Jockey's Ridge State Park

JOCKEY'S RIDGE is the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States. Located in Nags Head, it is one of the most significant landmarks on the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Always changing, always beautiful… the Friends of Jockey's Ridge State Park invite you to visit and explore.

Hey Family, this is on our way in so we COULD stop there if anyone is interested! 

Check out the link here: http://jockeysridgestatepark.com/

Zap zap zap... Lazer Beams!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fm2cY1vj6Q&sns=em

Lazer Tag!!! I don't know if anyone is interested in perhaps spending an hour one day in OBX shooting Lazer beams at each other, but here's a commercial for a Lazer tag spot.

Yum! Who wants to eat??

Hey everyone...you know, we're all gonna wanna stuff our faces on vacation, cause that's just part of the fun, right? Well, here's what we've come up with to try to save everyone a little hard earned cash, plus, just because it seems like a good way to do things...read on...

I figure we will arrive at our destination somewhere around 5 or 6 pm, give and take traffic conditions as well as the time we will be sitting on our butts at the realtors waiting for our keys. Anyway, we're all going to be a bit tired and the idea of pizza or sandwiches the first night seems like a good one. Anyone agree? Let me know your thoughts!
Now, getting onto the rest of the week...Not counting Saturday night (our night of arrival) we have 6 days and nights to think about meals. (Sunday thru Friday)...Wednesday night of that week, we've all pretty much agreed that it would be way cool to do a big SEAFOOD FEST outside at the pool with Beer, Coleslaw and French Fries, and of course, Sea Food!!! If each couple can plan ahead of time what type of seafood they would like to contribute to this meal, we will have five different things to stuff into our bellies! Ideas include crab, shrimp, clams, fish, and whatever your favorite seafood happens to be. Oh, and hopefully we catch a few blues, sea-trout or whatever from the beach in the days preceding Wednesday night! I happen to be really looking forward to Wednesday night!! Ohhhh, let's not forget the RED SOLO CUPS! (lol)

We've decided to handle the rest of the meals in the following way...Each couple will be responsible for ONE Breakfast and ONE dinner and will buy the food as well as prepare it. These meals can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire, from cereals to pancakes or spaghetti to porkchops! YUM. You decide! Lunches and snacks will be left to each couple, in other words, buy your own snacks and lunches, of course if you decide to share, that won't be a problem either. This refers also to beverages, alcoholic or otherwise...Bring your own! We can always take home whatever we don't consume.

Think about all this and if you're really up to it, start sharing some comments, ideas or whatever, here on this blog. Geeez, you can even let us know what meals you want to prepare and when! I don't know about you but I'd like get my meals done early in the week, so I can sit back, relax and enjoy everyone else cooking for me!

Thoughts on Timing...

Hey guys, here's my thoughts...Avon, North Carolina is about a 400 mile trip for us, and that equals out to approximately 8 hours of driving time. If we all meet and leave from my house at 7 am, stop every two hours for a short 15 minute break or gas fill-up, we should hit our destination somewhere around 4 pm. Since we can't check in until 3 pm anyway, this sounds like it would work.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Post a comment!

Hey Shannon...wanna rent a BIKE?

Hey Guys, check out this site, the rentals are VERY reasonable...adult size bicycle...40.00 per week, full size baby crib...45.00 per week   http://www.oceanatlanticrentals.com/

          "What were you told about tormenting your father on vacation, young man?"

OBX Fishing!

Hey Guys,
For those of you who want to do some fishing, (and I do know that both Art and Shannon have expressed interest), I've done some research and come up with this chart to give you an idea of what species we may be able to sink a hook into!

Happy 2012 Gandys!

I just got my account set up via desk top computer. For some reason my phone wouldn't let me set it up without giving my cell number... i said no to that. Anyhow, i am looking forward to spending a week with all of you in NC. I am sure it will be different from any vacation experience as Shannon and I will be bringing our little baby. Check out this link to if you are interested in different restaurants and other fun

http://www.visitob.com/outer_banks/restaurants/corolla.htm

:) Art3

Map of the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks (also known as OBX) is a 200-mile (320-km) long string of narrow barrior islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States. They cover approximately half the northern North Carolina coastline, separating the Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean.

The Outer Banks is a major tourist destination and is known for its temperate climate and wide expanse of open beachfront.

The Wright brothers' first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air vehicle took place on the Outer Banks on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near the seafront town of Kitty Hawk. The Wright Brothers National Monument commemorates the historic flights, and First Flight Airport is a small, general-aviation airfield located there.

The treacherous seas off the Outer Banks and the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred there have given these seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is located in Hatteras Village near the United States Coast Guard facility and Hatteras ferry.

The Outer Banks is a series of islands: from north to south — Bodie Island, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island. The Outer Banks is considered to be the areas of coastal Currituck County, Dare County, and Hyde County.

Hi Family!

Thanks to everyone who accepted my invitation to sign up for this web blog.
As of right now, it looks as though we still have three family members who haven't yet signed up. Remember, if you signed up, you are also a contributor, and I'm hoping you take advantage of that and use this site to post your own thoughts, videos, links, comments or anything else that you think would be of interest, so all of us can get the most out of our vacation!
I also hope that in time, with everyone involved, we can use this site as a form of communication, because I know with everyone's busy schedules it's hard to get the whole family together. If you're concerned about putting information out there for everyone to see, rest assured that once everyone has signed up, I will make this site private and accessible to ONLY us!

Wishing my entire family a wonderful, healthy and Happy New Year!

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel... Part of Our Route

Avon, Sound Side Drive

Hatteras Island Beach Report 12/29/2011

This one's for Shannon...How to go Clamming!

Clamming is a fun activity for anyone who finds themselves near a large, shallow saltwater pond. If you rent a beach house in the summer, then you may very well be near the right place to go clamming. It's fun, it's easy, and you don't need any prior experience to go get yourself some delicious clams for cooking. Just follow these tips and you'll be well on your way to bringing in a good shellfish harvest. First, go to a local hardware or garden supply center and get yourself a rake. You're better off getting one of the small handheld garden rakes (the ones with three prongs). These allow you to get a better feel for if you've hit a clam in the mud, and their long prongs go deep enough. You can use a regular garden rake with a long handle, but it won't be as fun to use, and you'll have to constantly bend over to retrieve the clams you uncover.
Next, bring a good sized bucket with you. Depending on how many clams you're after, you'll need a bucket large enough to fit them. Just make sure that you don't go overboard with the size of the bucket or the amount of clams you take. Remember that after clamming you're going to need to carry whatever you retrieve back to your house. A standard mop bucket filled to the brim with clams can weigh close to fifty pounds.
Next, make sure you're wearing either a bathing suit or shorts that you don't mind getting wet and muddy. You're going to be in the water when you're clamming and you're going to be in contact with a lot of mud. Also, it's a good idea to wear either a pair of junky old sneakers or sandals while you're in the water. Often there are rocks under the water that contain barnacle or oyster growths on them. These shells can be razor sharp and I've cut my feet pretty badly before on them. It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side.
Now here are some tips on the clamming itself. These tips are by no means universal, for you really just need to discover what works best for you for you.
The first tip is to kneel down while you're clamming. This means getting wet and getting in the water. If you stand and bend over to use your rake, you're arching your back in such a way that you run the risk of pulling a back muscle or worse. At the very least, you will be dealing with a very sore back if you choose to stand while you're clamming. If you're kneeling down in the water, your back is in a more neutral position and you'll be able to dig much more effectively. In addition, make sure that every few minutes or so, you stand up from the water and give yourself a good stretch. By taking this little break, you will ensure that none of your muscles are tensed for too long.
Clamming is all about feeling for clams, not seeing them. When you're digging, the thin mud will cloud any image of what's going on below the water. The clams bury themselves in mud a few inches below, so that they're protected but can still siphon food from the water. Bury your hand rake into the mud a couple feet in front of you so that the prongs are buried completely, then pull towards you with a firm but steady movement. When you feel the prongs hit something, then chances are it's a clam. With your free hand, dig around in the mud for where the obstruction was, grasp the clam firmly, and pull. Remember to keep your bucket close by so that you won't have to get up and walk over to it to deposit the clams you uncover.
If you aren't hitting anything with your rake for a while, don't get frustrated. Sometimes moving to a new area in the pond might yield better results, and at the very least it will make you think that there are better possibilities. Clamming is all about patience and above all having fun. Persistence will pay off.
Now here are a couple of tips on what kinds of clams to get. If you're looking to create chowder with the clams, then you can use the larger clams (ones that are about the size of a baseball). In general, the larger the clam, the more tough the flesh will be. In chowders the toughness will be softened by dicing up the clam bellies and boiling them. You can also use the larger clams in pasta sauce in much the same fashion. If you're planning on cooking steamers, then you're better off using the small to medium-sized clams, around the size of a silver dollar or slightly larger. These will be the tenderest clams and will literally melt in the mouth.
That's about it! Clamming is a great way to get outside and get the feeling of satisfaction from harvesting your own dinner. Follow these tips and you'll be popping clams out of the mud in no time. Good luck!

This article from YAHOO

Hope everyone's ready for a REMOTE vacation!