29 October 2022 End of the East Coast Tour

 

We started our power drive back to Texas today. We will cover 1400 miles from the Outer Banks North Carolina to Arlington Texas in six days. We plan to take a day to do some leaf peeping in the Smokey Mountains and to tour the Biltmore Estate along the way. Our first stage is from Kill Devil Hills NC to Greensboro NC, 280 miles. We’re staying at the Greensboro KOA ($90, KOA Discount) for one night. The drive across the North Carolina Low Country was uneventful and longer than we had done in a while. Only issue we had was finding someplace to pull over to eat lunch as there were no rest areas along our route. 

26 October 2022 Fort Raleigh

 Looking for something to do with our last day in the Outer Banks, we found there was another national park unit nearby on Roanoke Island. We drove down to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Park with no real expectations of what we would find. This part of the island is where they believe the location of the first English Colony in Virginia, know as the lost colony, was located. Sir Walter Raleigh sponsored several exhibitions to the area now called the Outer Banks. In 1584, a small exploration party in two ships arrived. During their explorations of the area, they befriended the Algonquian Indians. The following year, a larger party of 600 colonists in 7 ships arrived and establish the first English Colony. The ships sailed back to England, leaving the colonists to fend for themselves. One of their first acts was to build a earthen fort to defend against attacks by the Spanish. After a hard year of building their colony, the colonists became more and more dependent on the Algonquian Indians for food. Their leader, Sir Richard Grenville sailed back to England to seek more supplies. The colonist became more desperate and ended up in battles with the Algonquin Indians. While he was gone, Sir Frances Drake stopped nearby after his raids on the Spanish Colonies. They accepted his offer to return to England and abandoned the colony in 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh organized another group to return to the abandoned colony. This group numbered only a 117 and included the wife and daughter of their leader, John White. With the Indians now hostile to settlers, the colonists had a rough time on the island. But, John White’s Daughter had the first English Baby born in the new world. When John White returned to England to seek more support, he was stuck because all available ships were impounded for the war with Spain. John White was not able to return until 1590. They found the colony abandoned and no sign of the 117 settlers. The fate of those 117 settlers has never been found. During the civil war, the Confederates fortified the area and wrote about the strange earthen works on the island. The Union assaulted Roanoke and took control in 1862. Escaped slaves heard about the Union control of the fort and flocked to the area. The Union established the first Freedmens Colony on the island. The colony was disbanded and the land returned to the original owners in 1867.  

Replica Earthen Fort on the site of the 1585 original

Entrance Sign

Sea Side theater where they perform the First Colony play every summer

Marker for the first English Child in the New World

26 October 2022 Corolla Mustangs

 One of Leslie’s bucket list items was to see the wild mustangs in the northern portions of the Outer Banks. We had visions of herds of wild horses running down the beach with spray flying up from their hoofs. The wild horses are the descendants of horses that the Spanish explorers left on the island in the early 1500s. By the 1980s, they numbered between 5 and 6 thousand. Then the federal government got involved and declared them an invasive species and started removing them. They currently number only 107. We met up with our tour guide ($50 each), Brandon, in the town of Corolla, just a couple of miles from where the pave road ends. Brandon explained that the county road continues for 50 miles on the beach all the way up to the Virginia Border. This was our first clue that our expectations were out of line with reality. Brandon went on to explain that there were hundreds of homes along this stretch of beach highway. Many of these houses are large million dollar plus homes. But no commercial properties are allowed. As we sped down the beach, there were dozens of vehicles driving the beach and even more parked along the surf fishing. Brandon turned off the beach and drove into a “neighborhood” of large beach houses nestled in the sand dunes with sand roads and driveways. The first “Wild” Mustangs we saw were standing just off the road in a yard of one of those homes. Brandon explained that they have large bellies because they suffer from bloat since all of their food is coated in salt from the ocean mists. No herds frolicking in the surf, instead, small family units in the yards of massive homes. We even saw one mustang in a garage enjoying the shade. In total we only saw about 6 horses and the tail of one in a garage. To say our expectations were shattered would be an understatement. But the folks we met on the tour were fun and the drive along the beach was beautiful. 

Corolla Mustang

Mustang headed for the garage

Corolla Mustang

Beach highway

Corolla mustang

24 October 2022 Cape Hatteras

 We packed a lunch and drove down the length of Cape Hatteras National Seashore down to where the car ferry takes you to the next island. We did not get to the car ferry until 4 PM so we decided to turn around there. We stopped at the Bodie Island Lighthouse and visitor center. After exploring the exhibits and walking out to the lighthouse (it was closed for renovations) for some good pictures. We then drove down past the Soros area of the park and found a place where we could walk to the beach and enjoy our picnic lunch on the beach. The view was beautiful. Then we continued on south to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. There we went through the museum which explained to role of the light house during the civil war, WWI and WWII. Both light houses were built during the early 1870s after there predecessors had been destroyed by the Confederates. Both were electrified in the late 1930s but manned through the end of WWII. The drive down the island is on a scenic byway, but with large sand dunes on the sea side and heavy brush on the leeward side, there is really not a lot of scenery to see from the road. 

22 October 2022 First Flight and Light Houses

 The RV Park is just down the road from the Wright Brothers National Memorial. On Dec. 17 1903, the Wright brothers flew the first controlled heavier than air flights in the world. Other inventors had flown powered flights but they could not control the aircraft and they all crashed. The Wright brothers had traveled to Kill Devil Hills for a period of time for four years testing their kites, then gliders, and then finally the first powered aircraft. In 1902, they built a glider and flew over 1000 glider flights from the top of Kill Devil Hill. During the glider flights, they learned how to control the aircraft and becoming the first pilots. When they flew in 1903, they had trouble getting comfortable with the revised elevator they had built into the Wright Flyer to help compensate for the additional weight of the engine and propellers. The result is that all four flights thar day ended because they induced oscillations which caused the aircraft to stall. We arrived at the National Memorial just in time to catch a Ranger led tour. After the ranger talk, we walked the Flight path and stopped at each of the landing sites. After the last flight, the flyer was damaged by a hard landing. The damage was going to take two days to repair, but that night a strong wind flipped the flyer and damaged it beyond repair. We then toured the museum before driving over to Kill Devil Hill and climbing up to the top where the Wright Brothers Memorial Monolith is located. 

After the national memorial, we continued north along the island to the small town of Corolla. We stopped at the Currituck Beach Light House built in 1875. They want $12 a person for the privilege of climbing the 220 steps to the top. We passed. But we were able to pick up information on the other four light houses on the Outer Banks that we would like to visit. We then drove north to the end of the road where it drops you on to the beach. We turned around since we did not want to take a chance on getting stuck in the sand with the tide coming in. But we made reservations for later in the week to take a tour that would take us further up the island to see the wild mustangs. 

Entrance Sign

Takeoff Point for all four flights

Marker for end of first flight

Marker for end of second flight

Marker for end of third flight

Marker for the end of the fourth flight

Looking back on the field where they flew. Bit back then it was just sand.

reproduction of the Wright Flyer

flyer from the front

close up of the controls

Looking down the wing

Looking from the back

Wright Brothers Monument

Looking down on the flight field

entrance sign

The lighthouse 

21 October 2022 Ashland VA to Kill Devil NC

 The drive to the Otter Banks was long since we stayed on I-95 south to US-64 east to assure ourselves that the roads would be free of low hanging trees. So a 4 hour drive turned into a 6 hour slog. But we arrived before dark to face backing into a 90 degree site. I has been a couple of years since we had to back into a 90 degree site and the road was not very wide. It took a couple of tries, but we got the Wanderer in without breaking anything. We are staying at the OBX RV Park ($70 per night, no discounts). We were happy to see great water pressure but they do not have any WiFi so we are stuck using our phone data for our stay. 

19 October 2022 Birthplace

 We wanted to enjoy some delicious crab cakes on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay before we left it behind. We drove up to Colonial Beach to get some of the highest rated crab cakes in the area at a water front restaurant. Our first choice turned out to be closed for no apparent reason. Our second choice, Wilkerson’s, was right on the water and had a large number of locals for late lunch. The food was great! The crab cakes were sweet and packed full of lump crab with just enough binder to keep it together to cook. After a delightful lunch, we made our way just down the road to George Washington’s Birthplace National Monument. There is not much to this park being only 55 acres. This was where George Washington was born in 1726 and lived until he was 3 ½ when his family moved to what is now Mount Vernon. The house, which is located on the site of the original home, is a recreation of what someone thought a colonial plantation home would have looked like. The real house burned down in the 1800s But the land has an interesting history. When George Washington’s father passed away, this land was passed down to his half-brother (GW got Mount Vernon). When the half-brother passed away, it was passed down to George Washingtons other half-brother. When that half-brother passed away, it was passed on to George Washington (just a few months prior to his death). George Washington visited the site several times including just prior to the battle of Yorktown to visit his half-brothers. When George Washington passed away, it became his wife’s property, Martha Custis Washington. When Martha Washington passed away, it became one of her daughters, from her first marriage, who passed it down to her daughter, who married Robert E Lee! Robert E Lee deeded 25 acres, including the location of the original home, to the state of Virginia in 1859. After the civil war, it became federal property. So, it has had a pretty tortured history. The reproduction house was closed when we arrived but the reproduction kitchen was open. Although realistic reproductions for the time period, they do not believe the house and farm that George Washington was born in is anywhere near as grand. So, it was a bit of a letdown. After collecting our passport stamp, viewing the limited exhibits and watching the movie, we wandered over to the house and down to the shore. Situated at the mouth of Pope’s Creek where it flows into the Potomac, the views are beautiful out over the river with the leaves changing into their fall colors. Then it was back to the Wanderer.

Entrance Sign

Reproduction House of a Colonial Era Plantation Home

Reproduction of a Colonial Era Plantation Kitchen

View out over the Pope Creek and Potomac River

16 October 2022 Monticello

 One of Leslie’s favorite destinations outside DC is the former home of President Jefferson called Monticello in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He started construction of the house in on 5000 acres of land he inherited from his father. Jefferson designed the first version of the house based on architecture that he learned from a book (written in Italian) by a famous Italian Architect. He paid a local contractor to flattened the top of a mountain and construction began on the masonry portion of the house in 1770. In 1774, he inherited another 11,000 acres. Construction was slowed in 1775 when Jefferson was elected to the Continental Congress. He was made Governor of Virginia 1779 to 1781. The first version of the house was substantially completed in 1782. In 1783 he was elected to congress and made US Commissioner to France from 1784 to 1789.  Returning in 1790 he was made the first US Secretary of State until 1793 and lived in New York. Returning to a derelict house in 1793, he redesigned the house based on designs he had observed in France. Construction was started again based on his new design. After being elected Vice President from 1797-1801, and President from 1801 to 1809, construction continued while he sent design directions and changes via many letters. Much of the construction was accomplished by slaves that he had trained by local craftsmen. Jefferson traveled back to the house in August and December/January from Washington. By the time he completed his second term in 1809 the house was complete. He died in the house on July 4^th 1826. We were able to tour the lower floor of the house which included his study, library, bedroom, dining room, tea room and the parlor. After selling his extensive library in 1819 to Congress (because the British had burned Washington during the War of 1812), he accumulated a new library of over 1,900 books before his death. We found the house more ornate than Mount Vernon due to the influence of his time in France and his self education of arhitecture. After touring Monticello, we went over to the Jefferson Vineyard and did a wine tasting before heading back to the Wanderer.

Entrance Sign

View from the front porch of Monticello

Monticello

Indian Artifacts in the entrance hall

Jeffersons Study

Jeffersons reading room

Jeffersons Bed

The Parlor

The dining room

The kitchen

Entrance Sign

The wine

15 October 2022 Colony’s and Forts

 We got a twofer today! We headed out towards Hampton Roads on I-64. Our first stop was at a good Mexican Restaurant in Williamsburg. Best Mexican we have had since we left Texas in March. Next we went to the Colonial National Historical Park. There are actually 3 units to this park; Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. We both had been to Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg previously but had not been to Jamestown. Jamestown was founded as the first colony in Virginia in 1607. First thing they did was build a triangular shaped fort because they feared attack by the Spanish. The colony only survived because of help from the local Indian tribes which were friendly at that point. The colony was abandoned in 1699 when most of the government functions were moved to Williamsburg. Only the church bell tower is left from the original colony. The rest of the park is recreations of what they believe the fort and colonial structures were like based on excavations and written historical accounts. After exploring the exhibits and recreated fort, we continued to Hampton Roads. In Hampton Roads we went to Fort Monroe National Monument. The Fort is the largest masonry fort in the US. Built after the British Invasion of 1814 to protect the Chesapeake Bay from a similar future attack. They started construction in 1819 and it was completed in 1832. The fort never saw action. During the civil war, it was a Union bastion and supported the blockade of Confederate ports in Virginia. It was an active military installation until September 2011 when it was decommissioned. It was made a National Monument in November 2011. There has not been a lot of development as a park yet. There was a few exhibits and we could walk around the top of the walls, but not much else has been added yet. The old Point Comfort Light house was built in 1807 and is still operational and run by the Coast Guard. After completing our tour of the fort, we found a nearby restaurant with views looking out over Hampton Roads for an early dinner and to watch the sunset. 

Entrance Sign to Jamestown

Reconstructed Jamestown Fort

Model of Jamestown Fort

Foundations of the first church in Jamestown

Church tower from the 1929 Church

 View from Jamestown

Moat of Fort Monroe

Moat of Fort Monroe

Gun bases on top of Fort Monroe Walls

More gun bases on Fort Monroe walls

Looking over the wall down the moat

Stars and Stripes flying over the fort

Point Comfort Lighthouse