Now in Nags Head, NC

Hello friends! I was right that I wouldn't get much sleep Friday night. I probably didn't get more than one hour of sleep. Just too keyed up and excited to get going. We left early Saturday morning, the plan was to leave by 4:30 am, but my brother was late getting to Mother & Dad's. I got there a little after 4 am and then had to wait on him so we can load his stuff in the van. We are always waiting on him.

Saturday was mostly uneventful. We made it to Wytheville, VA for the night. I sent a text message to Cole (former boss that moved back home to Virginia 2 years ago), but didn't hear back from him. Him and the family live just down the road from Wytheville. We stayed at the usual motel - Day's Inn.

We got on the road this morning about 8:45. We made the usual stops at visitor centers along the way. We stopped at the North Carolina Welcome Center and they have milkweeds planted and the bees were thick. Avrey was complaining that he didn't like bees and wanted to leave.


We drove by Pilot Mountain and when we get south of it, you get a great view in the side mirrors. Yes, I am driving while I took this photo.

There is a real nice visitor's center in Columbia, NC along the Alligator River. Avrey and Arley said they didn't want to stop there because they were in a hurry to get to Nags Head and go to the beach. Arley ended up wanting to walk along the boardwalk on the water's edge. I usually love walking along the water's edge, but it was so blasted hot. The temperatures were in the upper 90's and very humid.

We finally got back on the road and made it to Nags Head around 4:50. We are now at the Beacon Motor Lodge. It's a very nice family oriented motel with some great rooms on the oceanfront. Mother, Dad and I are in our usual efficiency room on the oceanfront; while my brother and the boys are down on the poolside, but they spend most of the time up here with us.

After we unpacked the vehicles, Mother and I headed for the grocery store to get a few things. I think we bought a little more than planned, but isn't that the way it normally goes. When we put things away, we put on the swimming suits and headed down to the beach for a quick dip in the ocean. The boys joined us. They had only been in the pool and wanted to play in the ocean and on the beach. That Arley is a bit of a daredevil with the ocean. He had some fun playing in the breakers.

We have some very nice neighbors who are from Decatur and Tuscola. Fancy meeting neighbors that live within 1 hour from you.

It is a hot and muggy evening. The sandflies have recently hatched and are thick. And they are BITING. We have killed hundreds of them in the room and there are still some flying around. Hope there is an onshore wind tomorrow so they leave.

Well...I think it's time to say good night. It's been a long and hot day and I'm tired.