Back to the Banks

[jim65wagon]

Don't know if you Baja fellows count this as expedition, but we are planning a week long trip to the Outer Banks in April. Like before we will be staying on the 4x4 beaches somewhere north of Corolla. Probably real close to the VA border, as we plan to do some hiking in False Cape State Park. It is a 12 mile drive up the beach, and the roads to the houses are always full of water holes. Last year my brother-in-law stuck his Ram up to the headlights. Took a lot of tranny fluid changes to get all the water out!

[DaktariEd]

Sounds like an expedition to me. Maybe what some others might call an "expedition light." :D

I think an expedition is in the eye of the beholder. Someone who has traveled by 4WD across Africa or South America certainly views it differently. But you have to start somewhere!

:ylsmoke:
Ed

[Scott Brady]

sounds like a great trip. I would really enjoy a road tour of back east. Rent a fine handling SUV and take all of the back roads.

[jim65wagon]

come on out. I'll show you the banks, wild horses, false cape park. if you can't make this trip i'm sure we could discover some nearby mountains, or somewhere to explore.

[Desertdude]

What a great trip! I can smell the salt air :sunny:

[kcowyo]

Have a shrimp burger for those of us who haven't seen the sea in far too long! :chowtime:

[HongerVenture]

jim65wagon,

Do you actually camp out on the beaches there north of Corolla? My wife's family likes to rent houses around the Avon area, down by Hatteras. They are going again this spring or summer. I loved taking the truck out on the beaches... would especially love camping there. Tell us more!

Joel

[jim65wagon]

It's a house rental deal, but the houses a very nice. And it lets you load more food and drink in the truck since you don't have to pack a tent! The beaches are a blast to drive, but the "roads" to the houses can get quite scary deep with waterholes after a rainfall. I've been up to the front bumper and I pulled a Ram out that was in to his headlights. The great part about being north of Corolla is a greater lack of people, especially before season starts; it's like you own a whole beach as far as you can see!

[CLynn85]

Wow, don't know how I missed this one.

I love spending time down in the outer banks. My grandmother has a house on Okacroke Island and my gf's family has a place in Avon. When I got my Jeep I had it two weeks before I was down there plowing up the beaches with it.

I've heard there's some pretty interesting things to be seen up in the corolla area. I'd love to go down and check it out some time.

[jim65wagon]

I've heard there's some pretty interesting things to be seen up in the corolla area. I'd love to go down and check it out some time.

Interesting things: uncrowded beach, lighthouse, uncrowded beach, bird sanctuary, uncrowded beach, wild horses, oh, did I mention the beach?

[CLynn85]

Nice, I may have to check that area out sometime. Didn't know they had wild horses there as well, unlike Okacroke where they've been pinned in.

Do you know if they allow camping on the beach up that way?

[jim65wagon]

Not sure about the camping on the beach, I am almost positive the do not allow fires on the beach but it may only be at certain times of the year.

[jim65wagon]

Just to let everyone know how my week went: Loaded truck got 17.5 mpg there and back again. The days were warm; the water was cold, the wine flowed well. With all the dry weather the waterholes that swallowed my in-laws ram last year were dry as a bone. That was a first for me. The beach above the high tide was extremely tough, soft, and deep. The Tundra had very little problems though, 20 psi and cautious application of throttle and it rarely spins. The horses were out in force for photo ops. The beachcombing was magnificent. We never made all the way to the sound with the canoe, but we managed to paddle around the canals to the mouth of the sound. What stopped us was boat traffic, big fishing boats with big wakes. It would stand to reason that if you're a large boat in a narrow/shallow canal and you see a smaller boat/canoe you'd throttle back a bit and not try to swamp them. There are some unreasonable people in the world, though. We didn't capsize, the kids screamed as the canoe went through the wake, but it scared the hell out of me as I just got nosed into the wake in time. Anyway, that was exciting.

I managed some decent tugs. Mostly people who take off down the beach, unprepared, no straps, no shovels, no clearance, full tires. Tuesday we to town to be more "supplies", nearly high tide and we come upon an Avalanche. He's sitting just below the tide line. Driver said his 4wd wasn't working. I offered the tug. He declined. "Tides coming in, you know", I said. "yes, but I don't want to hurt it anymore than it already is" ; "besides a tow driver said he'd be back down here shortly". "you realize its about 275 for a tow?" "Yes, but I really don't want to make it worse."
" Tides coming in, you know" "Yes, thanks anyway" "Kay, good luck"
I tried to help at least. It got better a few miles down the beach. Acura MDX. Tugged them, they were grateful, gave up their beach drive and turned back for town. 3 miles later, I tugged them again, high centered a swell of sand. Almost to town; theres a Caravan, yes a minivan, sitting in the sand. He said; "It's Allwheeldrive, I thought it would make it"
You gotta give him credit, he made it almost a mile. Following the Acura and the van, "there it is, the pavement, is that minivan stuck?" Yep another minivan. this one was 3 car lengths. Tug, got a beach photo of the "Stuck on the Beach club" (Their name for themselves, not mine)

Later in the week we came across a Frontier, stuck trying to free a 4Runner. We used our shovels and a Jeep on 33's tugged. Frontier and 4Runner both freed separately.
Our last day, we managed a Ford Explorer, remember boys and girls, the combination of a HEAVY vehicle, no clearance and alcohol do not ever mix.
What do all these people have in common? No preparation. With the exception of the Frontier there was not a towstrap or a shovel among them. Everyone had full tire pressure, no one planned to drive the sand, just thought it'd be fun.
Everyone was very friendly and offered various beverages, or cash amounts which were politely refused. We simply asked them that if the situation were reversed just stop and offer assistance.
Anyways, this isn't a rant even if it reads like one, its just a long winded expression of how much fun I had. I enjoyed every minute of it. From the beachcombing todigging under a 4runner it was a blast!
The only downer was a conversation with a local telling us that the county was planning a road and a mall, because some of the homeowners were complaining that they couldn't get to their house easily and they have no place to shop! Anyway I've said enough this round. Any questions?

[datrupr]

Where are the pics?

[desertgirl66]

Sounds like a great adventure!! I love the Outer Banks---the friendly folks, the great beaches and fresh seafood! Desertdude & I have done some fun camping near Hatteras and absolutely LOVED it :)

Can't wait for some pixs~~~

[cshontz]

Mostly people who take off down the beach, unprepared, no straps, no shovels, no clearance, full tires.

That's me! :o

http://static.flickr.com/9/14143783_e48b17ba99.jpg

As an off-pavement driving enthusiast, I enjoy the challenge - the uncertainty of whether or not I'll make it through the next soft patch. Due to the high-traffic nature of the beach at the time, I was confident that the risk was nothing more than getting stuck.

Drove the stretch in 2004 with nary a problem, but in 2005 some soft spots threatened our forward progress, so I opted to turn around and head back to Corolla. Good times - would love to go back! (in the Cherokee)

[BajaTaco]

It would stand to reason that if you're a large boat in a narrow/shallow canal and you see a smaller boat/canoe you'd throttle back a bit and not try to swamp them. There are some unreasonable people in the world, though.

I can definitely relate (sigh...)

I really enjoyed reading your report. Congrats on a fun trip!

[kcowyo]

I grew up in NC and spent every summer and many holidays on the OBX. I still have a Avon Mini-Mart magnet on my fridge. My family sold their place years ago but my sister and her husband have a place on Emerald Isle.

I'm always tempted to drive back for a beach & seafood fix....:chowtime:

Sounds like you had a good trip with a little adreniline rush on the water and helping out some oblivious folks. I hope you'll post up some of your wild horse pics- :lurk:

[jim65wagon]

ok ok requests for pics will have to be patient as King George is still very much on dialup. Which really hurt going from DSL. These are in no particular order, I just selected a few that I thought were nice. The photo of the beach on 4/15 is pretty much the way the beach looked the whole time. There were people but you'd have to look pretty far to see them. Nice!

[kcowyo]

Hell Yeah!! :jump:


Wow, I'm super homesick now........

Great pics, I love the Tundra in the sand. Awesome horses too! I'll patiently wait if you have others....

Thanks for sharing those, it really made my day. :beer::beer::beer:

[CLynn85]

Cool man, the tundra looks really good out there on the sand. I can't wait for our trip in July.

[Grouseman]

DesertGirl,

Which Island did you camp on? Were still trying to figure out which Islands you can primitive camp on. Any helps guys? I am going to make some calls today. We leave this Sat. morning.

Gman

[Mike S]

Steve

Have a nice trip. Take some fishing gear, and post pictures when you get back.

M

[Desertdude]

Gman- we camped on the dunes down at Frisco - tried to camp on Ocracoke but the squitos were too hungry at high noon -

check out some info here - http://www.outer-banks.nc.us/

and here- http://www.nps.gov/caha/

[Grouseman]

Steve

Have a nice trip. Take some fishing gear, and post pictures when you get back.

M


Mike,

I plan on taking a little fishing gear. Would love to catch some crabs on a fishing pole. A buddy of mine in Florida taught me how to do it. Guys any chance of catching some Crabs in the big water?

Gman

[HongerVenture]

Hell Yeah!! :jump:


Wow, I'm super homesick now........


Then make a trip out there! You have the camper now... not to mention you have a stopover point in Indy. :wavey:

My wife and I visited the Outer Banks with her family before we were married... what a great time! Her family has been taking trips there for years. I can't wait to go back. Spending time on the beach with my truck was definitely a highlight.

jim65,
Just curious, did you splash around in the surf at all? I know its saltwater and all, but in my case the road-salt they put down here in the winter has far greater salt content than ocean water... I splashed around a bit and then rinsed it off with freshwater afterward. Great times!

Joel

[jim65wagon]

Honger: maybe just a little, but since the oceans seems to be a little deeper than I like to drive it's just a touch and splash. I always hose the entire truck off when we get back, clean th 5lbs of sand out of the cab, and grease everything that's greaseable.
Again pics are in no particular order.

[Grouseman]

Dudes,

If your even remotely close to the Banks GO. The beaches are clean, beautiful, and uncrowded. Of course we went before Season. Orkracoke Island is pretty remote with only 800 +/- residents that live there year round. Great little Island. Of course most of the beaches you could drive on with 4x4 and it was a really nice adventure for the wife and I. On our way back we camped at a NC State campground and nobody was there. The whole trip was wonderful. The wife and I hadn't camped in 20 + years, and now we are hooked again. Mods to come soon for our M101 trailer.
Our 101 will become our pop-up camper.....

Gman