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| jelly fish containing a setting sun |
I am curretntly camped at the Oregon Inlet Campground with my amazing friend Amanda and daughter Claire who came all the way from Asheville to pick me up and drive me home. Thank goodness I don't have to walk back!
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| Sea Oats! (Uniola paniculata) |
Beach walking has been a challenge. Some days- like today- nice and easy and beautiful, just watching the waves roll with hardly a soul on the beach for miles...and others incredibly challenging with deep sand and relentless sun. But here I am, after hiking my longest continuous stretch on beach yet: 12m!
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| Ocracoke Beach |
I stayed the last two nights at a wonderful little campground provided by Rodanthe Watersports. Because boats that charge through the water at high speeds as well as tippy boards attached to large kites frighten me just a bit, I did not make use of their wonderful array of surf boards, boogie boards, motorboats, kayaks and the like. See, I'm used to having my feet on the ground. But for an awesome price I got a simple site directly facing the sound, just feet from the water and got to watch the sunset two evenings in a row, as well as peer up at the stars before getting into my tent at night. This morning as I was leaving camp I also met a lovely fellow named Ron. Thank you Ron, you made me smile. Perhaps next time I'm in town, you'll have to show me how to kiteboard so it won't be so scary anymore!
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| view from camp at Rodanthe Watersports |
Besides the lovely campsite, I also decided to hang out a day in Rodanthe as I had done a killer 30m the day before to get there. The prices on the Outer Banks will break the bank and so I decided to do the miles to find reasonable rates. However on this 30m day I did stop to admire the noble Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Thank you Michael with the National Park Service for pointing out where to see the shipwrecks - I saw the smokestack of one today! Have fun snowboarding in Colorado, hope you get your mountain fix!
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| Cape Hatteras Lighthouse |
I also met another friendly fellow named Scott while I was sitting, hot and parched just before the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge (1 1/2m long) and trying to get up the mojo to cross it under the bright sun, high over water and amidst lots o' traffic. Fisher and swimmer passed by in droves, carrying coolers and grocery bags of drinks covered in condensation and my mouth watered...finally Scott arrived and said, "Would you like a cold drink?" Would I ever. Scott explained that while hiking the AT he often found himself in similar circumstances, so when he saw me with pack and sticks, he knew just what I needed. Thank you Scott! Swing by for some beers if not tonight, then tomorrow to celebrate!
And so that's all for now. I'll be sure to post my summit pic as well as an overview and some more info I've been wishing to get up as soon as I can. It's sure been one helluva trip!
Heather -- We loved having you on our island. Come back anytime and we'll find a place for you to flop.
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