Hangin' Ten (fingers, that is!)

Well, I finally did it, and now I've got the "bug." There's nothing in this world like hang-gliding, although the way I did it wasn't exactly off a mountain; it was just to run off a sand dune in the OBX (Outer Banks, NC). What fun! Only got up to 10 or 15 feet off the ground or so, but WOW! Turns out ~ it takes a really lot of energy, but then, so does climbing up the tallest dune you can find, just to run down it. THAT was free, though (my favorite price!), so Michael and I had to do it. 'Sides, the cleaning lady recommended it! Folks, this is what happens when your traveling companion is 22, and you're, uh, NOT. Then, you find out you're only an hour away from the tallest climbable lighthouse on the East Coast, sooooooo..... away you go to try and kill yourself climbing 200+ steps! Now I know why the pirates always said, "Arrrrrrrrrrrrggghh!! I did it, though. On a less adventurous note, we also saw the Wright Brothers' Field in Kitty Hawk (I'm confused, though, because it's actually in Kill Devil Hills! Maybe it just sounds so much nicer to say "Kitty Hawk"). There was an airplane mockup there without a sign that said "Keep Off," so I have a photo of myself next to [I think it was] Wilbur on his historic flight. You know me; anything for a photo. There was so much to learn there! For instance, I had no idea that their historic flight in 1903 kind of corresponded with the first Harley-Davidson, also in 1903! COOL. One of our really exciting adventures also included a trip to Okracoke Island via the free ferry (another cleaning lady suggestion; wish I'd gotten her name ~ she was more informative than a travel agent!) from Cape Hatteras. Fun, but wouldn't have to do it again. Not enough to keep my interest for long, and the wait for that ferry was ridiculous. Couldn't complain though. What are you going to say? "I want my money back?" I was able to REALLY impress Michael, however. On the way back from Cape Hatteras, we hit a Huuuuuuuuuge puddle (it was high tide, no doubt), which completely drenched the car and blinded us. I have superb reflexes, if I do say so, myself. Without skipping a beat, I hit the brakes, not hard, and slapped the windshield wipers on, FAST! The day before, we had also tried to swim in the ocean, but the Atlantic was NOT cooperative. Kept swatting me into the surf, for all the world like I was just some great big bug. I felt like a toy, bobbing up and down. Easy to see why people [literally] break their necks trying to swim there. Glad I did it, though. The best thing we did was to drive 4-1/2 hours to connect with my niece, Jael, and her 2 little boys. I hadn't seen her in 3 years, and I love her so very much. And she drove 2-1/2 hours, with 2 little kids in a car, just to see me. What an honor! Stay tuned for more...........