The Outer Banks

Saturday: After visiting the Pennsylvania Artist Guild show in Lancaster, we got back on the road at 11:00. We FINALLY had a big long day of driving. We were in Virginia when Marion (who has made this trip many times), looking at the map, said, "I always wanted to drive down the Outer Banks".

Of course, I said, "THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. I will probably never be making this trip again..." So THAT WAS IT. We basically made a left turn and headed to the ocean, spending Saturday night in Williamsburg, Va. We ate dinner at Five Guys -- a new place for me and a WONDERFUL, HUGE DISCOVERY. Their hand-cut FRENCH FRIES WERE TERRIFIC...and you get to eat peanuts while you wait for your food.

This was the WORST public bathroom we encountered on our trip. Fortunately, I didn't NEED a bathroom at this point in time. But I did take this picture, just so I could make fun of it one day...

Sunday: LONG, LONG drive the next day to get to the Outer Banks. Once we arrived -- the beach was hard to get to, because it is all lined with thousands of three and four story party-houses. The homes were gigantic. Marion spotted a little public parking lot where you could walk up steps over the dunes to get to the beach. We were anxious and delighted to put our feet in the ocean. Marion was walking along the beach --

I was picking up shells and trying to take a picture of my feet in the water.

For an IOWA girl -- this is very exciting.  I'm trying to judge the waves as they come up on the beach....what I wanted was to have the water come up around my ankles...that would be the PERFECT picture...

After a dozen waves had come in, I was getting braver...I WANTED that picture of the Atlantic Ocean washing around my ankles...

However, I misjudged.  I was standing with my back to the ocean, and my camera pointed down at my feet...when a giant wave hit me in the ass.  I fell forward into the water... and quickly became disoriented.  Even though it was only a foot of water -- I panicked and I felt like I was drowning.  Fortunately, I remembered to stand up...

This fisherman couldn't stop laughing.  After he calmed down, I was wringing out my shirt, and asked him for restaurant advice. Between chuckles, he recommended the Sugar Shack -- just down the road.