We are home!

Mike and poki arrived at Killeen Airport about 12:30 p.m. (about 30 minutes later than expected due to mechanical issues with our plane in Killeen on previous flight!) Since our wake up call came from Tom Bodette at 3:45 a.m. Texas time! on Saturday, poki is too pooped to finish the blog tonight. Will add more information about Thursday and Friday activities, and more pictures after I take a LONG NAP! We're home, we're safe, and we're tired! Talk to you soon! Hope you enjoyed my blog!

poki

Our second adventure into Washington DC

These are our planned stops along the Old Town Trolley Tour on Thursday, May 29:

1 Union Station - our car will be in the parking garage here at the station

2. US Capitol/US Botanic Gardens

3. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (to see the Wright Brothers plane! and touch the rocks from space) Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian

9. Washington Welcome Center (this is where we change trolley lines to continue on another loop)

13. Smithsonian National Zoo (to seen the giant Pandas)

14. Photo at National Cathedral

9. Washington Welcome Center (changing trolley lines) and then down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House and back to Union Station. We hope to be back there by 5:30!

Our first trip into Washington DC

Mike and poki arrived at our hotel in Capitol Heights MD about 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon (I can't help but think back to an old movie "If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium! - our days have run together recently, but I believe this morning is really THURSDAY, May 29) Since we arrived early enough we decided to go to Union Station and take the Monuments by Moonlight trolley tour.


Getting to Union Station (since I didn't really expect it to look like it does) was quite an adventure, but with the aid of our trusted friend "greenie" we were finally able to make our way to the parking garage at Union Station. We saw a LOT of downtown Washington DC before we saw the sign that got as to the parking garage. There is definitely LOTS of traffic in DC, and not much parking!


Union Station is amazing - three levels, a city all it's own. Shops, restaurants, and one extremely beautiful building! We found our way to the Main Hall, and the Old Town Trolley ticket booth, got our ticket and had to wait about 30 minutes for the tour to begin. Mike and poki filled the time with picture taking - we SHOULD have eaten supper but didn't!

Our first "pause" on the trolley tour was between the US Capitol Building and the US Botanic Gardens. Since we probably won't get to the Capitol early enough on Thursday to get a ticket to tour (there are only a limited number distributed for the day, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until they are gone!) we decided that visiting the US Botanic Gardens would be a pleasureable photo op for us instead, so that will be our first "stop" on Thursday morning's tour! Around the corner are the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I hope we will have a little time at each before we venture on to other "stops" Something interesting that we learned the S Museum of American Indian building was built with no 90 degree corners, since America Indians feel the "evil lurks in corners!" The building is a beautiful piece of art! (as are most of the buildings in DC)

Next we rode over to the Tidal Basin and actually stopped for about 30 minutes. We were able to get some beautiful pictures of the Washington monument reflecting in the pool, the Capitol building, and the FDR monument. The FDR monument is really a "history of his time in America" with tributes to the Great Depression and FDR's reaction and solution to it. There are some beautiful fountains and waterfalls as a part of this monument. Our tour guide was quite knowledgeable about Washington DC sites, and we really did appreciate her input about what we were seeing.

Our next "stop" was at the base of the Lincoln Memorial. We followed the crowds (there are 1000s of school age children in DC on field trips) over to the Vietnam Memorial with over 60,000 names carved in it. There were roses and notes left at the base of the monument - I can't imagine how long is must have taken to find the name of the person for whom the memorial was left. It is an amazing piece of artwork, and very startling to see all those names from MY GENERATION! (I do know at least two men whose names are on that memorial somewhere- unfortunately I knew many more who came back and were never the same!) The Lincoln Memorial was beautiful bathed in the soft glow of sunset, and the lights that shine there nightly! We got several good photos there, and I believe a beautiful shot of the Washington Monument with the Capitol Building to the left flooded in lights, and reflecting in the Reflecting Pool! We spent a 45 minute stop here, and were really glad to see Jazzy Jan, our trolley guide, when she was able to get back from her trip "around the block" to pick us up! The loop around the Memorials was crammed with tour buses - to take those 1000s of school age children around to see exactly what we wanted to see too!

Next we rode out to Arlington National Cemetary, to see the US Marine Memorial (the statue of the Battle of Iwo Jima) It was amazing bathed in lights! - the largest bronze statue ever made! Since we are not planning on taking the Arlington Cemetary loop on our Thursday morning tour it was nice to see this monument (It is not typically on the Downtown Loop, so we would not have seen it otherwise!) Jazzy Jan, our tour guide, told an interesting story about how the US government acquired the Arlington House and the acreage where the cemetary stands - for a total of $92 owed in back taxes. During the early days of the civil war, taxes were owed on the Arlington house - and the US government sent word to the owner, General Robert E. Lee, that only he could pay the taxes in person in Washington DC, no one in his family could do it. Of course, had General Lee crossed the line into Washington DC to pay the taxes, he would have immediately been arrested (which is what the US government really wanted to do) General Lee just moved his family to another residence farther south, and gave up the Arlington House for the taxes owed.

There was one more short "pause" near The White House (Mike and poki decided to add that photo op to our Thursday list since good photos are harder to get after dark!) and we arrived back at Union Station about 10:30. Since we hadn't eaten dinner before the tour, we were extremely happy to find that the UNO Chicago Grill was open in the Main Hall (until midnight) and they have really great food! (not your typical airport/station food!) We had dinner and got on the road - with directions provided by our waiter who lives in the same area as our hotel! - to get us back "home" to Capitol Heights. Once the GPS was able to find us, and we found US 50, the trip was easy, and we plan to use that route back to Union Station on Thursday morning. I think we can do it!

It was an amazing evening!

Fresnel lens in Tybee Island Lighthouse

Friday, May 23


This is the inside of the 1st order Fresnel lens in the Tybee Island light.

Tybee Island Lighthouse, Savannah GA

Friday, May 23

This lighthouse is on Tybee Island on the Atlantic coast at Savannah GA.

We climbed this one - great view from the top, but poki didn't spend much time out on the platform. It is easier to climb the lights now, but not any easier to stand out on those windy platforms high up above the ground. Just can't convince myself to do that yet!

I read an interesting story from the Civil War - In 1861, the confederate soldiers burned the wooden staircase inside this light when it looked like the Union Army would take possession of the lighthouse. The Union Army rebuilt the staircase and used this lighthouse as a viewing spot for spying on the Confederate Army at Fort Pulaski, about 10 miles inland.

The keepers quarters to the right of the light, have been restored to the way they were before the Coast Guard converted the house to barracks. There is also a restored summer kitchen on the grounds. The building to the left of the light is being restored now. It was the assistant keepers house.

Cypress Gardens, again!

Thursday, May 22

We actually went under this bridge on our boat ride through the swamp. Our boatman told us there are lots of weddings in the gardens, and the bride usually arrives by boat through the swamp. This would make a great photo op for a wedding portrait!

Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corners, South Carolina

Thursday, May 22

Cypress Gardens had a native butterfly house - it was nice to see butterflies I am accustomed to seeing at home, like this Monarch. The fly house was small, but well kept, with lots of butterflies.

We also went for a boat ride through the swamp - it was really beautiful, with lots of opportunities for reflection pictures, which I really like. Can't wait to get home and play with some of those reflection photos.

Oak Island Lighthouse, North Carolina

Thursday, May 22

This is the Oak Island Lighthouse, at Caswell Beach, North Carolina. The Lighthouse was not open to the public so no climbing here!

We could actually see another lighthouse on an island out in the bay - called Old Baldy, but not sure the pictures are very good!

Monday in Atlantic City

Mike and I arrived at our hotel in Atlantic City about noon on Monday! We're one block off the boardwalk! We checked in but couldn't get in our room, so we walked down to the Absecon Lighthouse (about 10 blocks north of the hotel) and climbed to the top of the light. (Our fourth climb on this vacation!)

After our visit to the light house, we went down to the boardwalk to stroll and people watch. Had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe at the Trump Taj Mahal, and then walked out on the Steel Pier - amusement park.

We're back at the room now for a rest, before going out for the evening. Still want to leave some of my money at a casino! smile!

Tomorrow we head down the south shore to Wildwood.

Waiting in line to get off island

Can you say traffic jam? We were waiting in line to get on the North Carolina ferry to get back to the North Carolina mainland. Ocracoke Island can only be reached by boat or ferry. The ferry ride last about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Mike and I both had a nice nap in the car while waiting on the ferry to take us across Ocracoke Inlet. You can see the lighthouse in the background of the picture. Our rental car is the white one that is 4 from the back of the row that has the copper car in the back! There had been a storm the night before that cancelled the last two ferries on Tuesday night, so there were a few grumbling people in this line, who had been stuck on the island overnight when they hadn't expected to be there. I was grumbling because I didn't get my sail on the Schooner Windfall.

Ocracoke Island Light

This is the second oldest lighthouse in US still in active use as an aid to navigation. It is located on Ocracoke Island in the Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina.

We're back in Virginia

We had a long day of driving but we are back in Sandston Va, just outside the Richmond Intl Airport. Tomorrow we start out Northern loop! We'll be heading out toward Atlantic City NJ expecting to be there on Monday morning!

Hope to spend some time later, editing and posting a few more pictures!

poki

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

TUESDAY, May 20, 2008

The Cape Hatteras stands in it's current location about a half mile from it's original location closer to the beach. The fantastic feat of moving this light intact (like picking up a house and moving it to a new foundation) was accomplished in 1999. Prior to that the Atlantic Ocean was undercutting the beach where it was located, and was seriously close to swallowing up this beautiful historic monument. We watched a film called "Move of the Century" - amazing.

The day that we visited the light it was cloudy and windy. In fact, with gusts to 51 mph at the top, the National Park Service had closed the light! We were unable to climb! That feat will be saved for another day!

Wright Brothers National Memorial

MONDAY, May 19, 2008

This memorial was built on the top of the FAMOUS hill in Kill Devil Hills (not Kitty Hawk) in the Outer Banks where the Wright Brothers flew their plane into history in 1903. Just getting their plane to the top of this hill was a real feat - poki and Mike had a little trouble with the percent of incline, and we were walking on a PAVED sidewalk. Can't imagine what it was like on a native covered sand dune as it must have been in 1903. Quite a feat in many respects.

Bodie Island Light House

MONDAY, May 19, 2008
This lighthouse is just south of Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I will post a story later about the Fresnel lens that is in this light, and the Civil War era trip that it took.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

MONDAY, May 19, 2008

This lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina is at the north end of the Outer Banks. It was built in 1793, the first Public Works project approved by the new US Congress!

Mike and poki climbed this light too! It was taller than the one on Sunday, but had no outdoor platform, which really didn't bother poki that much. I think Mike was disappointed that he couldn't get out on the platform.

King Neptune rules the beach ...

SUNDAY, May 18, 2008

This 30 foot tall statue of Neptune, the god of the sea, rules over the beach at Virginia Beach, VA.

There was a tailgate party going on that day, with at least two stages with live music performances, and lots of revelers having fun on the beach. Mike and poki walked a couple of blocks along the beach, and then headed back to the car, and on to North Carolina!

New Cape Henry Lighthouse - near Virginia Beach VA

SUNDAY, May 18, 2008

This is the New Cape Henry Light - across the street from the Old Cape Henry Light, located on Ft. Story, Va - an active Army post. We had to go through an inspection in order to get a pass to go on the post!

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse - near Virginia Beach, VA

SUNDAY, May 18, 2008


This lighthouse was built in the 1700's and replaced by the New Cape Henry light because they thought this tower was going to fall down. Obviously, it hasn't! This is the first one we climbed. More pictures to follow of this light.

Our Lighthouse count so far ...

We are at 12 lighthouses now in our count!

In Virginia
Old Cape Henry - we climbed it!
New Cape Henry
Portsmouth Lightship

In North Carolina
Currituck Beach - we climbed it!
Bodie Island - closed to climbing
Cape Hatteras - TOO WINDY TO CLIMB! Gusts to 50 mph and NPS closed the platform!
Ocracoke - closed to climbing
Oak Island - closed to climbing
Old Baldy - from a distance (only accessible by boat)

In Georgia
Tybee Island - we climbed it1
Cockspur Island - from a distance (only accessible by boat)
Savannah Harbor Light - a brass light in Emmett Park, downtown Savannah

Pictures will follow - they are now loaded on "greenie!"

poki

It's Thursday!

We did make it to the Oak Island Lighthouse in Southport, NC this a.m. - were able to see another lighthouse across the bay on Bald Head Island, but the only access was by ferry, and we had one other activity planned.

We made it to Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner NC about 3:00 p.m. We make a quick trip through the Butterfly House - all native butterflies we know and love - and then we went over to take a flat bottom boat trip through the swamp! What a gorgeous place. Our boatsman was from Baton Rouge LA - complete with Cajun accent, a retired steel worker who loves the swamps! The reflections in the black water photographed beautifully! Also, white water lilies, cypress stumps, and an alligator or two! Wish we had more time there, but they closed at 5:00.

With a few wrong turns, we have arrived at our hotel on the Savannah Hwy. We're off to hunt for closeby seafood for supper, and then we will turn in for the night.

I hope to get some pictures loaded soon --- but if I don't I can always go back and add them later to these entries!

Still having a GREAT TIME! We'll be in Savannah tomorrow night!

poki

Wednesday's activities

Today was a travelling - no real siteseeing planned for today! We started the day with breakfast at the Pony Island Restaurant. (Not bad, but not as good as Kevin's)


At 10:30 a.m., we took NC ferry to Cedar Island. The ferry ride took 2 + hours. Then we drove along what is called the "Crystal Coast" and arrived at Wilmington about 5:00 p.m.

Tomorrow, we plan on a lighthouse and a swamp garden before arriving in Charleston, South Carolina for tomorrow night!

Talk to you tomorrow - maybe! poki

More Tuesday catch up!

We rode the NC ferry to Ocracoke Island - 18 miles in 40 minutes. It was a very windy trip over. Once we were on Ocracoke, we drove through 12 miles of undeveloped property - part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore! There are 16 miles of white sand beaches - almost deserted. There were a few people walking on the beach, but no one venturing into the ocean! We also viewed some ponies in a pen (descendents of the Spanish mustangs left on the island during their colonial period in this part of the New World!)

When we arrived in Ocracoke Village, we found our hotel for the night and checked in. After that we checked on the Schooner Windfall - he was not sailing on Tuesday, due to the high winds! So, there were no "red sails in the sunset!" Actually, there was no sunset! (to be seen anyway - I'm sure the sun set somewhere!)

We checked on our Ferry ride for Wednesday, and visited the Ocracoke Island light, then drove back to the hotel. After we got back to the hotel, we walked over to Teach's Hole (a Blackbeard the Pirate museum and store) and then to dinner at Howard's Pub. It came highly recommended (by a local we met in Corolla) and a website I found before we left! We were not disappointed. Mike had the "catch of the day" -a tasty broiled tuna steak with pico de gallo on top (he said it was tasty!) and poki had crab cakes with a raspberry pepper sauce! Really YUMMY! We got back to the hotel just in time to avoid being rained on. We did get rain during the night, but neither one of us heard it!

Tuesday catch-up

Hi! If you are reading my vacation blog regularly, you will notice that I skipped Tuesday night - not by choice. Edward's of Ocracoke supposedly had WI-FI but I believe the weather was conflicting with being able to find the connection! Oh, well ... that was not the only thing that was changed about our Tuesday, due to the weather.

Our day began at a highly recommended cafe, not far from the hotel restaurant. My seafood omelet was great, the wait staff was not! But we were determined not to let it affect our day.

After breakfast we headed out to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, only to discover that the weather was preventing visitors from stepping out onto the view platform of the lighthouse. (The winds were blowing with gusts to 50 mph, so it probably would not have been a good idea) NPS said we could climb the light - 268 steps - but we chose not to, since we couldn't see anything but the inside of the tower when we got to the top! I guess I will have to leave that challenge for another day! We did watch an amazing film about the even more amazing feat of MOVING the light house a half mile in land (it happened in 1999)

We continued our adventure south on NC 12 through Frisco and Hatteras Village to the Hatteras Ocracoke Ferry. The Ferry carries 30 cars (we were about # 28) and took about 40 very windy minutes to get us across the inlet. Ocracoke Island can only be reached by BOAT! No bridge!

What an absolutely glorious day ...

Today was absolutely glorious! Blue skies with a few high clouds - they photographed VERY blue!

We started our day in Elizabeth City NC - poki took an early walk (to the grocery store on the next street) and then we packed up and headed out! Breakfast in Elizabeth City first, then out US 158 East to the Outer Banks - long bridge! We took a left on NC 12 and headed up to Corolla Village to see and CLIMB the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, built in 1873 from red brick. The brick walls were 5 feet thick at the bottom, but narrowed to 3 1/2 by the time we reached the top landing at 150 feet. The lens added another 12 feet to the height, for a total of 162 or 214 winding steps! Although I continue to feel a little "panic" I did climb to the top, and even stepped out onto the landing at the top (a FIRST for me!) Can you say wall-hugger? But the view was magnificent on both the ocean side (east - leeward) and the sound side (west - windward) for the light. It was definitely windy today from the west!

We had lunch in Corolla, and visited Kitty Hawk Kites (a gift shop - yes, they did sell kites among lots of other things!), and then headed south on NC 12 toward Hatteras Island.

Our next stop was the Wright Brothers Memorial Museum at Kill Devil Hills. Kitty Hawk gets the credit, but the monument is actually at the top of the hill where they actually flew the first plane in 1903, and flew right into history. And it's in Kill Devil Hills! There is a life-sized statue of the first plane, the Wright brothers and their crew nearby! (I know it was life -size -- we saw a replica at the Ford Museum near Detroit last year -- and we plan to see the original plane next week at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.)

About 5:15 we arrived at Bodie Island Light house! We stopped for photo op but the light is not open for climbing! It is a beautiful black and white horizontal stripe. Will load photo later, and tell you a story that I read about Bodie light and confederate soldiers retreat during the Civil War! Quite interesting!

We arrived at our hotel in Buxton about 7:00 p.m. - you can "almost" see the Cape Hatteras Light from the Lighthouse View Hotel! (just the top!) It's about a mile from the hotel! We will be heading out there in the morning, before taking a NC ferry to Ocracoke Island (there is NO bridge!) I hope to spend some time on the beach in the National Seashore as well tomorrow morning. I actually plan to do my BEST to climb to the top of Cape Hatteras - 208 feet or 248 steps!

With any luck, Tuesday evening will be spent aboard the Schooner Windfall in Pamlico Sound! We want to take a sunset cruise - if it doesn't rain!!!

Although Mike has teased me about having 10 weeks worth of stuff planned for our 2 week vacation, we successfully did everything again today. Tomorrow's drive is only 30 miles (and I believe that includes the 18 miles on the ferry!) But Ocracoke is a fascinating little town, a favorite of the notorious Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard the Pirate! Shiver me timbers!

Mike has "almost" relaxed - according to him! I love our vacation! The Outer Banks OBX have not disappointed me!

poki

We're here!

We made it to Virginia just a few minutes late, picked up our rental car (a white Jetta) and found our way to the hotel about midnight Saturday night! (It is in the shadow of the parking garage at Richmond International Airport - so it didn't take too long to get there, I planned it that way)

After our late night snack we came back to the hotel, and there was a bird singing in the parking lot! I've never heard a bird sing in the middle of the night! I woke up several times during the night, and the bird was still at it! But at 8:00 a.m. this morning, when we ventured out, not a peep out of that bird! Guess he was napping then!

We drove about 45 miles to the closest Wal Mart that I had mapped for us, and picked up some supplies we needed to make the trip a little easier (bug repellent before we get to the Outer Banks, and some sunscreen, and of course some Coke Zero!)

We drove down US 64 through Hampton Roads. One long bridge, and one longer tunnel under the James River at Hampton. We missed Shore Drive, but were able to get back to it. Stopped by Ft. Story to see the Cape Henry Lighthouses - old and new! Only the Old lighthouse is open to th e public. It was built in 1791 - the very first PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS approved by the first Congress of the United States! For those who know me well, you know I have this thing about narrow, winding places, but I CLIMBED TO THE TOP! Mike took a picture of me up in the top of the tower, with the New Cape Henry Light in the background. I think the photo will need some editing which I will have to do at home, so I will add the photo later! I REALLY DID IT! By the way, I smoozed a little with the guards at the gate of Ft Story (the lighthouses are on the Fort, so we had to go through security.) I told them we lived by Ft Hood, so we understood about Post Security. One of the guards was stationed at Ft Hood as a medic, so he wanted to know if I'd seen any rattlesnakes.

There was a Beach Tailgate party going on at Neptune Park in Virginia Beach - we walked a couple of blocks on the boardwalk, and then headed over to Portsmouth, one long bridge, and a longer tunnel later, we were able to find the Portsmouth light ship! LIGHTHOUSES THIS TRIP = 3! More tomorrow!

Leaving Portsmouth we were a little unsure about our route, so we hooked up "greenie" and her GPS system! "Greenie" does her job really well - we just didn't follow directions that well. But we did make it to Elizabeth City, NC for the night! We had dinner at Ruby Tuesday's (across the street) and now Mike is watching an Indiana Zones movie on the Sci-Fi network - or maybe he's sleeping, not sure which!

I can safely say we did everything I had planned for today! And now I'm going to sleep in front of the TV too! More later ...

p

Can't wait --

Only about 49 hours til we arrive in Virginia - I am so looking forward to this vacation!



poki

Our Itinerary -

Saturday, May 17 - fly to Richmond Intl Airport, spend the night at Sandston VA
Sunday, May 18 - drive to Elizabeth City, NC via Williamsburg VA, Newport News, VA, Hampton VA, Virginia Beach, VA (two lighthouses between Hampton and Virginia Beach, Portsmouth VA (lightship, old town) then spend the night in Elizabeth City NC
Monday, May 19 - drive to Buxton, NC on the Outer Banks, via Corolla (lighthouse), Kitty Hawk (Wright Bros Memorial Museum), Nags Head (lighthouse), Cape Hatteras National Seashore and lighthouse.
Tuesday, May 20 - ferry and drive to Ocracoke NC - via Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NC ferry to Ocracoke Island (lighthouse, sunset cruise on schooner Windfall)

Wednesday, May 21 - ferry and drive to Wilmington NC - via NC Ferry to Cedar Island, Beaufort, Morehead City (Crystal Coast)

Thursday, May 22 - drive to Charleston SC - via Southport NC (lighthouse) Monck's Corner, SC (Cypress Gardens - a garden in a swamp, with a butterfly house), Sullivan's Island (lighthouse)

Friday, May 23 - drive to Savannah GA - via Myrtle Beach SC

Saturday, May 24 - drive to Sandston VA via US 95 to start our Northern loop

Sunday, May 25 - drive to New Castle DE via Annapolis MD

Monday, May 26 - drive to Atlantic City NJ (lighthouse, boardwalk, and a casino or two I'm sure! )

Tuesday, May 27 - drive to Wildwood, NJ (1950 Preservations - Doo Wop Heaven on the Beach!) via Cape May (two lighthouses enroute)

Wednesday, May 28 - drive to Capitol Heights MD

Thursday, May 29 - Old Town Trolley in Washington DC, playing tourist including a short visit to Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, National Zoo.

Friday, May 30 - drive to Sandston VA, via Mount Vernon, Richmond

Saturday, May 31 - fly HOME! (and hopefully Mike will get some rest before he returns to work on June 2)

We're heading out for a new adventure on Saturday

We are heading to the Mid-Atlantic Coast on Saturday for two weeks - our southern loop from Richmond VA to Savannah GA by way of the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast of NC, and Charleston SC. Our northern loop takes us through Annapolis MD, Wilmington DE, Atlantic City NJ, Wildwood NJ, Capitol Heights MD (so we can spend a day in Washington DC playing tourist), and then back to Richmond to catch our plane ride home! At the end of this trip, poki's state count will be 48! Just two more!!

Check back here for updates enroute! We might even get some pictures posted!

"Greenie" - my new lime green Dell 1720 - is ready to assist along the way!