Room for one more

We just finished up a most enjoyable visit with our friends

Ron & Maxine who were passing thru in the Party Bus after a tour

thru New England.

Before they arrived it was time to give the Doodles a clipping.

Here Lucy waits her turn.

They really are good Doodles and let me comb and clip for hours.

With the arrival of the Bus we now had 2 Party Busses, A boat, and two

cars on the driveway.  Surprisingly I could have fit a bunch more.

Perhaps I should start an RV Park.

On Sunday morning we visited the Beaufort Farmers Market.

Beaufort is the former home of Blackbeard the Pirate, and the pirate theme

is always to be found at social gatherings.

We visited the North Carolina Aquarium in Emerald Isle.

Gracie had no shortage of laps in which to perch.

Our house is ideally situated to catch the 4th of July fireworks from several towns.

From the back porch we caught Beauforts display...

A slight turn of the head westward included fireworks from Morehead City

and Atlantic Beach.

We took the boat out for a few spins on the water.

We made a day trip to Ocracoke Island.

Surprisingly, I'd never been there so it was new territory for all of us

except Kate.

The day began with a beautiful 40 minute ride to the NC Ferry Terminal at Cedar Island.

This is followed by a 2 1/2 hr ferry ride across Pamilco Sound to Ocracoke.

Here the westbound ferry passes us at the halfway point.

The terminal in Ocracoke.

A ferry departs Ocracoke headed to Swan Quarter.

We visited the National Seashore Campground for future reference..

(very nice dry camping - think Autumn)

Then we went to the far end of the island (a whopping 14 miles)

and visited the beach for this photo.

From here - another ferry connects to Hatteras Island about 5 miles distant.

After some quick sightseeing, lunch at Howards Pub, and some

visits by the ladies to the junk (ummm i mean Gift) shops,

It was back to the ferry terminal for our 2 1/2hr ride west. 

Departing the harbor you get a glimpse of the Ocracoke Lighthouse.

Kate & Maxine found a cool spot in the shade.

Chasing the Swan Quarter Ferry out the channel where we turn left.

Besides a full load of cars, trailers, boats...

We had over a dozen Harleys accompanying us on the ride back.

As the day waned and we approached Cedar Island, the Pamilico Sound

shrimping fleet was out in full force.

As quickly as it began, our visit with Ron & Maxine was over.

They have appointments in Colorado and are working their way back to the west coast.

As always - we had a blast and are sorry to see them go.

We will hook back up with them and the rest of the gang, this winter in the Desert.

Between now and then however,

I have work to do on the bus including installing 8 Solar panels.

But - thats another story.

Return to the HomeZone

It always seems that when we get home I never make a last post and leave you 

hanging somewhere along the way.

Not so this time.

We left Lake George and pointed the bus southward.

Our destination for the day was Kiptopeke State Park on the shore

of Chesapeake Bay.

It was a 10hr drive which was rewarded upon our arrival by an almost

empty campground and a nice sea breeze blowing.

The sites were 50amp and water.

A short walk from the campground is the bay with a fishing pier and swim beach.

The Park is just a few miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel which

we will cross tomorrow morning.  You can see the bridge in the distance.

The full moon rose over the beach while we strolled about.

They have these cement breakwaters.   

I think they are old ships that were filled

with cement and sunk there.

The next morning we headed across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

It is 23 miles long and cost $31 for the bus and toad.

4hrs later we were home and time for work.

First on the list was musical vehicles.

I needed to move the boat to the other side of the driveway so that I could put

the bus where I had the boat parked.

The boat was going here next to the stairs.

When the music stopped...  

All the toys and vehicles were in their proper spots.

The Doodles became reacquainted with their grazing grounds.

A few days after we arrived our sailboat buds Hayden & Radeen came thru

town on their way back home from the Bahamas.

Their visit is a twice a year ritual.

Since we live on the Intracoastal Waterway, they pass by as they head north

and south with the rest of the waterborne snowbirds.

Their sailboat is the same make and size as ours was, so it fits in

our slip out back just perfectly.

They are the waterborne equivalent of Kate and I.

While we spend months in the land yacht touring about, they are doing the same on

their sailboat - abeit on a liquid basis.

Here is a link to their blog.

Our mission is to introduce them to, and then spend some time RV'ing with them in the future.

 So while they visited this time we held our first class: 

"RV 101...   Introduction to Happy Hour."

We had a happy hour in the Party Bus.

Accompanied by the Doodles of course.

Gracie give Hayden some "Doodle Love"

Then Happy hour on the back porch.

Notice Gracie in Haydens Lap.

Last night Hayden & Radeen treated us to a wonderful dinner downtown

and then we returned to the house for some final DoodleLove

The Gang

Our visits together are always too short but they are on a mission to get home so this

morning our friends were gone from our slip before I even woke up.

Meanwhile, we still have plenty to do.

We've emptied out the contents of two RV's from the bus and now have to sort

thru everything, get consolidated and discard the extra stuff, and then

repack the bus for our next adventure...  wherever that might be.

The lawn has been mowed, batteries charged and vehicles/boats started and serviced.

Meanwhile Maxine and Ron are headed this way and we will see

them at the house in a couple of weeks.

In the last 14 months we have traveled over 45,000 miles.

We've been to Alaska and Europe and places in between.

Hopefully we are just getting started.

See you down the road.