Day 33 - North Carolina

Outer Banks - Next stop on the road was the place I was most excited to see, the Carolinas.  Let me just start off saying they were just what I expected them to be and did not disappoint.  Our first stop was coastal North Carolina, the outer banks. If you are a Nicholas Sparks fan, you’ll know several of his novels take place here. The homes are painted in vibrant colors and built up on stilts to protect them during high tides and hurricanes. Most of the homes are modest in size but they possess a rustic charm that we just loved. The homes line the oceanfront and many have private wooden walkways from their back porch to the sand. The sand is so soft with pockets of green vegetation swaying in the wind.  The outer banks consist of a strip of land that runs out into the Atlantic. We drove through the beach towns of Kill Devils Hills, Nags Head, Rodanthe, and Cape Hatteras. The Hatteras lighthouse is one of the most well-known and is the tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S..  The bottom is bright red and black and white stripes wrap the rest of the way to the top.  We walked eleven steep flights of stairs to see an amazing view from the top.  It was a serious work out.  We were bummed however, because our replacement camera wouldn’t focus on anything and took really blurry pictures.

(Can you tell how enormous this lighthouse is?)

(This is all we could see for a while.. we were huffing and puffing by the time we reached the top)

The outer banks area is extremely windy, hence the reason the Wright Brothers came here to work towards the first airplane flight. We went to the Wright Brothers monument where the very first flights took place.  There are some cool exhibits there along with two mock up cabins where Orville and Wilbur lived and worked on their planes.  As you can imagine, the idea of flying in those days was ludicrous and most everyone thought they were crazy.  Apparently Orville and Wilbur would sometimes walk around with their arms spread mimicking birds in expression of their passion for flying.  They worked for years before they were able to accomplish their dreams.  It will not be the same the next time we board a plane. We will surely take a moment to think about the vision and dedication of the Wright Brothers. Their efforts bless our lives with the capability to travel anywhere in the world.

(Wright Bros Camp)

(Wright Airfield - where the first four flights were taken on December 17, 1903)

(The original propeller)

The park has a mock up plane that is identical to the one used to accomplish the first flight.  They invite everyone to climb on the plane and take pictures. I thought it would be fun to take a picture laying on Orville.  A couple of older women standing close by thought it was hilarious and decided to give it a try. They struggled to lift themselves up onto the plane and lay down on Orville just like me.  All the spectators laughed hysterically at them. We of course were on the back side watching all of this go down.  We couldn’t help but snap a few photos so you all could enjoy.

Inland N.C. - We left the outer banks and enjoyed the beautiful, green drive through the state. Later that afternoon, we drove through Chapel Hill and stopped at Allen and Sons for some authentic North Carolina BBQ. It was a hole in the wall, but the food was good.  In North Carolina, pork is the specialty so we both went with the pulled pork sandwich.  The pork sauce is light and unlike any BBQ sauce I have ever had. Another unique thing is that they serve the coleslaw right on the sandwich.  It was good, however, it made for a very soggy and messy sandwich.

(The hushpuppies were Ry's favorite)

That night we drove to Greenville, South Carolina.  The town of Greenville seemed small but we stayed on the main street. Christmas lights were draped across the trees and people were on the way to restaurants and clubs.  A bunch of retired NFL players were staying at our hotel for a celebrity golf tournament.  We even saw Jerry Rice in the lobby and you know Ryan was stoked about that because he grew up watching the 49ers… Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Jerry Rice!