82 House Sitting

     It was Saturday December 7th and our week was over, time to pack up and move on.  Nice weather, the low last night was 65 today we had already seen the high for the day, rain and cold. Packed hurriedly, trying to load up before the rain got everything wet. Light mist, I wore my rain pants today, ( didn't want that mocking voice in my intercom.)  It was time for a zip lock freezer bag over our GPS looks like we were in for rain most of the day.  It was 55 by the time we left, another high for the day.   

It looks out of place without snow!

   We stopped by the resort office to turn in the keys.  As I hit the XM button and swung onto the road I mentioned the two songs on my Christmas Do Not Playlist.  Why did I do that, put a negative thought out there, I know better.  The very next song-- 
 

Hey! Chingedy ching,

(hee-haw, hee-haw)

It's Dominick the donkey.

Chingedy ching,

(hee-haw, hee-haw)

The Italian Christmas donkey.



(la la la-la la-la la la la la)




Either the tractor lights up or they can't move it!

     See if it stays in your head.  We had made this trip to Ocean Isle enough times that we made a note of some decadent decorations to get a picture of.  After a short time I realized I had made a mistake, I had not put on my heated jacket, I didn't say anything for a while fearing the mocking voices in my helmet would return.  When I did mention I was going to stop and suit up Ruthie was pretty nice about it more concern than mockery.  To save time I waited until a red light was stopping me and pulled into a gas station under the canopy to change, bad choice.  A sheriff pulled up to the intersection just as we pulled in.   As I took off my raincoat to put on my heated jacket I could see he hadn't moved.  When we were ready to pull out we found out why.  He


how many corvettes did you count?

closed the intersection to let a corvette group coming from the West cross and head for Camp Lejeune the Marine base.  We wondered if it might be part of the Marines "Toys for Tots" ride that many motorcycle groups participate in.  I wish we would have counted the cars, there were so many of them they started stacking up thru the intersection.  Finally we were on our way.  The rest of the ride was comfortable and in a couple of hours we were at our home for the week.  Ruthie had the key, so we walked in first to look around.  There was a letter from Wolfie on the table along with her treats.    We had left over chicken we had brought with us, one of roasters they have by the check outs, it will last us at least 3 days, pretty cheap meal.  We were a little chilled from the ride I remembered Mike had an electric blanket on the couch he liked to use when his shoulder was aching. Sure enough there it was. Sometimes you don't realize the depth of the chill until you start to warm up.

Pretty nice letter for a cat!

     Later I sat up a chair as my computer table and started to work on the blog.  I got up for something and when I returned the lady of the house (Wolfie) had taken over my chair.  No way was I going to ask her to move.  I had rubbed her treats in my hands, (works with horses) I want to get on her good side, she already bit Ruthie.  Wish cats were similar to horses we could have a session in the round pen and then we would get along.  No such luck. I moved to the other chair.   The next morning I was awake at 5:30 laid a blanket in front of the door crack to keep it quiet for Ruthie, donned my hooded sweat shirt, drink of water and to the computer,  Is this a game or what?  Wolfee is in my new chair.  Fine, back to the couch besides the electric blanket is there.  (I wonder if Mike will miss one little blanket?)  A few relaxing days followed, a your now our neighbor and thanks for helping with our move grilled steak dinner at Tom and Lindy's.  Fun time, and it was just a short chilly ride for a few blocks.   A phone call changed our plan for our next stop to Charlotte. 
Monday Dec 9,  We ran some errands with Tom and Lindy and they were kind enough to wait while Ruthie had a check up for her contact.   It had reached 61 degrees and we were back at our new residence we were prepared for a relaxing day.   

     Suddenly Ruthie was waking me with an urgency in her voice I don't oven hear.  Tom had called and Lindy had fallen thru the ceiling to the living room below, he needed our help. (We


Studs two foot on center.

were the only ones they knew within hundreds of miles.)   It will be a long time before I forget that picture, poor lindy laying on the floor amidst blown in insulation and cardboard boxes.  The ceiling drywall was hanging wide open.   Ruthie gave her comfort and tried to access her condition.  A pain in her back led us to call 911.  Great response time, about 3 minutes.   We stayed to clean up the mess and borrowing a cordless drill from the neighbor we tacked the ceiling back up as best we could.  Looking back one interesting side note.  The ambulance driver asked what hospital they wanted to use.  They told him they just moved here from New Jersey, he asked what exit? (another transplant)  Tom called, our fears were justified.  Lindy had shattered her  2nd lumbar.  They transferred her specialist in Wilmington for the repair.  We have been in contact with Tom and Lindy, the operation went well and she is back at home on the road to recovery.   I'm sure her great attitude is helping with the recovery.  

81 Estuary?

Dec 6 Friday,  Last day in the New Bern time share.  We had big plans plus we always find something while we are riding.  

Yup, we were here!

     At the welcome session they had suggested a ride to Washington NC to see the Estuarium.  Felt compelled to find out what the word meant.   Dressed for the ride we were comfortable and enjoying the scenery.  Washington, often called little Washington as it was the first American city named after George.  The town was burned during the civil war by the evacuating Union troops.  Should I cover my Minnesota plates?  Naw I think its all good here.  A small town, it was easy to find the Estuarium on the banks of the Pamlico sound.  The big question still remained, what the heck is a Estuary?   Paid the five dollars for the answer.  Sure, could have googled it but the tour and film was interesting.   Basically it is where the freshwater joins and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.  The salt concentration is constantly changing and provides a nursery for ocean creatures.  As usual, man is the biggest threat to it.  One of the featured displays was a large room sized living sculpture that showed the eco system of an estuary.  Interesting as the guide put a tennis ball (representing moisture) in play and it travel thru the sculpture across the ceiling thru the clouds and falling again in the form of rain.  Impressive but impossible to capture with the camera.
     After our education we headed to another suggested spot.  Bills Hot Dogs, since 1928 and easy to find.  We were told that the correct order should be "a dog all the way" the yellow sauce was to spicy for Ruthie, I ate hers and she went back to get two "not all the way" I'll deal with the heartburn later.  We sat on the bench outside eating our dogs as the customers filed by.  One young man came on a unique (at least to us) motorcycle.  It had a very long swing arm for the rear tire.  I had only observed these on hill climb bikes although he said they were quite common in the area.  Important facts, he got 6 dogs all the way, ate two and had the other 4 to go. 
     Next stop, Atlantic Beach.   During the ride this morning and now heading back past New Bern we had noticed several places along side the road where the trees were standing in water.  It made for some interesting pictures and at some point I wondered about our elevation.  Checking the GPS it varied between a few feet above to 8 feet below sea level.  (got to be a mistake).
     We arrived in Atlantic Beach around 1:30 and made our way to Fort Macon.  A strange 5 sided fort almost buried in the dunes.  It had a large court yard in the center, then a five sided Fort area surrounded by a large moat like area and finally more cells or rooms buried in the dunes.  The walls are over four feet thick.   As part of a coastal defense defending the coast from Black Beard to the British, Confederates used it to defend against the Union gunboats however it fell to the Unions ground assault.
     Realizing the obsolescence of the old Fort it was sold in 1923 as military surplus for one dollar to North Carolina as a park.   It was put back to use one more time during World War II when the Army leased it back.  Even used as a prison for a while it has certainly seen it all including being the last shot of the civil war in a most unusual way.   During the time the Army leased it back some soldiers rolled what they thought was iron shot into a fireplace, it wasn't, powder filled balls from the civil war exploded killing two of them.  It was 1946 the Confederacy had struck again.
     On the way back we stopped at New Bern to take the Christmas light tour, really wasn't anything we couldn't have seen from the trike.  The best part was a stop at  "The Aerie Bed and Breakfast, an Inn since 1882.  The host already very tall greeted us with tails and a top hat.  Looked like a giant to me.  Interesting because it was one of the B&B's we had walked past on the way to dinner the day before.
      A careful ride home in the dark, with an alert eye out for deer and bear. Tomorrow we leave, where too?  Our new friends from Ocean Isle (Thanksgiving) had asked us to house set and watch Wolfie (cat) while they made a trip back to New Jersey.  However I think they are helping us more than we are aiding them.  Nice people!

80 The Palace

December 4th  Today rain was forecast but we didn't mind.  It gave us a chance to play some cribbage watch some movies on Netflix and enjoy our time share.  Ruthie let me win today so things were looking up.  

The original stable.

Dec 5,

   Today we have big plans, a lite breakfast and we are on the way.  Our first stop was at the museum accompanying the Tryon palace.  Although we don't seek out museums we have found that some of them give us a better picture of the area and provide some interesting stories.  We spent some time at Tyron Palace.  Originally build by the British, Tryon very unpopular partially due to the extra taxes imposed to fund the building of the palace only lived in it a year before he was relocated to New York.  During the American revolution it was taken over by the patriots.   Once the North Carolina state capital it deteriorated after the capital was moved to Raleigh.  Hay stored in the basement (can you believe it, who stores hay in a palace?) caught fire and it burned to the ground.  Only the stable remained.  In the 1930's a movement was started that took 29 years to complete.  Using the original plans, (explain to me how they can do that, find plans from 1765.  I can't find my Gold Wing magazine from last month.  That would be "H.O.G." to you Harley riders.) buildings were moved, highways rerouted and bridges build to enable reconstructing the Palace on the original
 foundation.   It was furnished the way it was during its heyday.  The tour guides were dressed in period costume's.   And I for one thank them, it was very interesting, living history, the best kind.   The gardens
were beautiful but of course I had to see the stable, their horses lived pretty good.  A tour of the kitchen area gave me a chance to finally see how a spinning wheel operates.  Ruthie was intrigued with the holiday decorations of fruit they way it would have been in that period. 
     We had been dodging a large group of children all day, in order to avoid being in the same house with them we took a walk downtown.  It was fun to walk by the historic buildings, some had been turned into bed and breakfasts or offices.  On the corner of the main street where we turned was the drug store where "Brads Drink" was invented in 1893.  In 1903 he moved to a rented warehouse for production, sold close to 8,000 gallons of the syrup and 19,000 gallons the next.  Advertised as healthful, what was it?  Winner gets a half dozen of it. 
     Just down the street we stopped at MJ’s Raw Bar for a bite to eat while the school group dispersed.  While there we received a call from daughter Michelle back home in Minnesota.  The wind chill was 25 below, made us feel even warmer. We returned to tour the Dixon and Stanley houses.  A couple of interesting tidbits,  at one time 1 out of 4 people in North Carolina was a slave and the constitution considered a slave as 3/5 of a person.  And that Mrs. Stanley was a shouting Methodist.  Never had heard that term before.  We had checked with a trolley company to do a narrated tour of the town and walked to the pick up point.  Climbing on the tour bus we waited for it to begin.  We were told that they had to have 6 to

Roni's ride, note the "air horn".

complete the tour.  I tried to help them with the count, lets see there are two of us, a lady from New Zealand, the driver and the narrator that's 5 should be close enough.  No deal the wheels aren't turning.  When will they learn?  It's better to break even or lose a little in the interest of future business. 
     Disappointed that we couldn't take the tour we rode a stretch golf cart back to where we had parked the trike this morning.  Bad choice, right in front of a sea food restaurant.   Not much at home to eat, (excuse) the resort had recommended it (excuse) might as well go in and check it out.   The Sting ray café turned into another fond memory for the day. 
     Nice meal and our waitress Ava  kept calling us "baby" I'm thinking I like it.   I went up to the register  to pay our bill and the clerk asked if we had the trike outside.  The next thing I knew I was telling Ruthie I was taking her for a short ride, initially it was to the end of the street, then around the block, then Roni said "we have to take this on the freeway".  She directed me to the flyover and out to the freeway, a couple of bursts of speed a U-turn and back to the restaurant.  Didn't seem long but Ruthie said it must have been half an hour.  I was thinking she must be the manager or owner to leave like that then she said "I don't care if I do lose my job, this was worth it". 
Guess that answers that.  Another trike admirer in New Bern, an email from her later invited us to stop by next time we are in the area.  
We had received a phone call from Desk services that a package had been received for us.  We had been expecting a set of rain pants so it was not unexpected.  Stopping at the resort office I was greeted by two friendly ladies while Ruthie waited on the trike.  How do I know your Mr. Jeremy Chromer one of them asked?  "Well that will be hard for me to prove" showing my license and blog card, "I believe that is from Cromer LLC to me,  four names cool.  I could have been  a wise guy and mention that the recipient is usually in the center and not the upper left, but that's not like me.  (Ruthie says, it is so like you)  The receptionist had a personal question she wanted to ask me. (probably the reason for the mistake, get a little nervous when asked if they can ask a personal question). She said, "I’m recently divorced, is this your first or second marriage?"  Where is this going anyway?   Evidently she had heard we were riding on the trike for an extended period of time and wondered if we had grown to love to travel the way we do.  Or had we both already liked traveling this way and found each other later in life?  Good question, married for almost 50 years we had always had motorcycles, we had always loved to travel just never had the opportunity.  Then around 2000 we discovered the touring motorcycles.  A couple of years later we converted our bike to a trike and the riding increased.  And now with retirement (the time) and traveling on a budget we have been able to combine the two for this extended winter trip.  I hope she is able to find someone to enjoy her passion with, nice person.      

79 Cotton

Always a bow, grandma says.

     It took a little doing however we managed to increase our drive time going back to New Bern by four hours.  Not wanting to travel back on the same road we turned west on the first black top road.  It took some time before the GPS generated a path that didn't go back thru Jacksonville.  We wandered and took a lunch break at a fifty's style cafe in Wallace NC.   I noticed a young lady in the booth behind us with a cool lunch basket, it was a 66 ford pickup complete with customizing decals.  Her name was Windsor and she has her own blog. ( how did I get such a late start.)    We had a great chicken cheese steak sandwich and fries.  As she left Windsor presented us with the Ford basket we had been admiring, what a sweetheart!  Before we left we purchased some more for our grandchildren (I'm thinking Christmas presents). We had a great waitress named Tiffany, she had the characteristics of a southern Belle and of course the accent, I'm loving this area.  I wish someone would have tried the 50 ounce burger challenge , it has to be eaten at the counter with a side order of fries in 30 minutes.
      As we exited an elderly gentleman parked beside the trike. "Its to hot to ride that thing isn't it?  He asked, what a smart    ------   Ruthie showed him the cords from our heated jackets and he understood.  "Where y'all from anyway?   "Minnesota!  "Oh my god! As he spun to walk away.  We noticed his car had some front end damage,  I suggest not buying a grey car or following this guy.  His 2010 car had five deer hits! 
     As we left we seen that  a man was waiting to talk to us.  ( avoid eye contact) Love the ride he said, I used to have an Interstate! (an older model of our gold wing) "A branch the size of that banner (about  5 feet long) fell on my head the day before thanksgiving!  The back of my head was swollen the size of a baseball, soaked it in the bathtub and went to work on thanksgiving.  Ride safe."  All this information in seconds.  Avoid eye contact

Strange guy picking cotton!

     Just across the road from the parking lot was a mansion enclosed in overgrowth, it would have been great to see it in its grand days.
     We continued on our way, today we were just wandering on the way to our current landing spot.  Our farm backgrounds led our interest to the cotton fields, stopping at a field that had been picked.  Ruthie wanted to see the cotton up close.  I dismounted, crossed the blacktop and the drainage ditch on the other side.  I picked up some of the pods and dropped cotton.     Interesting, it feels just like a cotton ball, there seems to be lots of waste from the combine.  The stop created a problem.  Ruthie was of the opinion that the field had not been harvested until all the stalks were flat to the ground, mine was that the majority were still standing when harvested.  Sometimes it is just better to keep your opinion to yourself.  The voices started in my head,  What are you smoking?  How do you think the combine can pass thru the field and leave the stalks up?  Where did you go to school?  (its getting personal now.) And on and on, where's the mute button.  How are we going to settle this?      We were enjoying the scenery on these rural roads.  Taking some pictures as we traveled along.   Every time we seen a cotton field the voices would repeat in my head.  At one time we thought we seen a field being harvested but it turned out to be a bean field.  And then good fortune shone on "me" that's right me, you will see why.  At an intersection not to far from Trenton North Carolina I noticed a lot of activity in the cotton fields on the South East corner.  I turned around in a church parking lot and parked between the chain gate and road surface.  We were going to settle this argument once and for all.  Little did we know that the local authority on cotton was exiting the church.  He pulled up beside us and went back to lock the chain gate.  The mysteries of cotton were about to be revealed to us.

     Virgil had been raised in the area on a farm.  As a young lad they used mules to farm and had actually picked cotton, a very hard job as the pods don't give up there fruit easily.  Now on to the important question, who will win this controversy.  As you can see in the picture when the combine passes thru the field it does pick the majority of the cotton however it leaves most of the stocks standing.  Vern 1, Ruthie 0.  (today) At some point before fall a mower comes thru and finishes the job, Virgil said the stock is like a small tree and if we drove our trike out there now it would probably puncture the tires.  When the hopper is full a transfer wagon comes and dumps it in a machine that compresses it into a very large (huge)  bail   The next step for this cotton is to a cotton gin where the seeds are removed.  Evidently they are intertwined in the ball and very difficult to remove.  Poor Ely Whitney's little invention is even blamed for the increase of slavery and a contributor to the civil war. 
     Virgil would have made a wonderful tour guide.  We walked to a field a few yards away and showed us a collard patch.  I still don't think I will be eating many of them.  Found out he likes grits also.  And then he took us to tour his church.   The pride in the history of the building and acquisition of the necessary building materials is obvious.  There is a lot of love for this church.  The original church building was built in the 1940's as a dance hall, its checkered past continued from country store, pool room, a questionable social gathering site and finally a warehouse before it became The Calvary Memorial Church.   Certainly proof of the old saying even a cracked vessel can carry water.  The original church now an annex to the beautiful Chapel we were touring.  Many of the details of the acquisition and building is a testament to faith.  The rafters themselves were supplied by a company that had just build the same size for another church, had the jig already set and gave them a discount.  Because it is light, strong insect resistant and beautiful Cypress lumber was the desired material for the ceiling however due to the budget they had to settle for pine.  While scouring the area for pine they stopped by the Cove City Lumber Co.  Back on a rack an order of the cypress they needed lay covered on the shelf.  Twelve years prior a deposit had been paid, lumber cut and stocked, then forgotten.  When contacted the original buyer didn't need it anymore.  At a discounted price the lumber yard ripped, planed, and tonged and grooved it.   A beautiful place to worship.  Bless all who gather here!
   Soon it would be dusk and we would rather not be on the road in the dark.  One more question before we leave.  We had noticed what we thought were old tobacco curing sheds on our ride.  Virgil confirmed that they were and mentioned the ones we seen were smaller than the ones we had seen in Kentucky, these were heated with oil.  He had purchased one, placed it close to his home and finished the upstairs as a prophets room.  Not familiar with the term he explained it is a room set aside for traveling ministers or missionary's.
     We wished Virgil well, set the GPS on fastest route and headed to New Bern.  We entered a freeway and the first warning sign was to watch out for bears on the road, first time we had seen this one.  As we rode we scanned for the tell tale glow of eyes in the ditch, didn't want this ride to end badly.  Safe and sound back at the timeshare I think we will rest tomorrow.  It had been a busy couple of days. 

78 New Bern NC

      Breakfast featuring Mike's special freezer bag omelets some hugs and we were on our way back to Carolina beach.  That was tough, I don't know how you can get so attached to people that fast.  Maybe its the thought that even with the best of intentions you may never see them again.     

Now picture him on a thoroughbred!

     We took the shortcut thru Southport and caught the Ferry back to the island.  Due to our early arrival we were staged next to another cycle.  Michael, a Marine returning to base on his crouch rocket seemed to have his future well planned.   He loves to race,  after his tour he was going to Europe to race and study motorcycle engineering  I noticed his cycle had been repaired, I asked if he was riding it at the time.  "Yes!" asked if he was injured?  "Naw, just traumatic brain injury, got hit by a dump truck once, that sucked."  I guess when you are younger some things aren't as notable. (or as our daughter said, maybe it was because of the injury.)  Always intrigued by the passenger seat on these bikes I took a picture of the riding position.  Reminded me of Eddie Arcaro.

  Nice visit with a Ferry boat employee during our cruise.  He retired to the area from Massachusetts, rides a Royal Star Venture,  we have converted a few of these and although they make a great trike, they are quite a handful as a two wheeler if you are vertically challenged.  Thankfully Tom moves these around the shop for me.
        It is often strange when you learn something new and then within a short time you hear or see it again.  I makes you wonder what else you've been missing.  At thanksgiving Mike and Dale had mentioned Road Runner magazine and the "shamrock" rides and now today this gentleman suggested I read it.  Better check it out. 

Havana's, got to know them pretty well, easy walk home! 

     Nov 30 2013.    We packed our belongings into the trike and camper, circled the block to take a couple of pictures, and headed out of Carolina Beach.  It had been fun!  A quick stop at Ihop to see if they had found Ruthie's earring, no such luck, she has had a problem on this trip.  Glad I didn't wear any.   New Bern, here we come.   It was 55 for most of the trip,  with the sun shining on us it was very comfortable of course we had our heated jackets on.   The XM was playing Christmas music and at times Ruthie was singing along.   A great day.  As we traveled along I made a mental note to delete two songs from my Christmas play list. (I know it's XM, a mental note, satisfied?)    "All I want for Christmas is a Hippopotamus" and  "Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey".   I didn't feel the need to mention it to Ruthie at the time. 

We had rode for some time when Ruthie mentioned she was hungry, we happened to be with in sight of a Texas Road house,  having only left overs from McDonald's for  breakfast the morning.  I felt we deserved a real meal for a change.   We were greeted with the smell of baking bread (not thumper biscuits I'm thinking).   On the way in they asked us if we wanted to choose our steak, great marketing.   Alexi our server made us feel right at home.  In between a couple of helpings of the hot buttered rolls she mentioned that a  Italian Christmas tradition she enjoyed was Spedini, will have to try it someday.   Our appetite, or perhaps the smell of fresh baked buttered buns,  got the best of us and we split a t bone porterhouse.  Chalk it up as another favorite.  On the road I mentioned I had overheard Lindy asking the truck drivers brother if he would like to help unload the semi on Monday when they took possession of their home.  I don't think he actually said "are you serious" but I got the distinct impression that he would rather be on the end of the truck with the steering wheel and would not be attending the off loading party.   I took this opportunity to ask Ruthie if she would like to help them out.  You know the answer already don't you?  A phone call to Tom and Lindy and we made plans to meet them at 1pm on Monday.

     Why New Bern?  Back in October we sat in the Pioneer Club with our friend Larry,  and picked some points on the map where we thought we might be on a particular date.  He had offered us some time share weeks that he wasn't using in exchange for part of the maintenance fee.   That's right, just a point on the map, don't care what's there, its the latitude that's important.      At New Bern we were impressed when the freeway flyover's were actually suspended over water.  Cool!        When we checked in the time share was still be cleaned, we were given a run down on do's and do not's.   Looks like it would be costly to have a dog or smoke in a room, major fines.  We found out there was a welcome reception at the recreation center Monday at nine, should fit into our plan, if we arrived there ready to ride we should be able to make the offloading party.  While we were waiting for our room we made a run to the convenience store.  Picked up some breakfast items, popcorn, returned and checked out our new digs.  Very nice, we will be very comfortable here.  Second floor isn't a problem for us, but it is something to remember.   Washer, dryer, screened in balcony over looking golf course, why would we want to leave?  To ride of course.
     Sunday it was just nice to relax, we walked to the restaurant on the grounds, checked out the marina, tried to find if the Minnesota Vikings were telecast.  (looks like bowling took precedence on the local channels). 

     Dec 2nd  5 am   A little computer work while Ruthie's resting.  The spot tracker website only saves the files for 30 days, I download them and save them to make maps for the blog later.  

     Big day today, welcome reception and then back to Ocean Isle for the off loading party.  We estimated it would take us about three hours if we didn't stop.  We dressed for the ride back and headed to the reception, nice folk,  We met Les, what a card.  He said so many Northerners had moved here they called it Yankee stadium, , some call this retirement community gods waiting room,  people like it here, the guy that brings the snow takes it away too. He wants to be buried in his yard, he has his wife's hole ½ dug.   We have lots of  half backs here, Northerners that retired to Florida got tired of it and came half way back to their home.   We found out later that he and Suzanne gave tours of the area, he said they are the Burns and Allen of tours, (comedians). We had hoped to go on one of there outing but it didn't work out,  they had to have at least 6 signed up or the bus didn't move.     Welcome at the community, lots of fun activities and places to go, will have to try and take some in.  We were told to expect a continental style breakfast and was not prepared for the fare we were offered, oatmeal, fruit, bagels, rolls pastry and of course yogurt.   We wouldn't need to stop for lunch.

      10:15 on the road to Ocean Isle to help our new friends unload the semi with their belongings.  A pleasant ride about 150 miles, it started at 46 degrees and was close to 60 by the time we arrived.  As we pulled onto their street we could see the semi and they were already unloading.  Stripping off our helmets and jackets we joined in.  Lindy and Tom had done a great job of marking the boxes and labeling the rooms they were to go in.  The sun had came out as we arrived and it didn't take long for Ruthie and I to take a break and switch into some cooler gear.  We finished around four o'clock and after a refreshment break provided by their new neighbor.  (he had drove by earlier in his mustang, said he would like to help, however he was to light for heavy work and to heavy for light work!) all was forgiven when he brought over drinks.  It looks like this will be a good place for Tom and Lindy.  Our thanksgiving friends Dale and Mike had invited us to spend the night to avoid a cycle trip back in the dark.  Again Dale had outdone her self.  A pork loin with potatoes, onions and celery in a slow cooker. I still think about it.  We were joined at dinner by some more transplants from the North.  Billy and Doll had been in the Carolina's for a few years now.  They were both born on Staten Island, she said it was one of the five boroughs of New York City.  (had to look it up, it seems each borough is a county within the city).   We visited for a while however the moving had taken its toll and we headed to bed, tomorrow we ride back to New Bern.  

77 Sit, Eat you'll like it!

      We enjoyed our little Island paradise for a few days.  Playing cribbage while we waited for our laundry.  More walks on the beach.  A walk out on the pier lined with people of all ages.  On the 22nd Ruthie walked the beach while I worked on a couple of maintenance items on the trike.  Had some lookers as I had it tore apart in the motel parking lot.  Reassembling the trike we went to Michael's seafood restaurant, shucked steamed oysters.  What Ruthie assured me was ground garlic turned out to be raw horseradish, (my eyes still burn and I don't think my sinuses will ever be the same.)   On an exploratory walk I found a senior center, very nice, warm friendly people, books to read and a invite for lunch.  Returned with Ruthie, at our table was Margaret, she works for the city maintenance, she mentioned in her travels around she had seen us our and about and had been keeping an eye on our trike.  Ruthie mentioned her walks on the beach and was searching for a word to describe it, Margaret said Majestic!   Good word, that covers a lot of what we see. 

 

It's called parade rest  left over from Navy days!

     Nasty weather and winds heading our way, A tornado watch all night,  I went down to the cycle and brought our helmets up just in case.  No since taking a chance, most tornado injuries are head injuries and the government says my helmet will save me.  I remember one time when our daughters were young and we lived in a wooded area, there had been storm warning's We came home to find them huddled in the basement with motorcycle helmets on.  Yes Virginia, that was before cell phones.
     We were excited about our Thanksgiving get together tomorrow.   We rode to the grocery store in an annoying little mist  to pick up our contribution.  Some assorted fruit, it would be easy to keep and prepare when we arrived.    A dish to serve it in, we are set.
     Thanksgiving day.  The official start wasn't until two pm however with the distance and our reliance on public transportation (ferry) we decided to get an early start.  The Fort Fisher Ferry saved us many miles of city driving and was conveniently located at the South end of the Island.  As a bonus, a boat + food (vending machines) = another cruise for Ruthie,  It was 32 degrees this morning while I was hooking up the camper, what's with this I don't get it.  All my life while living in
Minnesota the weather man tells how cold it is where I live and how warm it is down South and now that I'm here there doesn't seem to be much difference and sometimes home is actually warmer.  Maybe the people at the senior center were right, we dragged the cold weather down with us.
      As we approached our destination I switched off the "gypsy tracker" out of respect for the New Jersey attendees.  (Strange coincidence that was just an answer on Jeopardy this week and the champion had gotten it wrong.  His question was "What is the Witness relocation program, Alex.")   Lady Dale and Mike were surprised to see us this early, there was very little we could do with preparation as they had it well covered.   The only one that could care less if we arrived was Wolfie the cat, black, she was called Barack for a year before the previous owner came looking for her and told Dale her given name.  An independent cat she had chose to live on the street rather than at her old home.  It was decided that it would be best for all if she stayed with Lady Dale.  

Must be the place!

     While we are waiting to see who shows up I will tell you a little about our hosts.  Mike just retired from a senior editor position with a major men's magazine.   Commuting on his Ducati thru the crowed streets of Manhattan to work.  That and his conquest for speed has led to a very interesting life.  Holding land speed records and acting as a consultant to national TV broadcasts and programs such as Myth Busters he loves to expose hoaxes and false claims.  It is interesting where the conversation may branch off to.  An example,  I was mentioning we had noticed that the BBQ around here was vinegar based and of course he knew of a researcher who had studied the path of BBQ as the settlers and their recipes headed West.  Originally from Detroit, his father was the captain of the largest cargo ship on the great lakes and navigated the same path as the Edmund Fitzgerald very close to the time of it's sinking.  

Is this disturbing to you?

     Lady Dale retired from managing a major metropolitan social club.  You could see from looking around that she had put her management skills to good use.  I think we were prepared if a hundred people showed up and with the warmth in this home I'm sure she would welcome them all.  Together they have traveled on two wheels in the most exotic areas.  South Africa, how would you like to come around a curve and have a pile of elephant dung in the middle of the road?  Dale called themselves "bait on a bike".  Or perhaps find thousands of sheep in the road.  (New Zealand).   A new car was delivered to their home every week for Mike to test drive.   Like us they have a goal of riding their motorcycle to Nova Scotia, they are worse than we are at wandering having started out four times and not made it yet.  They keep meeting other cyclist on the road and end of going to another destination.  
     Inquiring on their successful lives, they both said find something you have a passion for and do it the best you can.  Asked if they had a career path goal and they said it was due to social drift.  To make sure I understood what she meant I emailed Dale.  In a nutshell. When someone or something changed the direction I was going or the direction I thought I was going.   Thanks Dale
  
     During dinner and the next day (Our new friends encouraged us to spent the night)  we met a wide variety of interesting guests.   The quests were as varied as the invitation pamphlet had suggested. There were---
    A truck driver and his brother, a son and his 96 year old father (a slight interesting man that seemed to enjoy the food greatly, I was full just watching him eat, where in the world does he put it all.)  Varied guests from the Old farts motorcycle club including Ben and we finally met his wife Sue (it must be Friday), friends of our hosts from New Jersey and this area.  A couple that had recently gotten married, I'm guessing late 60's,  a homeless couple, just teasing they are Tom and Lindy, staying with our hosts as they are in the process of relocating (from New Jersey)  and were waiting to get into their home.  That's why the truck driver is here with a 55 foot semi full of their things (no one is homeless with Lady Dale and Mike around) a gentleman with (trying to remember) perhaps 3-4 gold chains adorning his neck and perhaps 5-6 large ornate gold rings, (left quite an impression as they would.).  Some were born on an island, neat, Staten of course.   We found some of the couples were frequenters of Gunnison Beach NJ, (I was uninformed, in case you are also... In the 1800's it was the Gunnison battery the last line of defense to protect New York harbor, the service men used to skinny dip there.  Now it is the largest clothing optional beach on the East coast.  On any given summer weekend their may be 5000 naturists enjoying the Sandy Hook area.) 


Looks like this isn't Lady Dale's first Rodeo

     One couple met there.  Knew each other for 10 years and on the first date was the first time they seen each other with clothes. (yup, going blind for sure.)   The couples relocating from New Jersey are trying to escape the deterioration of their neighborhoods, the increasingly high property taxes while relocating to a milder climate and still staying a close proximity to the ocean.  But not to close,  as our hosts had furnished shelter for hurricane Sandy victims during the disaster.  I still think I may have inadvertently stepped onto the set of a sitcom in the Bronx, New Jersey or Manhattan.  Besides the accents even the word phrasing is unique, If you were to mention something you might need or want done, you hear. "listen, I know a quy...   Or I have people.        At one point I thought it would be great to go around the tables taking pictures of the guests.   I like to have pictures to remember details.  I though should I?   I thought of Dale's knife holder out in the kitchen.  Then in my mind I pictured this.  I stood up with camera in hand,  three male guests approach me,  a large man (probably in the "Program") on my left, a nudist in front of me (not a prude, well maybe, struggling with this thought a little) the gold chained man on my right is talking.  He gently but firmly puts his ringed hand on the back of my neck, leans close to my ear, applies a little pressure with his hand and with his new Jersey accent; "listen my friend, that better be a giant cigarette lighter in your hand because some don't appreciate Kodak moments!"  Good enough for me,  I asked him if he needed a light and kept on eating.

Memories!

       The day was similar to living in a hugging exuberant family I or most rural families in 
Minnkneesootaa (as they said) are not used to.  We are food pushers in Minnesota however it is more of a begging or coaxing, like "try just a sliver of cake, or if you don't eat it I'll just have to throw it away. Or it will spoil". Here it is more Sit, Eat, try it, , you'll like it.  And we did, everything, an abundance of wonderful food.  Highlighted by Mike frying the turkey which was an education in itself.  With a propane burner heating a pot of oil,  Not full, very important he says "some people don't allow room for the turkey " and then it overflows.  Key step, turn off the flame before inserting the turkey, I checked and youtube is full of videos of the catastrophes of those that started everything from their deck to their garage on fire when the overflowing oil was ignited by the flames.  And then when they tried to put it out with water it is like a bomb going off. (I think I will be cautions and just wait for another fried turkey invitation.  I spent to much time on my deck).
     A joke from Mike summed up the perceived difference in the New York/New Jersey area.  Let's see if I can tell it right.  "Do you know how many New Yorkers it takes to change a light bulb??  "None of your freaking business, (motioning to his hand holding something inside his pocket.) I got your light bulb right here for ya!"
   Dale has a theory that when you invite good people into your home, when they leave the home remains filled with joy and happiness.  Speaking as one of the guests that left.  It is a two way street.  We felt the warmth of our hosts and their guests.  And to this very minute I feel that warmth.
      Thank you all!

76 I'll take a vowel

     When we checked in Johnny told us he also had a restaurant next door and sushi bars on Carolina Beach.  Not wanting to venture out tonight we slipped next door for supper.   Nikki's, comfortable atmosphere and vegetable tempura on the menu, one of my favorite.  
   Our plan was to settle in to a relaxing routine, visit the beach, local restaurants and wander out as weather allowed.  
Nov 16, 2013  Friday. Breakfast at the Waffle house (one of my favorites) later we walked on the beach Ruthie would be happy doing this every day.  On the other side of the block was an old Presbyterian church made into a restaurant named the Deck House.  We ended up eating here a couple of times.  Wonderful meal.
     Saturday,  We had a plan which included a walk on the beach and a movie however a call from Tom and Colleen, they had drove down to the beach house and were checking to see if we would drive down for lunch.   Of course we could.  We drove to the South end of the island.  We were trying to save some miles and time unfortunately the web site I checked had not changed to the winter ferry schedule.  We did a U turn headed back up to Williamson over to the mainland and back down the other side.  It was nice to see our new friends again.  I forgot to mention Tom's parting gift to me when I left their home the other day.  Anti Monkey butt, who gives that as a gift?  I had just met him!  I thought it was a joke at first.   Then he started his Anti Monkey Butt praises.   Lets hear it from the horses mouth.   From their website:  Anti Monkey Butt Powder is specially formulated to absorb excess sweat and reduce frictional skin irritation. It is Ideal for butt busting activities such as truck driving, motorcycling, bicycling, horse back riding,(could have used this when I trained horses.)  and extreme sports. May also be applied inside footwear, under sports pads, and other areas prone to chafing. Indoors or outdoors, work or play, or on occasions when you sit on your butt all day, don’t let your buns get red, use Anti Monkey Butt Powder instead, plus they have Baby anti monkey butt for diaper rash.   Evidently a lot of the long distance motorcycle riders swear by it.   I guess Tom had my best interest at heart.  We had a very nice lunch at a beach restaurant.   It was fun to catch up with them again.   We were able to cut through South Port and catch the Fort Fisher ferry back to Carolina beach.
     Wednesday, old Farts breakfast, they say the ladies are called fartetts.  We were late that's what I get for depending on public transportation, (ferry) another cruise for Ruthie.   One of the couples had passed out a brochure at the last breakfast.  It invited anyone and everyone to their home .
The pamphlet from Lady Dale read:     Join us for thanksgiving dinner, who will be there?  An assortment of friends who are trying to avoid family members.  An assortment of scooter trash we have picked up along the way.  (probably us) A few people from New Jersey that are in the witness protection program!   Where every table is the kids table.  Sounded like a good time for us, and she promised that Mike would make fried turkey, this would be our first.
     When ever a group like this meets there are always stories.  Last time Lady Dale told of their motorcycle trip to a Honda rally.  She mentioned all these Gold Wing's riding two up  and the huge drinking cup mounted on their cycles.  (it so happens we have a huge drinking cup on our Gold Wing, so I listened a little closer.). she continued.  "we wondered why they all had the huge cups, well, as they pulled out of the lot I seen them take out their false teeth and put in there cups.". First of all their are no false teeth in our cup (however I can't stop but think about it every time I take a drink.  As a joke we carried our huge drinking cup and sat on the breakfast table..  Fun group, looks like we will see some of them again at Thanksgiving.

Largest Ferris wheel we have ever seen at Myrtle Beach!

     Ruthie wanted to ride.  We left the Sunny Side Up Diner and headed South.   Crossing into South Carolina we stopped at the welcome area.  They all agreed we should ride to Brookgreen Gardens.   While there I seen a sign mentioning that South Carolina was the home of barbeque.  We detoured thru Vanna White's home town of North Myrtle Beach.  Continuing south we passed thru Myrtle beach. 

     The gardens:  Originally four rice plantations for over 200 years was purchased in 1930 as a winter home for a tuberculosis patient.  It covers over 9000 acres. .  I'm sure others will find the acres of of sculpture gardens, trails and even a zoo will be the focal point.  Our interest was in the history of the rice plantations.  I had no idea rice was so predominant in our history.  Joshua Ward the original owner of one of the plantations was the largest slave owner in America.   He owned over a thousand slaves and was called the king of the rice growers.
  We chose to do the river tour to learn more about rice growing.   Our tour guide Sid was very informative.  It was estimated that 95 percent of the original native American population died from deceases introduced to them by the new settlers.  At one time the area was covered with bald cypress trees towering over 140 feet tall.  The canopy literally blocked the sun.  The slaves had to clear these trees using primitive tools.  Taking 7-10 years to clear a 45 acre field to prepare it for raising rice.  We found that one fifth of all the worlds caloric intake comes from rice.  They use a unique system of dams and floodgates to control the water level in the rice patties.  It was interesting to find out they used the tides from the ocean to provide the rise and fall of the water level.  The ocean tides will change the water level over three feet as far as 40 miles inland.   I had no idea our country has had rice farming so early in history.  Freedom of the slaves and the loss of cheap labor led to the decline of rice growing.  It is hard to imagine the suffering the slaves endured in changing this wild forest land into rice plantations.   Cruelty from owners, isolation from family, exposure to poisonous snakes,  alligators, and loss of freedom.   I only wish we had not seen the movie "Twelve years a slave" yesterday.  
    On a lighter note Capt Jim pointed out a wood duck to us.   Telling us the babies were out of the nest within  24 hours.  The female calls them out of the nest which may be over 200 feet off the water, they step out without harm.   (don't know why) The next statement he made I have not been able to prove, he might have been setting us up for the punch line.  He said a wood duck can fly into the nest at 35 miles per hour, what stops them??  The back of the nest was his answer!  I don't know, you decide.  True or false?

     To time our arrival in time for the ferry we stopped for supper at Jerome's in Shallotte, Ruthie has fallen in love with the salt and pepper catfish.
     On the ferry we met a young fellow that just bought a 2014 Indian, says it is the smoothest riding cycle he has ever rode evidently the new company has produced a winner.