It was not exactly the most ideal of vacations, but all and all I think it was a very positive experience for my boys. it rained about 90% of the time I had the car on the road, and it was much cooler than a more desirable vacation would suggest, but we fit a lot of things in and had fun anyway.
For the trip down, it was drizzling the moment I picked up my boys and headed out of Fort Wayne and didn't let up an iota until I hit the North Carolina border. We went via highway 30 to Dayton and down. We arrived in Triangle Park about 6 and settled in for a couple of hours (my boys playing Halo with Jeremy). Then, Jeremy and I went to The Flying Saucer, a bar with hundreds upon hundreds of different types of beer from around the world. It was mostly a college and young adult crowd and the waitresses all wore skirts that barely covered their gluteals, so you know I was okay with that! Anyway, stayed there for about an hour and headed back to Jeremy's.
Saturday morning, I threw the boys in the car and headed to Wilmington and Carolina Beach. It's a trip of about 2.5 hours each way. After the 10-11 hour drive of the previous day this was no big deal at all to the boys and I was pleased. It's very touristy there but nice all the same. It was quite windy and cool, but the boys were very excited about seeing the ocean for the first time and eagerly took their shoes off and let the surf splash on them. After about 20 minutes they were okay with leaving though. So, we threw our carcases in the car and headed down the road and followed signs to take a self-guided tour of the battleship North Carolina. it was quite amazing. My boys loved it and I think I did perhaps even more than they. There was several routes to take and we saw pretty much the entire ship. I figure about 90% of it was open for viewing. I was truly impressed. I loved the WWII feel of it (of course), and all that is attendant to that. I could have spent much longer there, but eventually Ash was getting tired. I figured we were on the ship about 2.5 hours. Then, we bought a little model of the battleship and headed back to Jeremy's. That night, Jeremy and the boys played more of Halo, and we turned both an NCAA basketball game on and an NHL hockey game.
In the morning, I headed out with my boys again. We were going to Carolina Beach again, but made a major detour to visit the Special Forces Museum (in Fayetteville, not far from Fort Bragg). It was a good time there too. The boys loved it. It was filled with life-sized dummies in period uniforms; tableau's of the different special forces from around the world (esp. USA), their weapons and clothing, etc. There was a ride we went on that was pseudo-IMAX, where the seats jolted and tilted as scenes of first-person rides in various military vehicles were displayed on the screen. My personal favorites were the helicopters. Kevin liked the ground vehicles more. Then, we went to Carolina Beach. It was very cold and windy and rainy again, but Kevin collected half a bottle of sea water and a little sand and Ash picked up some sea shells. Then, we took a walk to a wharf to look at the marina and buildings and then headed back. Of course it was raining again, the whole time there and the whole way there and back again. Sucked, that part of it. We just had fun despite that. We were a little late getting back and watched a little of The Family Guy before I made sure the boys were in bed. Then, I got stuff together to head back.
I woke up about 3:40 and couldn't get back to sleep, so got up at 4:00 and by 4:34am me and the boys were on the road. By the end of the day I would drive 972 miles, from North Carolina to Indiana. We took highway 40 all the way to the western end of North Carolina and then 19 to the bottom side of the Smokey Mountains. I took this detour because I wished to show the boys the mountains. We stopped at a couple of look outs and gave them chances to look around. We stopped at one of the streams for a bit and both loved the scenery. At the top end of the mountains is Gatlinburg and the boys dearly wished to stop there for the sights. It's a terribly and unapologetic tourist trap, but for kids (and adults too, I have no doubt), tons and tons of things to entertain and bedazzle. However, we were on a mission; I wanted them to see Mammoth Caves. So, we buzzed (or rather, crawled, because that was the pace), through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and eventually got back on highway 40. We busted a left and eventually met up with highway 65. We busted a right and past Bowling Green we came upon Mammoth Cave National Park. We took the intermediate tour ($12 for adults, $8 for children). It took 2 hours and the boys totally loved it. Ash was initially afraid of it, but within minutes was enthralled and excited. He said it was the best tour he's ever been on, so it had to be pretty decent for him. I had gone as a boy and I really wanted them to see it. They loved it, and we got back on 65 and headed north. I tried to call Sam when by Indianapolis, but found I didn't have his number. In any case, the rain redoubled its efforts to bring my spirits down, with a feeling the heavens themselves had opened, but I was on a mission and had to complete it. I ended up dropping the boys off about 11:30pm and headed over to Q's. By midnight, my journey and 972 miles were done.
For the trip down, it was drizzling the moment I picked up my boys and headed out of Fort Wayne and didn't let up an iota until I hit the North Carolina border. We went via highway 30 to Dayton and down. We arrived in Triangle Park about 6 and settled in for a couple of hours (my boys playing Halo with Jeremy). Then, Jeremy and I went to The Flying Saucer, a bar with hundreds upon hundreds of different types of beer from around the world. It was mostly a college and young adult crowd and the waitresses all wore skirts that barely covered their gluteals, so you know I was okay with that! Anyway, stayed there for about an hour and headed back to Jeremy's.
Saturday morning, I threw the boys in the car and headed to Wilmington and Carolina Beach. It's a trip of about 2.5 hours each way. After the 10-11 hour drive of the previous day this was no big deal at all to the boys and I was pleased. It's very touristy there but nice all the same. It was quite windy and cool, but the boys were very excited about seeing the ocean for the first time and eagerly took their shoes off and let the surf splash on them. After about 20 minutes they were okay with leaving though. So, we threw our carcases in the car and headed down the road and followed signs to take a self-guided tour of the battleship North Carolina. it was quite amazing. My boys loved it and I think I did perhaps even more than they. There was several routes to take and we saw pretty much the entire ship. I figure about 90% of it was open for viewing. I was truly impressed. I loved the WWII feel of it (of course), and all that is attendant to that. I could have spent much longer there, but eventually Ash was getting tired. I figured we were on the ship about 2.5 hours. Then, we bought a little model of the battleship and headed back to Jeremy's. That night, Jeremy and the boys played more of Halo, and we turned both an NCAA basketball game on and an NHL hockey game.
In the morning, I headed out with my boys again. We were going to Carolina Beach again, but made a major detour to visit the Special Forces Museum (in Fayetteville, not far from Fort Bragg). It was a good time there too. The boys loved it. It was filled with life-sized dummies in period uniforms; tableau's of the different special forces from around the world (esp. USA), their weapons and clothing, etc. There was a ride we went on that was pseudo-IMAX, where the seats jolted and tilted as scenes of first-person rides in various military vehicles were displayed on the screen. My personal favorites were the helicopters. Kevin liked the ground vehicles more. Then, we went to Carolina Beach. It was very cold and windy and rainy again, but Kevin collected half a bottle of sea water and a little sand and Ash picked up some sea shells. Then, we took a walk to a wharf to look at the marina and buildings and then headed back. Of course it was raining again, the whole time there and the whole way there and back again. Sucked, that part of it. We just had fun despite that. We were a little late getting back and watched a little of The Family Guy before I made sure the boys were in bed. Then, I got stuff together to head back.
I woke up about 3:40 and couldn't get back to sleep, so got up at 4:00 and by 4:34am me and the boys were on the road. By the end of the day I would drive 972 miles, from North Carolina to Indiana. We took highway 40 all the way to the western end of North Carolina and then 19 to the bottom side of the Smokey Mountains. I took this detour because I wished to show the boys the mountains. We stopped at a couple of look outs and gave them chances to look around. We stopped at one of the streams for a bit and both loved the scenery. At the top end of the mountains is Gatlinburg and the boys dearly wished to stop there for the sights. It's a terribly and unapologetic tourist trap, but for kids (and adults too, I have no doubt), tons and tons of things to entertain and bedazzle. However, we were on a mission; I wanted them to see Mammoth Caves. So, we buzzed (or rather, crawled, because that was the pace), through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and eventually got back on highway 40. We busted a left and eventually met up with highway 65. We busted a right and past Bowling Green we came upon Mammoth Cave National Park. We took the intermediate tour ($12 for adults, $8 for children). It took 2 hours and the boys totally loved it. Ash was initially afraid of it, but within minutes was enthralled and excited. He said it was the best tour he's ever been on, so it had to be pretty decent for him. I had gone as a boy and I really wanted them to see it. They loved it, and we got back on 65 and headed north. I tried to call Sam when by Indianapolis, but found I didn't have his number. In any case, the rain redoubled its efforts to bring my spirits down, with a feeling the heavens themselves had opened, but I was on a mission and had to complete it. I ended up dropping the boys off about 11:30pm and headed over to Q's. By midnight, my journey and 972 miles were done.
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