Cashmere's log - Day 12

I think I could get used to this. This is the nicest campground I have ever seen. Our site backs up to a playground and all of the kids stop by to pet me. There is a soft, sandy, sunny spot right under the swings that I like to lay in. I can keep my eye on mom and dad as they walk over to a nearby building to wash dishes, take a shower in what mom says is like a hotel bathroom, or walk over to get their free coffee every morning. They even washed all my bedding over there (which I thought smelled just fine). And ever since I had that little "accident" when they left me in the camper for a few hours and my tummy hurt they started obsessively taking me for walks. I think I counted 246 the evening of the "incident" as they kept telling me to "go potty" but I was done with that for days. So we just keep walking... and walking... and walking...

The only downfall is they now leave me tied up outside when they go out. Yesterday they went to go exploring the beach but ended up spending all day at the Chevy place getting the car fixed. Then they tried to got to the beach but it started raining so they went bowling instead and then brought home some Chinese food and sat on the bed eating it and watching movies. I don't understand why they are no longer sharing food with me? Mom had an accident the same night that I did which involved trying to open a window in the camper, a pitcher getting knocked over and then spilling a wine glass all over the floor that she had just cleaned 697 times after what I did. But she is still allowed to stay in the camper and eat fun food. Life is not fair sometimes!

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wilmington dinners

the first official evening in wilmington produced the best looking meal.  campfire fried boneless pork chops smothered in baked beans, grilled onions and green/yellow squash.

the rest of the nights looked something like this.... dinner and a movie in bed.

kristen "had a great idea" she wants to dedicate wednesday's to all vegetables/vegetarian, thursday we had campside fried wings, last night we got take out chinese from "fire bowl" up the street.

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campground review: frisco woods campground

frisco woods campground, frisco, nc.  located on route nc 12 on the pamlico sound.  here is a review of our experience....

the sweet:
spacious sites with an interesting layout giving you adequate privacy, campsite is right next to the sound, so there is lots of watersports options and great views, outdoor pool still open in late october.

the sour:
the sound front sites extremely vulnerable to wind and other weather elements, bathrooms so dark you can not see the bugs or dirt, they advertise free wifi, but it did not work the entire time we were camped there and cell phones had poor reception, no ground fires allowed!  campsite critters:  skeeters a plenty.

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wilmington, nc

 

we have been in town for a couple days and have explored several areas in the wilmington:  wrightsville beach - small and expensive, but stylish and very "surf" oriented.  carolina/kure beaches - or pleasure island, more modest and has a good feel.  the above pictures are of the "the cove" which is the surf spot on the southern tip of pleasure island, located by fort fisher. 

today we walked around the downtown wilmington area, the picture above is from the river walk a mile long boardwalk along the banks of the river with beacoup restaurants and shops.  unlike delaware, wilmington north carolina seems fun and lots of live music - we are going to test out the nightlife halloween night

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day 7: frisco to wilmington, nc via the obx ferry system

 getting out of the outer banks on the south end you have to take a series of ferries.  one 40 minute ride from hatteras to ocracoke and then one 2 1/2 hours from ocracoke to cherry island

ocracoke is a quaint little island(pop. 800) with the entire town situated on the south end of the island a bike would be about all the transportation needed to live here.  the island had a stylish feel, nice people and some good eats.  we had time to stop from lunch between ferries and ate at the creekside cafe.  i had a quality burger and kristen had one of the best greek salads she has ever eaten.

 

the ferry was throwin' a knee high peeler, i almost grabbed my board and jumped in to ride it!

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adding insult to injury

although the "sound front" campsite in frisco was beautiful we soon found out that lunch box was vulnerable to a broad side pounding 30mph winds directly off the water.  while i was checking the surf a couple miles away at the frisco pier i go a call from kristen and i hurried back to the camper to find the awning had snapped and blown backwards over the pop-up.  we decided to pick-up and relocate our site to somewhere inland and a bit more protected from the elements.  later that same day i managed to topple over an entire glass of wine into our high end altec lancing ipod speakers.  dohh!  time to go to bed before anything else breaks.

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frisco surf

 sunday morning frisco pier was throwing chest high bombs

i know this is not typically my style, but i played it conservative and did not paddle out.  it was mighty disorganized and i feared the paddle would jack up my already bad should.

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Cashmere's log - Day Six

Things are looking up. Still in "Frisco" but the rain stopped last night and I have counted 26 walks that I have taken today. At home I would be lucky to get one. I was only left alone for about two hours this morning after walk #3 so they could go find something called "The wifi Chai". This sounded weird to me because when Mom returned she said they paid $9.00 for a cappuccino and a coffee so they could get "free" wifi at a cafe.

Then the wind picked up and I thought that the camper was going to blow away. Dad went to check the surf and Mom was holding on to the awning of the camper awaiting his return but she is not strong enough and it totally blew away and bent over the camper. Then she just stood there holding on to the bent, still half attached awning not knowing what to do. I felt bad for her. After that I thought that we were moving to a less windy spot but Dad started pulling the camper still popped up and then yelled at Mom and started driving away. OMG there goes my last indoor bed option i was so scared I ran after it and Mom just walked. Then I realized we were just relocating to a better, safer, less windy spot and I like it. There are lots of trees and no other people so can run free. Walk #19 was to find wood for the fire pit that Dad "relocated" from another site. I heard BBQ chicken is for dinner and am very excited. Still not sure when we are going home.

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campground review: rodanthe watersports and campground

rodanthe watersports and campground, rodanthe,  nc.  a small campground located on the sound side off of route nc 12 (just like everything else in town).  here is our review of our experience...

the sweet:
small in cozy way, good mix of people... not just 60+ snow birds, limited ground fires, but great pizza place next door.  owners home is centered on the property with 20 sites wrapped around the house on the sound, open views of the candy sunsets.  plenty of watersports rentals onsite,  good bathhouse w/tropical feeling outdoor showers

the sour:
campsite backs up to cemetery,  campsite creatures: wild cats and one big cockroach in the bathhouse

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buxton/frisco/hatteras obx

while exploring the lower outer banks areas we came across this pastel picture, site of the closed hatteras sands campground.

we settled on the frisco woods campground,  with close proxy to the sound this spot makes a delightful destination,

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Cashmere's log - Day Five

OMG. This is hell. Everytime we pack up the camper and get in the car I think that we are going home but we just keep getting further and further away from my chaise lounge and my couch. I thought that the sand burrs were bad and the wild cats in Rodanthe that ate my food every night. I also was weirded-out by the gravestones right behind our site while Mom and Dad went to the beach for three hours. Then, Dad made me swim in the bay while Mom paddled around on the surfboard. But now, we are in a place called "Frisco" in the outer banks and it has been raining on and off all day. The rain stopped briefly and we got to play "stick" and I jumped over a pile of seagrass and sprained my already weak ankle. I am too old for this. I tried to eat my dinner and the awning on the camper is blowing and banging and Dad made a fire in a random old grill that he "borrowed" from a neighboring campsite and it is so windy the smoke keeps blowing in my face. What was that?!? Was that lightning?!? Thunder?!? Ohhhh nooooooo......

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rodanthe

cozy campsite next to the sound

 

campground had lots of watersports rental options...

 

not so many surfboards

no swell in sight, took cashmere for a wade.

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rodanthe campfire dinners

 cast iron pan fried tuna steak with a roasted pepper and sesame sauce, green beans and garlic hash browns.

the next night we had...

shrimp/pork sausage jambalaya, green salad and pan fried spring rolls(thank you "thai lady")

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campground review: first landing state park, virginia beach, va

First landing state park, virginia beach, virginia.   How ironic this is our first camping experience on this journey.  located on the mouth of the chesapeake bay adjacent to the foot of the bay bridge tunnel.  Here's our review of the experience...

the sweet:

Not crowded this time of year, great big private spots that back up to the dunes and bay, nice views, great waterpressure in the showers, no creatures except for sand crabs (there was a suspicious lack of squirrels?!?). Did some surfing and read The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb on the sunny beach. Great sunsets. Hum of the traffic sound crossing the bay bridge sounded like the ocean. 

the sour:

Loud sounds of fighter jets flying overhead every 15 minutes, played "count the spiders" in the showers, had beans for dinner two nights in a row. 

 

the lunch box from the dune crossing

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day 2: virginia beach

woke up today drove the family down to the first street jetty and got in a 3 hour session.  knee high and clean, just the right test to see if the shoulder is gonna hold up for me.

 the sandburs were wicked for the queen cashmere

 

campsite with baybridge view

 

chesapeake bay sunset

 

dinner by campfire:  grilled jumbo shrimp and peppers, black beans and corn

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day one: wilmington to lewes to virginia beach

 

and a way we go

 

mike ridings(liquid surf shop owner and all around swell guy)

aquilles(the owner of el dorado restaurant and the person who took over the surf forecast)

with me and cashmere at liquid

dinner by campfire:  cast iron pan fried spring rolls, red beans, collard greens and tilapia with caramelized tomato

it was a beautiful day to start a new life

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destination #1 - Lewes, Delaware

 

cape henlopen, herring point...

the place where my love for the ocean and all things surfing were first actualized. the place where i considered myself a surfer, a real soul surfer. the place that graced me with the motivation to pursue my dreams. the place where i have made true friends that i will always call my surf family. the place where i celebrate the life of a fallen brother. thank you john.

it is only fitting to start our journey here.

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self realization

this is not something i just recognized.  i am just putting it out there because we are on the eve of embarking on an extended cross country driving tour.

i am a raging asshole when i get behind the steering wheel of an automobile.

i hope and pray that this trip can provide me with the patience and serenity to be less of a complete jerk-off.  in previous trips with the camper in tow i have noticed i am more reserved on the highway, i hope that this trip is no different.

but for any innocent, or not so innocent, drivers out there that have the unfortunate fate of crossing my path... i apologize in advance for any verbal or physical indiscretions that i will inevitable show you.

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it's official

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