OLA: Being Blown Away by the Outer Banks!

the outer banks, off the coast of North Carolina

Literally and figuratively! Barely the start of the tourist season (April 1-3), we braved those more than 25 mph winds that made it seem colder than the 59 degree high (we had to dig out our winter wear). The Outer Banks jut out as barrier islands 26 miles from the US continental shores off North Carolina (about 200 miles). I had always wanted to see how people live there. The proper winds, the lights that guide, the shifting sands of time, and the three postscripts are what blew us away in North Carolina's Outer Banks in just three days!

The Proper Winds

This kind of constant wind what the Wright Brothers lacked in their Dayton, Ohio home. So they selected the winds in Kitty Hawk at the Outer Banks to make history. The Brothers succeeded in making four flights  there on Dec. 17, 1903. With winds just a bit stronger than those we felt, on the fourth try they flew their plane for 852 feet in just 1 sec.short of a minute! It was exhilarating to walk those grounds!

grand memorial to the Wright Brothers
the conquest of space
Kitty Hawk, Outer Banks, NC

Memorial to the Century of Flight, Nag's Head, Outer Banks, NC

And so it is fitting that a grand memorial is there on 90-foot high Big Kill Devil Hill from where they attempted a launch, even preserving the cottages from where they lived and engineered the dream. It is even more fitting that a Memorial to a Century of Flight was erected commemorating 100 years of aviation achievement since the Wright’s conquest of air space. There is a monument to each decade laid out as a circle with a 120-ft. circumference. The Memorial holds a time capsule, to be opened in 2103, by the heroes of the next century of achievements. Who knows what and who those might be? 

The Lights that Guide

Bodie Lighthouse
Bodie, Outer Banks, NC

tallest brick beacon
Currituck Lighthouse
Corolla, Outer Banks NC

These barrier islands are so important to maritime history. The very first colony was braved on Roanoke Island by about 115 white settlers led by John White in 1585. Though historical distrust between two races, leadership crises among the settlers or succumbing to natural diseases may have stricken those left behind when White returned to England to ask for more resources. They were all gone when he returned 3 years later. This preceded the Jamestown Colony in Virginia in 1607 and the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620. However, it didn’t survive like the other two! It is now fondly called The Lost Colony. Interesting to know!

Ocracoke Light
Ocracoke, Outer Banks, NC

American Lioghthouse
Hatteras, Outer Banks, NC

This bit of history highlights the geographical significance of the Outer Banks. In the 19^th century, four lighthouses were built to aid maritime commerce: the Ocracoke Lighthouse built in 1823 and still operating, the Bodie Lighthouse built in 1846 supposedly named after bodies washed ashore from shipwrecks, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, also known as the American Lighthouse,  built in 1870 and the tallest (160 ft.) brick beacon in the world, and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, privately owned and built in 1875. The four make for a beautiful collage of important history. Sad to note, however, that so many shipwrecks still happened in the waters there such that it was called the Graveyard of the Atlantic and a museum so called stands at Ocracoke.

The Sands of Time

Jockey's Ridge State Park, Nag's Head, Outer Banks, NC

rows of fences are used to stabilize the sand dunes
that separate Hwy 12 from the Atlantic

The 2-lane Highway 12 that connects the islands of  Outer Banks is separated from the ocean in large stretches by sand dunes. But at the 426-acre Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the highest active sand dune (estimated 30 million tons) in the East Coast of Nor
th America lives. It is called a medano—a massive, asymmetrical, shifting hill of sand which the notorious winds cause to continually shift, making the dunes move about one to six feet to the southwest each year. Thus, hang gliding, hiking, and kite flying are great to do there. Bill loved capturing the artistry of the sands on his D5000! I got scared, though...don't know why!

the Inn at Rodanthe, featured in the movie 'Nights at Rodanthe', Outer Banks, NC

The Three Postscripts

Our Lady of the Seas at Buxton, Outer Banks, NC

Three other moments on this short trip are memorable: 1) hearing a Spanish Mass at the Our Lady of the Seas Catholic Church right at the edge of the Sound for Palm Sunday, 2) finding the Inn at Rodanthe where Richard Gere and Diane Lane created for all of us their memorable but tragic love story, and 3) choosing to dine at Carolina Seafood just because it was named after me! There we found Sandra who guided us to a reasonably-priced Carolina Seafood Platter (what else?) the only condition for which was to eat at the bar. What luck! She is the paragon of a gracious host and best of story-tellers in the Outer Banks!

Sandra's Carolina Seafood Sampler at Nag's Head, Outer Banks, NC

kiteboarding right on Jenette's Pier, Nag's Head, Outer Banks, NC

In three short days we truly got blown away by the Outer Banks of North Carolina, literally and figuratively,...its proper winds, the lights that guide, the sands of time, and the three postscripts! Wish we had more and actually had time to do some of the activities the unique environment had to offer!   

OLA: Digging into Ohio's History

Santa Maria, the ship Columbus sailed from Spain in 1492 to land on American shores

Staying three weeks in one place affords us some time to get to know it. We could have gone on to visit many historical sites but we also had to take care as Bill was just recuperating from his arthroscopic surgery. So we did a little digging (not the archaeological kind) of the state's history, especially about the two historical contests she has found herself in.

First, there have only been 44 presidents in the US and 8 came from Ohio! William Henry Harrison, his grandson Benjamin Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren Harding all made Ohio their home or were born there. We enjoy visiting presidents’ homes. Walking where great men walked is one thing; to be where they lived is quite another! So we visited both the Harrison homes.

home of William Howard Taft on Auburn Hill

It also happens that the home of William Howard Taft is right in front of The Christ Hospital.  Taft was the first Governor-General of the Philippines, laying the foundation of the country’s public systems and infrastructure. With a background that is deep into the US judicial system, this gave him the administrative experience for the presidency. And his strong judicial background gave him the unique opportunity to be the only president who later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

home of Benjamin Harrison in Indiana

But it is a different state which is dubbed the “Mother of Presidents’. 8 US presidents, most of them soon after the 1776 Revolution, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson, either made Virginia their home or were born there. Two years ago, we visited Washington’s Mt. Vernon, Jefferson’s Monticello and Poplar Forest (his summer home), Madison’s Montpelier, and Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland.

William Henry Harrison's Tomb in Ohio

Thus the title that is given Ohio is ‘The Mother of Modern Presidents’. It is interesting to point out that William Henry Harrison is in both lists. He moved to Ohio from Virginia (his grandson Benjamin moved later to Indiana) and his grand tomb rests there. He served the shortest presidential term ever, dying of pneumonia just a month after his inauguration.

Second, Dayton, Ohio is the birthplace of Orville and Wilbur Wright but it was in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where the brothers succeeded in first flying a plane (a glider).  Thus North Carolina is called ‘The Birthplace of Aviation’. Ohio, on the other hand, carries the title, ‘The Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers’ and it is well deserved! Huffman Field, where the Wright Brothers tested and launched the first practical plane, is called the First Airport in the World.   And John Glenn and Neil Armstrong, pioneer astronauts, were born in Ohio!

Huffman Field, World's First Airport, where the Wright Brothers launched the first practical plane

Ohio's Pride!!!

Because of the tremendous contribution of the Wright Brothers to aviation, the outstanding National Air Force Museum is in Dayton, Ohio, the best flight museum in the country. It boasts of the most comprehensive exhibit of military aircraft (about 300 planes) used in all the wars the US has been involved, from WWI to the Cold War. I was especially moved by the early dirigible, the bomber Bockscar which delivered the 2nd atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki (Enola Gay that bombed Hiroshima is in the Smithsonian), and the collection of missile heads. Bill loved the bombers, fighter jets, and stealths.

Lucius Quinctus Cincinnatus with Big Mac Bridge behind

Third, this is the uncontested part! Ohio has inspired many great works of men (for a time, the state had the highest inventions per capita) and many great men have also inspired the state! Cincinnati is proud to be named after the Roman general, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. He was forced to work on his own small farm after his son was convicted in absentia and condemned to death. In 458 BC, Rome called on him to quell an invasion by rival tribes as its dictator, an office he immediately resigned after achieving victory.

This has been an oft-cited model (Washington’s?) of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic virtue, and modesty. But Cincinnati is not the capital of Ohio. It is Columbus and there we found the most authentic replica of the Santa Maria, the ship Columbus sailed from Spain in August of 1492, arriving on American soil two months after, changing the world forever. A giant statue of him stands in front of the City Hall, a gift from Genoa, Italy, the town from whence he came.

Voice of America Relay Station

Fourth, this is the coolest part! Taft was not the only connection to the Philippines. En route to the Cincinnati Tennis Open we also chanced upon the National Voice of America Museum in West Church, Ohio. It was the relay station of the significant radio of the WWII.  VOA became quite prominent in the Philippines even after the war because it became the country’s most reliable source of foreign news. These little connections to Philippine history were particularly heartwarming for me.

Next Stop: Flying to Las Vegas 

Driving Down the West Coast: Monterrey Bay and Carmel-by-the-Sea

Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks are definite must-sees in anyone’s lifetime.  But I also got excited about our next stops, what Bill says are quite special places, too: Monterrey Bay through the scenic 17-Mile Drive and the famed town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.  And they were.  It is wine country, too, but the wineries and vineyards were not where we spent our time.  Our days were filled with beautiful scenes.

Monterrey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California, south of San Francisco, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterrey.   The bay features the Monterrey Canyon, one of the largest underwater canyons in the world, which begins off the coast of Moss Landing, exactly in the center of Monterey Bay. Carmel-by-the-Sea, usually called simply Carmel, is a small town of more than 4,000 in Monterey County, California, founded in 1902. 

On the approach to the 17-Mile Drive is the Lover’s Point, an area of rocks reaching out to the sea and a few cypress trees that drape the landscape.  Further on the Drive, which crosses the million-dollar homes of the rich, cypress trees dramatized the sea-drenched coastline.  One particular tree has stood alone on a rock jutting out into the bay waters, hence its monicker, The Lone Cypress.

Harbor seals populate the rocks scattered around the waters while sea otters gaily play in the sparkles. They cavorted with birds and many spots have been designated actual marine life sanctuaries.  A world-class golf course stands proudly beside the quietly rampaging waves, its golfers braving the gusts for the tee of their lives. And homes brave the forces of nature with rocks that make their roofs sturdier.

 

Monterrey Harbor had great shops and Bill and I celebrated our lovely days with a special dinner on a restaurant atop the waters.  But the shopping in Carmel was memorable.  The small town had the most elegant shops and fascinating galleries just after the famous Mt. Carmel Mission.  Luckily, one pretty little group of stores had a quaint courtyard where Bill could relax while I took madly to the shelves. 

  

The Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was founded in 1770 in the nearby settlement of Monterrey, but was relocated to Carmel by Father Serra a year later and became the new Mission Carmel. The Mission at Carmel has significance beyond the history of Father Serra, who is sometimes called the "Father of California". It also contains the state's first library. The town of Carmel was built around the mission.

Carmel is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history. Early City Councils were dominated by artists and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors, including actor-director Clint Eastwood, who was mayor for one term, from 1986 to 1988. In 1905, the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club was formed to support and produce artistic works. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake the village was inundated with artists from the bay city. Among those who lived in or frequented the village were: Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis, and John Steinbeck. 

The Monterrey Bay Area is romantic and fascinating.  But the trip through Big Sur was so inviting!

Camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Part 2

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The Smokies’ interior was a delight especially with most of the flowers  already in bloom. But there is another reason why it has become the top destination in the country.  All around the park, within a half to one hour drive from where you are camped are interesting towns with varied local attractions: The Biltmore Estates in Asheville and the last great Indian Reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina and the tourist attractions in Gatlinburg, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, the heart of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, and the city of Knoxville, Tennessee.  

The jewel of Asheville, North Carolina is Biltmore Estate, built by George Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the country with 175,000 square feet, featuring 250 rooms. It stands today as one of the most admired homes in America with English landscape gardens, vegetable patches, and orchards that cover approximately 8,000 acres. The stables have been converted into a first class restaurant and the winery and vineyards still produce great wines. We brought home cute stemless wine glasses for our evening cocktails!

From Asheville and right before reaching the Oconaluftee Visitor’s Center is Cherokee, North Carolina.  It is within the Cherokee Indian Reservation, headquarters of the Eastern Band. The city has many historical reminders of the Trail of Tears that began there when the Indian Removal Act forcibly relocated them to the west.  Now the city boasts of a bustling tourism industry with the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino lording it over the area. 

Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a beautiful touristy city in the foothills of the Pisquah National Forest.  The Park Headquarters at the Tennessee entrance to the Smokies is a short drive away.  Bill and I were so surprised to find almost all the tourist chains there amidst flowing streams, pretty flower beds, and green hillsides.  It even had a ski resort for winter time.  But guess how much a one-bedroom condo would cost??? $600,000! Quickly, it disappeared from our list of places for us settle down!

Pigeon Forge’s jewel is Dollywood and Splash Country, Dolly Parton’s theme parks! A resort city just 5 miles from the Smokies, it has a population of just over 5,000. Filled with many tourist chains like Gatlinburg, I do not think any child would get bored there.  I, too, would never get bored there!  It has three (yes, 3) outlet malls! And that’s where I found my wonderful ultra light, air-cooled Clark Bostonian sandals (for only $75) that I wear every day now!  I now know why Bill wanted to get out of there fast!

But the most interesting of the border towns to me is Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  Bill’s high school buddy Jim works as VP of Jacob’s Engineering.  The big firm continues to hold major parts of the decommissioning projects of the huge central production facilities of the Manhattan Project.   Los Alamos did the research, design, and final assembly of the A-bomb. But Oak Ridge produced all the materials that finally ended WWII. Jim showed us a building they were working on with a 43-hectare footprint and 5 million square feet in 4 floors.

Oak Ridge was where the biggest buildings in the world were ever built and where the biggest (and most significant) industrial projects in the world were ran.  He also toured us around the historic part of town and described for us how the whole town buzzed with activity during the time.  At the end of the day, he showed us a great documentary film, The Secret City.  It pulled together for us all the facts that we were hearing for the very first time and told us how indeed the secret was kept.

But that was not all.  Jim also brought us to a little lake in Knoxville where he and wife Carol are considering buying a new retirement home.  The sunset was glorious but the fishing was better.  A guy who just came in caught two big catfish in all of two tries!  I could see that Bill wanted to jump in with him but, sadly, he did not have a Tennessee fishing license.  Besides, it was already getting very dark and the next day we leave for the next wonderful stop in our cruise of a lifetime!

Next Stop: Nashville, Tennessee

  

Camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Part 1

After driving through the Blue Ridge Parkway, we finally reached the most visited national park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!  The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest exactly through its centerline.  Out of ten campgrounds, we chose to stay at Elkmont near the Park Headquarters at the Tennessee side because one of Bill’s high school buddies lives near there.  Besides, that was one of only two that can accommodate our 37-foot rig.

In 814 square miles, the variety of elevations, the abundant rainfall, and the presence of old growth forests give the park many species of plants (100 trees, deciduous leafy trees in the lower parts and coniferous trees at higher altitudes, and over 1,400 flowering plants and 4,000 non-flowering plants) and animals (200 birds, 66 mammals, 50 fish, 39 reptiles, and 43 amphibians).  An additional 90,000 undocumented species are also estimated to live there.

We were not backcountry camping nor tent camping but, since there were no hook-ups and generators were not allowed, we lived primitively. Would you believe I survived?  This Part will cover the wonderful Park interior: the southwest side at Cades Cove, the southeast side at the park entrance near the Ocanaluftee Visitors Center at the North Carolina side, the northern park entrance at the Tennessee side, the center of the Park at the Newfound Gap, and the area around our campground.  Part 2 will be about the border towns.

Cades Cove is the most preserved and popular attraction in the park.  It is a valley with many historic log cabins, barns, and churches. Self-guided automobile and bicycle tours offer a good glimpse into the old Appalachian life especially at the preserved farm buildings near Cable Mill. But do you know what the highlight of this tour was?  Four bears (out of about 1,800 that live in the park) gamely gobbled the grass before us.  We also saw many white-tailed deer, turtles, and wild turkey!  

The Park Headquarters is witness to the heavy flow of visitors.  The highest number is recorded in July with June and August following closely.  But October is another bump because of the spectacle of fall colors. Near the Center is a short fully accessible hiking trail that ends at a small waterfall, a visitors’ delight.  Only 7 miles beyond is our campground where one hiking trail leads to the 80-foot Laurel Falls.  Another is the trail to the unique species of fireflies that all blink at the same time! Only in some parts in Asia does this phenomenon also happen. 

There is a farm museum at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center at Cherokee, North Carolina.  Near the Center is the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile Post 469. There was the Mingus Mill, too.  But, guess what the highlight of the tour was?  Four elk, of the 110 that are thriving in the Park after being introduced in 2001, were grazing by the road side. Some local Carolinians who did not have a camera gave us their email address so we could send photos.  They could not believe there were elk in their state!

Newfound Gap, the center of the Park offers great views, including the dividing line between North Carolina and Tennessee, a part of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the Smokies, and the Rockefeller Memorial to the creation of the first federally funded national park.  That was also where we realized, when we were returning to our campground, that the clear views we photographed in the morning turned into smoky views at dusk (hence, the name).

The Newfound Gap Road that connects the two visitor centers (Park Headquarters and Oconaluftee) features most of approximately 850 miles of hiking trails that lead visitors to glimpses of many other park attractions.  Some of these are Mt. LeConte and its Alum Bluffs, the Clingman’s Dome, highest point, where an observation tower was built, and the Chimney Tops, dual humpbacked peaks.  The Smokies is truly a great park to visit! Our four days seemed too short a stay!

Next Stops:  Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Cherokee and Asheville, North Carolina