Thanksgiving Adventure Part IV - Palate Pleasures

What takes you back to a place that you have been before...the family...the friends...the sights...Sometimes it is the food.

Southport, NC is a beautiful small town that on my husband's side of the family is quite historic....The town used to be called Smithville and as far back as we could trace his family they are from this area...yes they are part of the Smith history!

But another draw that brings us here is the food...the atmosphere of the restaurants... and the roadside hole-in-the-wall OMG places to eat....

So one of our favorite ways to start the day is at a bakery called Burney's Bakery...

I know you are thinking...doughnuts...(or as we spell them in TX- donuts)....no no no...Burney's is not about donuts...it is about the most melt in your mouth croissants....yes that is what I said...Croissant...and no not the kind that you get when you smack a can on the counter and it pops open....these are the most delicious treats...

Burney's Bakery

They are light and flakey filled pastries with a light sweet glaze...and the fillings are out of the world...my favorites are the cream cheese, apple and chocolate....this time I tried the maple...and oh my was it good....they also had a festive pumpkin filled one...

Fat Andy's

Next stop on the palate pleasure train is a roadside stand called Fat Andy's....this place is on the road that leads to the beach....most people would pass by the small shack surrounded by picnic tables...but don't pass...stop in and you will be delighted...

Fat Andy's has the best burgers and fries...stopping at a fast food burger joint would be a sin when you have Fat Andy's...the small staff there is so friendly and great...Mel, super sweet and friendly took our order...you can get anything on your burger...I suggest the cheeseburger...Dan got his with cole slaw (don't knock it until you try it)...and we shared a large order of fries (had to have some leftovers for the gulls)...

Mel delivered our burgers out to us...paper bags and tin foil is all that a good burger needs...oh my were they good!...You will be tempted to gobble them down...but savor every bite...oh and the fries...they have a slight spice to them...skins on...delicious....

Follow that lunch up with a walk on the beach...awww vacation....gotta love it!

        

Be safe out there and enjoy the view!

Thanksgiving Adventure Part III The RV is Parked

Jenny and Forest made it...we are officially in Southport, NC...

When did we finally arrive 3:30AM...We are staying on the property of a family relative...we pulled in exhausted and just parked...kicked off our shoes and crawled into bed...wow that was quite a ride...

We Finally Made It!

What a great nights/mornings sleep...all alarms were shut off before going to sleep...thank goodness I remembered that and had pre-arranged for someone (Thank you Missy) to be HTL at my 7AM church service...yes I slept in...9:30AM...and for those that know me know that is really late for me...

AHHH....coffee...pull out the tea kettle and french press...just the smell makes me smile...time to turn on the TV...let the antenna do it's magic and find the local channels....what no antenna signal...oh no...Jenny what is happening to you poor girl...

Okay no worries Dan will check it out latter...he is a genius when it comes to fixing things...

Coffee made....consumed feeling almost human...grimy...need a shower...but first time to level Jenny, hook up the electricity and water....and raise the flag.... put out the welcome mat...

Look at that beautiful sky!

Shower...clean clothes...aww...ready...

Now one of the many reasons we love coming to Southport is the seafood...Southport is a coastal community that enjoys daily fresh seafood from the local fishermen...our local favorite is Fishy Fishy Cafe....

Fishy Fishy Cafe

Fishy Fishy is located right on the water...as a matter of fact some people pull in and tie up at the dock and come right in....our favorite go to on the menu is clam chowder followed up with a shared plate of fried shrimp, scallops, fries and coleslaw....

Clam Chowder

Can you say "Yummy"

After we ate we took a drive over to the beach...love the ocean...can't get enough of that salt air...

Time to head home....watch some football...and enjoy some family time...


Be safe out there and enjoy the view!

Thanksgiving Adventure Part II - The Best Laid Plans

Day II

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry!

Yes, this could be our day! Just a friendly reminder that your plans may not always go as you would hope.

So we survived the flat...Thank you again, Preston! Today could best be described as an "Oh No what next!" kind of day!

Jenny and I enjoyed a great morning drive and then Dan took over.  He quickly realized that there was something not quite right...the temperature gauge would change when going downhill. Nope, that is not right.

So into a rest area, he pulls only to discover that all of the coolant is leaking out....

 Thank goodness Dan is a fixer.  He crawls up under there to investigate....

And what he discovers is that one small-cap thing has a crack...what...oh no....

He is a genius...he gets some of his wire/electrical shrink magic stuff...heats it...and "ta-da" fixed!

So we use our water reserves...fill it up and head out to find the nearest Wally World to buy some coolant and replace the water....

On the way there...I am adjusting in the passenger seat and hit the front side panel just right and....Ouch....

Puncture and slice my toe...ouch ouch ouch!  We use the first-aid supplies and clean it up!

So toe patched....coolant patched...time to move....Google Maps says 8 hours and 56 minutes left...nope it changes...8 hours and 59 minutes...nope another change 9 hours and some odd minutes....what his happening?

45 minutes later (while I was napping) we find the cause...traffic...one lane on the highway...what one lane...NOOOOOO!...45 minutes of one lane 5-10mph traffic....

In the words of a famous forgetful fish..."Just keep swimming..."

Day II...6:51...still driving somewhere in Georgia.....

Be safe out there and enjoy the view!

Thanksgiving Adventure 2017

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to hit the road and start the holiday season with family and relax. For Jenny, our 2008 Fleetwood Jamboree and Forest our 1987 Jeep Wrangler that meant getting all loaded up for the long drive from Texas to North Carolina.

Jenny

Forest

The travels started off late in the day, final preparation was completed after a long day at work for both of us but we were ready.

Pull out of the driveway and realize the tow straps holding Forest to the car dolly are the wrong set...return gather the new, larger, more secure set but decide to wait and put them one later...throw them in the floorboard of Forest.

First, stop gas...$100 later tank full time to really get Jenny & Forest moving down the road...

Wait...Sonic...okay one more stop and then hit the road....

Okay now we are ready....over the last set of railroad tracks before the highway...oh good gravy what is that noise....pull into a gravel parking lot....the pin holding the tilt on Forest's dolly is not secured right...okay might as well change the straps now... all fixed and secure....now we can really start the adventure.

The sleep drive rotation starts....I, Wendy drive....Dan sleeps...or tries to sleep....

Goodness gracious what is this traffic...where are all these people going....get off the road...why is the wind blowing so hard....why does it get so dark so early....

Find a radio station...High school football playoffs have started in Texas....listen to a local trio call a small town football game and they are hoot...okay things are better.

Make it all the way to outside Monroe Louisana and decide it is time to get more gas and switch drivers.

My time to sleep...Good Lord...is that a tire gone out....Thank goodness we are near an exit...TA stop...yes!...Tire repair at 2:05 in the morning....okay...

Thank you, Preston!...the truck repair guy at the TA! You Rock Man! He had one truck in the bay but when he finished that he changed the tire! Thank goodness for spares and Preston!

Tire changed 3:45AM...time for us to nap...we pull into the parking lot of the TA...set the alarm for 6:30 and try to sleep...

Have you ever tried to sleep in a parking lot...at a truck stop...I would not recommend it...by the time I fell asleep the alarm went off....oh well time to get up....

Dan slept and I drove...watching the sun come up is beautiful...it doesn't matter where you are....the start of a new day....new possibilities is just amazing.

This is my current view...

Be safe out there and enjoy the view!