Checking the weather report first thing in the morning it hasn't changed - storms predicted around 3:00 this afternoon. My plans are the same - try to beat out the 80 miles and get into camp before the rains drench me.
Early breakdown of camp and I'm out before 8:00 headed to the first stop of the day - the Wright Brothers memorial in Kitty Hawk (actually Kill Devil Hills). I was there before the park opened - an open gate in the back of the park on my route got me into the park before it officially opened. I don't think it was a big deal as groundskeepers and rangers didn't do anything to stop me. I didn't see any signs indicating hours when I rolled onto the site.
As a pilot, I knew a lot about the powered flight, but it was touching to be in the place where it all began just over a century ago on Dec 17 1903. To see the path the first powered flight took, and the four runs they made that day was something to see. To think that 1903 was the first powered flight, 1969 we put men on the moon, and in 2016 we think nothing of hopping on a jet aircraft and going to any place on the globe. It's been quite a ride aviation-wise. And speaking of ride, I need to get back on the bike if I'm to beat this rain.
The Wright flyer is not that small - it's just the perspective of the picture.
Lednar De NallohSaw the original Wright flyer in Washington amongst the space capsules. Amazing how much flying has developed in 100 years. The Wright's were bicycle mechanics too. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Paul MulveyTo Lednar De NallohYeah - kind of ironic that I'm both a cyclist and pilot, and visiting the place where bicycle mechanics first flew a little over 100 years ago. Contrast this with the Kennedy space center I visited in May of 2021 on the Florida tour. Only about 65 years passed between the first powered flight and the moon landing. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
I exited out of the main gate (where I learned the hours of the park and it still had yet to open) and headed east to see the ocean. Then I took a side road to photograph the ocean and realized 11 miles into the day's ride I wasn't tracking my mileage - so I started at that point. I do want to credit my accomplishment for the day.
It only took until day 3 when I was able to see the ocean. Oh yeah, and I remembered to start my RWGPS app
24 miles into the ride (and that's tracking from the start, not the start of the app :-)) I make a side detour to the Bodie Island lighthouse. I was scored an opportunity for a last-minute solo slot for the tour but it departed in 25 minutes. I didn't want to wait that long, especially with the imminent rain in the forecast. I decided to walk the grounds and then move on, especially since I had a lighthouse in my itinerary in Ocrocoke.
After the lighthouse visit, the route crossed over a causeway and headed through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. This was an 17-mile strip with sand on the left and sand on the right with the occasional parking lot on the eastern side of the road. And that was kind-of the unique experience.
Traveling through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. This was basically the view for 17 miles. Occasionally there was something exciting, like the water here on the right hand side
At 42 miles into the day, the route kicked me out of the barren-ness and into a resort area called Mirlo Beach which then transitioned into Rodanthe. Which I was excited about. Why? Well - two reasons. First, they had a lifesaving station museum from the 19th century which I wanted to visit and second, there was a Dairy Queen. Both visits had me on the edge of my seat - they were exciting destinations for a cycle tourist.
Civilization and livable area emerges from the barren passage through the Pea Island National Wildlife refuge. AND, the sun started to peek out from the cloud cover!
Buildings in the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station museum. Note the gothic architecture in the windows on the upper level. These were the original buildings used by the LSS (precursor to the Coast Guard) before the more elaborate 1911 house was built.
A nice 20-minute visit to the museum, and what ho? The Dairy Queen is closed for the season, opening in the summer. The sign says something to the effect of "Visit our other location in Avon, 9 miles south. Have a nice day!". Grrr....another 40 minutes at least until I can inhale a Blizzard.
I stop for the Blizzard and then again at a grocery store to pick up ravioli, pesto sauce, and wine. Gourmet for dinner tonight to be sure. I enter the grocery and it's sunny out. I come out and the skies say impending doom. Can I beat the rain into the campsite?
I run across a Futuro House on the route. These were a concept in the 1960's and only about 100 of them were made. For more about this abode, visit https://www.thefuturohouse.com/welcome.html
Well, I won't spoil a good story - the skies open up and I get rained on for 10 minutes - just enough to put on the rain jacket and then take it off again. Rolling into the campsite it was the most expensive stay at a campground I've ever had. But the concept of a guaranteed spot at the end of the day is a good one. But man, the cost for a picnic table and a plot of grass. I guess it's different if you're pulling up an RV and hooking it up to all the electric as opposed to a bike with a small tent.
You can see my expensive plot of land there in the middle of all the campers.
The wind was blowing and rain started again. I took shelter in the clubhouse porch and cooked my ravioli with pesto. Oh, yeah, and ordered their "Finest box of wine"
After the winds and the rain blew through I took a walk into Hatteras Harbor. There wasn't much going on pre-season. A few T-shirt / trinket / beach goods shops open and that was it. All the eateries were closed so I'm glad I purchased dinner food earlier in the day.
This place is probably happening in the "on"-season
