Outer Banks - Wright Brothers

On our last morning, we loaded up the car again and before starting the long drive back, went to the Wright Brothers museum and memorial. This is where the brothers made the first flight of a powered manned vehicle. The first flight was on Decmeber 17th 1903 and lasted 12s and they did 3 other flights that day, getting up to 56s in the air on the last flight of the day. They were going to do more flights but the wind caught the plane and wrecked it. They picked Kitty Hawk in the Outer Banks because that year it had the strongest winds in the US. And it was mostly deserted in 1903.
We listened to the park ranger tell the story of the flights and then wondered around the grounds.

One of the first planes

Plaque to the Wright brothers

Mom and Dad at starting marker

First landing marker

There was also a big monument up o the top of the hill where they launched the unpowered glider flights. But it was well into the 90s that day and we decided it was too hot to walk up there.

Wright Brothers Monument on hill top

Plus we had a long drive home. We decided to go the slightly longer way around but it was much prettier, along smaller country roads through real small town USA, which Dad loved. Dad and I split the driving and we got some great photos while on the road.

Cool dude

Another deserted bridge

Mom enjoying being chauffeured 

Honestly I am not sure

There were also some great adverts near the Outer Banks for places with ... interesting names.

Sounds interesting

We stopped for lunch at a truckers road side dinner called, Doris and Roger's kitchen. The food was good and cheap and a nice break. The second time we stopped I was bored and saw a sign for Buffalo Springs. So I pulled off to investigate. It wasn't as much as I was expecting (and the toilets were nasty!) but it was a break. There used to be a spa for the springs but now all that was left was a rundown gazzebo (I could see the spiders from a distance - there was no way I was going near that!) and the "mountain spring" which was a hose coming out of the wall. But we saw some locals collecting and drinking the water so decided to give it a go. It had a sweet taste and lots of minerals and better yet, it was really cold. (It made my bugs bites a lot better though I had to do some interesting gymnastics to get some of them under the hose).

Drinking and collecting spring water

:)

On the way back we got the only rain the entire time my parents were here. Unfortunately this was when I was driving thought the mountains and it was a lightning storm at the same time. It was an interesting part of the drive.

It took us about 8-9 hrs driving to get home and we were exhausted by the time we got back. But it was a great trip and we all had a really good time. :-)