Florida 2012 - Via Kitty Hawk NC

In all our travels, we've never been to the Outer Banks, Kill Devil Hill, Nag's Head. We decided to correct that during this trip and drive the Atlantic Coast on our way South! Wow! Are we glad we did!

As we arrived in Kitty Hawk, we found a much different town than did the Wright brothers! The beach is lined with vacation homes.

Many of the vacation homes are right on the beach.

The farther south you travel, the nicer the beach dwellings!

About nine miles after we entered Kitty Hawk, we arrived at the Wright Bros Memorial

The memorial itself is very handsome indeed!

But what it commemorates is even more special!

A full scale replica of the first Wright flyer was on display. Due to having a very small crowd, the Park Ranger allowed us inside the ropes but we had to promise not to touch!

The replica is complete to the smallest detail! The plane was steered right and left by a combination of rudder and wing deformations accomplished by the pilot sliding his hips back and forth

The track at the lower left is the track down which the plane slid on its carriage. the stones mark the extent of the flight the farthest being over 800' and barely visible near the shrubs at the end of the field.

On Kill Devil Hill stands the monument built to honor this achievement. The ranger informed us that all of the ground cover was not here in 1903, but the area was completely covered in sand.

The stanchions on either side support bronze busts of Wilbur and Orville Wright

This full scale model at the very South end of the complex is visible from both the top of the hill and the street which passes by.

A replica of the Wright's wind tunnel

They could not buy an engine which was strong enough yet weighed under 200 pounds, so the designed and built one.

A cutaway showed the internal workings of the engine

The camshaft also served to fire the spark plugs using energy from a magneto, which in turn was attached to the flywheel through a friction drive!

After a too short (nearly 3 hour) visit, we headed south again. This is typical of the drive through North Carolina. Many swamps off to one side or the other.

Watch for bears! (we didn't see any! ;-)

We crossed several significant inlets, rivers, and sounds.

We finally arrived at the US Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point - this is the transient officer's quarters. We managed to score DV (dist. visitor) quarters! We enjoyed Cherry Point quite a lot and decided we'd like to return for more than just an overnight.

Very close by is the combined Officer/Staff NCO Club with a wonderful restaurant. We had salmon & crab cakes & it was delicious. The club sits right on the beach!  Next stop, Charleston SC!

 

Florida 2012 - Via Norflok & Va Beach

Following a wonderful week in Richmond, we headed toward the coast. We will be back in May for the reunion of the USS Franklin D Roosevelt and wanted to get the "lay of the land" and check out the hotel before we fully commit to it for the reunion.

As we drove from Richmond to Norfolk, we passed the striking architecture of the Hampton Coloseum

We decided to take the I-664 bridge instead of the Hampton Tunnel - what a great route! Plus we got a nice view of the Norfolk Naval Station across the bay

Tuesday morning, we decided to do a grand tour of the peninsula, starting with Norfolk Naval Station

If you've never been this close to a flattop, you wouldn't believe how big it is!

Both Aircraft Carriers that were in port were undergoing pier-side yard work

On the coast of the Naval Station is this monument to Battleship Sailors - those are 16" projectiles - they weigh as much as a small car!

Leaving the base, we drove to Ocean View (just the other side of I-64 from the Naval Station

The bridge in the distance seems to end half way across! It is the entrance to the Hampton Tunnel, built to make sure the harbor could not be blocked by bombing the bridge (bottling up the fleet).

As we drove the coast, we encountered Little Creek Amphibious Base. Clearly, the SEALs do not want to have unexpected visitors!

Little Creek is home to many of the Navy ships that support the Amphibious forces - the so called "alligator Navy"

Adjoining Little Creek (and now part of the same command) is Ft Story on which is the Cape Henry Monument commemorating the battle between the British and French just off shore of the cape.

Cape Henry was the first British settlement in America. This cross commemorates the fact that the British settlers. led by Captain Christopher Newport, erected a cross to thank God for their safe arrival

The Cape provides a tremendous view of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean

The Chapel of St Terese of Liseaux, the Little Flower

The original Cape Henry Lighthouse dates to 1792

From Ft Story, we drove to Virginia Beach to the Old Coast Guard Station

Va Beach - Old Coast Guard Station

Va Beach boardwalk - it was cold and windy and we only walked a block or so

"I am the Norwegian Lady. I stand here as my sisters before me to wish all men of the sea safe return home."

A block North of the Old Coast Guard Station and very near the Norwegian Woman, is this great Monument to Naval Aviation

Eugene Ely was the first person to fly from a ship and later landed aboard another ship. The tubing around his shoulders were bicycle inner tubes and formed his life preserver! Would OSHA approve that?

This sculpture represents "The Team" of modern Naval Aviation

Coming Home!

Just a short drive from Va Beach is Naval Station Dam Neck. This base is now part of nearby Naval Air Station Oceana. This combined club is gorgeous and sits right on the beach

Dam Neck is where the Fleet Rifle and Pistol Championships are held each year. Bob fired in those matches each year.

Just a couple of miles up the road is Naval Air Station Oceana, which began as a training and readiness base during the pre-WW-II days.

I saw many planes that my old ship, the USS FDR carried - The AD Skyraider or "Spad" as it was known throughout the Fleet

The F-8 Crusader - the Navy's first operational carrier borne supersonic aircraft.

The land borne version of the carrier landing system or "meatball" that pilots use to find the correct glide path and slope.

When you see Top Gun, you don't really get a feel for how far the engines on the F-14 Tomcat are.  - Next, Kitty Hawk and First Flight Memorial!

Florida 2012 - Via Richmond VA

We began our winter escape in Richmond VA. Theresa's "little" sister Anne & her husband Mike live in an established neighborhood on Richmond's west end.

Theresa, Mike, Margaret (Theresa & Anne's Mom) and Anne on the porch.  We had mild mostly sunny weather for our visit.

We met Theresa's "big" sister Dottie and her husband Manny for dinner at Univ. of Richmond.

We were invited to have dinner with Greg Owens (Theresa's other sister Mary's oldest son) and his fiance Laurie Schiavone 

A few sips of wine before dinner

Laurie found a job that Greg could handle ;-)

Laurie has two wonderful children, here with Jack

Here are Gia, Jack, and Gia's friend Zoie (spl?) who was over for the evening.  Next stop - Norfolk & Virginia Beach