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With the engine left running I jumped out to snap a fall photo only to return to find the driver’s door jammed. To my consternation it was not shut completely and wouldn’t shut nor could it be re-opened. Luckily, a nearby road survey crew had the smarts to retrieve an odd branch from the wood [...]

We drove Route 321 up to Blowing Rock, NC only to be turned back; road closed for blasting. This turned out for the best because the Blue Ridge Parkway was shrouded in cloud – fog and with forward visibility less than 100 meters would have been difficult. Instead Highway 268 east detoured to alternate Route [...]

New Bern, NC is located at the Trent and Neuse Rivers. Northward, it is a scenic sail through fresh water. I took a dip into the dark water for refreshment but not long enough to attract gators The river narrows into dense hardwood marsh and becomes very still and unspoiled in areas. A brief rain [...]

a little roadside trouble… A trailer axle bearing disintegrated with much smoke and heat. A passing motorist with beeping horn and waving of arms gave the alert. The hiway exit up yonder was only a mile away but not wishing to risk the hub assembly departing the vehicle or a wheel fire we ground to [...]

[ large ] The challenge is to cross without touching bottom (sans electronic depth finder). You can’t see bottom. You can sometimes see a slight change in the hue and color of the sea surface if the light is right. We used a light mushroom anchor and known length of line dropped over the side, [...]

I am the first to wake up bright and early in the morning and head into the bathroom. The shower is not quite as bad as I thought it might be, except for the fact that it is about my height and I am forced to squat a little to wash my hair. Shaving the [...]

By the time we arrive in Copenhagen it is around 9:00 on Tuesday morning, thanks to the miracle of west to east air travel. After stepping off of the flight, we all pass through security, at which I hear one of the airport workers tell a woman is only a necessity for the passengers coming [...]

So the journey begins with a rendezvous at the parking lot of the Airport Hilton Hotel as I discover what an excellent packer I am (or think I am) while comparing my modest suitcase to the monstrosities of those of my friends.ÿ The tour company had asked us to keep the weight of the baggage [...]

For the house next door, summer went out with a (very big) bang. An electrical storm struck yesterday afternoon and a lightning bolt blew a hole the size of cannon ball shot. Being a short distance away we can tell you that the retort from the strike was deafening and the flash the color of [...]

The S’man does the scuba. I’m proud of him. The second highlight was a free dive. Grabbing a lung full I pointed head down and kicked fins for the bottom. My arrival suprised a divemaster and her gang. I received silent underwater applause and, via hand signal, the depth from her wrist meter — 27 [...]