Day 8: Currituck, North Carolina

Received the following update from Jim this afternoon:

(There are also more photos that he's sent. I'll get them loaded into the Snapfish album so all can enjoy)

Hello all:  Left Virginia Beach about 8:15 after
searching out bug repellent. The bike is behaving well,
but I still am losing about 5 mph from the head wind.
In the Virginia Back Bay, the road occasionally
zigged west around a farm, which helped, but
inevitably zagged back SE.  I followed the suggestion
of the VA Beach bike shop and took an interesting road
closer to the shore (Princess Ann Road).  It was quite
direct.  Great farm country.  Winter wheat really
green here too.  Corn is showing through the ground.
Irises in full bloom and strawberries for sale
everywhere.  Now I know where our sand comes from.
Princess Ann has one huge drawback. . . 80,000 gvw
sand trucks going in both directions, averaging more
than one truck per  minute.  Only two lanes and no
shoulder.

The sand pits were at the far southern end of
Virginia's Back Bay, so I had the trucks all morning.
As I passed into North Carolina, no more trucks.
It's clear that the VA Founding Fathers pulled a
fast one on NC.  "Let's draw our border here.  You can
have everything south of this line".  Saawamp!  Not a
farm or house.  Lots of sea birds and wildlife.  I'll
bet the VA guys knew NC would have to spend big bucks
creating wildlife parks.
I took the free ferry from Knotts Island, NC to
Currituck, NC (45 min.)and now have another 30 miles
before I can cross over onto the Outer Banks at Kitty
Hawk.  I've done about 44 already today, not counting
the ferry miles.We had a lady in our bike club (had to
be 112 yo)who every year posted the most miles of any
member.  We just figured she counted bike rack miles
too.
Had a barbeque wrap when I came off the ferry, so I
hope that doesn't work against me.  I know.  A wrap?
But it sounded smaller than a dinner.  Not impressed.
I'll try again.
Not sure if I'll cross over today with the miles and
the wind ahead of me.  Hope there are motels before
the crossover if that becomes necessary.
I'm at the Currituck Library, and again am having
trouble finding my camera on this computer.  I'll try
again after I send this.   Great day.  Warm.  Blue
sky.

Love to all,
J