A motor home trip to the beautiful coast of North Carolina - starting with a night on Lake Mattamuskeet.  Such an unsusal lake - average depth of 3 feet - yeah - 3 feet.  It is a wildlife refuge - peaceful, quiet.  Life seems to slow down for us as well...  We camped with a view of the lake - restful.  We drove to Belhaven - checking out places for Ken to come fishing.  Nice little town.  Found some access areas to launch his boat for fishing.

Manteo and over to the Outer Banks - we never get tired of the Outer Banks.  Seeing the Hatteras Lighthouse brought back memories of taking Katia (our "daughter" from Belarus) to see the lighthouse being moved in 1999.  She was nine years old and spoke very little English.  I'm sure a trip in a motorhome was very strange to her - and then to see the 4800 ton lighthouse being moved very slowly - only 25 to 100 feet each day. 

Ferry from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke Island - got some knitting done - enjoyed the beautiful blue ocean and blue sky.  Ocracoke really is a different world - in a good way. Small shops, no big stores, narrow streets with kids riding bicycles - drive slowly.  January is a great time to visit if you want to avoid crowds.  We spent the night - took the 7:30 AM ferry to Cedar Island.  The ferries don't run as often in the winter.

Drove to Harker's Island - ate lunch at Captain's Choice - really, really great seafood - and friendly people. 

Beaufort (in North Carolina it is "Bo"fort).  The waterfront is more than beautiful - historic homes - I love the plaques with the year they were built.  Small shops for browsing and shopping - ice cream  - we did resist the fudge!  We will return.

Morehead City,Emerald Isle, Snead's Ferry, Surf City.  We spent the night at Lanier's Campground in Surf City - huge campground - friendly and quiet. Topsail, Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Fort Fisher.  One last ferry to Southport - being in a motor home on a ferry is sort of like being in a housboat!                                  

Headed inland - driving the backroads - checking out Jordan Lake south of Raleigh.  Might be a fishing trip in Ken's future.  Cheesy biscuits with dinner at a Sagebrush somewhere on the way.    

I love traveling - a day, a month or longer.  I love to go but I also love coming home.  Life is good.

A Few Days on the Outer Banks

We just got home from a few days on the Outer Banks of North Carolina...a most amazing place.
We've been there many times, but not in several years.  Lots of changes - many of them not for the better.  The only place that still seems like a small village is Ocracoke.  No fast food, no chain stores.  Bicycles and golf carts are the favored transportation.  Life is slower, quieter, calmer - I think better.  The ocean water was warm, the wild ponies were beautiful, people were friendly, weather was great.  Life is good. 


Dinner at The Dunes in Nags Head was perfect - not one thing could have been better.
Breakfast the next morning in Nags Head - this one is worth checking out if you're ever in the area...Lisa's Pizza...yes, breakfast at a Pizza joint.  Best breakfast I've had in years!  I complimented the food to the waiter and he told us their chef is going to culinary school!  Beautiful, delicious breakfast, great service in a little pizza restaurant!


We stopped at "The World's Largest Gun Store" in Mackey's Landing.  Mackey's Landing Firearms - out in the middle of nowhere.  Of course Ken bought a gun - who could resist when there were thousands to choose from.  Another reason not to travel on the interstates - more interesting places to see.


We bought a small motor home recently and this was our first trip.  No problems - we really enjoyed the trip.  We had campers for years - our last one was pretty large which was nice at the time.  This one is easier in every way.  Just get in and go.  Our boys grew up camping at the beach every summer - lots of fun.


Driving home we decided to take a new route through the countryside.  We saw some beautiful farms on Highway 264 - huge farms - looked liked thousand acre fields of corn - even some cotton fields.  I didn't know we had farms that large in NC.  Some of the farmhouses looked to be several generations old and very well kept.  A beautiful area - and such friendly people.  We ate dinner in Belhaven where a gentleman asked "Are ya comin' or goin'?" - wanted to know all about our trip.


On this same highway, a black bear crossed the road in front of us, then stopped and watched us pass by.  Lots of wildlife.  


Somewhere near Kitty Hawk we saw "Kite Skiers" - I guess that's what they're called.  Water skiers pulled by kites.  Looked like lots of fun.  I wonder if they can control the direction they go of if they just go where the kite takes them?


We went to see "The Lost Colony" in Manteo.  We didn't enjoy it as much as we expected.  This is its 74th year so lots of people must really like it.  I am glad we went - guess I just expected something different. 


We drove to Duck - never again - the traffic was hard to believe.  Duck is about as different from Ocracoke as it possibly can be.  Lots of shopping, restaurants, huge houses, traffic - if that's what you're looking for. 


A wonderful trip - and great to be home.  First trip I remember with no pictures!  I forgot my camera.