March 31 - “Big Kill Devil Hill”

What a start to the day! We woke up in time to watch the Sunday Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean from our little room balcony. Seagulls and pelicans and the occasional beachcomber added to the scene. Beautiful. 

From there we drove a few miles down the beach and went to the Wright Brothers memorial. There were some highlights there. 

We saw the Site of the Flight. 59 seconds that changed travel forever (after 3 other attempts that lasted for just a few seconds each). Well, it changed for everyone except road trippers and cruisers. 

There was also a pretty hefty hike involved. Not just the flight path, which was almost 900 feet. We went up Big Kill Devil Hill. That’s really its name. Emphasis on thee we “Big.”  It was a doozy. But we made it they also had the most amazing playground.  A replica of the plane is there, along with statues of the people who watched the flight. And kids were climbing on the plane. Looked like a lot of fun. 

Next we went a little farther down the road. There we found the Outer Banks visitor center.  Actually, I just wanted to say I’d been to the town of Kitty Hawk. Its grounds was a massive memorial to all the years of flight from the Wright. Brother’s to the International Space Station. 

Next stop was back down southward on the Outer Banks. Had to find none other than … another one of those darlings if Chris’ delight. This time it was the Bodie lighthouse. Couldn’t climb this one, because they had a fire at the visitor center not long ago.

Finally we got to the most famous lighthouse of the bunch - Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Sadly, however, it was in the process of being completely repaired and restored. It was completely surrounded by scaffolding from top to bottom, so you couldn’t go inside to climb it. And layers and layers of paint had been removed to reveal the original brick for the first time since it was built in the 1800’s. 

We asked the worker in the site store for recommendations for lunch. We were both pretty hungry. She recommended a lunch spot that had “the best sandwiches, hot or cold - on the whole island.” Really. They had a vote. We gave it a try. Wow! That was a great sandwich. We could only eat half of them, though. More for lunch … or dinner … today. 

Then it was on to the grand backtrack. Because we couldn’t work out the details to the ferry system, we had to backtrack the same way we came in the day before. Always tough to see the same scenery twice, but we soldiered through to our next hotel in New Bern. 

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ ‭says, “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Father, thanks for being with “our churches” in Galveston and Waco yesterday. Amen. 

March 30 - “Eastward Ho”

Chris was on a mission when we left the hotel yesterday. We were within a few miles of a place called Replacements, LTD. I was kind of wary of this one. I had no idea how much a replacement of me would cost. And even then … did she WANT a replacement me?

Come to find out, it was a warehouse chock full of china and glasses and old jewelry. She had a list of all the pieces we have and what we still need in each of the three or four sets of china we now have accumulated. Fortunately, she only bought one water goblet. I think I dodged a bullet there. 

From there it was eastward ho. Just a long haul across the expanse of the state (chuckle chuckle. About 275 miles. That’s about Galveston to not quite Dallas). Some of it was interstate, but the most interesting, of course, was the part that was US Highways. We saw barn quilts and screened-in porches and rag-tag barns. Surprisingly, though, not a lot of critters. Not even the roadkill variety. 

When we finally reached the barrier islands that comprise the outer banks of North Carolina, we discovered that a massive amount of land has been designated Red wolf sanctuary land. Hey, guys. You have some long lost cousins in Galveston. 

Our next stop was Fort Raleigh. It was the site of the first English settlement in the Americas. Now … for those of you Jamestown aficionados, let me add one minor disclaimer here. Fort Roanoke was the first one … to fail. And now it has its own national park to celebrate that failure. Not sure what to do with that. One of the paths did lead up to a body of water, though. Roanoke Sound. As was my custom, I touched the water. 

Since we were finally on the coast again - the Atlantic Coast, that is - we got into a hotel that happened to be right on the beach. I mean it had its own beach access path and everything. We went for a walk so I could touch some good cold Atlantic Ocean water. Even collected some shells. Felt almost like home. Only cold. 

Oh! And the name of this city is - ready for this one? - Kill Devil Hills. It was named when a shipment of rum washed ashore after a shipwreck. It was apparently so strong that the people said “It’s strong enough to kill the devil.”  That’s some serious rum. 

Today we are exploring more of these North Carolina border islands. Lighthouses, Kitty Hawk, ferry rides. Can’t wait. Like I said … almost like home. 

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ says, Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

Father, thank you for the water. I know it’s not the Gulf, but when you are nostalgic … it counts, right? Amen. 

March 29 - “Through the smoke”

Onward and upward. Into the … well, technically I suppose we were heading right into the mouth of the beast. Or at least clipping one of his incisors. The Carl Sandburg National park was right on the outskirts of a massive wildfire racing through North and South Carolina. But we decided to give it a shot. I mean … what’s the worst that could happen?

Well, we made our way through some smoke and haze without too much difficulty. We had to park at a trailhead and hike to the actual site, because the roads had been damaged by the freak Hurricane Helene. We could definitely feel the smoke in the air. At the house itself (anticlimactic, for sure. Couldn’t even go inside), we spent a long time chatting with two of the park rangers. Well, the one with the thick North Carolina accent did most of the talking. They were very interested in what fishing was like on the Gulf Coast in Texas. I got a t-shirt at the gift shop. Do clothes count as souvenirs? It has a Carl Sandburg quote on the front. “I’m an idealist. I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.”  Kinda sums up our approach to road trips. 

Next we went to Asheville to get a Blue Ridge Parkway stamp for “The Book.”  We’ve been on the Parkway before … before we were doing the book. Just got the stamp to validate that experience. No return trip, though. Much of the road was actually closed because of a combination of factors related to the hurricane and the fires. Not to mention we got passed on our way up by a plethora of fire vehicles with lights and sirens blaring. So we jumped back down to the nearest freeway and headed east - away from the fires. 

After another two or three hour drive, our next stop was the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. No smoky air around here. It was the site of a key battle in the Revolutionary War. Because of the victory there, the revolutionaries were able to be victorious at Yorktown. At least that’s what one of the signs said. There were lots of random statues honoring those in the battle. One in particular was a massive guy on an even massiver (not a word, is it?) horse. The most impressive thing about this one? The entire community uses the extensive system of walking trails, well, extensively. 

After a meal at Cracker Barrel and a quick Walmart run to replenish supplies (read here “road snacks”), we settled in at the hotel to wash some clothes and prepare for the next phase of the journey - Kitty Hawk. 

Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬ says, The man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.

Father, thank you for the good news regarding Jay’s surgery. Now help him through the recovery process. Amen. 

March 28 - “Reconnecting”

We eased out of Santee pretty early in the morning. Early enough that we were some of the first ones at Congaree National Park. We checked in at the visitor center first, as is our custom. Chris got her book stamped and I roamed around a bit. 

And what to my wandering eyes should appear, but an array of the most unusual critters, all of whom stared sadly at me. And what was so unusual? Well, aside from the fact that, according to the park ranger, they had been completely unsuccessful in convincing anyone to adopt, I think the overriding issue could possibly have been … the critters in question were giant mosquitoes. Yep. We adopted one on the spot. Mable. Mable Mosquito. And she has become great friends with the rest of our travel companions. 

With Mable safely ensconced in the travel buddies seat, we headed on to our next park. This one was especially unusual. Its name? 96. No, that’s right. Just Ninety Six. No one knows for sure where the name came from - maybe the estimated distance from the area (which was an old Indian trading post) to the coast. Not sure how that works out in real time. So we 96’d our way through our second hike of the day that took us through the site of the first Southern battle of the Revolutionary War. Pretty interesting. Pretty tough hike, too. This place has hills. 

From there we headed toward Carl Sandburg’s house. Yep, it’s a national park now. We couldn’t make it in time to go yesterday, though, so we got a hotel in Greenville, just south of our goal. We are also keeping our eyes on the wildfires not far from Greenville. 

And speaking of Greenville, we had a great visit last night with some old friends. We knew Andy and Jennie from his time as worship pastor at Seaside many years ago. They now live in the area, and he teaches at North Greenville University. Thanks for making the drive down to catch up, you two. 

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭says, Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Father, thanks for the chance to visit with old friends. Bless Andy and Jennie and their family. Amen. 

March 27 - “Two forts and a fire stone”

Fort Moultrie, South Carolina was our first stop of the day. Honestly, I didn’t expect much more than a chance to get Chris’ National Parks book stamped. It was the keeper of the stamp and all things Fort Sumter. 

It proved to be quite the pleasant surprise. For one thing, Chris actually found a commemorative thimble. Those are getting hard to find. But the fort itself provided three other surprises, two  involving a certain telephoto lens. We were able to see the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse off in the distance, and we took a selfie with Fort Sumter in the background. The third one came as we settled into the car to depart. A very large, beautiful ern (sea eagle) alit on a treetop right in from of us. Photo op!

We left in a hurry to get to the highlight of the morning. We caught a ferry out to see Fort Sumter. It was my only anticipated site in South Carolina. As a bonus, the ferry was docked right next to the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. We didn’t hop on that one, but we were able to see numerous planes on deck. Thought about you, Caleb and Josh. 

On the way to Fort Sumter we saw Schutte’s Folly. It’s just a much smaller version of Sumter. 

Off in the distance we saw Fort Johnson. That’s where the first shots of the Civil War were fired from. 

Fort Sumter was a lot smaller than I pictured. But then, I never knew that the whole island was man-made. After the War of 1812, the country wanted to shore up coastal defenses (the British had sailed right into Washington and burned down the capitol and the White House), so they shipped blocks of stone from the north and had slaves push the blocks overboard. It took several years to get it all done. Just in time for it to be destroyed by the end of the Civil War. Lots of history. Glad we included this one. 

From Fort Sumter to Firestone. Well, after a brief stop to refuel at Wendy’s. We had a 3:00 appointment to get our 12% oil life left oil changed. After we ate, it was still just 2.  So we went anyway. And imagine this … they took us right in with no wait. And the charge was $25 less than I expected. Wow. Let’s travel. 

Last night we bedded down in the town of Santee. Pretty good hotel this time. Even had a Cracker Barrel in walking distance. The town is about 45 minutes away from the next National Park - Congaree. Headed there this morning. 

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ says, Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

Father, please be with my big brother Jay today. Guide the hands and minds of his heart surgeons. Give him some gentle and caring nurses. And be with Fran as she waits. Thats a pretty tough place to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

March 26 - “Cruisin’ up”

Yesterday was a road day. We left Florida (after a quick stop at a Buc-ees, which, by the way, touted Texas Barbecue), made our way through the southeastern tip of Georgia, and cruised on into South Carolina. 

Well, I should rephrase that. We cruised all the way “up to” South Carolina. And the moment we crossed the border … traffic shut down. When we finally got to the source of the situation, we were a bit surprised. Someone had been  pulling a really nice pontoon boat. Apparently it tore loose from the trailer hitch and crashed into the ditch. No water there, Buddy. Sorry. 

We tried to make the best of our long drive, noting differences in terrain mostly. When I wasn’t dozing off, we chatted about what we were seeing. For instance, in Georgia, we saw several billboards complaining that the tariff was actually a tax on groceries. Message paid for by none other than … the government of Canada. Georgia also had some pretty wildflowers. South Carolina’s claim to fame? Jesus billboards.  Also, it looked very dry. I mean … Very dry. Except for the batches of wisteria growing wild and draped just about everywhere. Chris loved it. 

We arrived in Charleston in time to make a quick run by the port where our “ cruise ship” (aka ferry) will take off at 10:45 this morning. We should be back sometime after one. Just in time to make it to our appointment at Firestone to have the oil changed. Only 17% oil life left. Definitely on its last leg. That appointment is at 3. Then we’ll decide whether to spend another night here or look for a spot somewhere down the road. 

Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Father, help us find exactly where we need to be this morning. Amen. 

March 25 - “Into the spies … er … skies”

We saw something rather amazing on our way out to the car. A luggage cart. One actual luggage cart. I guess all the people headed to one of the three or four cruise ships in port finally dropped it off. 

Our goal for the day was to roam lazily around the Kennedy Space Center, enjoying the space-related paraphernalia. All we knew was that we had to do the bus tour very first thing. 

As it happened, we were on the first bus out. Fascinating to see. But most fascinating of all? There were notices everywhere that bus tours would cease at 1:00. Why?  Well … 

As randomness would have it, on that very day there was a rocket launch scheduled. We were able to secure a prime seat in the bleachers (also In the sun. The very hot sun). Sadly, we left our sun screen at the hotel. We had not planned to spend a few hours just sitting outside. 

As far as the reason for the flight, it was deploying a spy satellite. No further information about that was available, though. Emphasis on the “spy” part, right?

But the launch went off as scheduled without a hitch. The noise was amazing.   And as an added bonus, we got to see the fuel part of the rocket return to the launch pad. Again, with lots of sound barrier busting racket. So glad we got to see it. 

The Kennedy Space Center was like the NASA visitors’ center on steroids. Mission used rockets, some replicas, others actually used. Massively huge. Teaching abounded, both on screens as well as through lectures. And the cheeseburger I had for lunch was among the best I have ever eaten. I highly recommend this place, especially for kids. 

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ says, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

Father, thanks for the surprise experience yesterday. Quite memorable. Amen. 

March 24 - “Let’s go see a lighthouse”

Well, Spring Training… check. Great couple of days. And now, as our travel buddies so eloquently put it on Facebook, “Let’s go see a lighthouse!”

The lighthouse we visited was named after the same planet as the town - Jupiter. It was nestled in a jungle-like terrain just on the banks of a river and, of course, in ready view of the Atlantic. As we walked up to the entrance, I fully expected a ninja sloth or at the very least, an errant spider monkey, to leap from the trees and attack us. We managed to escape such a horrendous fate, however. 

Instead we walked up the 35 steps dubbed “the test steps.”  They received that monicker because they gave you a clue as to what to further expect once inside. Sort of a last chance to escape your impending doom. 

We successfully negotiated those steps and moved on to bigger - or taller - things. The lighthouse had no less than 105 more steps, all arranged smartly in a tight spiral. It took a while, with rest stops every 25 or so steps, but we made it to the top. We each received a nice certificate commemorating our achievement. 

We also picked up another travel buddy. A tiny manatee named, appropriately, Manny. Oh! And on the way back to the car I found a coconut, fresh off the nearby tree, I guessed. It sloshed with the coconut juice inside and everything. It may or may not have made its way into an empty Walmart bag we had in the car. Now what do I do with it?

Back in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral, we decided to make a return trip to Rusty’s. I ordered shrimp this time. Chris had the same as last time - grilled shrimp over rice and beans. We were … satisfied. So much so that we decided to do something kind of weird. We went to the beach. Cocoa Beach, to be exact. Well, we didn’t exactly go to the beach, either. Costs five bucks just to get a view of the sand. Nope. I can do that at home. 

We arrived at our next hotel around 4:20. (Check in time was 3). The guy at the desk said there would be a 10 minute wait. It stretched into about 20. Something about inspecting the rooms. Also, there were no luggage carts available. During that entire time no one brought a cart back to the front. That is, if they really had carts. Never saw one. Now, I gotta say, though, the facilities were excellent. The hotel has only been open for six months, so everything felt new. Just … the service. Ah … the service. 

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬ says, No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.

Father, I do thank you for an amazing place to stay for a day or two. Amen. 

March 23 - “Go ASTros!”

We had a few hours down time in the morning. Gave us a chance to do a load of laundry. That will free up some time on Tuesday to get the oil changed in the car. Maybe. 

The event at the field (or should I say, fields) was a lot of fun. First we made a quick trip through the team store. I had my eye on a few key items (Spring training cap and the new City Connect hat). Somehow a Spring Training tshirt wearing bear jumped in our bag as well. New travel buddy. 

Then we had time to watch some pitchers warming up (Brian Abreu and Josh Hader, among others). We also saw some batting cage work. The only one I recognized there was Jake Meyers. 

Next came the big meal and program our travel group had set up in a tent just past center field. Good food. Grilled Mahi, barbecued chicken, pulled pork and a lot of fixin’s. Oh, and a cookie with the Astros logo emblazoned on it. 

After dinner they set up a little panel of sorts with Steve Sparks (former player and current radio voice of the Astros), Spencer Arrighetti (pitcher) and Hayden Wesneski (another pitcher who just arrived with the Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal with the Cubs. All three were pretty sharp gentlemen. 

After the panel we were allowed to get autographs and photos with them. I got my autographs on a baseball I brought with me. It was one I actually played with when I was in Little League. Hayden offered to get me a new one, but I considered it the culmination of a childhood dream to get a big leaguer’s autograph on one of my own baseballs. Check. 

As a bonus, at the game they gave away bobble heads of Pena, Valdez, and Alvarez. 

The game was a fun one. The minor leaguers who were left playing at the end staged a furious comeback back, but it fell just short. The Astros lost 6-5. Oh, well. 

Oh! And there was a fireworks show after the game. Go Astros. 

Speaking of that … thanks to Rangers fan Diane for her rabid support of the ASTros … almost  (“Go AST” was all she could bring herself to commit to). 

Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭27‬ says, Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”

Father, thanks for this bucket list check. It was fun. Amen.