Mike and Beth's Adventures

Amy Marie meets Lady Liberty New York City!  We made it!  Pinch Me! A major milestone on our voyage, by boat, around the eastern portion of the United States.  The last couple of days have been one some of the most memorable of the entire trip.  I would suspect the  last time we felt anything close to this was when we completed the 22 hour crossing of the Gulf of Mexico from Apalachicola to Tarpon Springs.  That was more of a milestone.  This was bigger.  Coming into the harbor from the Atlantic Ocean, under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and seeing "Lady Liberty" holding her torch high just covered us with goose bumps and puts a lump in your throat.   Thinking about all it represents, it's symbolism, it's location adjacent to Ellis Island were so many came to America seeking a new beginning.  All those thoughts and more wash over you.  Our country, which means us, are custodians of a set of  principles and values that proj...

The Great Dismal Swamp May 5th, 2022 A journey through the Dismal Swamp is a voyage back in time.  The route traverses a very low population density portion of North Carolina and Virginia.  It is easy to imagine yourself back in Colonial times. The route was originally proposed by George Washington in 1763.  The concept was to dig a canal to connect the Chesapeake Bay, in Virginia, with the Albemarle Sound in North Carolina to move trade goods.  Doing so would bypass the treacherous coastal route.  The canal was completed in 1805 after 12 years of construction by mostly slaves. We had been anticipating our Dismal Canal Trip for a long time.  It did not disappoint.  The entire canal is a "No Wake" zone, so it is a relaxing transit.  Type A personalities would not be a happy with this route.  As the going is slow, we broke the trip into 2 days, with a stop at the Visitors Center located midway through the canal.   Once you enter the c...