Heading north from The Cod or more precisely “Down East” we prepare to encounter the land of “Mainiacs” (people from the state of Maine). To understand the DNA of the area it is important to study the local language. In order not to be too confused we consult several authoritative manuals on the linguistics of…
“East of America, there stands in the open Atlantic the last fragment of an ancient and vanished land. Worn by the breakers and the rains, and disintegrated by the wind, it still stands bold.” Henry Beston; The Outermost House. Heading northeast out of Newport we aim at Cape Cod, the sandy arm that holds it’s…
Blackie update…. The Discover North America Expedition is well underway and Blackie is holding up just fine. Blackie has now clocked over 40,000 miles since her birth. The mileage breakdown is as follows – 85% highway, 10% city, (we try to avoid them) 5% unimproved road and off road. We change the oil every 3000…
N38 47’1 W76 13’20 Weather- Hot 90F, wind E, 10KThe Chesapeake BayWe leave Assateague Island and it’s remote beauty behind and decide to investigate nearby Ocean City Maryland. I’m not sure if there is a more stark contrast so close together. Just across the inlet we enter a confusion of high-rises, restaurants, amusement parks, mini-golf…
Wild Horses We follow the James River to its mouth and enter the Hampton Roads. Actually it’s not a road but one of the largest natural harbors in the world. More properly it is a roadstead – a protected, enclosed area where a ship can lie at anchor that has an opening to the sea….
DNA X #6 Weather – hot Wind – SE 5 steamy knots Tidewaters We continue north on the Coastal Highway weaving through the tidewaters of North Carolina and on into Virginia. This is a rich agricultural area producing a variety of crops. It is also a vital flight corridor for migrating birds. Known as the…
Weather – steamy, 91FWind E 5mph N31.11.01 W081.21.98 Continuing on the Coastal Highway we head north along the Georgia coast weaving around the vast salt marshes that nurture a multitude of wildlife. We are heading for the Golden Isles, across the marsh to Georgia’s barrier islands. This has been the winter retreat for wealthy northerners…
Blackie’s not too picky about the surface she travels on. She can cruise or crawl over most anything. Her passengers direct the course and choose the terrain. When we’re in a hurry we travel on the vast interstate system President Eisenhower commissioned. It’s convenient but crowded along the East Coast. Being buffeted by semi-tractor trailers…
N29°53.65 / W081°18.79 Weather – 92F, partly sunny, wind SE10K Our next stop is the nation’s oldest city – St. Augustine Florida. After Ponce de Leon visited the area in 1513 looking for the fabled Fountain of Youth, Spain decided this was a perfect base to protect its fleets shuttling gold and other treasure…
7Mile Bridge The Discover North America Expedition (DNA X) is officially underway. We will seek out the predictable attractions but will be on the lookout for the unusual. We will take back roads and try to avoid the interstates when possible. We will talk to the locals to understand issues of importance. We hope to…
