Sea Level and OBX

At Sanford we had the coach serviced at the RV place south of town. They couldn’t/wouldn’t do much, like just a general service, which was a little disappointing, but we figured “oh well” we’ll get it done somewhere else. So we got the oil changed and were ready to head out. Surprise, surprise, I couldn’t open the door! This thing has only one door and as I’ve mentioned before in passing neither of us is as young, supple and agile as we once were. We ain’t going through the window easily! I called a tech over and he affirmed that the door was locked. “Well Duh!!!” Anyway he went through the window and opened the door and then took a look at the lock which he assured me was toast, it can’t be fixed, and they don’t have one. Great! At least we were on the inside looking out, not the other way around. There was no point in hanging around so we took off heading to the Outer Banks, or OBX. We stopped at a little park on the way and I took a look at our door latch and lock and surmised that the thing could be fixed, at least temporarily. I did that while Kat tried to find a dealer or shop that had a replacement. I was able to bend a pin that reengaged the lock opening mechanism and we were back in business; I thought! It was working, marginally, but working, and Kat couldn’t find one anywhere so we decided to wing it. I made sure I left the ladder compartment open if we needed the ladder to climb in the window and I duct taped the window lock open so we couldn’t be locked out. We continued to Sea Level NC which is very near the ferry terminal that takes you to the OBX. We spent a couple of days just hanging out and using the pool and our door appeared to OK. At least OK enough that I didn’t want to mess with it. Kind of like, ‘don’t fix it if’n it ain’t broke’ or in this case completely broke two hundred miles from a repair facility. So we got on the ferry and nervously got out of the rig to look around. I say nervously, because on a ferry, in a motorhome, in front of and blocking about 50 cars is just not the place I wanted to be locked out. And the lock was acting up a little. Really Great!!! But we got back in and I was just too chicken to get out again, so we didn’t have all that great a ferry trip. It’s over an hour I think from Cedar Island to Ocracoke if memory serves. When the ferry docked and it came our turn to drive off I put the coach in gear and pulled forward to the sound and feel of something locked and dragging behind us, and people yelling. The car was obviously in park and not rolling well at all. Kat had secured it for the ferry trip. No problem really, she just ran out the door and took care of it. But then I was thinking she had to get back in that same door and I could just see this whole thing unraveling real quickly. And sure enough the door hesitated a little but I opened it from the inside and we were in and rolling, whew!!!!, off the ferry, much to the delight of crew and passengers, who by the way were all very polite. We had another little ferry ride between us and our destination on the OBX but we didn’t even think of getting out of the RV on that trip. All we wanted to do was get parked, relax a little and think this over. And that is exactly what we did. Next day I took the lock off did some studying and tinkering and got the whole thing working just like new. No thanks at all to the service tech back in Sanford! And “knock on wood”, as of this writing, it’s still working.

The OBX was good, we did some time on the beach, me more than Kat, and we went up to see the Lost Colony at Roanoke. Ya; know they still haven’t found those folks. What folks is that you say? Well for now you’re going to have to look that one up yourselves.
Suffice to say they have been missing for a long time. We watched the kite boarders which was interesting. Kind of a cross between para-sailing and wind surfing I guess. We might have tried that about 40 years ago. One young hot shot girl went way up the bay and we never saw her again. Maybe she found the Lost Colony? Just a thought? We spent a little too much time in Wings, which you know about if you’ve been to the East coast. It’s a huge beach apparel, souvenir, and crap shop chain. And we had a really good pizza that reminded me of Donatos in Columbus.

Three Lizards

Our volunteer duties were finally done and it was time to go. We were heading for North Carolina and a visit with nephew Mike and the lovely Phyllis in Sanford. With a little luck sister Sandy and Brother-in-law Don would still be there.

Before we got to Sanford I needed to work a little, or a lot, on my tan. I could just tell that my ‘laying out’ Buddy Phyllis was out everyday by her pool trying to best me and damage my ‘rep’. We stopped at Lake something-something on the SC, NC border and I got some good sun and then again at the pool at Banjo RV park. At Banjo they had a jumping bag, the first one I had seen. We gave it a try but this is something for people who really have knees and are maybe a might more agile than grandparents. I think that’s a pretty polite way of saying it. But we did give it a try and at one point I think I was high enough that you could get a cigarette paper under my feet (a very, very old accusation from my Dad). From Banjo we also visited the NC Zoo and got three lizards.

Many days ago we found a little rubber lizard with a suction cup that we just stuck on the outside windshield of the car without much thought. He rode along with us for many, many miles in that position and drew many looks and comments. But through the dust, sand, grit, mud, and wind of those many miles he finally lost his suction and had to be moved inside. We have looked at every gift shop and crap store we enter (and that’s a lot)for a replacement and could not find one until the NC Zoo. They had a whole basketful at the zoo and we got one of each variety. They look good, but sadly they are not as good as the original we found in a parking lot those many days ago. They just don’t stick as good. I guess it’s just hard to replace an old friend. Still, they are stuck around the inside of the RV. So don’t panic if a lizard is peeking out at you from between the pencils in the pen holder on the dinette. And our old friend is still riding in the car, but unattached on the dash.

Sandy and Don were still in Sanford for one more night when we got there and we had a good visit all around. All are well and Garrett is nearing manhood in size and temperament. ( I hope that doesn’t go to his head). The RV fit better in the driveway with the basketball hoop gone and the pool and fishing were great. Well! Maybe the fishing wasn’t as good as last time. Phyllis was ahead of me in tanning but it didn’t last. By the time we left I had reestablished my dominion as the “Bronze God”. Maybe just a bit chubbier “Bronze God” though. Still ‘tan’ fat is better than ‘white’ fat. Soooo…….. we hated to leave but it was time to head on down the road and not wear out our welcome at one of our favorite places to stay. I just have to get Mike to put in that RV pad with electric, water, and sewer. You can do it Mike!