Staat Stats 2012

To summarize our 2012 adventure, here are a few Staat Stats:

Miles travelled:  16,081

Days on the road:  93

Days in Canada:  62

Days in States:  31

States visited:   22

Canadian Provinces visited:   8

Nights in motels:  2 (during the SMRP conference)

Nights with friends and family:  11

Nights in camper:  80

Why does the tune, "I've been everywhere, man," keep running through our heads?  Just perhaps it is because during our three trips in 2010, 2011, and 2012, we've racked up over 52,269 miles!!!  Insanity comes in all forms, I suppose! 

We invite you to join us for next year's adventure!!!  We'll keep you posted... no pun intended!  :)

I Love a Parade!!!

Orlando was an absolute treat.  We arrived Friday afternoon and spent the weekend with our son and his family.  We had the great privilege of watching our granddaughter and her team win a soccer game.

We celebrated our son's birthday and played poolside with our grandson.  Roxanne even got to go for a dip.  It was so great to be with everyone.

David's conference with the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals began on Monday.  While he reconnected with old colleagues, I reorganized gear and caught up on some overdue computer work.

Tuesday evening was a delight.  We were able to see our granddaughter march in her first parade.  It was wonderful!!!  Here's an abbreviated video of the parade... it was also Rox's first!  Stout of heart as always, she didn't even flinch when the marching band's drum section passed us by.

I must admit... after being on the road so long, we were ready to be home.  We had been talking about it for days.  We began teasing each other about getting up bright and early Thursday morning to hit the road.  I told David that three o'clock in the morning was my goal.  We didn't miss it by far.  We were on the road by 4:15 eastern time.

We reached Lake Charles in by mid afternoon.  At that point, there was no stopping nor turning back.  My bed was calling me home!  I drove ten hours straight on pure adrenalin, taking the truck across the Texas state line, while we sang the Yellow Rose at the top of our lungs.  We swapped drivers, and David drove us home.  We arrived at dusk.

I don't know which of us was happier to set foot in the house.  Roxanne was like a puppy, grabbing toys and prancing up and down the hallway.  We settled into our respective chairs, toasting the blessings and our safe journey.  Sinking back into familiar cushions, all I could say is, "There's no place like home!"

Last Leg of our Journey Begins

We spent a splendid weekend with dear friends in North Carolina.  After enjoying amazing southern hospitality, soccer games, basketball practice, and lots of good eating, we left Monday morning for Florida.

Our first night's stay on this last leg of our trip was in Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina.  Although it was Monday and the skies opened up in heavy rains, the park was absolutely packed.  We felt lucky to set camp at one of the last two available campsites.  Unfortunately, except for a short stroll the following morning, the rains kept us from enjoying the lovely beach.

The next morning, we were back on the road.  We drove to Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine.  The park was a delight, filled with lots of shorebirds (including some with pink feet and others with yellow feet!).  We even happened upon a turtle grazing an evening salad and a small pod of dolphins fishing one of the inlets.

We spent the next two nights catching up with our nephew and his boys.  Although I didn't get a photo, we were blessed to see a manatee off their dock.

Now we're headed to Orlando to visit grandchildren!  Wow!  It will be a great time!

North Carolina's OBX

After spending several days in Missouri with family, we are headed east once again.  It certainly felt like deja vu... our trip really began in North Carolina this summer in Montreat.

With rumors of wild horses residing on the Carolina Outer Banks, or OBX as it is affectionately known, we decided to see what we could see.  We stopped at the local kite shop in Duck to buy gifts for the grandkids.  The store owner warned us that the wild horses would be hard to find.  Undaunted, we decided to take the twelve mile drive out to Carolla Beach.

I must admit, the crowds that we encountered in OBX were unexpected.  It was October and mid week, yet the road to beach was filled with stop and go traffic the entire twelve mile stretch.  The OBX islands are a major east coast vacation destination.  We drove past rows and rows of condos and rental homes.  Before our OBX experience, I had thought that the east end of Galveston was built up... but it is literally nothing compared here!  We were amazed.

While in Roosevelt National Park, we shared the entire campground with only 23 other campers... even on the weekend.  When we traveled the wildlife loop, we might encounter a half a dozen other cars during the entire 30 mile trip.  It was quite an adjustment to be in this sort of traffic.  It had a feeling more like rush hour at home rather than a quiet drive to a wildlife refuge.

We had been forewarned of the deep sand on the beach, so David slipped the truck into four wheel drive when we drove off pavement.  What we saw next surprised us... a dozen or more cars stopped about two hundred yards up the beach.  In front of them were four wild horses, two mares with their respective yearlings.

OBX horses

There are about 100 wild horses on this 12,000 acre wildlife refuge.  Smaller than most horses, they are not ponies.  These OBX horses are believed to be descendants of the Spanish mustang, most likely survivors of shipwrecks.  Many feel that their smaller stature is a result of the less nutritious food that they eat.  The horses graze on marsh grasses which also supply fresh water in addition to finding freshwater pools.

As I photographed the horses, I was surprised at how docile the mares appeared among this horde of spectators... quite unlike the wild horses at Roosevelt.  These horses seemed quite use to the crowds.  And while notices everywhere asked visitors to keep a 50-yard distance, we saw few respecting the limit.  One lady on a bicycle took photos less than 20 feet from one of the mares and vehicles drove even closer.

It was also evident that the horses have become a major tourist attraction for the area.  On our drive to the beach, we had seen dozens of "wild horse tour" signs outside various businesses.  In the short time we were with the horses, at least a half dozen jeep tours joined us, each packed with at least six people.

The sun was high and the beach crowded, so we decided to drive into the national park on the northern end of the island to find a campsite.  Thankfully, the tent camping area of the campground wasn't too crowded.  We discovered too late, however, that it is sticker bur heaven... a definite disadvantage when traveling with a long-haired dog!  Within minutes, we were pulling stickers from between Rox's pads and feathers.

After we set up camp, we took a stroll over the dunes to the lovely beach.

Over supper, we looked at the map to determine our next steps.  We both knew that we had, quite simply, been too isolated for too long to handle these kinds of crowds so soon.  We were due to arrive at the home of our North Carolina friends on Friday.  When we recognized that we were near the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge, home to red wolves and black bears, we decided to leave the crowds of OBX behind us.

Before leaving the following morning, however, we made one more stop on OBX at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.  What a wonderful treat it was for all of us!  (While I'm not certain that Rox is a flight aficionado like us, she most certainly enjoyed all the attention and pets!)

The memorial boasts an exact replica of the Wright Brother's plane.  We also saw the take off point of that historic first flight.  What an exciting moment that must have been!

Replica of Wright Brother's plane

Wright Brothers Memorial

We left Kitty Hawk and drove through a maze of gravel roads through Alligator River Wildlife Refuge.  We camped in a lovely little campground at Pettegrew State Park on Phelps Lake, amidst one of the last old growth forests in eastern North Carolina.  We saw no red wolves or black bear, but it felt good to be in a remote area again.  This is our third long trip and we now know that we must "re-enter" civilization slowly!

Outer Banks on Dwellable

Lagniappe and Wild Horses

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

We spent six glorious days in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  After our experiences here, we definitely feel that anything more than this is just plain lagniappe… a Cajun term for an extra gift or bonus.  The weather was perfect, with warm, sunny days and cold nights.  I am also extremely happy to report that my “trigger finger” is now completely satisfied, having shot over 1,200 photos, mostly of wild horses!

We awoke our first morning at the park eager to make the wildlife loop again.  The standoff between the roan and the black had been truly exceptional to watch.  Now we began our quest to find the white stallion and his band.  If you remember, the white stallion was the very first wild horse that I ever photographed.  We discovered him on our first trip to the park in 2010. 

Last year, however, when we found him again, he was injured.  He had a terrible gash on the inside of his left foreleg that appeared to go almost to the bone.  He was limping badly. 

The park was dusting for noxious weeds at the time.  As I was photographing the horses, a chopper rose from a gully, frightening the band.  The stallion turned and gallantly stood to take on this huge metal beast while his boss mare led the band to safety.  Only after the entire band had fled did the wounded stallion turn to save himself.  My heart broke as we watched him limp out of sight. 

We did not find the stallion or his band on our visit last March.  For over a year now, I had wondered if he had survived his injuries.  If he had, would he still be able to lead his band?  Would we find him this trip?

The following two days, we found many old friends.  We found the big red stallion, now leading a small herd of his own.  We saw bison and deer galore… a pair of bull elk, antelope, and a coyote.  

During the days we lolled around the camp, reading and enjoying the warm breeze.  We off-loaded the camper to see how easy it might be on future trips.  One afternoon, one of the young stallions that had made the campground their territory took a dust bath just behind our campsite.

Even the prairie dogs seemed happy to see us and gave us their happy “high five” signal... which I finally captured... albeit on a shaky video!

On our third morning traveling the park loop, we passed Paddock Creek and spied a band of wild horses near the roadside.  One of the horses was white.  David pulled up short so that I could slip out of the truck to determine which band it was.  Within moments, my heart was soaring… it was the white stallion!  He was completely healed and leading his band… and it had increased in size!

The white stallion and his band

I motioned for David to join me.  For the next half hour or so, we were blessed to watch this band interact and graze.  One of the mares moved about twenty yards from the rest of the horses and whinnied.  The white stallion promptly herded her back to the others, nipping her behind.  They grazed along a well-worn path.  Although we had to quietly move several times to stay out of their way, they seemed comfortable with our being near.

This was more than I had even hoped for… a true blessing and gift.  Satisfied and rested, we spent the remainder of our time in the park relishing the downtime, wildlife, changing colors, and the views.

The morning we left the park, the big red stallion offered the comic relief we needed.  We spied him on a hilltop on the road to the Coal Vein trailhead.  David and I climbed a nearby hill and noticed the horse swaying ever so slightly.  On closer inspection, we discovered that his eyes were closed.  He was sleeping and wavered back and forth to keep his balance. 

As we drove out of the park, we agreed that the extra miles had been more than worth the travel time.  We turned now to the last leg of our journey… a visit with David’s mother and sister before we headed back to the Carolinas and on to Orlando.  In three weeks, we will be home.

This park has become our “ending” place, marking the beginning of our journey home.  With the horses and other wildlife, it offers a brilliant finale to our trips.  I think that it also feels that way because of the stars.  Each evening as the stars come out, we gaze at the big dipper as it hangs over the campground… in the exact same place that it hangs over our driveway at home. 

Our thoughts are turning towards home sweet home.  We travel onward now and count our extraordinary blessings.

North Dakota on Dwellable

A Vacation from our Vacation

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

It felt like a true blessing when we drove into Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Just between the visitor’s center and the campground, we saw a gaggle of turkeys, bison, and two wild horses.  We arrived just in time to go for an evening round on the wildlife loop. It felt like the hills were welcoming us home. 

As we drove along the loop, we would see wild horse bands in the distance.  It was such fun… David would peer through his binoculars and I through the camera’s long lens, each trying to identify the band first.

We rounded the topside of the loop and were delighted to find old friends… the roan and his band.  We pulled off to watch and take a few photos.  The band seemed restless.  At first we thought that it was because of us, however, we soon discovered another old friend coming out from behind a hill… the black stallion.  He and his band seemed to be grazing in extremely close proximity to the roan.

Over the next half hour, we were privileged to witness these two stallions working out their issues along the park road.  It felt like the roan was taking control.  At first he pawed the ground, shaking his mighty head.  (Below is a video of his pawing… much too close because I had the long distance lens attached to the camera… and also, please excuse the shakiness... I’m still learning!) 

 The black corralled his band away from the fray and led them down the road, stopping about fifty feet from the roan and his band.  The black’s band stood clustered near the guard railing. 

Then the roan made his move, walking closer to the black.  He stopped to smell each pile of poop along the road and added his own on top… a stallion’s way of saying that he is top dog.  The black took offense and sauntered straight toward the roan.  Both stopped about twenty feet from one another, eyes locked and ears straight forward.

After a few moments, each stallion returned to his band.  When the black began approaching again, the roan and his boss mare stood at attention, staring at the black. 

Soon tensions seemed to dissipate, and each band went back to their grazing.  As we watched the roan and his boss mare, they seemed to lovingly touch noses. 

Wow!  

We returned to the campground and set up camp in one of our favorite spots.  The sun set, painting the clouds red, then blue, then gray.  As the stars came out one by one, we toasted the night.  It truly felt like we were on vacation from our vacation.

North Dakota on Dwellable

Bonafide Crazy

We awoke this morning still questioning which path to take.  We determined that the best option was to find a town and stop for breakfast at a restaurant with internet service.  There we could check the weather forecast for Minnesota’s Boundary Waters.  Hopefully we would find good news.  If so, we could travel back across Minnesota to Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula before heading south.

We stopped in Fort Francis, pulled out the laptops, and settled down for a hot breakfast.  The forecast was not good.  Rain was predicted along the lakes from Wisconsin on through Michigan for the foreseeable future.  The weather in Minnesota looked a bit better but only for the first two days, then it, too, would be engulfed in gray skies and rain.

After traveling the coast for nearly two months, we were tired of rain... and now we were dealing with cold.  If we didn't travel along the Great Lakes, where could we go?  

It had already been on both of our minds… so I checked the long-range forecast for Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota… sunny with warm days and cold nights… but it was 800 miles further west.  It was 800 miles more driving than we wanted to take, particularly if we intended to travel back east, all the way down to Orlando!

We left the restaurant still undecided.  Our border crossing was simple and swift, and it felt so good to be back in the good ole' U.S. of A.  We stopped at the International Falls visitor’s center to see if Minnesota might have more to offer inland than we thought, hoping the weather would improve the further away from the lakes we traveled.  

We were feeling lost and uncertain.  We knew one thing for certain... we didn't want to spend the next two weeks in rain.  We clasped hands and prayed for guidance.  At our “amen,” the skies opened up and rain began to pummel the truck.  Was this our answer… that if we stayed along the lakes that it would continue to rain? 

We had to don slicker suits to dash inside the visitor’s center.  The lady at the counter was ever so kind and helpful but had little information that would help us.  

We walked back to the truck and sat inside in quiet disbelief.  We looked at one another… were we actually going to drive to North Dakota?  “Let’s do it,” David said.

We are, in fact, certifiably crazy people!  North Dakota… here we come!!!