Heading Home Spring 2021

 Falls Lake State Recreation Area, just north of Raleigh NC was intriguing when we had stopped there for an overnight stop on our way down and it was going to be an easy enough ride for our first day heading back home.  Now, 2 weeks later, all 3 camping loops at Rolling View Campground were open but we still chose to park in Loop A – site 15.  The gravel parking pad seemed a mile and a half

deep and was surrounded by tall still naked trees.  The dammed up Neuse River (the same Neuse River that ran thru New Bern and out to the Atlantic Ocean!) was just down the steep, brown leaf covered, decline behind our site!  Each of the 3 camping loops was perched atop it’s own “mountain” and the park roads ran up, down, and around each of the small tree covered domes.  We’re going to stay a couple of nights so we can explore this interesting area more!

A hurricane-induced flood, back in 1945, was used as a guide for designing the strength of the Falls Lake Dam and the size of the lake.  Today this sprawling 12,000-acre lake is the main water supply for the city of Raleigh - providing 50 million gallons a day, and acts as flood reduction system for the many communities that have developed downstream.  We found the

massive earthen structure, which was completed in 1981 but since it was Sunday afternoon the parking areas below the spillway were all full to overflowing and the pathways and public fishing areas were in a “flood stage” of pedestrians out walking their dogs and other folks trying to catch a few fish!  We returned the next day and found several available parking sites so we unfolded the bikes to enjoy a sunny, almost warm Monday afternoon. We rode along the lower side of the river - rock filled and splashed with the white water that was escaping from the dam high above it!  It was very reminiscent of the pathway at the Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio.  Folks greeted each other as we all passed on our bikes.  I even spotted a noisy Pileated Woodpecker, hacking away at a tree near the path!  The visitor center was closed due to the virus but we walked along the walled sidewalks and viewed the dam from the “high” side. To and from the campground, the roads we took had names full of fun – Six Forks Rd, Baptist Rd and even Possum Track Rd!   We enjoyed the names and also the beautiful views as we drove along each one!

Back to West Virginia we headed.  We stayed on the expressway and did NOT take any more shortcuts this time!  It was back to Camp Creek State Park for a few more days.  The narrow road to the one loop campground paralleled the turnpike, but led thru a deep green valley, lined on both sides with small farms and crossed over the small babbling brook several times - instead of climbing up the

mountain like the turnpike did.  This time we were issued a “back in site” that had Camp Creek itself babbling right behind the “train”!  We had already walked to the waterfall at the end of the rutted gravel road on the opposite side of the creek, so this time we drove to the parking lot at the rustic tent camping sites and walked up stream to see the other beautiful layered curved waterfall that the area is known for.

Our intent this stopover was to revisit the New River Gorge and its 3,030 ft long, single span, 73 ft wide bridge that dominates the valley below it.  We’ve been here before - both on the motorcycle and in the silver Ford pickup that preceded H’s bright blue Ford truck.  In both of those visits there was a ONE lane, switchback two track “road” that zig zagged down the one side of the gorge and back up the same way. Now, after parking and walking around the bridge level visitor area we spotted the wooden walkway and steps that also zigged and zagged down the hillside.  The plaque at the edge listed 178 steps to the bottom and we KNEW that feat was not going to happen for us!  Back in the truck we chanced on seeing a sign for another road that pointed towards the gorge.  Part way down this also hairpin turn infested “path” was a sign that stated the road was NOT suitable for large trucks.  Too late!  We were in too deep and continued on with

our perilous decent.  Down, around and down some more, crossing back and forth under the 873 ft tall structure above us, we were finally level with the much smaller, narrow span of the one lane bridge that crossed the river to the other side.  This crossing was just a few feet above the racing water below us!  The mighty structure above us is the 3^rd highest in the US.  The Golden Gate is 746 ft high and the Mighty Mackinac is only 552 ft tall!   While there are longer bridges in the US – this amazing structure is the longest SINGLE SPAN Bridge

After crossing the river, the memories of previous adventures flowed back into our thoughts!  I remembered taking the same pictures of the same rapids and traveling back up that original road – I remembered the views from the underside of those mammoth steel beams from before.  This time tho – the roadbed is paved and there are guardrails now!!

When the following morning began to peek over the mountain we knew it was time to head home.  Back up on the turnpike, the highway led up the mountain as the sky turned peach colored.  The haze from the early fog that had settled in the valleys was still visible in the background.  This peaceful scene was not to last.  Soon we

were surrounded by the stampede of semi trucks that had also hoped for an early start on their long hauls to their own destinations.  Steadily, on we pushed on and arrived safely at home.  Soon H would be rested and ready to regroup for another adventure!

N. Carolina Spring 2021

 Day Trips each week and visits to Toledo’s well cared for Metro Parks, kept H’s wanderlust under control for most of the winter.   Thankfully, December and January were very mild in our area but when February hit, she hit with a vengeance – temps in the teens and 17 inches of snow!   I got to shovel snow and H finally got to make good use of his long neglected mega sized snow blower.  The trailer was still sitting in the driveway, blocking our view of the yard and grudgingly, it was snowed in.  Not for long tho – March arrived as did milder temps and soon the snow was just a memory!   Now H was really restless!!   Doctor visits done and a collection of un-fun tests endured so now he could concentrate on packing the train and making a run for the hills - - the “ hills” of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina!

For being as costly as the Wva Turnpike is – it should have been better cared for.  It was a pricey, rough ride but our first night out was in Camp Creek State Park, south of Beckley.  Snuggled down in a long narrow valley, the small quiet campground was just what we were looking for – parked in an easy in and out pull through so our exit in the morning would be easy.  We had enough time after our arrival to go for a hike up and around the babbling brook that lead to a wide rocky waterfall that was noisily splashing it’s white water over the dark rocks that tried to keep it captive.

Camp Creek

Across the mountains of Virginia we leap frogged with all the semi trucks and their loaded trailers – with them slowing to a crawl up the mountain and speeding down the long downhill run on the other side.  A not so short cut took us off the busy expressway and down thru Mt Airy in North Carolina. Mt Airy is also known as Mayberry – as in the gentler days of Sheriff Andy Griffith!  Extremely disappointed – we drove thru the touristy downtown and continued our day’s journey to Falls Lake State Recreation Area – east of Durham and north of Raleigh.  Rolling View Campground is ANOTHER nice quiet woodsy campground with more than adequate spacing between sites and super long graveled parking pads! 

Croatan National Forest occupies a vast area next door to Cherry Point Marine Air Station and just southeast of New Bern.  Flanners Beach is the one loop, woodsy, campground that sits up on a high ledge of the Neuse River, which, in that area, is bigger/wider than some lakes we’ve been to!  Our time was going to be short so we had to make the most of it.  We had less than 2 weeks to explore around New Bern and coastal areas to the east so we hit the roads each day!  New Bern, established in 1710 by Swiss immigrants was named for the town of Bern in Switzerland.   Bern means “BEAR” and is the

New Bern city hall

town’s mascot and one can be seen on just about every corner.  The architecturally unique City Hall was built in 1897 and also has its resident bears – look on the sidewalk and then look half way up each side and look for the black bears!  The town sits on a huge wedge of land bordered on two sides by large rivers so there are tall lanky bridges everywhere!   Civil War History abounds, as the town was an important harbor for both sides.  It was also the site of the first capital of N Carolina.

To get to the barrier islands off of Morehead City you need either a high bridge or a ferryboat.  We did both!  The bridge out to Emerald Isle also took us to Fort Macon, a pre Civil War reconstructed fort on the north point of the barrier island.  Like most rebuilt forts it had the usual rooms and cannons but this one also had a Hot Shot Furnace

replica.  As seen in this photo, the BBQ looking brick structure was used to heat non-explosive cannonballs to a red-hot temperature before being pitched at unarmored wooden enemy warships.  The cold cannonballs would be placed on the shot rails, thru the wide, low “window” in the back of the furnace.  The cold balls would roll down over the fire and be heated before being transferred (with care!) to the awaiting cannon!  We also visited the North Carolina Maritime Museum farther south on the island.  While the museum itself was really interesting, the narrowness of the walkways and the amount of families strolling thru slowly, made us nervous so we left and crossed the street to visit the boat building part of the complex.  There we found a gentleman who was eager to explain about the 32 ft plywood trawler they were building.  Stacks of extra wood and antique outboard motors were stacked or hung everywhere!

A ferryboat was needed to get from Cedar Island out to the barrier island just south of Hatteras Island.  We had visited the area a VERY long time ago when we were much younger and still traveled on the motorcycle!  The ferry left the southern dock at 10 30am and our plan was to travel up to see the world famous lighthouse and then return via the same ferryboat.  The young woman in charge of tickets advised us that the last ferryboat back to Cedar Island and the mainland was at 4 30pm from the island of Ocracoke – which quickly canceled our day’s plans as there was not nearly enough time to get to Cape Hatteras and back.  It was decided that we would just explore Ocracoke and return in time for the last ferry off the island. What we had forgotten was just how long that ferryboat actually took – 2 hours!  The water on the inland side of the barrier islands was

almost glass like.  Some places you could not see where the water ended and the hazy sky began.  As we approached the island of Ocracoke, the channel was well marked.  It was obvious where the channel ended and the neighboring shallows began – huge rolling waves broke over that area and rolled away from the large lumbering vessel we were traveling on.

The small town of Ocracoke is like a miniature Key West – small cottages, narrow alleys called streets, a few tourist sites, several

restaurants and even a lighthouse - complete with a house and white picket fence!  Parking is minimal and entrance into or even around the lighthouse is forbidden.  North out of town we headed, with a stop so H could get his truck stuck in the soft sand as he attempted to make it out past the protecting dune, onto the beach where vehicles were allowed – with, of course, a “permit”.   Without his trusty air gauge, he tentatively let air out of the tires and then managed to complete a small circle out on the beach before making back to the solid pavement and hopefully replaced a nearly correct amount of air in the tires.  The island also boasts of wild horses, which turned out to be a pen of sad, bored looking ponies.  On the way up to the north end of the island, we

passed a long stretch of sandbags, the size of mammoth walrus’, stacked by the road in an attempt to keep the invading sand from totally covering up the narrow strip of blacktop.  On the beach side, the gently rolling waves, lapped at the wide flat sand.  Ah, the peaceful scene!  It wasn’t to last long . . .

Back in Ocracoke, in plenty of time for the ferry, we found a brightly painted, albeit - tacky looking taco truck parked on a back street and we bravely ordered chimichangas. The biggest chimi’s we have ever seen!  And SO delicious!  We were the first to line up for the ferryboat.  4 o’clock came and we were still the only ones there.  AND – no ferryboat!  H went up to the Visitor Center office and knocked.  He was told there was NO ferry that afternoon because the tide was too low to allow the boat into the harbor.  Frustrated and angry we rushed back up the 35-mile long island and got in line to wait for the next ferry to take us north to Hatteras Island.  We now had to drive up and out the top of that island in order to get back “home”.  It was a peaceful ½ hour boat ride (as the sun was setting!) but we were still agitated that we had a 200-mile drive ahead of us and - - it was going to be dark!  Thankfully we followed other vehicle’s taillights as they wound up and through the pitch-blackness of the long narrow barrier island.  We know we passed the famous black and white striped lighthouse somewhere but never saw it!

 

Our time was up.  Time to head home.  We’ve got more stops to make before we get there tho!