Days in Rodanthe: Day 1.5

 I left work on Thursday at noon. Jessie and I both had the slows so it was 3:30 before we pulled out. Our goal was modest, a campground in Four Oaks east of Raleigh. We took the "southern route" to avoid Raleigh and it's heinous traffic--US 421 to Buies Creek then I95  north to US 64 and east.

As tired as I was, hitting the open road just seems to peel layers of stress away. The truck and trailer feel like a happy team. We were cruising 421 just south of Raven Rock, about 40 minutes from Four Oaks, when we heard an odd noise.

We apparently have a very good guardian angel on duty. The truck wasn't jerked around, no equipment was damaged, we found a reasonably safe pull off, and we didn't get hit dismantling the back tool box to liberate the spare tire. And we had one of Greg's old channel locks to help with the job. AND a  kind deputy pulled over in time to do the hard stuff. We found air within a mile to fully inflate the spare and crept into Four Oaks.

Did I sat "Bates Motel"? Things looked a lot better in the morning, but when we pulled in, not so much. I joined a discount club and decided to stay in one of their campgrounds for the night as this was just a pass through. The campsites were part of a trailer park/cheap motel/RV park. The place looked a little rough at night, especially with odd Halloween decorations. At checkin, the clerk gave me a bath house key and a warning to lock the door behind me. He didn't have to say it twice. To their credit, the baths were very clean and I am sure we were fine, but we just might not be back.

The next morning we were up very early. The only tire place in the area was literally just across the interstate from our campground. We were there when they opened at 8a. Ronnie'a Country Store is a fascinating place.

It looks like a very large BP station. In reality, it is a 24 hour grocery/hardware/farm store with biscuits and coffee, Pointer brand work clothes, groceries, plumbing supplies and very much more. The building beside it sells tires and livestock feed from the same storage area. The issue with my tires was age (I was planning to replace them at the end of this season). They set me up with three new tires for about half what I expected to pay and did it in less than 30 minutes while Jessie and I picked up some better tools.

So off we went to Rodanthe and a couple of side trips. We made a stop in charming Tarboro where we all took a walk in the historic district. We walked beautiful tree lined streets past gorgeous old homes, including this one elaborately decorated for Halloween.

When we got to Columbia, we got out to walk again on a boardwalk through a Picosin Swamp--The Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk. Sleepy with lunch, Rodanthe seemed to be getting further and further away.

We finally crossed the Alligator River into Manteo and were on NC 12, the Outer Banks highway. I am reading a just published history of NC 12 and am awed by the trouble and dedication involved in keeping this highway open. The way sand is deposited around these fragile barrier islands, they continually are moved to the west. In addition, great storms, like the recent Matthew, open and close inlets, continually redefining island boundaries and where the road and bridges must be located. Without a functioning NC 12, the only way to drive on the sandy Outer Banks is to drive at surf's edge with a receding tide.

We did stop to admire the lovely Bodie Island light house and chat with the gift

shop clerk who said the worst storm damage was south of us, yet to be seen. As I write this, we are comfortably parked at the Camp Hatteras RV Park with this lovely view of the sound out our back window. We have enjoyed supper and seeing the sun set out over the sound. We are snug and warm, safe on our new tires and waiting for Ben to join us for a day of adventure tomorrow.

Nite nite!