The View from Buzby Beach

  K and I had a great week at Pocahontas State Park. We began last Saturday with two beautiful days of hiking and culminated yesterday with a nearly 2-mile-long kayaking paddle up Swift Creek Lake and back. (See map above.) K had Sophie with her, and the pup became antsy after a while, so we turned back. Otherwise, we might have gotten in another 2 miles or so. The afternoon was just warm enough and overcast enough to be pleasant without getting baked or frozen.  Ace no longer joins me on kayaking trips. He'd rather stay on the couch at the camper and snooze. He's also given up all but the shortest hikes. It's sad to see a dog that once practically pulled me up mountain trails fade after only 1/2 a mile. But, hey, he still enjoys that 1/2 mile with "dad."  We made a couple of friends while we were there. Our camp hosts, Dave and Phyllis were a very nice retired couple who stay long-term at the park and help the rangers and staff in exchange for free cam...

  No, not that Washington. The one we here in NC call Little Washington. It's a small city situated on the lower Pamlico River near the coast.  My missus and I are camping here this weekend. Today we took a trip into town to visit the NC Estuarium. It is a small but very informative museum about the river estuaries in eastern NC.  The photo is of the bear who has been traveling with us for years now. He joined us during a visit to Pigeon Forge, TN, several years ago. I decided he deserved a chance to get out of the truck and see some of the sites.  Or is that sights? I'm not in a classroom, so I'm not going to worry about it.  We were hoping for warmer weather, but it stayed cool and windy. We did find a place to eat outside as we had the dogs with us. The food was warm and tasted good, but we'd have much rather been able to eat indoors.  Tonight, we're heading back to town without the dogs to have dinner with our camping club. This will give us ...