Raleigh to Merritt, NC
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Overcast, low 60s, clearing later
We’d folded the camper, said our goodbyes and were on the road by 9:30. Today’s drive would be short and in two parts.
First stop was at Moore’s Olde Tyme Barbeque in New Bern, NC. There we met sailing friends, Bill & Susan, for lunch. They drove up from Morehead City where they have a home and where their boat is being readied for a trip to Florida for the winter. Moore’s roasts and smokes pigs in a real pit over live oak coals and serves the pulled meat with a vinegar based BBQ sauce. This is the real deal in North Carolina!
We had a great couple of hours with Bill & Susan, enjoying the BBQ and catching up on what was happening in each other’s lives.
The next portion of our trip was to nearby Merritt and the waterside home of sailing and camping friends, Dave & Sandy. We began our reunion by getting acquainted with their 13-week old white lab puppy, Sadie. And, not to be ignored, we also met the neighbor’s black lab, Homer, who Dave & Sandy were dog-sitting for a couple of weeks.
Our reunion shortly turned to the matter of dinner and we shared a delicious meal of grilled salmon, baked potatoes & broccoli. Conversation continued until our eyes began to droop.
Merritt, NC
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Overcast & cool, clear and sunny later
That morning we took a ride in the Whaler while Dave’s Sandy went to an appointment. When she returned, we visited nearby Oriental where we explored the town, shopped the Inland Waterway Provision Company and ate some ice cream at The Bean.
We let the ice cream settle a few hours before tucking into a dinner of pasta with sausage and veggies. Then it was picture time, looking over some of the more notable photos and videos from the Alaska portion of our trip.
Merritt to Salisbury, MD
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Sunny, mid 60s
Hitting the road at 8:50, we were bound for Salisbury, MD, some 300+ miles distant.
Along the way we were surprised to see cotton fields. Maybe they’ve always been there but we didn’t remember them. We made a couple of short stops along the way, reliving a few memories of our trips down the ICW.
The first was at the city docks in Elizabeth City, NC. Elizabeth City is home to the Rose Buddies who welcome boaters who tie up at the free docks offered by the city. Fred Fearing, who we met and who started the Rose Buddies, died in 2007 at the age of 93. But Gus, one of the most active of the other Rose Buddies, was at the docks when we stopped by.
We next stopped at the Dismal Swamp Canal Visitor Center. This visitor center is unique in that it is not on an interstate highway and that it welcomes both automotive traffic and boat traffic. We stayed at the center in 2003 on our way to the Bahamas. While there, we helped a trawler tie up for the night.
We arrived Steve & Laurie’s at 4:30, just a few minutes before Laurie returned home from a majong tournament. Steve got home from work some time later. After some tasty snacks and catching up we enjoyed another delicious dinner. This one was a crock-pot chicken & root vegetables dish by Laurie. Excellent, as usual!
Yup, lots more catching up to do and, yes, more Alaska pictures to watch!