Winnie & Me: Day 3 - Holly Ridge, NC

Lanier's Campground 1/21/2015 1/22/2015
1161 Spot Lane
Holly Ridge, NC 28445

Site #124 is right on the Inter Coastal and gives a great
view. Sunsets will be to my right.

The 6+ hour drive from Cape Charles was just like the last one to Cape Charles, VA, along route 13: through small towns, traffic lights, and speed limits. Yet, for me, I'd say there was no traffic to speak of. It was like driving at home through towns but the same scenery was all too common. More churches and used car lots per mile than anywhere I've ever seen. And depressed economically? OMG. Almost every house/trailer along roadside was dilapidated and abandoned falling apart through fire or neglect. I'd say one in ten structures boasted what we would call "a nice home", some with nice landscaping. Intermingled with that scene were vacant fields of farmlands that stretched as far as the eye could see....to the horizon and, of course, this time of the year, lay fallow. But, for a passing visitor who for over 500 miles had nothing better to do than "admire" the scenery, it was depressing.

The driving experience was enhanced by sunny skies with temps finally reaching up through the 50's and touching 60 when I arrived. After sunset, poof, down to 50. I stopped for diesel again and felt good about paying $2.69/gal. Winnie, has been getting 15 mpg which is terrific and we past the 4,000 mile mark. The route south on Rte 13 took me over and through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel and was the highlight of my trip.

Upon approaching, one is struck by the engineering
feat, the time and labor that went into its
construction.

Northbound

And when you've been on it for miles, you look
ahead and don't see the end....Yikes!

"The Bridge-Tunnel project is a four-lane 20-mile-long vehicular toll crossing of the lower Chesapeake Bay. The facility carries US 13, the main north-south highway on Virginia's Eastern Shore, and provides the only direct link between Virginia's Eastern Shore and south Hampton Roads, Virginia. The crossing consists of a series of low-level trestles interrupted by two approximately one-mile-long tunnels beneath Thimble Shoals and Chesapeake navigation channels. The manmade islands, each approximately 5.25 acres in size, are located at each end of the two tunnels. There are also high level bridges over two other navigation channels: North Channel Bridge and Fisherman Inlet Bridge. Toll collection facilities are located at each end of the facility."

Click to read more facts. For me, the toll was $19.00. At one point, before entering the second mile long tunnel, the one beneath Thimble Shoals, traffic was halted for about 15 minutes. Eventually, the reason appeared in the northbound lane; a huge tractor trailer emerged bearing a "WIDE LOAD" sign. No way that and another vehicle would make it side by side.

While waiting, I caught a freighter and a Navy cruiser neck and neck as they entered the Thimble Shoals. The cruiser won.

Then it was our turn to enter the bowels beneath the navigation channels. Prayers were given up for all manner of imaginable and unimaginable situations: 1) No thoughts of claustrophobia, 2) no tunnel punctures/collapse. It is 50 years old this year, you know, 3) No collisions/accidents, 4) No RV breakdowns, 5) No problems with undue pressure on my propane tanks, 6) Geeze, what else? I've been a good boy....

Think about how they constructed
this wonder

......and so I was allowed to emerge at the other end unscathed, a smiling, happy camper with all prayers answered. And, Dear Reader, at no time did my eyes leave my head in order to take those photos. Attention at all times was given to not driving off that roadway. After more driving, I eventually saw:

Today's trip to site #124 was 267 miles from Cape Charles, VA. And what a beautiful site/sight it was. Lisa in the front office with whom I spoke, mentioned it was the best site in the place