Roanoke Island, North Carolina to New Bern, North Carolina

Greetings from New Bern, North Carolina  which has been voted as having one of the top ten streets in the USA.  Bern means bear in Swiss; the town is named after Bern, Switzerland. Is a very special place.

We left all time favorite Roanoke Island this morn, and have landed at a KOA just outside of town.

Sunset on the Neuse River ...  from inside our coach here at New Bern

The Refuge, where we stayed at Roanoke Island,  is a most special place. It is only three years old.   Has its own lake that each RV site looks out on, and endless boardwalks meandering through the swampy surrounds.  It is my favorite park so far. 

Our site at the Refuge for a week.

 The RV sites surrounding the lake.

 Water view from our coach.

 Boardwalks meandering all around the swamps

Nags Head, Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island were all special in their own right, but Roanoke Island holds a more significant place in my heart, and a place I will visit again.  These photos are of Cape Hatteras, a 70 mile long barrier reef that begins at Nags Head and ends just short of Ocracoke Island.

So many beautiful bridges.  This one is from Nags Head to Cape Hatteras.

 The famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick beacon in the country, 208 feet high.  It was moved a half mile from its former location.  It was cut from its base, lifted onto beams and traveled by railroad tracks!

 And ... here we are!

  

Gorgeous Cape Hatteras Beach ... 70 miles of it.

We took a ferry over to Ocracoke Island (with the car). It was a gorgeous sunny day, 66 degrees.

 

 

 The Lighthouse at Ocracoke ... and us!

Typical Ocracoke houses

  

Roanoake Island, where we stayed, has been coined The Lost Colony because this was the site of the first settlement in the US, spearheaded by Sir Walter Raleigh who was commission by Queen Elizabeth I.  How unbelievably historical!  Fort Raleigh marks the site of this first colony created by 100 English men, women and children,  who built their village -- and disappeared without a trace. 

Manteo, the main town on Roanoke, named after an Indian Chief, is so charming, and historic.  The photos below are Manteo Village, the Elizabethan Garden next to Fort Raleigh and the QE II, a replica of the ship that brought the first settlors.  I just loved this town. 

2 1/2 miles of boardwalks wind around the quaint village of Manteo.

Roanoke Lighthouse, the perfect size for this charming town.

 Circa 1850.

A replica of the ship that brought the first settlors from England.   A real work of art.

Charming downtown Manteo, leading to the water. 

     More Manteo village streets with quaint shops.

The Elizbethan Gardens

Life size Queen Elizabeth I.

Manteo Pavillion, looks directly out onto the ocean. This is where the town performances are held!

So ... now we are in New Bern where we have already taken too many photos. Incredible town.  Carolina's anxiety condition has become much worse and she is unable to travel in the car, despite 4 Prozac and 3 Zanax.  So, I will have to become accustomed to exploring the areas we travel to without her.  Not sure I will be able to, as it will not be the same without my constant companion.  Today I stayed home.  Tomorrow we will see. 

Love, The Vagabonds

A beautiful Thanksgiving story from Roanoke Island, NC

Happy thanksgiving to you.  I want to express my thanks for having each of you in my life. 

 

I also want to share a really wonderful Thanksgiving story with you.  You will recall my four disabled clients whose home was being sold at foreclosure sale in a few days?  They will now sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with no sale and with a loan modification beginning at a 2% interest rate.  All of this happened yesterday.  I did get the press involved. The San Francisco Chronicle is running the story today.  I also got the government involved.  I had both the government and the press pushing Citibank to cancel the sale and modify.  Citi refused nevertheless, even with the government from whom they receive TARP funds, requesting that they postpone – several times. My clients have equity in their home, and because of that, the Investor sees foreclosure as the most beneficial option.  Finally, yesterday Citi gave in. The article will still run today on this day of Thanksgiving as my four disabled clients (and their dog Hugo) sit around their table and give the greatest of thanks for what they have received, instead of readying to leave their home of 15 years on Monday.

I find myself giving thanks for all I have, here at Roanoke Island, an island off the barrier reefs that hug the coast of NC and about 15 miles from Nags Head. This is a truly historical place in that it is the first place of settlement in the US, 37 years before the Pilgrims landed. Where Sir Walter Raleigh brought one hundred English men, women and children to build a colony.  Their colony soon became known as The Lost Colony because when the English returned a few years later, there was no trace of these inhabitants, despite the fact that a settlement had been built which remains here today.  How special to be in this historic place on this day when we give thanks for the settlement of our country.

The barrier reef islands are to the right of this map, Nags Head, Ocracanoke, etc. 

It is certainly a different time now in our history with the recession and its many painful ramifications, but I have faith that we will come out of this a better nation.  I watch my many clients as they deal with their struggles.  It seems that half are stuck in the past, blaming and grieving.  The other half, who are thriving, have moved on and are living a life more focused on the future and the wealth we find in family, health and freedom. The answer really is to forget about yesterday and start anew today – every day.

Love, Marilyn and Carolina

The 5 state Oddysey: New York to Philly, back to Jersey, Delaware, Virginia

Oh, my.  So much to share! This is really becoming an adventure! The Tappan Z bridge over the Hudson was totally wonderful. 

From there we drove to a KOA tucked away in the lovely Brandywine Valley an hour west of Philly.  We perched up on a hill surrounded by wonderful hiking trails – and only two other campers.The campgrounds we have been staying at lately are actually closed for the year, but allow stragglers like us to stay.

I decided to forgo the Philly city scene, so we spent two whole days at Longwood Gardens, Pierre DuPont’s amazing creation.  This man was so diversified and multi-talented.  He was a gifted businessman who created the richest American business dynasty, yet he had a great talent for creating beautiful outdoor environments.  

He was a confirmed bachelor, never married until late in life when he married his cousin! His home was rather minimalist compared to the rolling hills of his many creations.

His estate, Longwood Gardens, is 1000 acres of fountains, ponds, chimes tower, amazing fountain gardens, a humungous conservatory with spectacular floral events ...

I took way too many pictures, but the place was spectacular.  I have seen arboretums around the world.  Pierre’s is the best.  Tivoli Gardens in Italy beats the fountains, but other than that, Pierre’s got my vote. [Remember to click on a photo to enlarge]

                      Remember to click on the photo to enlarge.

          This amazing creation is made of flowers -- chrysanthemums!

... a fountain display that shoots 1000 feet in the air every hour serenaded by a wonderful drum, and so much more.

 The outdoor ponds were so tranquil.

We then began this odyssey down the outer banks of Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and NC.  We began the experience at Cape May a peninsula between the Delaware River and the Atlantic. 

Cape May is the oldest seaside resort in the US, and the entire town is a historic landmark, 3 miles of excessively decorated Victorians built in the mid-1800s, incredibly quaint and with a wonderful ocean boardwalk that goes on for probably a mile.  Took way too many photos again, but these Victorians are the best I have seen, probably because they have the largest concentration of Victorians anywhere.  

This is the beach at Cape May.

 

  Below is the ruin of the SS Atlantus.

Wonderful historical churches.

Downtown Cape May.

Cape May Theatre.

This is the Inn at Cape May. Totally humungous. The ocean is just across the street.
 

 Okay.  Here's the Victorians.  Limited myself to 10. 

 But, of course, the fire department looks like this  ... in a town this quaint and Victorian.

 

And ... this is where we stayed for the five days we were in Cape May.

The odyssey along the outer banks then transitioned to a huge ferry across to the outer banks of Delaware – yup, the whole fleet on the ferry.  It was thrilling. The lanes were a bit thin for RVs, and not sure I would do it again.  There was literally an inch between my left mirror and awning and the wall.

We then meandered down the Delaware outer bank to Delaware Seashore State Park at Rehoboth Beach. This park is at the apex where the Indian River Bay meets the Atlantic.  We walk along the river inlet straight ahead to the beach, then right all along six miles of sandy white beach.  Again, we had almost the entire park to ourselves, except for our new cool friends, Chris and Ed and their gorgeous Phaeton Coach. 

We hung out at the Delaware Seashore for many days checking out the local beach towns and Ocean City.  All these towns along the outer banks have wonderful long boardwalks fronting the ocean.  

The next stop was going to be Assateague Island National Seashore, an hour south of us, where the ponies run wild.  You have probably seen videos of the wild ponies swimming. But the chances of encountering them at this time of year are meager, and in order to do it we would have to stay in the parking lot of the closed park without any hook ups.  So, decided not to.  

We are now at Cape Charles, VA at a 500 acre state park on a cape jetting into the gorgeous Chesapeake Bay, again with the entire park to ourselves … and just a few steps from our own private beach.  Incredible. 

It’s very cool staying at these parks this time of year because you always have a pull through site.  Just drive through any of them to get to the next!  Makes it all very convenient! 

We also have deer that roam just outside the rig.  Carolina goes bonkers; she thinks they are family. The weather is just perfect … and the 10 day forecast is clear and sunny.  So, this sojourn may not end for a looooong time. 

I chose this park in Cape Charles not only for its beauty, but it is three miles north of the amazing Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. From the beach, I can see it.  It’s an amazing structure that many describe as the 8^th wonder of the world.   It is 23 miles of huge high bridge up to 75 feet above water,

then underwater to one lane in each direction, then up and out again, then underwater again – and hopefully up and out one more time! 

We will begin our trek across the water tomorrow in the early morning.  The day promises to be sunny and clear ... and what a sight the Chesapeake will be from this amazing structural wonder.

After the Chesapeake Bridge, we will head again to the outer banks to Nags Head and the Island of Roanoke, NC where there is a very nice campground -- the perfect place to enjoy Thanksgiving and thank God for the amazing life I am living, and for wonderful people like you to share it with.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, my loves.