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 Arriving in Zephyrhills Florida with the warmth of the sun kissing us upon arrival, I couldn’t help but feel my body sigh with relief, releasing muscles exhausted by the bitter cold of Winter. After finishing our Walmart shop, we made quick headway to the dropzone well known for its Canadian invasion over the Christmas Holidays. My first time at Skydive City to be honest. I’ve visited most of the other Florida dzs, and I very much looked forward to establishing roots, even if for a month, with electric hookup, water and sewer available only a short drive away. Zephyrhills …. home of the Geriatric J-Walkers, creepy crawly insects, repulsive Floridian reptiles and pure water. Oh it so so good to be home. Awnings out, fans a blowing. t-shirt weather is here. Yippppeeee!
 When staying in Kitty HAwk, North Carolina, our driveway hosts offered to make us a lovely dinner. That night, with a sly grin on his face, David whipped out his handy dandy favourite cookbook, swearing by the recipes found in ‘The Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favourites’ cookbook. The Sweet Potatoes Black Bean Burritos were some of the best Mexican fare I’ve ever had: tested, tried and loved (no cheese needed).
Here’s the recipe for your enjoyment! I just HAD to share  — Please note, this is a copyrighted recipe, direct from The Moosewood Restaurant cookbook.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito
 5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes (4 potatoes)- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tsps canola or veg oil
- 3 ½ cups diced onions (2 red onions)
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp minced fresh green chile
- 4 tsps ground cumin
- 4 tsps ground coriander
- 4 ½ cups cooked black beans (three 15-oz cans, drained)
- ⅔ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 eight-inch flour tortillas
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth (see Note). Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.
- Lightly oil a large baking dish. Spoon about ⅔ to /4 cup of the filling in the centre of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it seam side down, in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until piping hot. Serve topped with salsa.
  What a glorious day to photograph an extravagantly gallant and charming city! So much beauty, so much history and a huge number of squares to explore. And tour we did. I find that the ultimate self-guided opportunities exist when one has bicycles. No parking fees to worry about, areas larger than walkable can be covered and exercise aplenty is available at the level one so desires. Luckily, we acquired free bicycles when last home that fit snugly in to our truck bed (the dump is an amazing resource, truly — what one person throws out is another man’s treasure). Freedom was our middle name! So after quickly following one of the local tour trolleys on their route of preference, we scouted out the areas to explore, and discovered free parking at Forsyth Park. This park was built in 1858 and has become an iconic symbol of the city of Savannah, with it’s glorious porcelain-like fountain (which happened to be frozen almost solid in all its glory). Here began our first introduction to Savannah’s version of panhandlers.
 One of the distinctive natural settings carried over from the 18th and 19th century is the city’s distinctive grid plan of 22 park squares dotted throughout the downtown quarter. “Most of Savannah’s squares are named in honor or in memory of a person, persons or historical event, and many contain monuments, markers, memorials, statues, plaques, and other tributes.”
Along the route we discovered the Colonial Park Cemetery, which was used to bury the dead from 1750 to 1853, becoming a city park in 1896. There are quite a few famous cemeteries here in Savannah, most notably the Bonaventure Cemetery from John Berendt’s book “Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil”. Unfortunately, most were beyond the possible area for us to cycle to and visit today.
As we wove our way through the cobblestone streets, we stumbled across the Downtown River Street. This area is a shopping mecca for the tourists to shop and dine amidst restored 19th century cotton warehouses. Appropriately, we chose The Cotton Exchange to dine for lunch. Here we delved in to a scrumptious crab soup and a mixed grill tilapia pasta entree, both for us to split — so rich that sharing our delectable sumptuous treat satiated us until our return home for dinner. From our window berth, we had the chance to watch the ships, ferries, barges and tour boats roll in and out along River Street as we dined inside this former cotton warehouse from Savannah’s early days. It seemed rather quiet today on this most notably cold but blue-skied day. We were told that frigid days like today were rare indeed.
Oh how I love to explore the tourist meccas in the off-season. However, witnessing the many vendors weaving their palm fronds in to pieces of art (rose bouquets adorned with ribbons or berry garlands), struggling to raise a few dollars here and there, was touching and heartbreaking as many seemed either homeless or unemployed (clothes in tatters, appearance dishevelled and meekly dressed for such cold extremes).  Without a bag or backpack to carry any souvenirs or acquisitions, we could only stop to complement the artists on their skilled handiwork and offer a kind word.
Lining the river is the architecturally beautiful Talmadge Memorial Bridge, a stunning cable-stayed bridge (similar to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, except made with cement pylons) over the Savannah River. The Port of Savannah is the largest single terminal container port on the U.S. eastern seaboard; this bridge flanks the banks of downtown Savannah, Georgia, and its neighbouring state of South Carolina.
One of the beauties of travel is the discovery of new and wonderful people. Today we met Bob and Bogart, crusaders of kindness and peace in a “Smithsonian-worthy” 1990 Chevy school bus, whom are travelling to campuses across the country to promote kindness.His message: “We are trying to offer inspiration to those wanting to better themselves by leading a lifetime of constantly spreading kindness to others.”
 Please visit them at their website One Million Acts Of Kindness and support them in their venture, in whatever form that may take. Bob reminds me of John Lennon and his quest for peace: “Give Peace a Chance”. If only we all couldn’t be a lot more like Bob, spreading a message of peace and love, kindness and happiness, where “we are all one country, one world, one people” [sic Yoko Ono].
 As the light faded, the temperatures dropped. It was time to find ourselves a hot drink to coddle! On a corner in Savannah’s historic district, not too far from the bench on which Forrest Gump awaited his bus, sits the Gryphon Tea Room. What a glorious treasure to find, a reprieve from the cold! This beautiful building was very reminiscent of the Harry Potter Gryffindor common room (from Hogwarts), both in name and in character.
Inside this tea room, which once happened to be an apothecary, the low fabric ceiling is surrounded by a stained glass drop-down platform with classic dark wood trim, and shelves displaying antique plates and glasses with the original stained glass windows and tiffany lamps adding class and ambiance. From what I’ve been told, it’s a lovely and friendly place for breakfast, tea, coffee, dessert, lunch and high tea.
Before the day escaped us fully, we cycled over to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The pipe organ was impressive in size, the twin spires towering and acoustically amazing, the stained glass windows breathtaking and the fresh balsam wreaths aromatically sensual!
Once again, we were happy to call the Camping World parking lot our home for yet another chilly evening where the temperatures dipped below zero. Brrrrrrrrr!
 
  At 7am, a 2 hour and 20 minutes on the ferry crossing from Ocracoke to Cedar Island was ideal time to sleep and / or catch up on reading or writing. The Ocracoke Lighthouse made for a picturesque backdrop as we made our way through the choppy and rough passage. High winds whipped our tiny little boat in sporadic rolls and churn, and with each rhythmic lurch, the trailer (although chalked for the journey) sent the truck jolting back and forth along the deck, causing my startled nauseous nerves to stumble at times. slaDE~ was calming however and in the lull between chop, I continued to catch up on writing my unblogged thoughts and perusing through many a photo for said entries. My mind and body would not settle down enough to nap for the duration.
An unsuspecting result of the turbulent trip were the streaks of sea salt spray, hammering both truck and trailer. This had us searching for auto wash bays where our 55 foot long could squeeze in for a healthy wash and rinse, after we made our way down the coast of the mainland. Salt will do nasty things to uncoated aluminum and thereby needs to be removed as soon as possible. Although our trailer has a clearcoat finish on it, that 20 year old coating is oxidizing and is in need of a good polish / recoat. Salt is the last thing we wanted on both vehicles (kind of like the corrosive road salt we experience with Canadian winters — hence the oiling of most vehicles to prevent corrosion and rust). With a bit of luck, we managed to find a wash bay that served our purposes. After lengthy efforts at squeezing in to this tight space, we were dismayed by the faulty washer — no soap, just water. We reasoned that this would have to do for now as the other bays were either impossible to fit in to or exit from.
In total this day, we travelled over 15 hours, including our ferry crossing. Needless to say, we were more than ready to hunker down for the night at a Camping World just outside of Savannah Georgia which had reserved an electric spot for several nights in our name. One of the benefits of memberships: complimentary overnight parking at some of the nationwide stores, where available! A sweet deal indeed. 
 I’m finding it challenging to find expediency in packing up after settling in at a place for longer than 3 days. It’s at this stage where we’ve settled in and found homes for our ‘stuff’.  But in order to travel efficiently and without movement of the Airstream’s innards, everything needs to have a place and semi-permanent home. So in leaving Kitty Hawk today, it took us a good 3 hours of battening up the hatches, tucking the bikes and wood in under the tonneau cover. With a wistful goodbye to our wonderful new friends, we started our trek south through Hatteras National Seashore and Island crossing via 40 minute ferry to Ocracoke. What a beautiful trip, with a plethora of birdlife spiralling patterns of whimsy as they forged through the strong south winds (which wreaked havoc on our gas mileage). This was our second ferry crossing with both the truck and trailer, and with slaDE~s skilled maneuvering in to the tight ships parking bay, we breezed of and off without event or worry.
 I think my favourite aspect of today’s venture was visiting the world-famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which so happens to be the tallest brick beacon in the USA, standing 208 feet in height. This spiral-striped black and white landmark served to warn mariners of the submerged and shifting sandbars which extend almost twenty miles off Cape Hatteras into the Atlantic (known as the Diamond Shoals). Although impressive in stature, the most magnificent facet about this sandstone lighthouse is that in 1999, when threatened by beach erosion, it was moved off the shoreline by 2,900 feet. The participants didn’t take it apart and put it back together. Instead, the Lighthouse was (diamond) cut from its original base, hydraulically lifted on to steel roll-beams and moved along railroad tracks inch by inch to its present position. This outstanding Civil Engineering achievement took 23 days. The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society engraved the keepers’ names, at the original site, on the foundation stones in their memory. The vantage point from this original location is a stunning sight to witness — what a vast distance this structure was painstakingly moved (the photo of the truck in the parking lot with the Lighthouse to the far right in the background is the approximate distance of 2,900 feet in which the Lighthouse was moved over 23 days)!
  At the other end of the free ferry crossing lies Ocracoke. A very quaint little Island … with it being off-season, only a handful of stores, restaurant cafes and campgrounds were open. Teeters RV Park proved to be a quick stopping point (a bit overpriced for supplying electric only, but with such cold temperatures, we were needy of a place to plug in) before setting off early in the morning for our ferry crossing to the mainland.
 Thus far, our experience of North Carolina has been amazingly incredible adventure, sharing the journey with both old and new friends, generous in their hospitality, graciousness and spirit. It’s hard to believe that just under 3 weeks ago we left Canada. We didn’t expect to spend this much time in North Carolina. But I am so happy that we stopped to smell the roses, allowing for the opportunity to explore the State and discover the people more fully.
We started our morning off with a bike ride around the Wright Brothers Memorial. We knew that today was our last day in the area (on this trip anyway), so I really waited to revisit the Kill Devil Hill monument and Wright Flyer jungle gym. I took notice of the thickening clouds before we left, but really didn’t think that the rain would affect us, with only an hour out on the trail. Wrong! On our return from the Monument, the rain started to pelt us with growing fury. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at my silliness for not bringing rain gear along with us. I actually enjoyed being caught mid-ride, delighted by the fresh smell of rain and nature as it soaked us to the core.
   What started as a suggestion for a yogaFLIGHT demo with our hosts David & Kelly, at the yoga studio which he works out of (Outer Banks Yoga and Pilates, owned by Michelle ) turned in to a spontaneous complimentary yogaFLIGHT workshop with 11 participants wanting to play and fly! What a fabulous way to bookmark our trip here on the Outer Banks.
 
 I love the simple joys of having a home that provides solace and comfort when the weather outside is blustery and cold. Today was a perfect day to read, write and catch up on internet surfing within the warm confines of our Airstream. The Arctic blast continues to cast its reaches beyond the Outer Banks, sinking down as far as Florida with its icy outstretched fingers and chill.  I get shivers even thinking and writing about it! But after a day of stagnant mobility, my body was in need of a good stretch, even if for a short distance. I’ve come to listen to my body more carefully, trusting in the experience of my injuries and yoga education, and tonight was no exception. So with camera in hand, I slowly and cautiously circled the pitch dark neighbourhood block several times, admiring the brilliant holiday decorations in the dark cloudy night chill, bundled from head to toe, hoping to capture the essence of Christmas with our new DSLR camera.
 When the body is aching and the soul needs a lift in spirit, what do we crave and search for? A massage is the perfect remedy in my mind … and somehow we managed to stumble across David Henderson (http://outerbanksmassage.com) here on the Outer Banks. David is a therapist gifted with the touch of grace and restoration, not only accepting the path of his art and skill with dedication and joy, but also managing to instil a gift of healing when performing his bodywork — which for us included hot stones to complement his deep-tissue technique. This being the second of our massages this week, I truly believe that my knee is in a much better state of health right now because of the time and work he has put in to stretching the fascia, ligaments and muscles surrounding my injured knee.
 We couldn’t recommend David more highly. Not only does he have a brilliant practice, magical green space and a fabulous music library, but both his sense of humour and ability to intuitively listen with his hands places David within the top 3 on my list of favourite therapists ever! Pretty high praise for seasoned massage recipients (does that make us connoisseurs?) like uS  , who have travelled the globe in search of supreme healing bodywork.
To top the day off, we were introduced to the prime top secret feeding hole of the Outer Banks. So if you’re lucky enough to be reading this blog and to have the opportunity to visit Kill Devil Hills in the future, you’ll be thanking me for letting you in on this hidden gem frequented mostly by the locals (Thursday Fish Taco Night is a local favourite). Food Dudes is THE place to come for delectable casual seafood divinity. slaDE~ and I shared a seafood tomato bisque for a starter, a chicken pesto goat cheese wrap accompanied by yummy tortilla chips and avocado pesto, and paired that with a blackened tuna and crab (with a side of yummy rice and beans) entree.
 Clambering the dunes of Jockey’s Ridge was a thrill and a half, as we both looked to capture an essence of the joys of flight experienced by the Wright Brothers from these east coast sand dunes (which are considered the tallest natural dunes on the East coast, fluctuating between 80 and 100 feet above sea-level).  Jockey’s Ridge is a favourite amongst hang gliders, hikers and is renowned for flying kites, with its steady constant and somewhat predictable winds. Today the winds steadily whirled from the north-east, creating a cross wind that challenged slaDE~s skills of flight and control as he kited his canopy off the highest ridge, hoping to ground launch with success and airtime. However, many steps clambering across and down the hill made for spectacular photos, brilliant laughs and dreams of another flight / launch anticipating more success. A second pitch off the eastern-facing dune offered a split second of flight, with slaDE continually battling the cross wind, bringing him to a stop once again after scampering down the large shifting knoll. Filled with brilliant smiles, breathless gratitude, and a sand-filled gear bag, we packed up slaDE~s canopy and harness, and sought to explore the expanse of sand and hills.  Casting shadows in the brilliant sand pits, we wove wispy paths up and down the pitch of dunes, momentarily carving our initials into the drifts on which we traipsed, trails covered soon thereafter by the wind which kissed the planet.
It was a fun-filled afternoon that we someday hope to recreate with more success and east-blowing winds (fingers crossed that my knee will be strong enough next time for me to have a go at sand launching). 
  Roanoke Island is not really an Outer Bank, but rather an island that connects the mainland of North Carolina to the Outer Banks. It is considered one of the most historically significant places in America as “the first actual colony was on Roanoke Island, settled by a group of people sent off to the Americas by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587, and commanded by naturalist John White”.
The waterfront is filled with lanky sailboats, lovely artist galleries, an abundant selection of seafood restaurants, a Maritime Museum, the Roanoke Marshes lighthouse (replica), and a marketplace with many varietal stores. With it being the low season, many of the vendors are closed along the entire Outer Banks; however, during the summer fiesta of Outer Banks Tourism (i.e. complete and utter consumeristic chaos), Manteo comes to life with sailboats and travellers alike.
We highly recommend Stripers Bar & Grille for their Lobster Bisque and Raw Ahi Tuna cold Thai salad. DELECTABLY delicious!
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