The Outer Banks of North Carolina truly grab your spirit. We started our tour at Kitty Hawk, the site of the first airplane ride by the Wright Brothers. To go back to 1900 and imagine how they felt when they successfully flew for the first time, even if it was only a few hundred yards. Incredible!! The monument and visitors center are filled with great detail about the perseverence and ingenuity necessary to successfully fly. They overcame so many obstacles to achieve their goal. To think the experiments were done in a bicycle shop back in Ohio - who knows what ideas will come out of Brian's My Bike store?? A kite fest was happening that weekend, so lots of cool and unusual kites were aloft.
We drove to the north end of the island to Currituck where we climbed the lighthouse stairs to the top. There are not too many light houses that you can climb any more so it's a thrill to get to the top, view the landscape, and imagine what it was like to be the keeper. Back in the day the keeper had to carry the oil for the lamp up in a bucket those 200 plus stairs and stay awake all night to keep the fire burning. The road ended at the north end of the island where we could drive on the beach. We saw a sign that said " Wedding" and pointed to the direction of the wilderness beach. If someone wants a perfect spot for a wedding, this is it. There is a great nature trail in Nag's Head that climbs over sand dunes and in dense forest. Our campsite here was accross the road from the Atlantic Ocean. The surf was wild and waves were huge. It was very windy so the sound of crashing waves could be heard day and night not to mention the incredible view.
Moving south on the Outer Banks, we camped at Rodanthe. What a quaint town! No wonder they made a movie here with Richard Gere, "Nights in Rodanthe". A women working at the Lifesaving Museum was an extra in the film and she related the stories of the filming and how nice and down to earth Richard Gere is. She was slightly upset that he decided to make his next film, "Amelia", without her. The lifesaving Museum was filled with implements to save people on stranded ships: life boats, life capsules and heroic stories of rescues in storms.
Surfers, both board and wind, and kite boarders filled the ocean and the sound where the huge waves and warm, shallow waters gave them a great ride. The sound is only waist deep so its a great place for beginning boarders. Geri enjoyed a peaceful kayak trip when the winds died down in the sound.
Pea Island NWR is another highlight of the Rodanthe area. It covers 10 miles and host a multitude of birds and ducks in its ponds. The snow geese had just arrived and they were expecting the swans any day. One of the most beautiful birds there is the marbled godwit, with its pink beak and multicolored feathers. (See pics)
Another day was spent going south on the island to Cape Hatteras, another lighthouse(can only climb in the summer), and then on the free ferry to Okracoke Island. Riding in our jeep was mild compared to the other vehicles on the ferry. We were next to 2 dump trucks. The ferry would also have taken our RV. We passed many small islands filled with birds. The gulls followed us all the way and the cormorants filled the sky as they migrated. Okracoke is a tiny town with island flavor, only a couple of restaurants and another group of wild horses.
It was sad to leave Rodanthe as we could see the sunrise from our RV as we faced the ocean and the sunset from the sound side accross the street. No wonder people visit Rodanthe after seeing the movie. It's even more natural and wild than the movie portrays.
Our next stop was Cary, North Carolina, a town near Raleigh- Durham. Our nephew Rick and his wife Lisa and their children, Kennedy, Kelcie, Khloe, and Kristopher opened their driveway for our RV and their home for the laughter and fun for a wonderful visit. My sister Rene(Rick's mom)and her husband Jim arrived the same day we did for a great family visit. The children loved having 2 Nanas and Papas to play with. What a treat! We enjoyed Aurilio's pizza from home that Rene & Jim brought as well as smoked duck and turkey that Rick made. Another food highlight was the "low country boil" that Lisa prepared. The combination of shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn on the cob as well as mussels delighted us all. We enjoyed the nature park down the street as well as golfing a par 3 with the children, their first time on a course. There are some future golfers in this group. It is amazing to watch Kristopher smack that ball at 4 years old. What a great visit we had!!
Leaving North Carolina, we returned to the coast to another favorite town, Savannah, Georgia. We had been here 5 years ago, but couldn't wait to go back for the beautiful streets that go around each square, the live oaks draped in moss, and their wonderful food. We enjoyed a great lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant, "The Lady & Sons". There is no chicken as delicious as hers not to mention the cheese biscuits and the sweet potatoes. We saw a film in the making which is produced by Robert Redford. No we didn't see him, unfortunately. Just to see the streets lined with RV's, trucks, costumed ladies, props, and food trucks was exciting. It was being filmed in the most beautiful square.
From there we drove to Tybee Island and enjoyed the scenery and Fort Pulaski NM. This fort was built to protect the city of Savannah. It was designed by a French military engineer, requiring 25 million bricks and 18 years to finish at the cost of 1 million dollars. Many considered it as strong as the Rocky Mountains. During the Civil War, this Fort was held by the Confederate soldiers and was defeated by the Union army with the use of newly developed rifled cannons. These canons opened wide gaps in the walls of the fort and threatened the powder magazine. The Confederate Col. Olmstead surrendered only 30 hours after the bombardment began. The holes made by the rifle canons are still visible today.
We had lunch at Paula Deen's brother's Oyster bar "Uncle Bubba's". It was on the water and the food was fantastic. The highlight was the Grilled Oysters. A charcoal grill cooked them and the chef topped them with garlic butter and parmesean cheese. We'll have to try to make some in Florida this winter.
Driving south down the Georgia coast, we stopped at Brunswick to visit Jekyll and St. Simons Islands. Jekyll Island's land is wild and protected. So much of it is saved for preserves and nature centers. There is a sea turtle rescue center, huge fishing pier, and numerous nature trails. On one beach walk, we saw people netting large shrimp, a wood stork flew in, and a bald eagle flew overhead. A bicycle trail runs throughout the island. We found a campground on the island that will be our stop on a future visit.
St. Simons island is an upscale island that hosted the leaders of the world at the G8 Conference held in 2004. The leaders were helicoptered to the island to meet. We climbed the lighthouse on the island and walked the battlefield at Ft.Frederica NM. 200 British soldiers were stationed here in 1742 when they were attacked by the Spanish. It was the southernmost British fort established to hold off Spanish invasion.
We finally arrived in Florida to visit St. Augustine, the oldest city in the US. This historical town was founded in 1565 and has the "Fountain of Youth" landmark. We visited it last time and it didn't make us any younger, so we skipped it this time. A bird rookery at the Alligator Farm provided many photo opportunities for Geri. Another lighthouse was climbed and a museum visited. A walk down old St. George street to enjoy the tiny shops and restaurants was next. A dinner at the Columbia, an authentic Spanish restaurant capped our day. While driving down the main street, Jim noticed the "Our Lady of La Leche" shrine. Since Dr. Karen counsels new nursing mothers each day, this is her patron. There was a tiny chapel with a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother nursing Jesus. The towering Great Cross on the grounds is the 2nd tallest in the western hemisphere and was erected to mark the 400th anniversary of St. Augustine. People were leaving written petitions on the altar. Beauty and peace surrounded one there. Fort Mose, the first free African-American settlement in North America is in St.Augustine. These people had fled slavery in the Carolinas to come to Florida to be free long before Lincoln freed the slaves. Another fort was on the agenda. Fort Matanzas NM is the site of a watchtower that the Spanish built to guard the entance to St.Augustine. A free ferry took us out to see the watchtower and a ranger told us the story of the Spanish killing 245 French Huguenots in a struggle over the control of Florida.The view from the top of the watchtower was spectacular. St.Augustine is an interesting city to visit.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Washington DC to the Virginia Coast
After leaving Hull, we travelled to Washington DC for 3 fun filled days in our nation's capital. We have been here several times before but it's always exciting to go back. We stay at Cherry Hill RV park in College Park MD. Its great because there is a bus from the park to the Metro. The National Gallery of Art was our first stop, where we viewed art from Spain, Italy, and Germany from the 13th to the 19th centuries. We enjoyed an authentic Spanish meal in the museum complete with recipes.Geri would love to share them with anyone. The Capital Visitors center and Capital tour was our next stop. The Vistor's center traced the history of the nation. The rotunda is spectacular and the tour with a college student from New York was excellent. We encourage anyone visiting Washington to contact their senator's office for tour reservations. After our tour, we were given passes to the House and Senate. Since the House was not in session, we opted for a Senate visit. Sen Diane Feinstein walked right by us as we were waiting to go in. She is very tall and impressive in person. The topic in the Senate was the extension of unemployement benefits due to the lack of jobs at this time. We heard impassioned speeches to pass the bill with no objections. Very exciting to see our government at work. We recognized several of the senators on the floor including John McCain,Olympia Snowe, and Dick Durbin. That evening, a tour of the monuments under the lights impressed us again. The Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, Marine Corp, Korean War, Vietnam,and Roosevelt monuments are amazing at night.
Our second day started with a bus tour of the city with stops at National Geographic for a couple of photography exhibits, National Cathedral with its amazing architecture and then to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a tour and a concert. The tour included visits to the 4 different theaters and the Presidential box in each. In the center are gifts from many countries around the world that were sent to be placed here. We saw 37 tons of marble from Italy, a chandelier from Sweden, mirrors from Belgium, and wall hangings from Spain. Each was unique as was the Hall of Nations with flags from every country. Every evening there is a free concert for the public at 6 PM. The type of concert differs each evening and turnout is great. The Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble performed that day. It is a group comprised of a Japanese American flutist, 2 taiko drummers, and Mongolian singers which performed traditional folk music from their countries. What a memorable experience!
Our final day in DC included a stop at Arlington Cemetary to see the graves of John, Robert and Ted Kennedy and the impressive Changing of the Guard. John's grave is marked with the Eternal flame yet Robert and Ted's graves are each marked with a simple white cross. Our next stop was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The first thing you see is the 90 foot Diplodocus longus dinosaur which was found in Utah in 1923. There are other dinosaurs on display as well. The Geology & Gems exhibit includes the 45.5 carat Hope diamond, the largest in the world and other gorgeous gems. Many meterorites were on display including one that formed the crater we saw in Arizona last year. A huge model of a North Atlantic right whale and a live butterfly pavillion completed our tour. Our next Smithsonian was the National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum to see monumental paintings by Thomas Moran of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. These giagantic paintings covered the entire walls and brought back the joy of visiting these parks. While there we enjoyed the "Faces of the Frontier" exhibit which included photographic portraits from the West from 1845-1924. Portraits of Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Jessie James, Geronimo, and Annie Oakley were included. The hall of America's presidents is the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Some were serious portraits while others let their personalities show. We topped off our final day with a stop at the Old Ebbitt Grill, the oldest saloon in Washington where the bartender was from Chicago and most of the people we met were Chicagoans. The food was superb as well as the conversation. We look forward to a return trip to Washington since there are 17 Smithsonians and we have been to 4 and the Castle. We wish every American could visit our nations capital and feel its spirit and energy.
Our travels took us to the shores of Delaware by way of the farmlands. The Delaware Seashore state park in Rehoboth Beach had a campground that faced the bay where the fishing boats were trying their luck. It was a short walk to the ocean and a beach with a few fishermen and their families. Geri's kayak came off the jeep as there was a launch in the bay. It was a beautiful day to paddle in the area.
Our next stop was past Ocean City to Assateague National Seashore in Maryland. The Assateague State Park campground was one dune from the ocean and a beautiful setting. Wild horses called ponies were known to be in the area. Legend has it that they are descendents of horses that swam to shore from a wrecked Spanish galleon in 1750.Others say that the early settlers brought them from the mainland in 1600's. The first day we wondered where the horses were but by the next morning they were right next to our RV munching on beautiful yellow wildflowers. They were there every morning. Everywhere we went we saw horses, on the trails in the park, on the beaches, and in the parking lots and sides of the road. Another interesting animal that live here is the Sitka deer, a member of the antelope family. Smaller than a deer with two short horns yet ran like an antelop. Hiking, biking on wonderful trails, and kayaking were the "fun of the days". While kayaking, Geri met a couple from NJ who introduced her to harvesting mussels from the banks of the bay. This couple came every year to this area and always kayaked out to pry mussels from the banks, steam and eat them. So, despite having no tools, Geri yanked and pryed about 50 mussels to bring home to steam. Delicious!!
We didn't travel far to our next stop, Chincoteague and the Natl Wildlife Refuge for more wild Ponies and another campsite on the water. Chincoteague is the site of the children's story "Misty of Chincoteague". More great hiking trails thru the NWR there and a dinner of Chincoteague oysters completed our stay.
Travelling south, we continued on the peninsula crossing the 22 mile Chesapeke Bay Bridge- Tunnel to Virginia City and Norfolk. Norfolk was the center of ship building especially in WWII. The Nauticus museum housed The Battleship Wisconsin, which has served in 3 wars, the latest being in Irag and Afganistan. We saw it was in Bahran where our son-in-law, Barry was stationed on one of his tours of duty in the Marines. Now the ship was retired and moored outside the Museum. Other exhibits included ship building, NOAA Ocean & weather exhibits, and touch tanks for horseshoe crabs and tiny sharks. Virginia Beach is the headquarters of the study of the works of Edgar Cayce. It told the story of his life and his beliefs and of those who follow him. First Landing State Park & Back Bay NWR offered trails and cypress trees as well as birds, a snake, and lots of deer to see. It's wonderful to see precious shorelines of the East coast preserved for wildlife and us, our children and grandchildren.
Our second day started with a bus tour of the city with stops at National Geographic for a couple of photography exhibits, National Cathedral with its amazing architecture and then to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a tour and a concert. The tour included visits to the 4 different theaters and the Presidential box in each. In the center are gifts from many countries around the world that were sent to be placed here. We saw 37 tons of marble from Italy, a chandelier from Sweden, mirrors from Belgium, and wall hangings from Spain. Each was unique as was the Hall of Nations with flags from every country. Every evening there is a free concert for the public at 6 PM. The type of concert differs each evening and turnout is great. The Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble performed that day. It is a group comprised of a Japanese American flutist, 2 taiko drummers, and Mongolian singers which performed traditional folk music from their countries. What a memorable experience!
Our final day in DC included a stop at Arlington Cemetary to see the graves of John, Robert and Ted Kennedy and the impressive Changing of the Guard. John's grave is marked with the Eternal flame yet Robert and Ted's graves are each marked with a simple white cross. Our next stop was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The first thing you see is the 90 foot Diplodocus longus dinosaur which was found in Utah in 1923. There are other dinosaurs on display as well. The Geology & Gems exhibit includes the 45.5 carat Hope diamond, the largest in the world and other gorgeous gems. Many meterorites were on display including one that formed the crater we saw in Arizona last year. A huge model of a North Atlantic right whale and a live butterfly pavillion completed our tour. Our next Smithsonian was the National Portrait Gallery & American Art Museum to see monumental paintings by Thomas Moran of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. These giagantic paintings covered the entire walls and brought back the joy of visiting these parks. While there we enjoyed the "Faces of the Frontier" exhibit which included photographic portraits from the West from 1845-1924. Portraits of Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Jessie James, Geronimo, and Annie Oakley were included. The hall of America's presidents is the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Some were serious portraits while others let their personalities show. We topped off our final day with a stop at the Old Ebbitt Grill, the oldest saloon in Washington where the bartender was from Chicago and most of the people we met were Chicagoans. The food was superb as well as the conversation. We look forward to a return trip to Washington since there are 17 Smithsonians and we have been to 4 and the Castle. We wish every American could visit our nations capital and feel its spirit and energy.
Our travels took us to the shores of Delaware by way of the farmlands. The Delaware Seashore state park in Rehoboth Beach had a campground that faced the bay where the fishing boats were trying their luck. It was a short walk to the ocean and a beach with a few fishermen and their families. Geri's kayak came off the jeep as there was a launch in the bay. It was a beautiful day to paddle in the area.
Our next stop was past Ocean City to Assateague National Seashore in Maryland. The Assateague State Park campground was one dune from the ocean and a beautiful setting. Wild horses called ponies were known to be in the area. Legend has it that they are descendents of horses that swam to shore from a wrecked Spanish galleon in 1750.Others say that the early settlers brought them from the mainland in 1600's. The first day we wondered where the horses were but by the next morning they were right next to our RV munching on beautiful yellow wildflowers. They were there every morning. Everywhere we went we saw horses, on the trails in the park, on the beaches, and in the parking lots and sides of the road. Another interesting animal that live here is the Sitka deer, a member of the antelope family. Smaller than a deer with two short horns yet ran like an antelop. Hiking, biking on wonderful trails, and kayaking were the "fun of the days". While kayaking, Geri met a couple from NJ who introduced her to harvesting mussels from the banks of the bay. This couple came every year to this area and always kayaked out to pry mussels from the banks, steam and eat them. So, despite having no tools, Geri yanked and pryed about 50 mussels to bring home to steam. Delicious!!
We didn't travel far to our next stop, Chincoteague and the Natl Wildlife Refuge for more wild Ponies and another campsite on the water. Chincoteague is the site of the children's story "Misty of Chincoteague". More great hiking trails thru the NWR there and a dinner of Chincoteague oysters completed our stay.
Travelling south, we continued on the peninsula crossing the 22 mile Chesapeke Bay Bridge- Tunnel to Virginia City and Norfolk. Norfolk was the center of ship building especially in WWII. The Nauticus museum housed The Battleship Wisconsin, which has served in 3 wars, the latest being in Irag and Afganistan. We saw it was in Bahran where our son-in-law, Barry was stationed on one of his tours of duty in the Marines. Now the ship was retired and moored outside the Museum. Other exhibits included ship building, NOAA Ocean & weather exhibits, and touch tanks for horseshoe crabs and tiny sharks. Virginia Beach is the headquarters of the study of the works of Edgar Cayce. It told the story of his life and his beliefs and of those who follow him. First Landing State Park & Back Bay NWR offered trails and cypress trees as well as birds, a snake, and lots of deer to see. It's wonderful to see precious shorelines of the East coast preserved for wildlife and us, our children and grandchildren.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
New Hampshire, Maine, Boston
After a wonderful tour of Niagra Falls, we headed to New Hampshire to visit our good friends, Veronica and Bob. Bob assured us that the RV would certainly fit in his driveway. Sure enough, the diesel engine roared up the hill of the driveway and stopped short of the garage door. Our hosts drove us along the coast of Maine to visit a true New England village, Ogonquit, on the ocean. The Marginal Way, a path along the ocean was to provide our exercise for the day. A beautiful walk that kept us in awe at the flowers, homes, hotels, rocks and seashore entertained us. Our next stop was Old Orchard Beach, a town that boasted an amusement park on the beach like the old Coney Island. Although closed for the season, we could feel the excitement of an amusement park on the beach. A huge lobster dinner topped off our day.
Hull and our daughter, Kathy's home was our next destination. We were greeted by David, Megan, Leah and Ryan who immediately took Jimmy and I for our beach walk on the ocean. The beach is only 2 blocks from their home. Geri tried the water but quickly found how cold the ocean can be. That evening, David's famous swordfish, mussels & lobster dinner was on the agenda. What a feast!!
A tour of Boston was on the agenda for the next day. Kathy, our Boston expert, led our group of Jim, Geri, Admiral Jimmy, Veronica and Bob. Our first stop was a tour of the Constitution. What a ship she was during the 1800's! Current Naval midshipman recreated what is was like to work and live on the ship in its time. We enjoyed Quincy market, Faneuil Hall, followed the Freedom Trail, the State Capital, and of course Cheers. A walk along the Charles River watching the sailboats, and finally a tour of the North End. The North End is the Italian neighborhood full of tiny restaurants, churches and shrines. Dinner at Giacamo's, a highly recommended restaurant, topped our day.
Since soccer in Hull was rained out on Saturday, we missed the grandkids games. We made cookies, played games and went to swim at the YMCA. The next day, we visited my sister Mary and her family in Petersham. The whole family was there to cheer on the Patriots and enjoy a beautiful fall day in the country. Riding bikes and playing with cousins made the day very special.
Another beautiful day in Hull completed our visit. It's fantastic to be able to visit Kathy & David, Megan, Leah and Ryan in such a wonderful setting!! We are excited that they will join us later on our trip.
Hull and our daughter, Kathy's home was our next destination. We were greeted by David, Megan, Leah and Ryan who immediately took Jimmy and I for our beach walk on the ocean. The beach is only 2 blocks from their home. Geri tried the water but quickly found how cold the ocean can be. That evening, David's famous swordfish, mussels & lobster dinner was on the agenda. What a feast!!
A tour of Boston was on the agenda for the next day. Kathy, our Boston expert, led our group of Jim, Geri, Admiral Jimmy, Veronica and Bob. Our first stop was a tour of the Constitution. What a ship she was during the 1800's! Current Naval midshipman recreated what is was like to work and live on the ship in its time. We enjoyed Quincy market, Faneuil Hall, followed the Freedom Trail, the State Capital, and of course Cheers. A walk along the Charles River watching the sailboats, and finally a tour of the North End. The North End is the Italian neighborhood full of tiny restaurants, churches and shrines. Dinner at Giacamo's, a highly recommended restaurant, topped our day.
Since soccer in Hull was rained out on Saturday, we missed the grandkids games. We made cookies, played games and went to swim at the YMCA. The next day, we visited my sister Mary and her family in Petersham. The whole family was there to cheer on the Patriots and enjoy a beautiful fall day in the country. Riding bikes and playing with cousins made the day very special.
Another beautiful day in Hull completed our visit. It's fantastic to be able to visit Kathy & David, Megan, Leah and Ryan in such a wonderful setting!! We are excited that they will join us later on our trip.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Niagra Falls ON
We left Tinley Park on Sunday Aug. 27th and arrived in Niagra Falls Ontario with time to view the falls before dark. Impressive and awesome!! See pics for a glimpse. No picture could do it justice. We ate dinner and then came back to the falls to view them with lights. Again, the pictures barely tell the story. Today we came to the American side and viewed the falls from every view possible despite the strong winds and rain. We went to Wind Cave, enjoyed the walk among the falls and at the base of the falls, then took in the "Daredevil Museum" where tales of the first person - a woman - went over the falls in a barrel in 1903 and lived. Incredible. We saw some of the barells, kayak, and jet skies that tried to make it. (the Kayak and jetski died).Then on to the Lady of the Mist, the boat ride that goes into the teeth of Horseshoe Falls. What a view! Everytime the sun would peak out, we'd see a rainbow. What a gift!! We ended the day with a look at the Erie Canal.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Tinley Park,ILL
We are cleaning and repacking the RV in preparation for our trip. Each year we have to discard "stuff" which we have not used in awhile to make room for new things we have acquired lately. It's amazing how often we find something pushed way back in a corner that we had completely forgotten was there.
The plan is to leave on 9/27 with Jimmy Strugala on board. He will travel with us to visit Boston and the Leflers. From there he will return to Chicago, leaving us to continue on our merry way.
The RV is running well and, with a little luck, should bring us to ultimate goal,Red Coconut RV Park, in mid-December. Stay tuned.
The plan is to leave on 9/27 with Jimmy Strugala on board. He will travel with us to visit Boston and the Leflers. From there he will return to Chicago, leaving us to continue on our merry way.
The RV is running well and, with a little luck, should bring us to ultimate goal,Red Coconut RV Park, in mid-December. Stay tuned.
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