Summer Vacation, Part I: The Outer Banks

by | Jan 19, 2022 | History, Travel | 193 comments

In early August 2021, the missus and I sallied forth on our annual vacation, attempting to escape the Florida heat by heading to… the beach.  “Now, Shpip,” you might ask, “Why in the name of all that is holy would you drive eleven hours to the Outer Banks when you have hundreds of miles of perfectly serviceable beaches a helluva lot closer?”  Good question.  Wanted to see something new, as far as I reckon.

 

We had decided on a condo in Hatteras, at the very southern tip of the Banks.  There’s one island further south, called Ocracoke, but it’s only accessible by ferry, and we weren’t able to make the trip.  As we drove in, a tropical depression had meandered from the Atlantic and parked itself off the eastern seaboard.  Hence, this was our view from the condo for the better part of a week:

Notice that the weather didn’t stop the fishermen.  When you spend fifteen hundred dollars or so to charter a boat, it’s going to take a storm that’s got a name to keep you on land.

Our one day of nice weather coincided with our plans to visit Kitty Hawk.  Having only vaguely seen the Bodie Island Lighthouse on our (dark, raining sideways) drive in, glimpsing it in daylight was refreshing.

 

 

From there we made our way to the Wright Brothers National Memorial.  I had, like every schoolboy, heard of the brothers and their first flight, but the memorial really brought home the tenacity and personal bravery of Orville and Wilbur.  Year after year of incremental testing, failure, re-testing, and improvement finally culminated in a first flight that… I won’t call it short, but the distance of that first flight is less than a competent second grade shortstop can throw a baseball.

 

 

The big stone on the left is the approximate take-off point.  The stones on the right commemorate the landing spots of flights one, two, and three.

Another perspective:

The monument to the brothers is truly impressive, but that is fitting for the type of pioneers whose never-quit attitude and willingness to take risks gave us the phrase “The Wright Stuff.”

On the way back to Hatteras, we drove through the town on Nag’s Head, which my wife insists was not named for her mother, and spied the absolute best name for a convenience store that I’ve ever run across.

As we neared our condo, the weather gave us one more break, as we got to see the famed Cape Hatteras lighthouse.  This is the tallest lighthouse on the east coast, measured from base to tip (others have their lights higher above sea level, as they are situated on hills or cliffs).  Notice how the paint scheme is subtly different from the light at Bodie Island.

A three minute drive away is a small plot that remembers two men in a nearly forgotten part of World War II history.  Just after Germany declared war on the US, Admiral Karl Dönitz initiated Operation Drumbeat against Allied shipping off the American coast.  The British moved several converted trawlers into the area to assist with anti-submarine efforts.  In April 1942, one such vessel, the San Delfino was sunk.  Of the crew of fifty seven, twenty four were lost that night. Among them was twenty-eight year old Fourth Engineer Officer Michael Cairns of the Royal Merchant Navy.  Locals carefully removed his body from the beach and buried it in a copse of woods near the lighthouse.  In May, the HMT Bedfordshire was also sunk with all hands.  Four bodies from the ship were recovered on Ocracoke and laid to rest in the village’s own cemetery.  A fifth, unrecognizable, was discovered on the Hatteras beach several days later.  Both the men on Hatteras now sleep within a few feet of each other.

 

 

The graves on Ocracoke are tended to by the locals, overseen by the Coast Guard station on the island.  On Hatteras, the National Park Service cares for the graves.  Each year on May 12, the anniversary of the Bedfordshire‘s sinking, members of the Coast Guard, the NPS, and the British War Graves Commission hold services at the two gravesites, so that these men’s sacrifice will not be forgotten.

 

I also found something that I wanted to incorporate into my house, should I choose to build one to order when Mrs. Shpip retires.  That’s the cocktail / sunset tower, seen here on the right.

 

Was the first half of the trip a bust?  Well, some would say that we spent a lot of money to drive a long way to spend a lot of time sitting in our beachfront condo watching the rain come down, but that was okay.  To us, at least, there’s something inherently calming about watching and listening to the ocean — the rhythm of the waves can do that.

We’ll be back.

 

About The Author

Shpip

Shpip

Florida Man, amphibian enthusiast with a reptile dysfunction. Founder and CEO of Vlad Țepeș Tree Service.

193 Comments

  1. Gustave Lytton

    Kitty Hawk was one of my favorite trips. I was in Raleigh and took a day trip out to see it. Just staggering to stand up on the that hill and ponder how quickly it went from a short hop to intercontinental travel and started right there.

    And of the course that cemetery is British land as I learned first from glibs.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMT_Bedfordshire#Commemoration

  2. Count Potato

    ” This is the tallest lighthouse on the east coast, measured from base to tip (others have their lights higher above sea level, as they are situated on hills or cliffs). ”

    You can make a lighthouse look taller by cutting down the bushes around it.

    • Urthona

      nice

  3. DEG

    spied the absolute best name for a convenience store that I’ve ever run across.

    I’m surprised the Nag’s Head Town government allowed that business to exist.

    The graves on Ocracoke are tended to by the locals, overseen by the Coast Guard station on the island.

    I’ve been to that grave sight. It’s small but neatly maintained. I wonder how well it survived Ocracoke getting flooded a while back.

    I also found something that I wanted to incorporate into my house, should I choose to build one to order when Mrs. Shpip retires. That’s the cocktail / sunset tower, seen here on the right.

    YES!

    I like the Outer Banks.

    The Outer Banks Brewing Station and the Weeping Radish are great. The Weeping Radish having the distinction of being the first brewpub in North Carolina. There is a new brewpub in Manteo. I was unimpressed with it.

  4. Yusef drives a Kia

    Still looks peaceful to me, rain or shine,
    Cool lighthouses!

  5. Don escaped Cancun

    cool beans

    I have a low-rent, bum about mood sometimes, and some beaches are better for that than others.

    Tybee GA: Miss Georgia loves it, but it’s over-priced. Still, Savannah’s a great town to drive into.

    St George FL: off Apalachicola, I must confess that I haven’t been back since it was leveled by a hurricane, but in its day it was super cheap and there was absolutely no one there….trouble getting someone to ring you up at the minimart

    Corpus Christi TX: in town or out on the water, it’s just a fun old ancient town, even more enjoyable because you’re not wading through the Padre nonsense, or, if you want some of that, head to Aransus for a beginner’s dose. I don’t know if the same grand dame (pun intended) owns it or not, but you’ll never see better looking hooves on an unshod horse than you will at silversandsvacationrentals.com/things-to-do/activities/horses-beach They’re shires so they don’t even notice you’re along for the ride.

    Orange Beach AL: a horror fest generally, but you can rent a condo and just spend all week on the beach.

    Golf around all these spots. I take my road bike, but it’s just for kicks cause peddling round the flats doesn’t prove much, but some times you should spin just to be spinning and to be out.

    • Shpip

      Part II is about halfway between Tybee and Amelia Island. Very nice, but decidedly not low-rent.

      • Don escaped Cancun

        got it; won’t spoil the surprise, but I would think all Glibs would guess a certain place because of The Reason

    • Not Adahn

      I almost got a job teaching chemistry at Del Mar college in Corpus. I was NOT a fan of the town, other than the fact that it has an excellent selection of Voudon supply shops to choose from.

      Flat and damp is not my idea of a pleasant environment.

  6. Fourscore

    As the years roll by the cocktail tower will get higher and higher. The second balcony cocktails will taste just as good and the the sunsets just as pretty and not far to carry the ice.

    My North Carolina experiences were a little different but it is a pretty area. Nice vacation, hope you can go again and have less rain and another story, Shpip

  7. KSuellington

    Cool trio and pics Shpip. Did you get out there to fish at all?

    The Wright Brothers did some great pioneering, but the first in true heavier than air flight was probably Santos Dumont.

    • Shpip

      Did you get out there to fish at all?

      That comes in Part II.

  8. rhywun

    Now I want to put Brainstorm in again.

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      I’m still waiting for the simu-porn future I was promised.

  9. straffinrun

    Taking care of the burials for unknown boys who died fighting a truly evil enemy. Always mad respect for that.

    • creech

      I wonder if the British soldiers killed in the Revolution are considered to be on British soil? A half dozen or so are buried near me, along with Continentals, in the local Quaker cemetery. The Brits actually came back a few years ago and paid reparations to the descendants of a householder looted when the British Army came through in 1777.

  10. straffinrun

    Listened to Biden’s presser. Hadn’t heard him speak in awhile. I forgot he has dementia and I think he did, too.

    • rhywun

      Saw a few soundbites. He’s a fucking embarrassment. And a liar.

      • straffinrun

        He blamed inflation on Covid repeatedly.

      • rhywun

        And ranted about “voting rights”. Dude, it’s the 21st century. Come join us.

  11. UnCivilServant

    I see something in that picture I’d like to add to my house – empty land.

    Gotta pay this one off before I think about it.

    • rhywun

      I love the gray shingles. And the widow’s walk, sorry, cocktail tower.

      • Shpip

        I got the idea from these chaps. Theirs looks nice, at the bend of a river and all, but I want a view to go along with my martinis.

  12. Scruffy Nerfherder

    I spent many a summer week there growing up. Some of it I was sober enough to remember.

    • straffinrun

      Summer of 69?

      • slumbrew

        Some nights, sure.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’m not sure opening up another revenue stream for the Castros was really an improvement for the country.

      • The Bearded Hobbit

        Free Trade is always an improvement. Sanctions do nothing, especially when every other country on the planet continues to trade with them.

      • UnCivilServant

        So at best he did nothing?

        And I disagree. Free trade is only an improvement when all participants play by the same rules.

      • The Bearded Hobbit

        So at best he did nothing?

        OK, fair enough. He did nothing.

        Point made.

      • The Bearded Hobbit

        Also:

        Can’t find the reference but basically free-traders come out ahead even if the other side is hedging.

      • UnCivilServant

        *looks at China*

        Riiight.

        It’s an idea that sounds like it works in theory but practice fails to meet expectations.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Because thats not free trade.

        Free trade is trade that has zero restrictions on either side or the govt regulations are so minimal with each trading partner that neither side has an advantage because of trade rules.

        I like to give a yard sale as an example of real world free trade. There are really no govt rules at a yard sale.

      • UnCivilServant

        So, Real Free Trade has never been tried? Is that what you’re saying?

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Trade with Cuba is never free trade.

        Trump offered all trading partners free trade at the G7 summit. The Socialists and Communists that rule the World got mad at him and sicced their Useful Idiots on him.

    • straffinrun

      As fubar as the withdrawal was, gotta say getting out of Afghanistan was his best move.

      • The Bearded Hobbit

        Which was initiated by Trump (and delayed by Biden).

        /not a Trumper

      • straffinrun

        Every president since 2001 had “a plan” to leave Afghanistan. Trump could’ve just said, “We’re leaving” and just do it. Instead he was too busy making CNN gush by attacking Syria. I’m giving Biden credit on this one despite how awful he’s been on everything else.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        Congress literally made it against federal law to use funds to withdraw from afghanistan. Congress controls the Purse.

        Dont forget, not only was Trump under investigation by the Commies in the Mueller group but had military brass actively working to refuse and undermine orders from the Commander in Chief Donald Trump.

        The reason that Trump is the best President in US history is that he did everything he did IN SPITE of the Commies in the US govt. there are just some things that he couldnt do and pull troops out of afghanistan without money was not in the cards.

        Never forget!

    • rhywun

      Bill O’Reilly is still around?!

      • creech

        Probably hasn’t run out of “Killing……..” books to write.

      • Chafed

        And still bloviating.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        I hate Bill O’Reilly but conservatives need a voice to counter all the Commie propaganda coming from the Lefties.

  13. Animal

    This reminds me: Daughter #3 is getting married in Grand Rapids in May. We’ll be in the area a week, we have a huge Airbnb house on a lake east of town for the whole family. If any Glibs are in the GR area, let’s discuss a meetup.

    Swiss, that ain’t too far from you, is it?

    • The Bearded Hobbit

      Granddaughter #1 is graduating May 19th just NE of there. Keep us advised and perhaps we can do a meet-up

      • Animal

        Ours is getting married the 21st. I’ll be in touch.

  14. grrizzly

    An interesting read. I had no idea that Kitty Hawk was on the Outer Banks.

  15. Yusef drives a Kia

    This is a good idea, February 1st, Done!

    “GUTFELD: So it’s up to the people to tell them that it’s over. Right now, if you’re at home, you’re not in office like this, you have no idea what it’s like in this building. You have no idea. I just sent home what, four — four employees? Stress is peaking. It’s a combination of holiday stress, a combination of hassles that you have to deal with when you’re traveling. And they are adding this on top.

    So there is an environment of panic gushing through the city, going through our offices that is 100 times worse than omicron. Its nuts. And it’s creating psychosomatic symptoms. I’m very suggestible. One minute I feel great. The next, I think I’m dying. This is insane.

    This is — the point I’m making is, this is a panic from the top down. It’s not from above. It’s not a typical hysteria that you would get about some kind of strange phenomenon. This is a reverse hysteria. It’s coming from government bureaucracy, right? So the problem here is that you have a mild but highly contagious strain that almost everybody is getting. You get tested, it’s going to come positive. That’s what is happening with everyone I know.

    But the only tool that we have is a sledgehammer. So we have the testing and then what we do is we send everybody home.

    PERINO: Right.

    GUTFELD: It is a shutdown in reverse. Originally we were saying okay, we’re going to shut down everything and maybe it will stop. But now we’re doing it in reverse. We’re testing. Now we’re doing it. And it turns out if you get this thing, it’s as tolerable as a cold. Most of the people that I know that have it had sniffles and that’s it. But we have a government bureaucracy that is terrified of losing an election and terrified of litigation.

    So what now is not a death panic, it’s a hassle panic because we all want to go home and be with our families and they’re screwing us over. But, what this intense panic tells you, the government is not an appropriate vehicle anymore for telling us what to do. They are done because the vehicle only has one speed and its panic.

    It’s driven by one incentive, re-election. It’s not driven, it’s not skewered towards risk management. Adults understand risk management. You saw that with Biden. He doesn’t understand it. He believes that there should be zero risk. That is a child mentality. So it is up to us to pick the date. I’ve been having a conversation with Scott Adams. We decided that the date for this is February 1st.

    We are the hostage negotiators on behalf of America to discuss with the government about what to do since no one else has volunteered. We have to talk to the government about a return to normalcy because they are not going to do it. They are too cowardly. So it’s up to us to actually say this is what we want. February 1st, we are done.

      • Gustave Lytton

        From 12/21. I haven’t heard him pushing it since.

    • rhywun

      He believes that there should be zero risk. That is a child mentality.

      This.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        2/1, spread the word,

    • creech

      Was at a mall in Delaware today. 100% mask compliance. The mall owners follow the Governor’s orders. It is going to take extremely courageous business owners to defy the government on Feb. 1st because the cops will be coming with handcuffs for the big boys, not some shopper whose mask isn’t being worn properly. On the other hand, the big boys are the ones who write the big campaign checks, so maybe if we start boycotting all those businesses that comply, then their stores and restaurants will be empty and they can tell the politicians to go suck it next campaign.

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        Irish democracy, mass non compliance, nukes from orbit, it’s the only way.

  16. Gender Traitor

    Apologetically O/T, commence “First World Problems” rant vent whine:

    My employer announced today that Friday will be “Employee Appreciation Day.” We’ll be getting our first pay at our new, higher pay rates for the year AND with nice quarterly and/or semiannual incentives – a payroll I’ve been tearing my hair out over, trying to make sure everything’s right. The organization is also buying breakfast for all the on-site workers (which I’ll have to order tomorrow for my building,) and apparently there will be hourly drawings for fabulous prizes. Sounds great, right?

    Trouble is, we also received a separate e-mail from the CEO today announcing that starting tomorrow, everyone on-site has to mask up again outside their immediate work area at least through the end of the month AND get their temps taken daily – shot or not. (I don’t know how long the latter will last.) I, of course, get to be the one taking the temps in our building. Other than the principle of the thing, I didn’t mind the actual practice when we were doing it before. I got to where I rather enjoyed going around saying good morning to all my co-workers. I DO mind the masking up. Very much. This development has, for me, spoiled the whole idea of “employee appreciation.”

    I can’t do my job from home. I have a ton of vacation piled up, but I can’t even take next week off because as soon as I get this all-important payroll wrapped up, I have to start on ANOTHER big annual project that needs to be done by month-end or early February at the latest. I can’t afford to quit my job because I’m the primary support of the household, and I shudder to think of job hunting after being at this position for almost 22 years.

    I know many – maybe most – of the folks here have much more serious problems than this. Maybe it’s just the dreary weather or because I’ve been under more stress than usual at work for the last few weeks, but I feel as if I could just cry from frustration over this stupidity I can’t escape.

    I’m sorry to be such a Debbie Downer – I try hard not to be That Chick. Please feel free to slap me around if you think I deserve it (and not just because you enjoy it.) Maybe I’ll feel better in the morning…but then I’ll have to go to work…/whine

    • UnCivilServant

      Don’y worry, it’s not as if any of your complaints are invalid.

      I have no advice, but I’ll listen.

      • UnCivilServant

        I do love when upper management goes “we appreciate our employees, but think you’re all filthy, diseased pustules.”

      • Gender Traitor

        Thanks. I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with my immediate supervisor yet – he was working from home today. (He hates working from home but usually does it one day a week just to make sure he stays in “practice” logging into our systems remotely in case he HAS to work from home at some point.) He’s pretty tired of this crap, too, so I think he’ll sympathize, even if he can’t do anything about it.

      • UnCivilServant

        I think this week we get another rant from upper management about poor morale and how we should all be ashamed for being unmotivated and put down.

        I really wish the guy who delivers them would just retire already.

      • hayeksplosives

        Reminiscent of “you’re a trusted member of our team! Now pee in this cup!”

    • slumbrew

      That’s a pickle, GT, and shitty of them to spoil the “employee appreciation” with “wear a face-diaper”.

      No one will blame you for keeping your family supported – on the “eating shit” scale, having to wear a mask isn’t the worst anyone here has had to put up with. But it still sucks.

      • Gender Traitor

        the “eating shit” scale

        At least this week I’ll get more bread for my shit sammich.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      I know your conflict in all this, just try to play the middle as best you can, we are here for you GT,
      Cheers

    • rhywun

      It’s even more frustrating when you feel like you’re the only sane one in a Twilight Zone episode.

      We’re here to vent to each other, so keep it comin’.

    • Don escaped Cancun

      I got this from my stand-in-shit-all-day-and-salute-the-flag old man: I could grind through anything because I was working on that pile of fuck-you money. Eye on the prize. He worked the same job 43 years; I would have killed somebody.

      I’m a huge dick now, of course, but I was fairly tolerable until I got my son’s college paid for. Night and day, lady: this too shall pass.

    • Mojeaux

      Hey, you. Your problems are just as important as the rest of our problems. Dump anytime. You know my email. 😉

    • one true athena

      Yeah, I think the frustration is fair. and i know i”m sick to death of wearing them here in Cali. We all know it’s stupid and useless, but the Do Something!!! chant is powerful, and the people in authoritah have to be seen to Do Something.

      Maybe wear the most non-compliant mask you think you can get away with, and take breaks. If you’re a good actress, you could try faking a panic attack when you put the mask on, and see if that’ll get you an exemption?

      • UnCivilServant

        Today I just went through to trouble of getting my doctor to fill out a form attesting to the fact that I can’t breathe with a mask on.

        The only exception they would grant was permittion to telecommute 100%. This may not help GT depending on how much of a sticker her bosses are for everyone to follow the same rules, and she already said she can’t telecommute.

      • Gender Traitor

        I appreciate the suggestions, but we were masked up for months in 2020, maybe even into 2021. (I’m repressing the memory of the details.) I don’t think they’d buy the panic attack act. (I can’t speak to my acting skills except to say that I AM a recovering mime.) They’re supplying the useless paper masks, and I’d just as soon not spend a penny on a mask myself. (And I couldn’t get away with wearing one with a smartass comment printed on it, as tempting as it might be.)

      • UnCivilServant

        PTSD from the previous months of masking?

    • Gender Traitor

      Thanks so much for your support, everybody! I feel better already! ?

    • Gustave Lytton

      Sorry GT. My company did that several months ago, but except when certain parties are around, no one in my location does it.

    • Loveconstitution1789

      My advice is at the very least complain about any Kungflu restrictions. Saying nothing doesnt work as evidenced by the tyrants implementing all the restrictions they have for the last 22 months. Yup 22 months.

      I live in a state where we didnt have those restrictions. No govt mask requirements. No lockdowns. Not that people didnt wear masks or act weird.or some businesses require masks. You go to the businesses that didnt require masks and the masks businesses cave after they lack customers.

      For all the talk of govt, I have lived a way more normal life these last 22 months because I never got a jab or involuntarily wore a mask.

    • Sean

      Sorry GT.

  17. slumbrew

    Somewhat on topic:

    June is the 5th anniversary for the missus & I.

    Get-away ideas? Leaning towards fancy.

    By comparison, honeymoon involved a few nights here:

    https://www.fourseasons.com/hualalai/

    (we were in Hawaii for her cousin’s wedding anyway)

    Stupid expensive, but the nicest place I’ve ever been. It’s legitimately my happy place (I think about the afternoon I spent reading my kindle on one of the sun-shaded lounges on the beach while a dude brought me the occasional cocktail).

    Suggestions: Go!

    • UnCivilServant

      I’d be worried that Hawaii would still be in lockdown mode in June.

      • Q Continuum

        Turks and Caicos.

        Best beaches I’ve ever seen.

      • slumbrew

        Definitely on the list. We were looking hard at that before we went to Aruba for my wife’s 40th. Biggest negative is that’s it’s a PITA to get to from the Boston area – nothing direct, long layovers.

      • Tundra

        Yes. Just got back. Perfection

      • Gustave Lytton

        Fucking fascists. Need to stretch some coconut trees.

      • Loveconstitution1789

        1. Caribbean.

        2. Safer beach stay would be Gulf side Florida white sand beaches, like Pensacola. You can always drive home if some govt tyranny changes flight plans.

    • creech

      I hear Australia is lovely this time of year. Maybe a bit shlocky, but Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas is over the top. Gambling on site, great golf down the street at the Ocean Club, fishing and scuba, upscale and downscale shopping in Nassau, fresh seafood, cool aquarium, good looking female scenery (wear mirrored sunglasses so wife doesn’t catch on but then she’ll be checking out the dudes herself).

      • slumbrew

        We’ve kicked around Bahamas a bit already (and Bermuda). I’ll take a closer look. Gambling & golf ain’t our thing (food, outdoor stuff is) but it’s worth a look. Thx.

      • rhywun

        I… would not risk Australia.

        You might not get out.

      • Sean

        Fuck Australia.

    • Gender Traitor

      Don’t know what general part of the country you might have had in mind, but for what I imagine would be a nice, old-fashioned “fancy,” I’ve always been intrigued by this place. (Would love to know if any Glibs have been there.)

      • slumbrew

        We’re in the Boston area but will travel a bit.

        That looks really cool, thanks!

        Reminds me I wanted to look at this place: https://www.mohonk.com/

      • Gender Traitor

        Love the UP of MI, but skipped Mackinac Island – outside the budget. I think I read there’s even a charge for non-guests to stroll around on the porch of the hotel.

        That NY place looks magnificent!

      • Mojeaux

        there’s even a charge for non-guests to stroll around on the porch of the hotel.

        Capitalism is awesome.

      • Annoyed Nomad

        GT, My wife and I went to Mackinac Island for a few days last May. We stayed in a little boutique hotel, the Mackinac house, on the island. It was nice and not too expensive. We did go up to the Grand Hotel and paid the entry fee to walk around. They have a “Somewhere in Time” exhibit room. The grounds are impressive.
        As for the lack of cars, it’s not an impediment. Much of the island is walkable, especially if you want to get your steps in. Or rent a bike. We tried a tandem bike for the first time and rode the loop around the island.

      • Zwak, All dressed up in his ridiculous seersucker suit

        I hear there is a castle you can rent in Conneticut.

      • slumbrew

        Too close to my mother-in-law.

        Plus my wife would want to levitate above the bed after she saw a picture of that dude.

      • UnCivilServant

        Once I found out the island bans private motorcars, I removed it from the list of possible destinations.

      • Mojeaux

        Why?

      • UnCivilServant

        Because I concluded the only ways to get around are long, annoying walks, or on someone else’s schedule, potentially with being nickel and dimed by the horse carriage operators.

        I don’t like being on someone else’s schedule.

      • Not Adahn

        Bicycles FTW.

      • UnCivilServant

        I can’t ride a bike.

      • Mojeaux

        *cues Somewhere in Time*

        My mom and dad went there. They thought it was amazing.

    • KSuellington

      I don’t usually do hotels/resorts when we travel, usually prefer to rent a house, but I’m a huge Bond fan and would love to stay at the Goldeneye estate. It ain’t cheap, but it looks pretty fantastic. Don’t know if you want the international hassle (although maybe it will be less by then). I’ve never been to the Keys, so that would be another cool destination if you’d prefer to stay stateside.

      https://www.goldeneye.com/

      • slumbrew

        That looks sweet – I’ll run it by the wife.

        Thanks!

      • slumbrew

        OK, you’ve broken me. Well done.

        Both look awesome.

        However, the latter is $4,000 a night. The the treehouses aren’t much cheaper. I’m not rolling quite that large.

      • UnCivilServant

        $4000? That’s the budget for an entire summer road trip for two weeks of travel.

      • Tulip

        That’s twice what I spent on Florida including pet sitting.

      • Shpip

        Check out The Lodge at Primrose, or some of the other Auberge resorts.

        FWIW, my favorite is the Four Seasons at the beach in Lanai. We also have plenty of nice places in Florida, but in June it’s ninety-twelve degrees with 100% humidity — basically a boiled Ireland.

      • slumbrew

        After a few days as the Four Seasons Hulalai, we flew to Maui and did the Four Season at Wailea. Nothing wrong with it but utterly paled in comparison (Hulalai was really quiet, Wailea had lots of families).

        We did a day snorkel trip to Lanai* and, in retrospect, totally should have done the second leg there vs. Wailea.

        * that was when the boat got buzzed by a Globemaster in the Maui Channel – highlight of the day

      • slumbrew

        Ah, now Silversea is interesting – “a cruise” falls into my “nope” territory (see, also A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again) but a family friend, a real raconteur and man of the word, recommended Silversea for the “non-cruise” experience.

        The latter is also intriguing, as I could combine it with a visit to my ancestral home in Nova Scotia (there’s a whole town that was named after my weird family name, until recently); however, my mother _really_ wants to go to NS before she goes, so the timing might be awkward.

        Thanks, Shpip! Fantastic suggestions so far.

      • dbleagle

        It is California but this hotel in Yosemite is special.
        https://www.nationalparkreservations.com/lodge/yosemite-ahwahnee-hotel/?msclkid=b2b8d6bac6461b1f24cbb75219996bdf#property-header-menu

        Or spend time in AZ at the El Tovar right on the South Rim
        https://www.reservationdesk.com/hotel/606a61a/el-tovar-inside-the-park-grand-canyon-arizona/

        Both are spectacular and lots of outdoors things to do as well.

        Plus, in nearby Williams, AZ the old Santa Fe station is a funky little hotel that is very nice from what I have been told by friends.

      • slumbrew

        Former is already booked around our anniversary – I’ll take a look at the latter.

        Thanks!

      • grrizzly

        The restaurant at the Ahwahnee was the only place I considered entering that was actually enforcing the dress code: jeans are not allowed. I didn’t bother to carry with me a pair of dress pants to dine in this restaurant after a day of hiking (I was actually aware of the requirement beforehand) so we had to dine in the Ahwahnee Bar across the hall instead.

    • The Bearded Hobbit

      It took me a while to type this up. Here’s what I’ve got.

      So, our twentieth was coming up. I felt that a landmark like that deserved something special, different from the now-routine dinners at a Really Nice Restaurant.
      Around this time there was a commercial airing for Izuzu 4x4s. This woman was putting on makeup and jewelry while the voiceover said, “It’s our anniversary tonight and my husband is taking me someplace special.”
      At the end of the commercial “someplace special” turned out to be the edge of a canyon at sunset. The couple, in eveningwear, was having a candlelight dinner. The Izuzu had brought them there.
      I resolved to duplicate that for our anniversary. I had to shoo the wife out of the house for several hours while I set it up. My destination was only about 10 miles away, a meadow at the bottom of a canyon. The last few miles were a 4×4 Low crawl over rocks. I set up a tent with our sleeping gear and unfolded a camping table. Finishing that I hauled-ass into town to buy some steaks, salad, and a bottle of wine. I managed to make it home before she did.
      As luck would have it a co-worker was having a party on the mesa above my camping spot on the afternoon of my dinner. I told the wife, “Put on a nice dress because I’m taking you to a nice place.” She changed into a stunning black dress and was watched with much interest by the guys at the party.
      When we got to the 4×4 part she started to have her doubts but I kept reassuring her. “it’s a nice place”.
      When we got to the campsite she was, at first, dismayed; “I wore a black dress to a picnic?”
      Once she saw that I had pre-planned everything she realized that this was a special night.
      I changed into a shirt and tie and then cooked steaks and baked potato to go with our salads. The evening breeze kept blowing out the candles but it didn’t matter. We did our special night that was the memory of a lifetime.

      • slumbrew

        That’s fantastic, Hobbit!

      • dbleagle

        Huzzah Hobbit! That is a winner for sure.

      • KSuellington

        Good show Hobbit!

      • Sean

  18. db

    I’m glad that Ocracoke is so hard to get to. It keeps the riffraff out.

  19. dbleagle

    Another idea is to book a chartered cruising yacht. June is a great time most years in the Pacific Northwest. Sailing the San Juan Islands in Washington is remarkable and well protected from rough seas. It would be just your party and a skipper and cook/mate onboard. You have a large say in both the menu and the daily sailing. You can be “active” in running the boat or not.

    I love sailing in the San Juans. Lots of orcas, pulling up full crab pots each morning, spectacular scenery. For a few shekels more go to BC and book the same gig in Desolation Sound- which is anything by desolate. DS is a true bucket list location.

    • dbleagle

      If you want to be one of ###them### you can also charter a power yacht. Spit.

      • slumbrew

        It’d be sail or nothing. My father would spin in his grave, otherwise.

  20. Festus

    Not sure if illicit materials will fall from my fundament but here is Jordan Peterson bringing the fire – https://youtu.be/oq2rBE5zwAs He’s even angrier than usual but he sums of my thoughts from this morning pretty well.

  21. rhywun

    Wednesday, January 19 – 7:00 PM
    Package delayed in transit

    I wonder if my package is sitting on the side of the railroad tracks somewhere.

    • dbleagle

      The packaging might be. Your items are long gone into some city.

  22. Brochettaward

    I have Firsted, but I have never seconded. Never, never seconded.

    Do you know how to First? Did they teach you that in school? I assume not, because teachers are communists. They shun meritocracy. The ultimate meritocracy is Firsting.

    Have you seen the Yellow King?

    • Brochettaward

      Ask the asshole who wrote that what criteria would be needed for him to support lifting the mask mandate and watch him sputter. If permanent is just “legal jargon” as he claims, and it’s still meant to be lifted at some point, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask beforehand what would need to happen for that to happen.

      Of course, getting any of the branch Covidians to actually stick to an argument over the period of even a month or two is difficult. Most religions are appealing because of the certainty they offer. The Covidians only know to prioritize Covid above all else, and whatever prescription at the time is most onerous they accept blindly. It doesn’t matter if it contradicts what they said five minutes ago if the CDC is now telling them to go along.

      • Brochettaward

        I should have read on. The guy admits he has no idea what “safe” case levels would be. Admits that the agency in question refuses to define that. But it aint permanent, ok?

      • Gustave Lytton

        The twitter comments are almost uniformly bashing the reporting and the underlying story.

      • Gustave Lytton

        The real problem is that the bureaucrats are immune to any personal accountability for their actions so it’s Tuttle buttle all day long.

  23. Tres Cool

    Ive been up all night drinking, and just spent 45 minutes watching a video of a guy restoring a 1930s mechanical pocketwatch.
    Disassembly, cleaning, reassembly. Mesmerizing.

    • UnCivilServant

      I’m surprised they brought it to the floor.

      • robodruid

        They think they can use this politically. With inflation continuing to increase, I don’t think anyone will care in November.

    • limey

      A day to express your love for a cheese lover/s.

    • Gender Traitor

      I knew my day would come! ?

      Good morning, Sean, ‘bodru, U, limey, & homey!

      • Tres Cool

        sup pimp juice
        Cold out there….wear your band aids.

      • Sean

        Mornin’

  24. limey

    The north Atlantic coast looks very superficially like much of the coast around the UK.

    • UnCivilServant

      On my two trips to England I only saw the countryside between London and Nottingham from the train window. My impression was “Looks like Upstate New York if you misplaced all the hills”

      I didn’t see the coast, I’m afraid.

      The article however, is talking about North Carolina, which is only North Atlantic if you’re measuring globally. In terms of the US Shoreline, it’s in the southern half.

      • Not Adahn

        Interesting. I thought it looked nothing like the US because the plant life was mostly alien.

      • Not Adahn

        Well, and also coming from TX/OK, the change in latitude meant that the sun looked different.

      • UnCivilServant

        I agree, the UK does not resemble the Texas/Oklahoma region.

      • Not Adahn

        They have holly… trees.

        The one thing they do have that’s familiar is blackberry bushes growing like weeds. Only theirs have far fewer wasps than I’m used to. And apparently Brits aren’t fond of them because we were able to find gobs of ripe unharvested fruit.

      • UnCivilServant

        Or it could be illegal to harvest the queen’s berries and you committed a felony against the crown.

      • Ghostpatzer

        harvest the Queen’s berries

        Some people can’t resist dried fruit.

      • UnCivilServant

        I was in a moving train. I saw broad brushstrokes, and didn’t get up close and personal with the flora.

  25. robodruid

    Good Morning my fellow Glibs.
    Have to go into the office to help brief base CE. Then zoom back home for more zoom meetings.
    Stay warm, it feels like 1 deg F out there.

    • Gender Traitor

      It’s 19 degrees here in SW OH (“feels like 9” per a local TV station’s weather web page.) I’ll stay warm once I get to my office. When I arrive lately, it’s usually about 79 degrees in my office, with 15% humidity. Have to run a little humidifier and a fan. Other parts of the building are uncomfortably cold.

      • Tres Cool

        Having just remembered to take the trash out, their “feels like” temp is a bit generous. Then again, Im not really dressed for it.

      • UnCivilServant

        You could try putting your pants back on.

      • Tres Cool

        “It feels nice out. So I left it out.”

  26. hayeksplosives

    That’s a fantastic travelogue! Thanks for the picks and the stories. I had no idea about the WWII preparation in that area.

    My great great…n+1…grandfather in my father’s side sailed from Cork, Ireland to the Virginia barrier island of Assateague back in late 1600s. He was from Welsh stock but was rewarded for fighting for the English king by being granted some land in Southern Ireland called Gethins Grotto. Gethins name has mutated for generations until the latest version is my maiden name (which I will withhold for now). I searched that island for the newest version of the name, and sure enough, found a couple of people, including the sheriff, who share my family name. They are both African American, why doesn’t surprise me since my ancestor wrote a will leaning his 4 slaves to his wife and son. His son freed them when he grew up, became a preacher, and headed west.

    The nearby Chincoteague island has an annual Chincoteague pony swim to move the island horses onto the mainland ( and a later round trip). Pretty crazy.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chincoteague_Pony

    • hayeksplosives

      Pardon the typos and bad autocorrect.

      • Gender Traitor

        Good morning, HS! How are you feeling?

      • hayeksplosives

        Much better, thank you!!

  27. l0b0t

    For vacation spots, I’ve always enjoyed the Sagamore on NY’s Lake George. Before the kids were born, ex was part of an org that held their annual convention there in the off season. We would stay in the lodges (cabins with kitchenettes), but the main hotel is very, very nice. https://www.thesagamore.com/

  28. Tulip

    Ship – this was awesome, I love that tower and would drink my morning coffee there.

  29. Tulip

    I am taking notes for future trips from Shpip and everyone else

  30. Ghostpatzer

    Thanks, Shpip. I had no idea there was so much history in the Outer Banks. Fascinating. And the calming effect of the sounds of the surf is what keeps me returning to the shore year after year. That’s what vacations are for

  31. Not Adahn

    So…

    How were the biscuits? Was the porn any good?

    • Ghostpatzer

      Self-service porn FTW.

    • rhywun

      Science!

  32. Ghostpatzer

    Price Gouging !!!11!!

    https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/01/19/senators-call-for-covid-19-test-price-gouging-investigation/1211642615453/

    Calling it “predatory and profiteering,” two U.S. Senators called on the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday, to investigate price gouging over COVID-19 tests.

    “The demand for these test kits by Americans concerned about their health, trying to protect friends and family from infection, or in need of a negative test for work, travel, or child care, has led to supply shortages and empty shelves across the country,”

    Increased demand leads to higher prices. Sounds right. I wonder why there is such an increased demand.

    • rhywun

      And don’t even think about giving your child a gendered name before it has a chance to decide for itself.

    • CPRM

      Kids these days got it so easy. For a fake ID you don’t even need one of the same sex anymore, and then you get to shame the bouncer who doesn’t believe that person that looks nothing like you is you.

      • Ghostpatzer

        This guy gets it.

    • Sean

      heh

    • rhywun

      TL;DR – it’s a pic of Stelter.

    • hayeksplosives

      The high-stakes world of spud farming. Who knew?

      Did Han Solo owe it money?