East Coast Visit (with Noe and the BRM Maliko 5.1)

I spent the past couple of weeks back on the East Coast.  Half for work and half for visiting my Dad.

I didn't bring ocean going stuff - I had looked at the forecast and it was not calling for much if anything (except for Cape Hatteras - but I didn't have the time to swing by this trip - plus it is the middle of the summer mad rush....)

This was the North End of Virginia Beach - tiny surf.

Mermaid's purse.

One thing that was new - there is a Wegman's in Virginia Beach now!!!  I wish I had a kitchen in my hotel... pan fried crab cakes...

This was South Gate on Dam Neck - one of my favorite VaBch surf spots!

And then I had a ground handling/adjusting session with the BRM Maliko 5.1 parawing.

I'd fly it, adjust the bridle positions, fly it, adjust, then start over.  The end spots are slightly different than the 4.0 bar mods, but the size differences alone warrant those.

Then Noe arrived!!!  She checked out Old Dominion University and once I was done with the work trip, we also checked out Duke University.

This was the Buc-ee's in Florence, South Carolina - "Fresh Brisket on the Floor!!!"

This was at the biggest tourist trap known to mankind - South of the Border in South Carolina!!!

This place used to be open 24/7/365.  Now they close at 8pm.

We eventually got down to Jacksonville, Florida.

Here I am flying the 5.1 at Mayport Beach.  This is near the spot where I learned to surf.

Ground handling the parawing is pretty fun in itself.  Definitely helps to develop muscle memory for flying it on the water.

At Lolo's house!

The rest of the trip was eating - this is Seafood Kitchen

This was at a place that my Mom liked going to - Cap'n D's

And this is another one of my parent's favorites - Sonny's Real Pit BBQ

This Marbled Beef Brisket was so decadent...

And my Dad really likes the St Louis Sweet and Savory ribs

Good trip back to the East Coast!

Still Kicking

First stop in Virginia Beach - surf shops for stickers (that is what the kids asked for)

And a trip to the fish shop I used to take Marlon to -

It was pretty cold (for me), but driving around the old spots made me realize how much we enjoyed living and visiting Virginia Beach.  I even stopped by the house we bought when we first got there as newlyweds.

Mariner's Museum at Newport News - Dinosaur Exhibit

Another of the stops we made while in the Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area - the Mariner's Museum. We've actually wanted to go to this place for quite some time now - the timing has not been right until this trip. They had a traveling exhibit that was focused on sea reptiles from the time of the dinosaurs. There was a 3D movie that tied into the exhibit a bit - but the whole feeling of the exhibit was more like the "Sea Monsters" DVD that follows the life and times of a "Dolly". The skeletons seemed like they were taken from the same casts as the ones we saw at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, especially the Xiphactinus and the Tylosaur. And there were alot of "do not touch" signs for an exhibit that was wide open (and sparse - which is fine for a traveling exhibit). Lots of 'trust' going on there.

And I Struck Out

Like I said when I opened up this series of posts - with the rod and reel I got skunked super hard. Like "NOT FUNNY AT ALL" skunking. I'm going to have to change that (new location and different equipment). I did bring out the Tidemaster - nice bending rod! Progressive to the 'T'(responsive tip section that starts to bend into the butt section with increased force). I used to really like Uglysticks, but the tips are the only section that bend on those rods - the butt section really doesn't. These medium power St Croixs are so much fun to pull fish up with. The Hooked SUP did well post rough repair.

What we did catch

One Ghost Crab. Pretty interesting camouflage on these guys when they are young (the older ones are more or less pale yellow or off-white) Tons of Mole (Sand) Crabs. Most had eggs (as this is the season...)

Pelicans, Kites, Sand Crabs

Pictures of the pelicans squadrons. Pictures of the 3m Trainer Kite (pulls like a tractor - should be really fun in a wide open parking lot with a skateboard). And a picture of Marlon catching some last minute sand crabs. We love this beach! We left after this for Reston to get the house ready for turnover and make preparations for our extended summer vacation in the camper trailer.

More Way Late Posting (Virginia Beach Entries)

We've been on the road and I have not had steady access to high speed internet. Right now we are in Lakewood, NY and eating dinner in a Wegman's (free Wifi). These pictures are from our last trip to Virginia Beach. In between hanging out and bodysurfing, we did catch some Mole Crabs (Sand Crabs). With the water all warmed up, lots of life is in the area - small bait fish, pelican diving in for the bait fish, kids bodysurfing and sand crabs!!! Nice eyeball stalks. And a big pile of eggs. The future (of these guys) looks bright (orange).

Trailer Shakedown Cruise

We towed the trailer down to Virginia Beach to see what we needed to do to get set for the summer. We now have our list of things we need to move from the house to the trailer. We tried out all the systems except the water and sewer hook ups. AC, refrigeration, electrical, tires (except the spare - we're going to need a new one), and folding mechanisms are all good to go. La was actually impressed with the cleanliness of the interior. I'll have to play around with the hitch height - I think a 2" drop is what I'll settle in with. I'll also be looking to get some air shocks for the rear to counter the squat. This was great practice for getting a boat later on. Living in the trailer for a bit will also tell us if we are compatible with life in tighter quarters. Should be a good summer!!!