Set the alarm for 6:45am (was probably not super necessary with the train action again, but hey... we wanted an early start). We made coffee and packed up what was needed (Jonathan got the outside stuff packed away last night so we would be ready to roll this morning). Left the kiddos up in the bunk asleep, or half asleep - Amelia always rustles around 7am anyhow and likes to eavesdrop on coffee conversations from her little perch up top.
Pulled out of the lovely site #77 and onto Hwy 64 East at 7:30am! (this is a huge success for us... we like to take our mornings easy most days and don't set alarms before 7am). We had a big exciting day ahead with the beaches of Cape Hatteras in South Carolina calling our names (and with faint hopes of wind for daddy for kite boarding!). Our google directions were a little sketchy exiting the area and getting onto Hwy 64 in the right direction, but we managed it. She's goofed on us a few times enough that we don't always trust her. Oh and we noticed our odometer turn to 116,000km (14,000 km on the road as of today!)
Sadly our early start was sabotaged by a huge traffic build up at the bridge with an hour+ slowdown. Doh! We pulled over at 8:25am to reassess route options and make some food and a smoothie and get the kids out of their bed. Hopped back on the route, as it was our only option, 20min later and forever it seemed that google was telling us it was 3 hours 6 minutes to our destination. hmmmmmm. I had searched up post offices in Hampton as possible stops (you'll see a theme emerging if you haven't already.... always on the lookout for post offices).
Almost at the tunnel shortly after 9am... saw a huge coal operation just before the bridge. There was a looooong tunnel before the bridge. White tiled inside and was something like what you'd see in an action movie chase scene again.
Back on the Hwy 64s and by 9:45am we were taking the exit 291B for Chesapeake Bay... onto Hwy 168 Toll Highway and ready to drive 78 miles to Cape Hatteras National Park Road! The $4 toll was mild in comparison to those we experienced on the New Jersey Turnpike! Saw some pretty off-colour signage for various restaurants and businesses... "I got my crabs at Dirty Dick's crab house" being one of them.
10:15am we pulled over for an impromptu 15min stop at Powell's Farm for the kids to choose a pumpkin each to get into the Halloween spirit. Ollie chose a white one and Meems chose an orange one. We bought some apples and corn, too. We noticed this place was right beside "Galeforce Guns" shop. Yikes.
Back on the road and driving in North Carolina! Drove through Kill Devil Hills, and past the Wright Brothers Memorial where they made their first flight! very cool... will come check that out later. Very touristy chock-a-block with elaborate mini-golf courses, restaurants, outdoor furniture stores, fishing setups, go-karting, etc. All very colourful and busy and a little overwhelming!
At Nag's Head we got to the dunes... sand everywhere... lots of road clean up from the flooding in the weeks previous after Hurricane Ian. Still some water on the road as well in spots. We passed the "tallest dunes in North America" where we saw people taking hang-glider lessons and you could rent dune buggies. Looked like a place to check out again, too. More touristy stuff there too : Sugar Kingdom... a massive candy store and more mini golf places.
Stopped in at the Toursim Info hut where a lovely and helpful woman told us all about what we can do in Cape Hatteras. She was behind a plexi shield at her desk and was quite magnified, but when she came out from behind it into the office space, we realized that she's just got amazing projection with her voice! Wowza! Awesome character. Told us about the ferry from Ocracoke to Cedar Island and gave us the intel on when to book and not to go on the late evening ferry because it takes 2.25 hours to get across and then there's nothing for another hour of driving and it'll be dark... and the massive MARSH BUGS will cover your vehicle and those things stick like GLUE! "wish I had glue made o' that stuff!" She also spoke highly of the Wright Brothers Memorial and her husband's father apparently was one of the people who worked helping Orville and Wilbur and was given a piece of the broken propeller signed by the brothers. The grandmother had it kept in her jewellery drawer and she passed away, the family donated it to the Wright Brothers museum but have yet to see it on display.
Meems and I stayed on the beach by the campground and made sand castles/mounds, while Jonathan and Oliver ventured far down the beach to check out the pier they could see in the distance. Turns out it was quite a walk! (and well deserved snickers ice cream bar was in order at the pier). The sussed out the fishing situation down there at Rodanthe Pier... you can get a one day tourist fishing licence and fish off the pier if you want.
After the boys got back, we walked to the rig and had a tuna sandwich snack before going to check out the pool. I took the kids while Jonathan hopped on his bike and rode down to explore the kite boarding outfits and see about possible kiting and wind and intel.
The pool was huge and super nice. No one was in it... we guessed that it was because it was freezing cold and we were right! We Canadians didn't care! The hot tub was nice, and we treated it like a spa again... cold, hot, relax. Jay joined us after his exploration. The pool was definitely chilly, but we all had swims in it and then right into the hot tub. I loved sitting by the pool after a chilly dip and relaxing in the warm sunshine reading the book Becky lent me. Feels like a real deal vacation (I know, we are on a huge vacation! but THIS felt like a little holiday away, especially after the cool fall days in Virginia!). We are loving it. Hung out there from 4-6pm.
Refreshing beverages in order!
Quick check of the games room before we went into the pool!
Refreshed from our swimming (had the pool to ourselves!) we went back to our little home-on-wheels. Kids got the hammock set up since we planned to stay for a few days, and Skelly was happy to hang out, too! As the sun was setting, we walked over to the beach to check it out... pretty cool because of how narrow the strip of land is here on the Outer Banks, we have the ocean on the east side of us and across the road only steps away is the west side inland "lagoon" side where the sun sets.
(6:49pm sunset) We walked across the road to view a most beautiful sunset on the west side. So gorgeous. Then headed back to the rig for a veggie sausage/corn/asparagus/potato feast. We hung out cozy as bugs. Happy from our day and tired. Jonathan passed out on the back bed while kiddos had some drawing time and I caught up on dishes. A great day.
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