A Bruins win in game 7 the night before helped aid a good night’s sleep and I was ready the next morning for a trip Southeast to Milton, DE — home of the Dogfish Head Brewery.

This being my second trip in three months, not much was new for me at the Brewery.  A friend had me look into availability of their recently released Hellhound (they call them occasional rarities), but distribution (even there) is extremely limited).

I sampled some Hellhound as well as some Black and Blue (brewed with blueberries and blackberries).  Both were very good, and very different from each other.  Hellhound, flavor through its bitterness profile, while the Black and Blue barked out sweetness that stated “….bring me to a patio, on a warm day….and lament when my capsule is empty!”.

I picked up a couple of bottles and made my way out to Rehobeth Beach, DE — home of their brewpub, where most of their beers are available on tap, not something you can say for beer joints around Massachusetts.

At the Brew Pub, I bellied up and ordered a Hellhound on draft, while perusing their menu.  This menu is a little more straightforward than the exotic goodness I have seen at the Victory BrewPub in Downington, PA, but many pleasing choices, nonetheless.

I opted for the indulgence burger, which is described on the menu as “piled high with one of our beer battered onion rings, melted cheddar, and bacon crumbles”, and then they add “consider yourself challenged!”.  Ha!  Lay it on me!!

Burger was decent, my choice of rosemary focaccia bread may have contributed to a bit of a dry finish to the burger.

Onion rings were very good, for a non-hand-dipped variety.  They were very large and tasty.

Accompanying this nice burger was my current Dogfish favorite, Burton Baton.  A beer to savor, a beer to swish around your mouth so that no part of the mouth is left out of the fun.  This party in your mouth is always over too soon!

This lunch rates as a “very good”, but, let’s face it, PB & J, served with these beers may warrant mention in Bon Appetit magazine.

I was up with the birds, which down here could be anything from the Nature Shows, let’s go with an Egret….

Ok…trying again, I was up with the Egrets….

Sorry — the truth is I was up with the people who fill their coolers from the ice machine. My room was #120, which means, the ice machine has an address of 120 and a half…. (for those of you who don’t want to read ahead, I am ALSO across from the ice machine tonight and tomorrow night). Some people are chick magnets….but it appears Clayton is just a magnet for ice machines -

Friends who have shared a beverage or two with me will not be surprised that I am found near the ice –

Well, I digress.

I took the hour or so ride down to Charleston and found the Visitor Center. The South must wake a little later as I was one of 5 people in a place the size of the Hilltop Steakhouse in Saugus…

Well. First old man travel tip….always use the facilities when arriving or leaving a Visitor’s Center.

So – I go in….and I was hit with a wall of scent –now….before you go THERE — this was early — I may have even christened my urinal for the day — the place smells like CINNAMON! I mean – STRONG — if I closed my eyes, I would have guessed I was in the Yankee Candle in Sturbridge…..I guess, if I ever was going to be sure I wasn’t in a bathroom on the Mass Pike, my nose told me the story -

Well….I settled in and decided to take the Gray Line historic tour — a 90 minute narrated ride around the Historic neighborhoods of Charleston — This was a good way to see everything and learn some local history –

(I missed one tour by 2 minutes, so I took a walking tour for about 20 minutes on my own)

I walked around — before my 10:00 tour and happened to notice what almost looked like my personal Starbuck’s — by what the jeweler is named next door -

I then continued down their version of Newbury Street — all top notch stores in old or restored buildings — and then, knowing that the new Apple I-Phone is out, I knew that there would be a HUGE line, just like the dozens or hundreds I have been seeing on the news — so…I was not surprised to see the whopping line below:

Yep – Five people….a count of 6 if you count the pooch (somewhere, there has to be an app for finding fire hydrants for that pooch, don’t ya think? “There’s an App for That”).

You will, however, notice, that this DOES warrant crowd control, as the police car parked out front tells you -

So –back in time for my tour and we breezed around town — it was an enclosed bus, so not possible to take photos during the tour -

After it finished, I decided to try and snap some photos of some homes….but parking near the biggest and best was impossible — so I found a decent neighborhood and took some photos of some medium sized homes –

And another one…

Not everything is that big — there are many “freeman cottages” which were built or given to freed slaves. These are the smallest ones around.

There are also small homes, that are supposed to be full size. Notice the one below. It is almost just as wide as that car out front….and the car is a CIVIC!!!

After the tour and snapping some photos, I headed to the Hominy Grill (website for restaurant) for a nice southern lunch — I ordered Iced Tea….”You mean sweet tea, hun?” …well, yes (says the northerner)! I then decided on southern fried chicken on a biscuit with sausage gravy — and I ordered two sides (out of about 20 on the chalkboard). I went with deep fried cheesy grits and “tomato pudding”. Everything was great! From Tea to Grits….

I talked myself into dessert — which is a little unusual — but I wanted more of the south in my mouth (easy does it!).

I asked what the Buttermilk Pie was….she said it was like a light custard…a little lemon, with fresh cream on top — “well, hun, it’s really like a Chess Pie…” — “OH!” (says, the northerner), “then I’ll take a slice!”.

Food TV – Buttermilk Pie Recipe

AllRecipes.com recipe for Chess Pie

…have no idea what chess pie is…

It was just as she said — and I was happy I ordered it -

Drove off to Kiawah Island — what a waste — who knew it was a private community at the end of the ride?? There is a public beach — but $7 for me to take a peek? See ya!

I drove by about the fourth place with “Buck” in the name today — and finally took a picture of one –

There’s a joke here, “…if you are looking for a stud, Buck is your man”…or, even worse “hey look, Buck has wood…”, but let’s try to move on…..

Hotel seems pretty nice — not near the attractions, but comfortable and clean — Courtyard Marriot — and yes! The ice machine is in the room across from me…
Tour in Savannah in the AM — and either hang among the neighborhoods or if I think I need some R & R, I may try Tybee Island (beach) –

Targeting a drive by Braves Game on Sunday, but keeping Atlanta for another trip….

Buh bye for now

Ok, ok — by now, if you have been reading along, you might know, the mornings are filled with trip to Food Lion for ice (hear me roar!) — so, after icing down the main cooler and the day cooler for the beach, I am ready for morning errand #2 — caffeine —

Today was an Ice Heath Bar Latte — pretty good for a bazillion calories — it is at a place at the end of the road – the Front Porch Cafe - place is very nice, people are very nice too — I actually hit here tonight as well, when I needed a little pick me up -

I then decided to take an hour ride out to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse/Seashore, to get to one of those beautiful beaches (not that ALL of them here seem to be that way) — I just like the ones where the wildlife are a little more involved…

So, I headed for Hatteras -

A nice hour’s jaunt out to the Lighthouse — which was MOBBED — I had contemplated climbing it — I guess it is what people do when they visit it — but too many people — so I just went to the next parking lot, a quarter mile away, and found myself on a practically empty beach — just great relaxation, within view of the Lighthouse…

Only wildlife today were pelicans — (I think they are pelicans)…

Before I left — I finally decided to see if I could have the self timer work for me — so I set it up on the back of the truck and this is how we did…

Boston Foodie, Clayton, gave into temptation and had a late lunch — the Philly Cheese steak at the Blue Moon — it was very good — about an 8 — but…..having fallen in love with the Mahi Mahi BLT, it was hard to match that! Still – a successful late lunch -

Did some driving around – to kill some of the afternoon — sun was hot today — low to mid 90′s — which is very hot for this coastal spot –

Before I came back, I decided to check something off the Outer Banks Bucket List — they have these Drive Thru Beer Stores….called Brew Thru — so, I had to fake like I needed a 6 pack and I pulled into this Beer Shack –

The young lady that helped me was very nice and handed me my 6 pack through the driver’s side window — as I was about to pull away — I saw THE BUCKET – which read “Tipping is Sexy” — so I reached for a buck — and rolled down the window and (kind of) yelled over….”Hey, I just saw that tipping is sexy” — she laughed and said thanks, taking the dollar into her hard working hands….and then, before I pulled away, she said “…You, Sir, are very sexy!” —

I laughed for about 4 blocks….

Clayton is bringing sexy back…..have you heard?

Drove out to Hatteras, to take in some nature and some beach time on a quiet, nature-carved beach –

Stopped at the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge for an hour — took a walk along one of the “ponds” away from the beach side — was pretty interesting and HOT — for here anyways — been over 90 — which they claim is rare here — or at least medium rare

Caught some views of turtles and some fancy, schmancy birds just hanging out, waiting for lunch no doubt –

I drove a few more miles out on Hatteras Island to find a beach spot that was less busy — but out this far, less busy means maybe 3 families instead of 5 – and yes, I am a family all by myself — I consider my cooler a close family member…etc. -

It turns out, I had plenty of company — on the beach and in the water — besides salamanders who greeted my walk to the beach, I was able to take in some crabs working their real estate on the beach — they did these holes on the beach – so they can hang out or have lil crabbies or whatever — you can see one of these guys below

After I say my tiny ass down in my beach chair and started the end of my book – A Prayer for Owen Meaney – I found myself fumbling for the camera — as a school or dolphin swam by — maybe 70 yards out — every time I tried to take a great photo – they dove under — below is the best I could do -

So – after that excitement died down, I got back into the book — and besides a few flies that challenged my day, it was tremendously relaxing — such an awesome beach and for as far as I could see was one couple 100 yards to the right and a couple families way to the left — never had such an awesome beach, so a day for the beach — and had so much room to myself —

Lastly — about 30 minutes before I left – a couple pelicans (I think) came for a visit — straight out from me — they appear HUGE — they landed in the water about 100 yards apart, but seemed to hook up within ten minutes — those Pelicans, they are something else when they put the move on…. here they are below

After pulling myself off the beach — I returned to the “neighborhood” and visited a highly recommended place – the Kill Devil Grill – for a Southern Fried Chicken Salad — which was an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10 — so much so, that I may return in the next couple days to try something else — place is great!

The afternoon continued with a beer and some World Cup (gulp) at the Red Drum, a place I went to the first night here and two blocks from my bed –

Finished up the afternoon by scouting out another recommended place called the Blue Moon Beach Grill (not sure I have that 100% correct) — chatted up the owners and staff and plan to visit tomorrow — unless the Kill Devil Grille brings me back….but then again, this is vacation, right? I can do both –

Buh bye for now…

Today began with ice errands — I was offered everything under the sun by the people running the B & B here, the Nags Head Beach Inn – but when they offer ice, I don’t have the heart to ask for pounds of the stuff for my coolers (plural) — went to the Super Market — got my ice, some beer, and my MVP shopping card — now I can get deals at Food Lion stores all over the country — I don’t see this card going on my key chain just yet –

Back to the B & B and then walked the 1.5 blocks to the beach — which was very nice — sand was wicked hot — wicked — but I had all my essentials (Equipment below), books, etc.

Spent a few hours reading and getting crispy — took a swim — water was real nice — and hey — no tar balls yet!

Back to the room — did some remote billing work for part time gig — and then I was off exploring Roanoke Island — I took a small hike through a National park (very small) and decided this could have been skipped altogether — I don’t know if they call it the Raleigh National Monument Park, or something like that — but it was a total zero — maybe if I had caught one the Ranger talks, I would know more about what was lacking — so, next door are these Elizabethan Gardens — and I am a sucker for Botanical Gardens (one of my manly qualities). Eight bucks got me into the gardens and while it was mostly shady, it appeared much was not in bloom. I think I have probably been too spoiled with the Botanical Gardens in Montreal, which are the best and a can’t miss for a Montreal trip.

All things considered, the trip to Roanoke Island was sort of a bummer (as seen below).

So, more relaxation than other days, but I am staring down the barrel of two more days of beach — but not sure the skin is going to cooperate — been trying to do 2-3 hours a day to keep from a full burn —

Ate local (Beach Road Grill) – fish and chips — fish was good, “chips” were pretty bad….but a good cole slaw saved a rating of B-

Beach in the morning….nothing else on the agenda…

Tonight is the second night of two in a Norfolk hotel, which ended up being nicer than the on-line comments — – is it perfect? Nope…but any wasted text here would be a 10 yard penalty for whining!

Got up early and decided to hit Virginia Beach (15 miles or so away) for a couple hours — it was really nice and it seemed to have a lot of regular people there — and there are some nice hotels in the area.

It turned out they were having some Arts Festival on the Boardwalk, so I decided to get my dose of culture and I strolled around and envied the people dropping lots of dough on some art —

After that culture, I changed to history mode and sprinted out to the Yorktown/Williamsburg/Jamestown area — they call it a historical triangle — and diehards could spend days here — I was attempting to squeeze in enough in 4-5 hours and I managed to do this by cropping Williamsburg out of the picture — So, Yorktown for a bit and then drive the 20 miles or so to Jamestown.

Watched a movie about the Battle for Yorktown and then had a guide discuss some artillery that was used by the English, French (a key ally in this battle) and the Colonists. They then did a couple oif blasts so we could hear the bang and see how much had to be done to get the canon to fire. A photo of the preparation is below and then, I tried to do a movie snippet with the camera –

See the Canon at Yorktown via this YouTube link — >> Click Here

After spending a couple hours here, I drove the 30 minutes down to Jamestown, to see where the first settlement was — and it was pretty interesting — lots of what I went to constitutes an archeological dig — you can see the many artifacts that have been unearthed and read how anthropologists weave history from little pieces they find (for instance, the number of buttons found with a skeleton may indicate what he or she was wearing and in turn that may clue them into whether the person was higher class, etc.).

Below is a snapshot of what a barracks would look like — some others were much smaller, with wood posts kept together with hardened mud –

I would definitely come back when I have more time -

Then it was an hour ride up to Richmond to catch some minor league baseball — the Richmond Flying Squirrels — and it was Sergeant Slaughter night — he signed autographs, but somehow, I took a pass….

The stadium people were overwhelmed — they had a large amount of walk up customers — between Father’s Day weekend, a 96 degree day, and of course, the chance for the Sergeant Slaughter autograph….I left after 5 innings to come back to Norfolk — the lines were huge and I just had given up managing the lines….

Except, for one snack – I got some cinnamon roasted cashews — which were yummy and of course they were necessary — I mean you have to watch out for the Flying Squirrels, they’ll grab your nuts…

Off to the Outer Banks tomorrow….relaxation for 4 days —

Well, was able to hit the road earlier than expected and traffic was light until the New York border — so, I was there at 2:20 PM and decided it was early enough to try and just wing it and head straight through the City — was a piece of cake really — more or less, little stop and go — but I hit the Joysey (pronounced Joy-Zee) line in 3 hours 35 minutes — pretty good (I think).

Zipped down the highway to Atlantic City (after pulling over to debate screwing Atlantic City and visiting my second home, Baltimore, to watch the Celts win game 7 with my friend Brendan and his family…..but, ahem, all parts of that plan went down the tubes….)

SO — Atlantic City —not sure what I expected….looks impressive from afar as you roll towards it — and I think this falls into the category of the best thing I could say about it -

Stayed at the Trump Plaza, via priceline — not bad….but room had a Zenith TV….lol, I know, I know, first impression is a strange one — I mean, a Zenith??

One other thing I did not expect was all the people with people push carts (there is probably a real name for these things) — They are everywhere — and few looked like this one below (this guy is resting, not hounding people…)

And here’s a tip — you got a bad ankle? a bad foot? a bad knee? Say….maybe even bad heels? Don’t let them see your slight limp….. flies to honey they were — I should have just hopped in one to shut em up — but I kept trying to hide the slight gait problem.

Watched the game at the Tropicana — special of the night were $5 40-ounce “quarts” — and while I have never seen the show, The Jersey Shore, I think I lived an episode or two with friends that I met — they just saw me clapping for the Celtics and wanted to hear “pahk the cah”…..

The basics — one of them brought the other one out for her birthday because her husband didn’t plan anything for her — guess this is what you do in Joysey…go to Atlantic City when you need a divergence — they helped pass the time and one of them has a story about every stranger in the bar — she made up stories about all of them — and thus, before they met “Kevin”, I was “Clayton” — they figured that was a good name for me — not sure how to take that one -

Here is a picture of Clayton and his Joysey Girls

Today, grabbed a Ferry at Cape May, New Joysey and followed that up with a leisurely ride down the coast, checking out Delaware Beaches before finally dropping onto Bethany Beach, DE for a couple hours

Then I traveled down to Ocean City, MD — but just tried to check out some of the Boardwalk — but it was mostly a cameo — snapped a photo just to show I was at a cheesey boardwalk-y place — Ocean City is nice — been there briefly before — would enjoy a few days there sometime — typical cheesey photo can be seen below…

I now sit in Virginia Beach — Starbucks, free wi-fi — headed to hotel in Norfolk — been using Priceline to save some dough — working well so far — tonight is $22 below any rate I can find for this place — just a moderate place — just hoping it is clean — and – OH – and maybe has something other than a Zenith for TV — might even root for a Sanyo

Got here via an interesting roadway – I traveled 100+ miles from Ocean City and it included a 20 mile “vehicle crossing” of the Chesapeake Bay (you can check it out here)- — it’s part bridge, part tunnel….so, they call it a vehicle crossing…..but I’d try calling it a “tridge” or “brunnel”….but that’s just me – you can call me old school….if you don’t prefer calling me Clayton