The trials and tribulations of traveling

We forgot to mention that we discovered a flat tire on the left front of the RV when we were packing up to leave Myrtle Beach to head to Newport near Morehead City on the east coast of NC. Then it appeared that Adele’s camera had given up the ghost as the connecting cable between the camera and the computer no longer works and we could not download the photos. Tom worked out that we could by taking the SD Card out of the camera and putting it in the computer. Irrespective, off we went on a camera hunt - we found a camera in Best Buy with Wi-Fi that would allow one to send photos directly from the camera; Adele immediately just fell in love with that idea but unfortunately, they didn't have one in stock for sale. We next tried Wal-Mart - once again - they had a display model but none for sale. The salesperson did tell us that Wal-Mart 30 miles away had several in stock. As we pass enough Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores on our journey we decided not to travel 60 miles to buy a camera.

As soon as we arrived in Newport one of Adele's crowns cracked and of course it's one of her front teeth, we inquired at the office for a dentist recommendation and unlike the camera we’re willing to travel. The suggested dentist was in a large practice and he was willing to glue the crown back together - no guarantee - hopefully it will last until September when we visit Ireland where Adele's favorite dentist (apart from her brothers of course) lives. The dentist who did the repair work was a very nice young man.

Finally, we found a bike shop near Newport; coming as we do from Los Gatos we are inclined to think that every town should have a number of bike shops. Adele got a new tire on the front wheel; the young girl who served her said she never saw a tire so stuck to the wheel - she had to cut it off - the reason probably is that the bikes hang on the back of the RV in the sun all day long. Next day the new tire was flat, so back we go and get a new tube. Hopefully we are all set for cycling on the Barrier Islands. Enough already!

We took a ferry from Beaufort NC to the island of Shackelford Banks to see the only remaining really wild horses that live on the Barrier Islands. We saw two different herds of Mustang horses who have survived on this island for over 400 years by eating salt grasses (that’s real tough grass) as there’s nothing else to eat. Shackelford Banks is about 9 miles long, mostly sand dunes, salt grasses and a few low Cypress trees. We have some beautiful photos of the horses - a small Spanish horse that is a mix of Mustang and Arabian breeds.

A Vet keeps an eye on them but as it would be too stressful for them they are never rounded up.  We really enjoyed our day Shackelford Banks as to see these horses was firmly on our bucket list.

To get to our next RV Park required that we take two car ferries one from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island followed by another from Ocracoke to Hatteras further up on the Barrier Islands. And, as we say in Ireland “Sin Sceal eile” – that’s another story!