Crossing Through North Carolina

We left Washington DC on Monday, December 28th at 9 AM, and after one break for lunch and several gas fillups (we only average 9 miles to the gallon or less with the trailer behind us), we pulled into Walt & Honoree Cooper's driveway at 4:15 PM - long day.  They live on a tree farm with their own pond in Cameron, NC, just south and west of Durham. We got a warm welcome from these cruiser friends we've known since our first visit to Trinidad in 2006. Since then we've traveled together to Peru, France, Italy, Holland, and Norway, plus several visits to each other's homes. 

We spent 3 nights with them enjoying hikes, their hot tub, great meals, and wonderful conversation. But when the weather turned colder and rainy, we decided to go over to the coast where it was warmer. On one of our trips south in the fall many years ago, we ran from an offshore hurricane up the Cape Fear River and enjoyed several days in Wilmington on the town dock. The KOA RV park there was super nice and it was 70 degrees and sunny - Scott got into his new Hawaiian shirt and we got out our chairs for the first time. 

Over the next couple of days, we walked all over the historic district, the river walk, and Wrightsville Beach. Our last night we had drinks and appetizers right on the river - outdoors just after it opened with only one other couple there. It was lovely.

Today we left Wilmington at 9:30 and made one stop in Myrtle Beach to have lunch in our RV and visit with our Guatemalan cruiser friends on our weekly Zoom meeting at Noon. We're staying at the Oak Plantation Campground about 8 miles out of the center of Charleston. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in the city walking around and hopefully enjoying lunch outside. On Monday we're off to Savannah, Georgia.

Honoree & Walt have a lot of acreage with their own beautiful pond. They have cleared the land and
planted thousands of longleaf pine. They have built their own home and barn and are now contemplating a guest house! 

They have their own pickleball 
court but also play at a local gym
with friends.

We had drinks at sunset beside the 
pond with a fire pit for warmth.

The view out our trailer of their home.

Their land is surrounded by an Equestrian Park
Development so we saw horses and this old
fashioned carriage on our hikes.

Scott in his new Hawaiian shirt enjoying our 
chairs for the first time in Wilmington NC

Our first restaurant visit - outside by the river.

These were the only other guests there and you
can see the lovely view down Cape Fear River.

Christmas and Hanukkah lights on the waterfront

One of the historic homes along the banks above
the river.

One view of the harbor walk that extends along
 the historic area river front.

This old wooden boat looked like it was on it's last
legs but we met the group of young people who
were living aboard and leaving a few days later for
Texas!

As you can see, it was cold walking Wrightsville
Beach on Friday

We walked down to that pier and found a big group of people of all ages getting ready for a New
Year's dip! They weren't in the water for long...