OBX

The Outer Banks (OBX), NC is considered to be one of the crown jewels of east coast living.  An island off the coast of North Carolina, it provides a shelter from those that wish to escape the 9-5 and enjoy a holiday from reality.  Much of the Outer Banks has not been consumed by the commercialism of America’s beaches that has befallen so many of its longitudinal brothers and sisters.  All of this makes it the perfect vacation spot for yours truly. 

During the daytime I would surf and have other various beachgoing adventures (sea turtle I am looking at you), but it was at night when the memories were really created. In NC you are allowed to have, beer, fires, and vehicles on the beach.  It makes any other beach nightlife experience along the Atlantic pale in comparison.  I would start a campfire literally feet from the Ocean and it looked as though we were reenacting promos from an OC ad or a Hollister commercial.  Lots of memories/blackmailing opportunities were made on those white sands and my rolodex of friends was increased substantially.

Some of the highlights of the trip include:  finding a sea turtle, enjoying fresh seafood and NC specialties, finding a sand dune that is hundreds of feet in height and launching ourselves down it with unsuitable devices (see photos), checking out lighthouses, and making many great new friends and spending time with great old friends.

  

 

Beach Street USA

Virginia Beach.  The name itself brings a wave of happiness to my face.  After living there during my Navy years, I have always had a fondness for the place that calls itself Beach Street USA.  After making it there in record time (2.5 hours) I enjoyed the surfing that Hurricane Danny provided.  For NINE hours I paddled and paddled and paddled and paddled.  The waves were amazing.  What a perfect day.  I was Lindsay Lohan check myself into rehab exhausted. 

 

  

 

On Sunday, my friend texted me and told me that he had FREE backstage passes to the Blink 182/Weezer concert in Baltimore.  I drove incredibly fast and went to the concert.  It was AMAZING.  Despite Weezer being one of my favorite bands, Blink was the highlight of the evening.  My friend Courtney came with me.  We were in the front of the crowd, we went backstage, and we went to the afterparty.  Some random people started breakdancing at the afterparty and I caught a picture of Tom Delonge standing ten feet away.  Amazing.  Thanks Jeff!

 

  

 

I write this post from a Starbucks in the Outer Banks, NC.  The Pumpkin Spice Latte is AMAZING.

Kill Bill

This weekend I went to the Jersey Shore/NYC to fight an epic battle against Hurricane Bill.  It is not too often the East Coast gets good waves and so everyone with a surfboard headed east for the weekend. 

After leaving work at noon (thank you taxpayer) I drove a couple hours east to a wonderful little town called Cape May, NJ. Cape May is located at the very South Eastern part of the state and is a quaint little farming and beach town. Not many tourists in the area and the locals are friendly. Sigh, I love the East Coast.

As I surfed with the golden sunset around me (scene recreated in picture) I thought how beautiful life was as and how lucky I was to take it all in, when suddenly, I ALMOST DIED thanks to the GIANT FREAKING ROCKS also located in Cape May (also seen in said picture).

Afterwards I made my way north to the other love of my life, New York City.

On Saturday I did the usual touristy things with my friend Amy (Central Park, 30 Rock, Time Square, Broadway, buying expensive merchandise for cheap on the street, buying cheap merchandise for expensive at the Apple Store, etc.).

Here is a picture of me at Time Square (with eyes closed).

The same picture after using the cubism filter on GIMP. Coooool.

On Sunday Amy and I made our way to see the Statue of Liberty. Apparently the process of getting to the Statue is a half day event. Also, being a Congressional Staffer doesn’t help you out in any way either. There goes their funding.

While I was there I did a little family history and looked up Edward Carroll, my great great grandfather.  Pretty cool!  I have a feeling that Edward came to America so that his children could have a better life surfing.  Thank you Edward.     

After seeing the Statue of Liberty, or as it is actually called, Liberty Enlightening the World, it was time for some more surfing as Hurricane Bill made its way up north.  I headed south to meet it, and we met at Belmar, NJ.  It was there that I was truly in awe at my attempt to surf during a hurricane.  I was surfing the biggest waves of my life! According to Surfline.com waves were up to 15 feet!  I have surfed Hawaii, California, and Australia, but this was something else.  Everything was much faster and a lot more complicated.  I loved every second of it.  Since I didnt want to bring a camera into a hurricane, this is a picture of me surfing a couple weeks ago in Virginia Beach, VA. 

After a wonderful weekend surfing I am resting and awaiting the next tropical storm.  The news is already reporting that Hurricane Danny is making its way to the East Coast.  More than likely I will make the trek to the Outer Banks in North Carolina for another epic battle.