Holly, ice and a tree covering

The holly might get a snow dusting today (Tuesday)

 WEST END, NC - - It's cold, overcast and breezy.  We're not complaining. we're wandering around. Check the previous blog for more travel tales

A 'knit' way to cover your Christmas tree...in downtown Southern Pines

Yes, it's ice...on the UNC Chapel Hill campus

On the road

Everybody needs a Buck-ee 's beaver plushee

 WEST END, NC -- Travel on I-95 from OB to NC and you'll likely see humorous billboards touting the latest addition to the  travel center / convenience center choices.  Buck-ee's is worth a stop.   So we did check one out in SC.  Wow!  Aside from over 50 gas pumps, the store was huge and not in typical truck stop style...in fact it does not allow big rigs.

Just guys slicing up brisket for sandwiches

 

Hey, you want a fresh cut brisket sandwich; fresh made jerky; fudge; donuts or pastry or a breakfast burrito you got it. Amazing really because half the folks wandering around were sort of smiling or were looking around in wonder.  The rest had a determined look figuring out how to see everything. Who knew getting 10 gallons of gas could be exciting.
 

Parade time

No Xmas without Snoopy

All the Xmas ingredients except Snoopy

 ORMOND BEACH,  FL - - Even a grinch like me needs to get a yearly Christmas Parade fix.  With over 100 companies / participants including marching bands, dance clubs, tow truck companies, canine schools, and about everything in between there was something for everybody.  Plus the showers of sweet things being tossed by people within the groups.  The above are I-phone6 photos...no need to lug the 'big' equipment.  And a good time was had by all.

OB Seafood Fest

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - This weekend's OB Seafood Fest takes place just a short walk over the OB bridge from our house. This is an endeavor which combines two of our favorite things:  walking and an interesting lunch.  On the lunch front there were a number of choices.  One: crawfish and corn and Two: paella with rice; mussels; shrimp; crawfish and a bit of  fish or mac and cheese with shrimp. I would have liked a combo of all three, but it was the paella which won out.  Tasty.
 

Bromeliad

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Among the many flowering species we have  around our house are / is bromeliads.  We apparently have the pyramid wing of the family...which includes about 75 relatives as widely varied as Spanish moss and pineapples.  Go figure.  When we moved in 27 years ago there was a small clump of plants in one backyard location.  Now, we have LARGE  clumps in a number of backyard locations.  No problem.  Now, if we could only train the bromeliad crew to strangle the invasive bamboo shoots we'd be fine.
 

Hurricane Nicole...the day after

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Hurricane Nicole has headed north up the Eastern seaboard to inflict what's left of the rain and wind on more folks.  OB got off pretty light. A short distance to the South the pounding of the waves undercut beach side areas badly enough to drop at least 12 houses off foundations  and force evacuations of a couple of  damage-stressed condos.  To the north about 12 miles, the waves damaged parts of A1A (our main ocean side drive) enough to close some sections.

     This view looks North from the Granada approach. While it may look like this area of beach got spared, it didn't.  All the nice, deep sand where it was great to stretch out is gone.  It looks just as flat to the South, but more erosion is also evident around the accommodations fronting the ocean.

     Check the previous blog for a look at the Halifax River storm surge one block from home.

Hurricane Nicole

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Two officers from our OB fire department showed up Thursday afternoon to get a first-hand look at the street flooding a  block from our house.  It looks bad here while a couple of blocks up there's no flooding although the  Halifax River and the 20mph plus wind was trying hard to overcome higher (inches) elevation.  The building pictured is the OB city attorney's office...a great location until Mother Nature conspires.

     One block south lies Ames Park, a great place for a picnic or hanging out.  Not today.  Check the center background and you'll glimpse the OB bridge.  Not much happening there 'cause of high winds / waves and the hurricane / tropical storm madness.  The bridge access was closed...there was a mandatory evacuation yesterday, but not many people left their homes.  It's funny to think that the area just across the Halifax is considered  an island.

Seasonal scenes

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's a nice, sunny 78-degree Spring day in the neighborhood.  Oh, wait...it's November 3.  Yet, the shrubs and flowers are having a blooming time and the Royal Terns are turning to face the slightly off-shore breeze. The water fountain decorations are spurting in the nearby park and there are plenty of colorful plantings around another nearby park.  However, a cool front is moving in and it will be a chilly 68 on of these nights.

 
 

Splat!!

SPLAT!!

 ORMOND BEAC H, FL - - Splat is the sound you'll hear if you're texting, playing email or scrolling on your phone when  you realize there's an immovable object right in front of you.  Halloween is just around the corner so we're seeing decorations adorning many houses ...  most with "adult" kids who haven't quite grown up yet.  This yard caught my eye while wandering the neighborhood on a breezy morning.  The 'phone' reference is apt because more and more people are wandering, or worse yet, driving with their eyes and concentration glued to the phone screen to the peril of those of us who are at least semi alert.

Hurricane Ian

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Our house survived...again.  We had limbs blown down; some tree damage; lots of stuff blown around, but nothing major.  There are large piles of 'storm' damage' piled out near the street which...sooner or later...will get picked up.

     Two blocks away, the damage for one homeowner was a bit more drastic.  A large tree didn't withstand the high winds and toppled over...right onto his Jeep...with limbs hanging out into the street.

    A tree, uprooted and crashing down in our yard wouldn't hit one of our vehicles because the house is in the way.  We don't need that to happen.
 

And now, North Carolina

SOUTHERN PINES, NC - - So how did we get here?  Our end of vacation routine should have been about another 10 days in Colorado.  But a family (Lydia's) situation ended that plan.  The young goat (above) was just one member of an extended group comprising a large 'petting zoo' at the  Gunnison, CO KOA.  Goats and sheep wandered in and around our campsite.  Nearby were two mules, at least two miniature horses, some chickens and probably rabbits, too.  We could have stayed another day or two.

     Cue the music for about 1,500 miles of interstate; checking the tv weather each night for news of Hurricane Ian as the storm got ever closer to OB.  And when the storm had blown past OB, it headed for NC and the general area we we were going to.  For the last day on the interstate we followed / passed convoy's of power company trucks heading to the NC coast (major outages) and, maybe, south to FL

 

Three view of Moab, UT

GUNNISON, CO -- After 3 days in Moab, UT we're on the road to Colorado Springs or somewhere around there.  Moab was a fascinating place with THREE 'must do' options which each can fill a day. (Top)  The Bend as shot from Dead Horse State Park.  The Colorado River meanders around nearly everywhere it goes.  This location to see the river is famous.  Look closely and you can see a trail on the mesa above the brown waters.

     In Arches NP the hike up to see Delicate Arch close-up seemed a bit more than I wanted to take on: stamina-wise it would be long and slow; balance and agility-wise I decided to play it safe.  The second observation  point in Arches NP was much more my style, but the photos were distant.

     Canyonlands NP is a huge conglomeration of geologic wonders.  It's either deep, strange looking canyons or walls and towers of red rock which look like they were built in a giant's sand box.
 

Our annual stroll around Goldfield

 GOLDFIELD, NV - - Goldfield is always a neat place to wander around.  Friendly neighbors are one of the first things which come to mind. Some folks like to warn the unwary.

     Other folks have fancy 'yard art' while others just let the derelict cars pile up.  Need a pet??  A lot of the wild burros wandering around get penned up and held while looking for home.

     One Goldfield resident (with a sense of humor) has the license plate I'd like.  Grumpy is as Grumpy does.  We learn something on every visit.  This time it was about railroad times here.  The Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad played a part if the high times when silver and gold ruled the area back at the beginning of the 19th century.  Later, in down-sized fashion the railway continued working (for the Nevada Copper Belt Railroad and then as storage units) until 1947.  NOTE:  the double train pics are a sign of tapping the 'print' function too quickly.

On the road views

A cloudy viewpoint from the passenger seat

And now some sun as the road rolls on

GOLDFIELD, NV - - We've left the Pacific coast wandering Eastward...and there's not a wave or sea lion to be seen.  In fact, except for a few tumbleweeds the scenery looks pretty much the same yet the two photos were taken on different days.  It's been 'set the cruise control and do not fall asleep.'
 

On a foggy morning...

Cape Foulweather, now called Yaquina Head, and the nearly 150 year old lighthouse

In the center sea lions and squaking birds adorn the rocks

Rock stacks and guano...not white colored rocks

 

What to do on a quiet morning

Coffee and some quiet 'pickin'

 FLORENCE, OR - - On the deck at River Roasters Coffee this older gentleman was playing his guitar softly while drinking his coffee and thinking about...  A quiet morning on the Siuslaw River with dark clouds hovering.

The view

Heceta Head lighthouse
 

Seal Rock Cove - - early morning

 SEAL ROCK COVE, OR - - There's a trail from the campground to the beach.  No seals, but plenty of tidal pools; sea snail covered rocks and green algae.  Also drift wood and nesting gulls on the higher rocks. We'll have to wait until we get further south in Oregon to see the 'sea stacks'; the tall rock formations which look like miniature mountains.

Most of the fishing / crabbing fleet is idle in Newport

Amateur driftwood artists at work

Cheaper by the pound...

The California sea lion chorus and fans

 NEWPORT, OR - - We've been moving around a bit and have finally landed (for 3 nights) in a RV campground near Seal Rock Cove.  (more info in the next blog.)  For now, we'll concentrate on one of our favorite pass times...checking in on the California sea lion blubber-fest in Newport.  These guys and gals have a special area where they hang out...despite Newport's best efforts to get them to go somewhere - anywhere - else. 

     The locomotive below is a reminder of days past and the booming lumber trade in Garibaldi, WA while the ocean view could include the lighthouse I was standing near if I turned just a bit.

This workhorse hauled lumber over 100 years ago

Early morning surf and haze at Yaquina Head

The mighty Columbia

CASCADE LOCKS,  OR - - We've escaped  two weeks in Mt. Ranier NP and have wandered over some very twisty Cascade Mtns. roads towards the Oregon coast.  Our first stop, or the first town of any size was Stevenson, WA.  Before crossing the Columbia River, we walked along a riverfront area crowded with mainly kite boarders.  The winds in the Columbia Gorge are perfect for plenty of action.  And then there was the paddle wheeler all set to recreate the bygone days.  Unfortunately it wasn't going anyplace but serving as a luncheon host for two bus loads of retirees.

    

     An   AMTRAK commuter train also zipped thru Stevenson while we were there. However the bigger surprise on steel rails awaited us when we crossed a bridge over into Oregon and the Cascade Locks KOA campground.  Aside from having electricity / wi-fi / and cell service plus hot water and showers, the main rail line runs right past the campground.  No doubt some recent campers were surprised, at how close but   we love it.  Although I'll wait until way past midnight to see if there's a 2:30am freight.

 

One person's trash is another person's treasure

Real trash pickers bring their own haulage

One of the better looking displays of 'junk'

We checked it out a day early

 PACKWOOD, WA - - What could better than a nice garage sale and a cold beer???  About two miles worth of tents / trash displays and a couple of drinking emporiums.  Wandering around a day early some set ups were ready to sell what ever you needed although it was a bit hard to discern the trash sales person from the trash.  Actually, it was good for people watching although a vast percentage of the folks looked like they were from the same extended family.  In case you might have missed the Labor Day Weekend Garage Sale and Beerfest, Packwood also does this on the Fourth of July.  Fortunately we've now been forewarned before next year's travels.