Monday, June 14th. Sue flew IFR from KLWM to KMQI. We were mainly above, at 10,000 feet, a broken to undercast layer most of the way over long island, JFK, south over Atlantic city to Norfolk. It was very hazy near the approach with some lower clouds around 3000-5000 feet. Landed at Dare County Regional Airport (KMQI) Manteo, NC and got a tie-down and rented a car for two days. KMQI is on Roanoke Island and is connected to the outer banks by bridge.

We stayed at the Days Inn Oceanfront at 201 North Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948, (252) 441-7211 with an (sort of) ocean view. We could see the water though the cut to the beach. We had a great dinner at the Ocean Blvd Bistro and Martini Bar, 4700 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. (252)261-2546. We made our reservations through http://www.opentable.com from the motel. We used their service several times on this trip and it worked out very well each time.

The Days Inn was on Route 12 just south of the entrance to First Flight Airport in Kill Devil Hills. The restaurant was located at the letter "A" above, also on Route 12 a.k.a. Virginia Dare Highway. Route 12 runs along the Ocean and Route 158 is the 4 lane by-pass to route 12.

Tuesday, June 15th. The next day we visited the Orville and Wilbur Wright park pavilion and monument. Around lunch time, we drove south along route 12 and, at what turned out to be the last stop before Hatteras Village, we stopped for lunch at a large fishing pier and had shrimp (turned out to be frozen). We continued south through the Cape Hatteras National Seashore park to Buxton, NC on Hatteras Island. With some time to spare, we climbed to the top of the Hatteras light House. Stayed at the Inn on Pamlico Sound.

Our room was one the left corner of the yellow building to the right of the photo.

Very nice, good view- sunset and good food. The chef gave us his recipe for Crab Cakes.

Crab Cake Recipe:

20 lbs lump crab meat

+ ... etc ...

Wednesday, June 16th. The next day we drove back up to KMQI and Taz flew VFR to Ocracoke, NC (W95) where we stayed for 2 nights at The Cove Bed and Breakfast, 21 Loop Road Ocracoke, NC 27960, (252) 928-4192 Chad and Erin O'Neal were the owners. We stayed in the Lighthouse Room that had a view of neither water nor lighthouse but otherwise was nice. That afternoon we walked out to the Pamlico Sound side and went swimming off the beach in very shallow water. The water was quite warm (about 85)

Thursday, June 17th. We rode bicycles around the harbor and stopped at numerous galleries and shops.

After lunch we rode out to the ocean beach next to the airport and went swimming - a little colder, but not much, than the sound side. Ate at Cafe Atlantic, 1129 Irvin Garris Hwy, Ocracoke, NC 27960. (252) 928-4861.

Friday, June 18th. Sue flew to Elizabethton, TN (A09) where we had lunch at Nana's Restaurant near the airport. We rented a car and drove (91 to 19E to 321) to Lake Watauga and stayed at the Lakeshore Resort 2285, Hwy 321, Hampton, TN 37658. (423) 725-2201; (888) 423-3785 (info@lakeshore-resort.com) at Watauga Lake on route 321 in the Cherokee National Forest. We ate our dinners outside at the Captains Table Restaurant at the resort. But there were no breakfasts served, so we drove into Hampton and ate both mornings at the local diner (Copper Kettle - a recycled gas station).

Saturday June 19th. We drove from Hampton up Dennis Cove Road to a parking spot and hiked part of the Appalachian trail in to (1.5 miles each way) Laurel Falls where we went swimming in the pool below the falls.

Sunday June 20th. Taz flew VFR to Beckley, WV, (KBKW) rented a car and drove through Beckley on route 19 and drove up rt 81 to Fayetteville, WV near the New River Gorge Bridge. We stayed at the Morris Harvey House (Prop. Bernie J. Kania Jr) ca 1902. (http://www.morrisharveyhouse.com/ ) 201 West Maple Avenue Fayetteville, West Virginia 25840 Phone: (304) 250-7090; Toll Free: (877) 253-0784 and (304) 574-1902 That day we hiked to Diamond Point on the north-east side of the New River Gorge (approx 4.5 miles in and out) after stopping at the visitor's center to get a trail map. After our hike we drove down to the old bridge at the bottom of the gorge in Fayette crossing (?) got a fantastic view of the bridge from the bottom.

The green arrow is where Smokey's is located. The zipline started across the street from Smokey's.

Had dinner at Smokey's on the Gorge, not great but reasonably good food but everybody was nice, except for the maitre d' who at 7:59 told us that the dinning was closed at 8:00 and that we'd have to leave. There had been a power failure earlier that afternoon and she made some excuse about how that was the reason. But there was plenty of food buffet style. After a little persuasion we talked her into letting us in. Kind of obnoxious since there was obviously plenty of food already prepared and out on the buffet table.

Monday, June 21st. The next day we signed up to go on the very long zip line at 11:20 AM. After lunch at the gorge, we left from there to go directly back to the airport at Beckley and flew to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (KSHD). Got in very late (around 6 PM). We rented a car from Avis at the airport and drove to Staunton, VA, where we stayed at the Frederick House (prop. Joe Harmon and Evvy Harmon). We ate at a restaurant right next door called The Dining Room 29 North Augusta Street, Staunton, VA 24401-4219(540) 213-0606. [http://www.thediningroomstaunton.com] We both had the salmon on roasted bananas. Very interesting composition; the chef told us she disliked salmon and that this was about the only way she could eat it. [Broiled Fresh Atlantic Salmon Filet ~ $19; over fried bananas in walnut white wine butter sauce topped with baby spinach]. It was quite good. The chef also brought out a single scallop dusted in cocoa as an amuse gueule, so we could taste the scallop entrée [Succulent Cocoa Dusted Scallops ~ $17, lightly dusted large scallops in brown butter sauce with creamy white chocolate rice & wilted baby spinach.]

Tuesday, June 22nd. We made the trip out to Polyface Farm and happened to join up with a group (Lunatic Tour) already assembled up on the hill. Joel Salatin was directing the tour and explained the philosophy behind his methods of sustainable farming without chemical fertilizer and pesticides. We had dinner that evening at The Staunton Grocery (farm to table), 105 West Beverley Street • Staunton, VA 24401. 540-886-6880. Apparently, they don't get any of their produce from Polyface Farm.

Wednesday, June 23rd. Had lunch in town at The Pampered Palate Cafe, 28 East Beverley Street • Staunton, VA 24401, 540-886-9463. We split a veggie wrap.

We returned the car to the airport (KSHD) and Sue flew home IFR through PA, NJ, NY and MA.

Thursday, June 24th. At home: laundry day and decompress.