So I was right about the Boy. This Thanksgiving will be significant in years to come...I can tell :)
I ended up packing an overnight bag and joining him on a photography road trip across NC. Yes, that's right. Nags Head, NC to Stone Mountain, NC.
Started out in Cary, NC and drove in the late Friday afternoon to Nags Head. Arrived around dinner time and began looking for a place to fill our tummies.
Mulligan's, it was. We each had almond-encrusted Rockfish, mashed sweet potatoes, and cute little hushpuppies. I had just had Thanksgiving dinner and seafood extravaganza with my family but the seafood was a treat for the Boy. Oh, one thing we realized over dinner...Boy had forgotten his whole backpack of clothes. Yep, sitting right here on his bed in Cary. No bueno. So, we ventured to Kitty Hawk Sports and Surf Shop where he got
this Patagonia fleece -- in the color North Sea -- and it looks great with his blue eyes. He figured he could manage the rest of the weekend without the rest of his clothes but warmth is a necessity.
The plan was to originally camp in the back of the Yukon...but our mothers were not keen on this idea. So we ventured out to the
Clarion Hotel and booked a little room for the night.
And to the moooooovies we go to see Nicole Kidman in Australia. I completely recommend this movie. It was a lovely blend of romance, action, passion, and comedy. Plus, little Nullah was the cutest little boy. We were both captivated throughout the entire movie and my favorite aspect was how the film included references to the Wizard of Oz and one of my favorite songs, Somewhere Over the Rainbow :)
We, then headed off to the Harry Teet for the necessities (that was still on his bed in Cary) for the Boy -- toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. This chica was completely exhausted at this point and needed rest. Going back to the Clarion, we bunkered down for bed, waiting for the sun to rise.
Boy has to capture sunrise shots of this part of North Carolina so we got up at 5:45am, with his back hurting tremendously, and in his words he was in a "terrible way". (Still aren't sure at this point what is going on with his back but I say "doctor" soon) We headed for Oregon Inlet where he took some great beach shots and of the Bodie Island lighthouse. Then, we drove back towards Nags Head and we went on Jockey's Ridge where the sand won the adventure. We were c-o-v-e-r-e-d. And everyone in unison say: BRRR. For some more photos, we drove a little ways down Hwy 12 to Kitty Hawk and he took a few shots of the Memorial to the Wright Brothers.
And then the big jaunt begins for the other side of North Carolina. Lots of music. Lots of having to stop for the bathroom (my fault...I'm not a camel by any means...). Lots of conversation and laughs. Stops for gas (it's getting cheaper!) and lunch. And then the rain begins. Rain!? what?! in the mountains?! no way. yes way. It always rains there.
Not to mention that this gal got carsick (that never happens) and I finally get out at
Stone Mountain State Park and the fresh air was amazing. I immediately felt better (like magic) and the rain slacked off as well. He took pictures of this neat waterfall that was about .6 miles down the trail. Then, we headed toward the Blue Ridge Parkway but we stopped in awe of the deer that were in the Park. At one point, I counted 12 deer just munching away in a field. Boy then shoots amazing pictures...it was like we were at a petting zoo. We then saw two bucks after a doe -- never in my life have I seen something like that in real life! Racing against the rain, Boy finally finds the overlook he wants to photograph and we begin our journey home.
Please keep in mind that the Service Engine Soon light keeps flashing to no end that should be considered in this tale. We stopped in Yadkinville (apparently, there, they say it in only two syllables...I still can't get that one) and talked to the Advanced Auto man named Chan. He and the Boy diagnose the truck and everything is fine. We put some magical seafoam in the fuel tank and everyone is happy, including the Yukon. Boy gets high-quality recommendation from Chan to go to Taste of Italy for dinnnnner. I was suspicious but hungry and ready to eat :) Food was yummy, service was quick, and we had lots of leftovers.
At this point, the rain is coming down pretty hard but we still had a ball on the way home. I keep my eyelids open and we just talked and laughed a lot...Boy told me lots of stories about his fraternity, growing up, and all the crazy times he has had in college. We realized we had been in the same room, restaurants, conferences, multiple times before but never knew it. Crazy huh? Small world. Arriving back in Cary around 9pm, we said our goodbyes and he headed off to Chapel Hill. Yes, that's right...he is a Carolina boy. eek! I will be seeing this fellow again tonight...it's time to cram our quality time in before his finals and my projects begin to pile up. OH wait, they've already piled.
I love road trips. His photography may follow soon. That's all.
