Heading to the mountains

September 30

We left early this morning so as to be able to see Evan playing basketball.  He has three games today in a tournament.  Evan has grown much taller in such a short time.  He's at least 6'1" and still growing.

He's looking good.

It was great to spend a couple of days with all the kids before heading West.

October 2 - 12

We drove to the Lantz's home on Nantahala Lake.  They have a beautiful, very secluded home on the lake

Wendell and I went kayaking on a glassy lake.  It was beautiful every day.

We enjoyed an afternoon cocktail cruise every day

Wendell and I went for hike one day.  Thankfully, I took this picture of a map before we started off on our 5+ mile hike and trails that were very poorly marked.  There was no Internet service anywhere, so we could never tell where we were.  Turned out that we probably would not have made it without this map on my phone

On the way to Spruce Pine, we drove by the home we built in Haywood County in 1992 when I was the Area Manager for CP&L.  Great memories.

Elizabeth City

August 24 - 28

This weekend we're taking a 4 hour drive north to Elizabeth City to help celebrate Clara's cousins', Virginia Tunnell, 100th birthday.

Virginia is the daughter of Lula Provost Riggs, Clara's mother's sister.

I've had a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that Clara has a 100 year-old first cousin, and I haven't quite figured out how there can be almost thirty years difference in ages of 1st cousins.  But it's a fact.

We're staying at a small RV park on Elizabeth City Coast Guard Base.  This is the largest Coast Guard Base on the East Coast.  Search and Rescue operations are run out of here with C-130's and helicopters.  It's a nice little base.  There are only 10 spaces for RV's and they've been full the whole time we're here.

We arrived Thursday.  Friday we explored Elizabeth City.  It's a surprisingly large town.  Like a lot of Northeastern NC, it's apparent that the community has its challenges.  However, there is a university, Elizabeth City State University - a historically black college, and the Coast Guard.  It appears that these are the mainstays of the economy.

There is an incredible state museum, Museum of the Albemarle.  It really looks out of place here.

We found a  very nice restaurant on the waterfront - Cypress Creek Grill and enjoyed a delicious dinner here both Thursday and Saturday nights.

Saturday was Virginia's birthday and it was celebrated somewhat like we did Dad's 100th birthday - at the church.

There was a nice crowd of mostly family and friends and Clara renewed some relationships from many years ago.

Clara and her 100 year old cousin, Virginia Tunnell

The family

Descendents: children, grandchildren and great grandchildren

Children, Josh, Ginger and Sylvia

Sunday, I decided that I wanted to visit the Dismal Swamp State Park.  I've heard of it many times and had never been there.  It is well known among sailors who transit the ICW.

As Clara stressed, the name is "dismal".

The canal was dug in the early 1800's

Well, it's a ditch in a swamp.  And Clara hasn't stopped pointing out to me that the reason for the name is that it is a pretty Dismal place.  At least I've been there now.  Probably won't go back though.  Although we had a pleasant day and ended up in Chesapeake, Virginia for lunch

The Great North American Elipse

Monday, August 21, 2017

Well, today was the day, the Great Eclipse.

I figured things ought to be really interesting out on the water.  I could just see the fish getting confused and really hitting the hook.

So I took the boat out around 1 pm and started trolling.  Around 2:30, I started noticing things getting a little darker, so I checked my phone to see what time the eclipse is supposed to be - 2:50 pm.  "Boy, it's going to have to get dark quick".  Well, it didn't.

It was nothing more that a what a thin layer of clouds would have caused.

And the fish didn't even notice.

At least I caught 3 mackeral - and one was a record size for us.

And we had a great supper for two evenings.

So much for the Great Eclipse.