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However, as you continue down the Carolina cost there's a truckload of them (none of which I've seen) - Point Lookout, Cape Fear....
I've been up Carratuck and Hatteras.
I wouldn't mind spending a load of time exploring lighthouses. A lot will not let you climb them (Portland Head in Maine and Whitefish Point in Michigan are examples as is Ocracoke.) I notice those are all working lighthouses, but there are working lighthouses that they let you go up. Hatteras and Carrituck are like that. They recommissioned Barnegat Light by us a couple of years ago. Been up that at night with the light going which was a lot of fun. Plan to do that again this weekend.
There was also a big (25 gallon ?) crock that they used to make vinegar back in the day. They kept a "mother vinegar" plant going in the crock and went through a lot of the stuff cleaning the windows several times a day.
Word is there was a wonderful keeper's house at Barnegat Light. Unfortunately the ocean wanted that piece of land back long ago. The lighthouse itself is right on the edge. I kind of expect that one day a big storm is going to take it. I hope I don't live to see the day. It was built by General George Meade several years before be defeated Lee at Gettysburg.
I think the plan is to refill that inlet rather than to build a permanent bridge. It's certainly been done before.
I wonder of this speeds up the replacing of the Oregon Inlet Bridge which according to the locals is in desperate need. I wouldn't know. It looks in way better shape than our local bridge to our barrier island.
Also with my renewed interest in clocks that tick a trip to the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia may be in order.
I'm also sure there will be some antique shops beckoning once we get off the interstate (Hopefully we won't find anything that 'has' to come home with us).
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Did this ride in '05. The exhibit could use an upgrade.
Do anyone know when the better times of the year are to go there without it being overly crowded??
Election day week is great. Here in NJ a lot of schools close that whole week - between election day and the teacher's convention three days are shot anyway so....
You get down to Disney and the crowds are minimal and the weather tends to be nice. And everyone you meet there that week will also be from New Jersey....
No Thanks on that one :P
No relation to that, but one time we went to Disney and one of my kids wanted go on Space Mountain.
There was a big line but we decided to deal with it.
While we were in line there was a big group of people just ahead and behind us.
Every time the line went around a bend they would let some of the group behind us cut in front of us in the middle of the ever growing group.
I was pretty mad, but told my kid there was nothing I could do about it.
When we got to the last segment before getting on the ride, a Disney person magically appeared in front of us and said they had a car that had 2 open spots.
I said 'We'll go'. There just happened to be a gate right there and we got on the ride in front of all those people. Thank you Walt. :shades:
Really weird was November of 2001. I'd already made reservations and such before 9/11 and I was damned if I was going to let terrorists decide what I was doing so we went. We were in teh distinct minority on that count.
The plane, normally full, was half empty. Disney was completely empty. We didn't wait a minute on a line the whole week. It was really strange.
Off to "balmy" Port Huron and Deee-troit tomorrow.
Weather permitting.
Then at a pit stop at McDonalds, I got a big coffee. Wasn't sweet enough so I doctored it after cruising down the road a mile and managed to spill a couple of ounces in my lap. Didn't even notice for 30 seconds because I was wearing my long johns under my jeans (don't ask....).
After mostly clear sailing, once we got over "the" bridge, we hit some snowy Interstate, so couldn't go the speed limit. After twenty minutes it started clearing up so I sped up but the Subaru decided the sweet spot was 68. Going 70 (the speed limit) resulted in a lot of vibration that didn't go away unless I hit 78 and the roads weren't that good for my comfort level.
Another couple of hours and the roads got pretty good so I pulled off at a rest area and I finally let my wife drive. While there I checked the tires, but they looked fine. Pretty icy, but okay. Knocked the ice out of the fender wells and off we went. Still some vibes. I amused myself messing with the Garmin plug that's acting up and not making a good connection with the power port.
30 minutes later the vibration picked up and started rattling the back of the wagon, so we pulled over and I hopped out. Yep, left rear tire was flat. Moved the Subie way off the shoulder and I managed to put the space saver on in my fastest time yet, coatless and gloveless (ah, those long johns did come in handy). Had a little trouble finding a spare fuse to stick in the FWD spot, but within 10 or 12 minutes we were back on the Interstate and pulling off at Bayfield so we could take the backroads down to Port Huron.
Uneventful until we got to the city limits; dark had fallen by then as had a half inch of very slippery snow. The Subie didn't like to stop or start at the intersections. Didn't have to go far in that mess at least, but did see a wreck getting cleared (guess the 404 in Sarnia was closed all day for a 30+ car pileup). Arrived and to top off the evening I had managed to turn the parking lights on with that secret Subie switch on top of the steering column. Caught it before it had a chance to zap my battery though.
Checking my logs, my tires were pushing 38,000 miles so it was about time I suppose. Gonna add tires to the shopping list for next week.
Got 2012 out of the way at least. Been almost 5 months since my last flat.
38k is not a lot of miles for non OEM tires.
Snow last Thursday, maybe 2 Subie's in the lot. Emails for the missing ones said WFH.
But we usually take I-75 south from the Mackinac Bridge toward Flint before heading over to Port Huron. Makes for a long day if we don't bomb down the freeway for a while (still takes 10-12 hours usually). And when you live in 2 lane blue highway country, it's kind of fun to hit a road where you can go 80 for a change. :-)
I had high tread wear tires on the van last time and didn't like them. Seems like when I go that route, the tires are too hard and don't do well in the wet. And we're not driving that much any more, especially on the Subie. It might take 5 or 6 years to get 40k on the next set.
Memorable :shades: highlights included:
1. BLUE LICKS Battlefield and State Resort Park, Kentucky.
2. Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio.
3. Dutch Heritage, Amish Style Cooking Restaurant, Bellville, Ohio.
4. Put In Bay, Ohio.
5. The Herry Ford, Museum and Greenfield Village, Dearbourne, Michigan.
6. Hillsdale County Fair, exhibits and especially the Demolition Derby, Hillsdale, Mi.
7. Seeing wheere Post and Kellogg's cereals were made, Battlecreek, Mi.
8. Picking apples at Gary Crane Farm, picking up some souvenirs at Saugatuck Brewing Co., while on the way to touring the beautiful eastern shores of Lake Michigan.
9. The Farmers Market in Holland, Michigan.
10. Spending a few days at The Rockwell Lake Lodge located south of Cadillac, Michigan. reasonable
11. Sightseeing Amish culture at Shipshewana, Indiana.
12. Then a leisurely two lane trip back to our home in 'Dirtville', Georgia.
Total miles Hybrid Mariner SUV = 2,557 (averaging 31.5 mpg)
Gasoline = $277
Lodging = $986 (incl some meals)
Other food = $270
misc. = $153
Boarding Mr. Dogface = $154
Total direct cost for two people = $ 1,840
Time period 10 days ranging later September through early October.
The closer we got, the more road closing reports we heard on the radio. As we got within a quarter mile of my brother's house, we drove by a tornado path and the main road to my brother's neighborhood was closed. After calling my brother (who's in Florida) and messing with the GPS, we were able to sneak in a back way.
My niece and her hubby and two kids came over to sleep here since they have six holes in the roof of their newer home and no power. The damage was mostly along the eaves and got it tarped fast. Her husband works at home and saw the funnel. Watching the weather from my brother's deck, you could smell the pine resin in the air from all the snapped trees.
Wild weather day, but we were lucky just to have some windy driving. Lots luckier than a lot of people today.
Never really stayed there overnight, but, yawn, should be a good place to rest because it may be boring. Yawn, maybe walk a garden or two.
The good news is that S.C has some low gasoline prices
Anyone have suggested Chas'ton 'must do' or 'must see' recommendations for this tourist??
For morning coffee, try the Kudu, not far from the visitor's center. Had great fish and chips one day in an "English" pub downtown called The Griffon.
Parking is an issue and we were there in a "slow" time. So I'd find a parking garage (there's one run by the visitor's center that's next door to it) and take the free trolley around.
(And it's the "War of Northern Aggression" - remember where you're going. :shades: ).
Overall, seems like some duller choices in the list.
I used to fly into Rochester and Buffalo NY years back, and spend the night. Despite being called the "east", my impression was that like Cleveland, its really more Midwestern in character (OK, the hilly portions maybe southern IL or OH). Personally, I liked them but don't see it as a 10 best drive.
Then you've got to get rolling - life's short! I believe you spend a lot of time in Hawaii? When in Honolulu I like to take a short drive on H-3 to the east coast of Oahu through the lush mountains and tunnels, then overlooking the sea. Amazing engineering story and some spectacular views all in a few short miles. If you've got the time, get some shaved ice out that ways at Keneke's (spelling?).
After you get to the one access point to the peninsula, the world's heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge between Houghton and Hancock Michigan, you wind up on the Keweenaw Peninsula, home of lots and lots of trees, old copper mines and endless views of Lake Superior.
We took a left across the lift bridge and poked our way along Passage Canal and then over to Calumet, home of historic architecture and galleries (with lots of textiles and rugs on display).
Then we took US 41 up the main spine to the end of the pavement to Copper Harbor and camped at Fort Wilkins, built in 1844 to monitor the copper rush. Nice beaches there, lots of hiking and biking and if you have a high clearance vehicle, you can take dirt roads way out to the end of the point. The last stand of uncut white pines is near here too.
We cut over to Eagle Harbor on our way home and stocked up at a monastery that makes jams and jellies. Then we crossed back over the peninsula to see Mount Bohemia, a crazy looking, mostly expert ski hill with a few glade runs and lots of tree riding/skiing. I think I'll pass.
From there we followed the eastern shore of Lake Superior to Gay (yes, there's a bar there...), through the blueberry country of Lake Linden and then back across Portage Canal. That lift bridge breaks every few years or so and if you are on the wrong side, your only way home is to swim, boat or fly.
Great camping country (the biting flies left the day before we got there ) and miles of beach to walk.
Taking my '06 Saturn ION with 72K on it. I did a shorter trip a couple weeks ago and got over 32 MPG on one tank with AC running.
Looking forward to I-70 and I-15 in Utah where the posted limit is now 80 MPH.
Yeah, I've done the drive a number of times over the years. I love the vistas in Utah.
I'm leaving Wednesday, so I'm hoping not to encounter too much traffic on Thursday, when I'll be going from Vegas to LA
"Roadtrip Video Recorder documents hours of family fun while traveling on the highway."
Versatile camera can enhance vacations (Detroit News)
Anyway, the drive along the National Lakeshore between Whitefish (or Grand Marais if you don't want to go to end of the "regular" road) and Munising was a great drive. Champagne asphalt, curvy, uncrowded (a few maples have turned but it's not leaf peeping season yet) with forest and water views. Almost took out a deer though.
The traffic we did see seemed to be there for the road. There was a 20+ contingent of Porsches (notable because the stuck the 4 or 5 Cayennes running sweep so as not to block anyone's view :shades: ) and lots of motorcyclists cruising.
Me neither (nor Cadillac Ranch for that matter).