AS Days 5-8

October 2

I’ll start with the view from my chair, this morning’s sunrise:

We rode our bikes to the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, about 6 kms from the campground. Even got a view of the View from the entry bridge (yep, it’s there somewhere):

The refuge is great for biking; there are several loops with lots to see, including the National Seashore:

Chincoteague Ponies:

Lots of birds:

including these babies we almost missed (Black Night Heron and Great Blue Heron):

and two kinds of Turtles:

It was an awesome 33 km ride and tour of a place we might have missed!

October 3

Off we headed to the Outer Banks which we had to miss last year. We were welcomed appropriately by a kite festival in the land of the Wright Brothers:

We headed to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Oregon Outlet campground (C13 $20). We took a walk on the beach:

Had it not been for a rather disagreeable woman next door, we might have stayed longer. But things DO happen.

Here’s a view of the View from the top of the sand dunes:

October 4

We headed further south towards Ocracoke Island. For 30 miles, we dodged hundreds of bikers on a Charity Bicycle Run:

The free ferry ride was great. It was a little over an hour (twice the time from two years ago when the last hurricane dredged up so much sand that they now have to go further out to sea to get across). We followed a school of dolphins (too quick for the camera) and arrived happy to be here.

Here’s the view from my chair (Site A34, $23):

which doesn’t seem like much until you see what lies beyond the dunes:

I finally got my feet wet (the water is very warm):

Then we ALL lazed around (you can see how much Mandy hates to travel):

I like that the view of the View is here on Ocracoke Island:

October 5

A chilly but sunny start to the day.

We rode in to Ocracoke on the excellent paved bike path and enjoyed meandering down the little roads we rode the last time we were here (23 kms):

Though it was Sunday, there are very few people around. We headed back for a beach walk (yes, we’re holding hands!):

and watched scores of dolphins frolicking and feeding off shore. They were breaching and splashing, and it was a sight:

A perfect beach day.

Here’s another view from my chair (as you can see, there aren’t many people here either, thought the sites near the dunes are mostly full):