Oct 28. Virginia/Chincoteague/Asateague

Saturday, October 28

49 degrees this morning as we leave Salisbury and head east into Virginia.  We pass Wallups Island which has a very large NASA facility. Lots of satellite dishes and other equipment behind security fences.

We cross the bridge to Chincoteague Island and stop to walk the Marsh Trail.  Lots of birds and signs that the ponies have been this way,  The grasses are golden and graceful in the light winds. Quite a few birds in the trees along the trail.

Lots and lots of grasses which provide food for many animals.

We cross to Assateague Island and stop to walk the trail to the lighthouse.  There are quite a few boy scouts visiting but we manage to fit in between two groups.

 The lighthouse was first built in 1833 but wasn't very tall.  It was rebuilt in 1866 and remains one of 20 still functioning along the Atlantic Coast.  Nice views from the top.

We drive some more and stop to watch about ten grazing ponies.  We've read about and seen the ponies before, so just admire them and move on.

 They are very pretty but very careful to keep their distance from the gawking visitors. Lots of egrets and other shore birds in the area.

We stop by the Visitor's Center and browse their displays.  Not a lot scheduled for this weekend as they are pretty busy with the Boy Scout gathering and the season is technically over.  A few folks walk the nearby beach.

  It is close to lunchtime, so we drive back to the town of Chincoteague and stop at Don's Seafood for some shrimp and soft-shell crabs. Their own nice light breading on fresh seafood!

 Served with hush puppies and tasty tartar sauce.  Delish!

We head back to the mainland and south to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel!  Quite a marvel to me!  It is a 23 mile fixed link at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, composed of a combination of bridges and tunnels which cross the Bay to Virginia Beach.

According to our GPS, it saves about 5 hours of travel time vs traveling back to Baltimore and south through Washington. I suppose that IS worth the hefty $13 toll.  Built in 1964, and upgraded,  it replaced a ferry.

We continue south on I95 into North Carolina and acres and acres of cotton fields.

  Now we have a decision to make.  To keep heading south with stops along the coast - Myrtle Beach and more,  or begin to turn west and take in the Blue Ridge Parkway.   The Parkway wins, and we turn west, spending the night in Zebulon, NC, a suburb of the Raleigh/Durham metroplex.  Pleasant, quiet evening at our friend Wally's after a good salad at Applebees.