“Looking good, Crusader,” Ron said as we pulled out of our storage spot, headed to OBX for a long weekend. My choice of campgrounds to celebrate my 52nd birthday with our dear friends, Leslie and Joe.
Getting off the peninsula proved challenging. Friday afternoon traffic is always hectic, but multiple accidents compounded the issue. And Vice President Harris was visiting Hampton University, which caused partial shutdowns of the interstate for her travel needs.
When we stopped at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) to turn off our propane, the attendant said, “Yeah, it’s because of the visit. Just shut it down.”
“They’re moving on that,” Ron said, crossing the HRBT.”It takes two years for the bridge at Ft. Eustis, but they’ve done this in two months.”
Driving to Outer Banks is easy. Traffic isn’t heavy unless you manage to arrive/depart when the weekly renters are coming and going. During those times, stop-and-go traffic is guaranteed. RVing conveniently allows you to avoid that mess.
Crossing the Wright Memorial Bridge indicates your arrival to the slim peninsula. The sharp turn into the campground is always a welcome sight when we come. We are in our favorite spots, 10 & 11, on the water.
Our evening was quiet. Joe’s custom-made grill cooked up delicious corn and eggplant to go with our burgers and brats. Ron enjoyed watching.
The joke of the evening was to keep Beth away from the woodpile. Apparently, some people think I’m a pyromaniac. Enjoying a roaring fire IS one of my favorite things to do. And I can burn through a pile of wood quickly, especially when the conditions are right. We enjoyed perfect fire weather all three nights. Believe it or not, we still had logs left Monday morning.
Glimpses of the sun’s first light woke me. My view from the window seat was magnificent. Sophia cuddled beside me, Rocco at my feet. A perfect way to start the day.
We walked 2200 steps in honor of the first responders who climbed the twin towers 20 years ago today:
“So the 9/11 world stair climb is an opportunity for people to participate in an event where they climb 2,200 steps, which is 110 stories equivalent of the World Trade Center towers, and they carry a plastic tag that has the photograph and the name of one of the 343 who died that day,” said Chief Ron Siarnicki, The National Fallen Firefighters executive director.”. Excerpt from Richmond 6 News
Rocco and Sophia are fans of the window seat. Although negotiating space for the three of us was challenging. The bench isn’t as wide as Sophia would like. Rocco loves having his own man cave.
Watching the women’s final at Outer Banks Brewing Station made for a fun afternoon. Watching the next generation begin to make its mark on the world is exciting and sad. I will always miss the days of Martina and Chrissy; three decades later, the game’s changes are undeniable. Power and strength made capable because of equipment, physical fitness, and mental endurance changed the face of tennis.
Sunday, we attended Nags Head Church, a favorite of ours. The new pastor, Nathaniel Stevens, is a humble speaker with a heart for the Lord. We always enjoy his messages. And the worship music was fantastic.
Afterward, the guys hit tennis while Leslie and I walked on the beach. I found my first piece of sea glass. We encountered a struggling blowfish Leslie graciously saved. Nags Head is the first beach I’ve seen baskets you can use to collect trash while you walk. If we had seen them before we started, we would have utilized one next time.
After grilling hamburgers for lunch, afternoon naps were a must. Of course, we had to watch the men’s final, but first, we played pickleball for a little fun. We tried two different places before we ended up back at the brewing station, the only place willing to play tennis over football. Medvedev’s win was a surprise to all of us.
Birthday celebrations continued over dinner. Ron and Leslie surprised me with my favorite German chocolate cake and beautiful gifts to complete a wonderful weekend at the beach. Praying the rest of the year goes as well as it began.