Day Twelve - To Kitty Hawk

For those of you who may be counting - I did not miss day eleven. It was rain delay, laundry and internet catch-up day!

However, I will mention that New Bern, North Carolina, where the day was spent, like a lot of the towns that I visited throughout the south -IS VERY LIVEABLE. It's the kind of place that one could easily think about laying down tracks. The city is just right - not too big and not too small, and a city filled with history.

Located at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers, there is water everywhere, making it appear like a boating and fishermen's paradise.

In addition, as a side point, New Bern will next year celebrate its 300th year!

The next day, I continued northward to Washington, North Carolina, where the Pamlico River meets the Atlantic Ocean to form (together with the Neuse River) the estuary of Pamlico Sound. Pamlico Sound, in turn, combines with the even larger Albemarle Sound, to complete the second largest estuary (after Chesapeake Bay) in the United States.

There is so much history to be seen in this region. One could easily spend days and travel the entire 300 miles of highways around Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, in order to capture the beauty, the history and gain a full appreciation for all that the area has to offer. Unfortunately, at some point, it is necessary to make a decision about - just how much of the area to take in. In the end, I chose to limit my travel and skirted eastward, traveling, one small part, of the historic Albemarle Highway.

In case you are wondering (as I was) - "just what is the definition of an estuary". According to the Free Dictionary on the web, an estuary is - "The wide lower course of a river where it flows into the sea. Estuaries experience tidal flows and their water is a changing mixture of fresh and salt water".

Leaving the Albemarle Highway, I crossed over to Cape Hatteras by way of Roanoke Island the site of the famed "lost colony". For a period of three years from 1587-1590, the islanders occupied a site on island, then seemingly disappeared in an, as yet - Unsolved Mystery.

At last, after riding all day, I crossed over the causeways connecting the mainland to Roanoke Island and the island to Cape Hatteras. It had been a long day, but an enjoyable trip; before, at last arriving at my destination, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, site of the Wright Brothers Historic - First Flight!