My brother lives in Auburn and we had to go to the Outer Banks to see him...

Darrell and Rog on the beach, Outer Banks, NC

Rog's brother Darrell lives in Auburn, IN with his wife Tracy and their daughter Destiney.  We don't get to see them very often.  This past summer we had met up with them at one of their daughter's drum corp shows and they mentioned they were headed to the Outer Banks in October, we thought, why not join them for a few days.

We had our home away from home staying on the Elizabeth City Coast Guard base, which is about 1 1/2 hours away from the Outer Banks themselves.  It made for a drive but we Really enjoyed this campground.  We met up with Darrell, Tracy and Destiney a few times.  The guys and Destiney tried their hands at surf fishing.

This beach was walking distance from the condo they had in the town of Duck.  The Outer Banks are barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina.  We spent a whole afternoon eluding fish :)  Everyone had a great time.  Tracy and Anita found lots of great sea shells.

One day we drove further south on the island closer to Cape Hatteras

 The water was much warmer here

 Finally got a picture of Rog

Darrell and Tracy finding more special shells (notice what used to be a fishing pier in the background)

We had a great time with them and were really glad we could get together, even if it was 900 miles from home.

After we left them for the day we headed to Cape Hatteras.  This is the light house that was moved a few years back because of erosion.

On this southern part of the islands there was damage from Hurricane Joaquin.  Parts of the only road, US12, were closed.  There were still some signs up warning drivers of water and sand on the road.  We saw heavy equipment moving sand from the roadway.

earth mover on left of picture

standing water still on road

We had dinner out one night on our way back to our campsite.  Rhonda and Ivan had told us about a place in Grady, NC.  The Weeping Radish.  Guy Fieri from Diners Drive - Ins and Dives has eaten there.  It was really good food and the brew wasn't half bad either.

If you are in the area, check it out.

We spent one day just enjoying the campground we were staying in.  Tried our hand at fishing off the dock by our site on the Albermarle Sound.

 Think we spent more time enjoying the warm breeze and the beautiful blue sky

View out our windows toward the sound.

Our campsite

Sunrises weren't too shabby

We headed back to the Outer Banks to check out Roanoke Island, Wright Brother's Monument and see the ocean one last time.

Roanoke Island is famous for the "Lost Colony" , England's first settlement in the New World, and endeavor sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh.

This is the site of one of the earthen forts used by the settlers

 Magnificent old trees

Right on the water

We walked through the national park and imagined the first settlers and what their lives must have been like.  Part of the mystery of this place is when a ship returned after several years to the colony there was no one there.  Historians have been searching for clues.  Possibly they joined with local native Indian tribes to survive.

Kitty Hawk, on the Outer Banks

 Replica plane

 The building on the left is the hanger where they actually built and worked on the plane.

What they lived in. Its amazing they survived, it took them years to accomplish their goal.

 We had to go back and check out the ocean one last time

This is another lighthouse in the area, Bodie Island Light house

Good bye ocean...:(

Coast guard plane...took it through the truck windshield, on our way off base

Cotton field, outside the city limit (if you've never seen a cotton field)

Tunnel going under Chesapeake Bay, really

Just imagine going DOWN towing a 36 foot trailer under the bay at 55 miles per hour

Here's one of those signs we always hate to see, the tipping truck sign

It was another great trip and adventure.  We loved the Finger Lakes region of New York, spending time with Kennen and Terri. Visiting DC was great too.  So much to take in there.  Meeting up with Darrell and family was an added bonus and we hope to return to the Outer Banks one day.

The trip home was uneventful. Three days of driving, the cats didn't disown us and the views were beautiful.  So we leave you with this picture and a hope you are all enjoying life, we sure are ours!

Somewhere in Virigina  or West Virginia