The moon was one day past full and rose from the East at 10:16 PM one day we were at the beach campground. It was interesting as it first appeared as an orange smudge then rounder and fuller as it rose. I was not getting much of a reflection so I moved behind a small clump of sea grass and got much lower to the sand and shot the moon through the grasses. What I did not expect was that a few of the stars also appeared with the exposure. The experience was better than the photo and I hope to get another chance at this someday with a few changes that I may have learned.
Let Your Light Shine -- OBX Series /
You can’t go to Hatteras without at least one stop at the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Or in my case one photograph - or 13. This was just as a storm was setting in for the night.
Home Port Bound -- OBX Series /
Fishing is a difficult and dangerious occupation but I can see why if that is what you do you would not want to do anything else. This trawler is heading home after a night or a week at sea, nets are up but lots of work still remains once she docks. The “Big Dave” was captured just a short distance off shore entering the Oregon Inlet. That is a cormorant leading the way.
Always Ready — OBX Series /
From 1874 to 1954 the Oregon Inlet Life Saving Service served the north end of Pea Island along the Oregon Inlet. I captured this image a few minutes after sunset with a bit of glow from the clouds shinning in the windows.
I Thessalonians 5:6 NLT - Be Safe Out There. /
Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel /
Billed as the world’s longest porch, the Grand Hotel as been serving guests since 1887. It is a spectacular place in a jewel of a setting. On our visit to the island we did not stay here - a bit out of our budget but we did enjoy a walk in the lobby and on the grounds and sat on the porch for a few minutes. That experiences will now cost you $10 as they now charge just to be on property. Of course it is free with your room and they start at $1000 plus per night. So I guess $10 is a bargain to sit on the porch.
Symmetry in Motion-- OBX Series /
These two Royal Terns wheeling over the Oregon Inlet on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The bridge is Marc Basnight Bridge in the background.
Lovely Way to End a Day-- OBX Series /
Sunset over the Oregon Inlet viewed from the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge toward Bodie Island. The faint speck of light on the horizon to the right of the photo is a flash from the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
At the Beach with Cat & Kevin-- OBX Series /
Well, not exactly with them but we did meet them on the beach near our campground at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. They were being walked by the dogs, Bailey & Lilly, who kindly allow them to think they are in control. Cat and Kevin are on a new journey full time traveling and living in their new RV. They have a YouTube channel, “Where They Wander” and have posted mostly hiking videos over the last two years. They are not abandoning the hiking but the new emphasis is on their RV travels and life. I have not had a chance to view their site (YouTube will not work on my limited bandwidth tonight) but if it is anything like they are in person, it will be a treat. Just lovely people and part of the reason traveling is such a blessing. It was Cat who spotted the dolphins about 100 yards off shore and I managed to capture several including this one leaping. Cindy and I went on to complete about a 3 mile, maybe a bit less, beach hike to an area closed off for nesting birds. We spotted a lot of terns and Brown Pelicans. Later in the day we drove south to see the Cape Hatteras Light House.
A Pea Island Walk /
Pea Island is a NWR just south of Bodie Island on the Outer Banks -- OBX Series (3 photos)
Great White Egret glides past.
Graceful snowy egret.
This is a massive sea turtle of somekind oozing through the brackish water with his bugeyes and snoot out of the water. Never saw one of these in the wild before.
Fort Mackinac /
This fort is a state historic site on the island of Mackinac between the upper peninsula of Michigan and the lower portion of the state. It allows no motor vehicles on the island, everything is horse drawn or bicycle - or you can walk. It is a neat place to visit and enjoy some unique experiences.
Have a good day today. /
Do They Look Tired? /
Certainly should, they just about completed the 450’ climb from Lake Michigan at the NPS unit, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Inspired by Fantasia /
My latest carving appropriate for Friday the 13th.
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada /
A most unique and interesting place to view the strata of red and white stripes in the rock formations. Cindy is at the top of this ridge.
Not Really /
Walking around the Shaker Village in Kentucky I told Cindy that looked like a perfect house, nice proportions, not too large, I thought it was really nice. Later in the day I find out it is a water tank not a house. The Shakers did not want an ugly tank in their community so they built my “perfect” house. At least it had running water and a hot tub!
Rushing (2 photos) /
This is the Russian River in Alaska. This was taken after some locally heavy rains and most of the salmon were pooling instead of trying to battle upstream. The second photo shows one still trying!
This one did not get the message!
Seconds after Sunrise /
Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park light up bright red for a few seconds just as the sun peaks on the horizon. this color does not last very long and changes in intensity across a few moments.
From the Book of Revelation /
RIP - Lieutenant Colonel Thomas W. Light, ret. /
Cindy and I travel today to Williamsburg to participate in the funeral service for our good friend, Tom Light. We want to share thoughts about him today on the blog because he was an enthusiastic fan of Two Lane Touring.
We met Tom in 1996 when he arrived at Williamsburg Christian Church. Over the next few years, we became friends and traveling companions. Tom’s orderly processes and thoughtful questions led to many interesting discussions as he reconnected to his faith in deeper and more insightful ways. I loved those times. Tom made an impact on that church as well serving in several capacities. He was my foil in the skits we devised to start each night of the annual Vacation Bible School. Dr. Disaster was his favorite! We frightened small children with our science experiments.
Tom also made an impact on the Virginia Evangelizing Fellowship, where both Cindy and I worked, as a three-year director followed by six years as treasurer. He participated in key decisions that left the VEF much stronger financially.
Tom was a great friend to our whole family. He provided sound career advice to our older son and baptized our younger son. While he was guiding me on how to sell a house, he bought our home and welcomed us to stay with him when we visited Williamsburg.
Traveling with Tom was the most fun: we went to Florida, Chincoteague, the Shenandoah Valley, Lancaster, the Great Smoky Mountains and to Acadia National Park three times. But the most memorable trip was the two weeks he spent with us in Alaska. He and I flew to Lake Clark National Park across the bay in a seaplane and took an airboat to get up close views of many grizzly bears. We had amazing views of the mountain at Denali with no cloud cover, we searched out moose and caribou in the astonishing scenery, and we sailed to Kenai Fjords National Park to view calving glaciers. Meals included lots of fish (salmon caught by Tom), steaks, and ice cream with an ever changing group of people and lots of laughter. He planned to find the best blueberry pie in Maine which required all of us to eat way more calories than old people should. Hikes showed him to be a good sport even when they started at 4:00 am and were not flat and occasionally - “slightly” different than advertised.
A faithful reader of this blog, Tom never failed to send me notes when I posted photos he especially liked, flowers were among his favorites, and he waited expectantly for the latest adventures of Cadillac the Moose.
Tom Light made an impact on so many people. He was a loyal, generous and supportive friend. We miss him already and planning a trip without him seems dull. But we are grateful for the time we shared and look forward to meeting again one day.
Showing Tom, Dave Faith and other friends, the tradition of dropping a stone from the bottom of the trail on the apex of the trail - Penobscot Mountain in Acadia National Park.
Tom at a restaurant in Bass Harbor, Maine
Tom in Denali National Park, Alaska
On the ship at the Kenai Fjord’s National Park.