Loop de Loops with the Wright Brothers - Day Three

Edenton, NC was picked to stay at, not because it was a great stopping place. Edenton has 3 National Landmarks that we can pick up before we really get on the road. Well as it turns out we got 2 of the 3 landmarks, because one of them was behind closed gates.

The agenda for the day is Wrights National Monument at Kill Devils Hills and then a ride down Cape Hatteras, picking up INK, lighthouses and just enjoying the views. Getting to Cape Hat was pretty breezy at times and the Connie got shoved around a little. I even considered not going down the cape, but heck I know I would have been sorry if I didn’t ride the outer banks.

The first ferry is a free one from Hatteras to Oracoke Island. This is to trap you on the island. There is a ferry from Oracoke to Cedar Swamp which is only 14 miles away, but (there is always a but in stories like this) but if you don’t time this right you can get stuck on the island over night. I am sure the inn keepers just love this. Well along with the wind, we had some light to moderate precipitation to add to the drama. Let’s just say when we disembarked; we did not have enough time to make the 2pm ferry within the prescribed speed limits. The route is straight, but there are cars, LEO’s, sand blown onto the RT 12, which kept my speed to under triple numbers. I never asked We if she was at all nervous.

Waiting to board the ferry from Hatteras to Oracoke Island


As we pulled up the gates to the ferry were closed and I saw guys tossing ropes on the ferry. Dang, we just missed it and will have to wait til 5. Sitting at the gates, a guy strolls down from the ferry and says "Go get your ticket", and starts opening the gates for me. So the excess MPH’s didn’t go for naught, because we were gonna be nautical in a few moments.
As we boarded the mates told me that the ride is going to be quite rough in places and I have to stay by the bike to make sure it doesn’t fall over. I complied, but I thought if it is going to be that bad, me standing next to the bike, isn’t going to prevent an 800 pound bike from tipping over.

We resting and hiding from the wind

The trip was choppy, but not so bad, that the bike was ever in danger of tipping. We stayed with me on deck, with the wind whipping thru the car bay, I finally said only one of us should suffer and being the gallant fellow I am, I sent her upstairs to the closed, calm, heated deck room. After we got off the ferry she told me she had taken a nap.


On land we headed out stopping at one of the restaurants from Road Side America,Clawsons. We had dinner here, having the special for the night; Dirigibles (baked potato with stuff all over it). It was 2 for 1 night, so dinner was relatively cheap, but some how no matter what always turns out to be $25.




Dinner consumed, we headed out for Wilmington NC for the night, a mere 100 miles away. Miles for the day was about 300 with an additional 30 miles on ferries.