishment as I unloaded the car yesterday. Eleanor and Ed were just arriving too; they asked what in the world was a “Journey Across America;” I explained and invited them to point out their home state. “I’ll be in Connecticut in November,” I promised, as I traced the route between now and then on the Scion’s back-window map. “Meanwhile, I’m living in Raleigh now!” Raleigh, North Carolina, my 25^th capital city – what do I know so far? Statistically I know that Raleigh is the 11th largest capital city, with a population of 403,892 (US 2010 Census), close in size to Atlanta and Sacramento, and the second-largest city in the state. I know that it’s located in the rolling Piedmont hills about halfway between the Atlantic coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. And I know that it’s a point in the “Research Triangle” – partnered up with Durham and Chapel Hill it offers unparalleled educational and employment opportunities. Yes, Duke and UNC and NC State have major research facilities, resulting in a well-educated workforce in a compressed area; Raleigh ranks 3^rd in the country in percentage of capital city residents holding Bachelor’s Degrees, at 47.3%. This, of course, is a real-time factor for attracting business, which in turn (if done right) affects quality of life. » read more