12 seconds?!

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Yeppers, the first "successful" flight at Kittyhawk was only 12 seconds. Of course by the end of the day they made it a whole 59 seconds and a couple hundred yards.

My roommate Hoi and I took off for North Carolina after much thought and avoidance of most New Years Eve celebrations. Kitty hawk is a small town. It just looks like every other East Coast beach town that I've seen. Kinda odd, if you ask me. Somehow I see it as a premade setup and everyone that starts a town gets some premade houses that look alike, same shubbery, and same mixture of kids with Jeeps and yuppies in fancypants cars. Yes, I drive a fancypants car; but it's old and worn down.

After touring the exhibit (the Wright Bros. actually hand made the 200lb 12HP engine) we climbed a sand dune with a monument. I'd give you a picture at this point but alas, I have no camera. So I will attempt to use the magic of WORDS to bring the scene alive.

It's close to 6pm. The sun is just starting to head into the tall trees at the horizon. Up we climb from a small airstrip in the woods towards the monument that is in the shape of an airplane's tail rudder. Engraved into the stone monolith is a rising sun. As we reach the top of the hundred foot sand dune, the sun touches down and the sky turns to red flames. The clouds are scattered, sitting quite high in the atmosphere and are giving a "Big Sky" effect It seems as though the red burning will go on forever as the reflections from the clouds shift and shimmer, the sun slowly sinking away. The air is clear and a slight tinge of salt and sand rides the currents. In the blink of an eye it is gone. Replaced by an inky blackness and the glare of spotlights upon the ediface. At this point of awe and exclamation, we realized we were hungry and away we drove, to the tackiest restaurant ever- The Jolly Roger.

There are many things to be said for the Jolly Roger. Maybe I'll give you a quick description first. Sitting on a side road somewhere in the area of kittyhawk or maybe Kill Devil Hill, you will see the lights. Lots of them. So many infact that you could say that there was a design in there. But that would just be a Rorshach test. As you enter the establishment be prepared to duck. The entire ceiling is covered in the shiniest glass baubles and tinsel I have ever seen. That could have been a matter of perspective- they were afterall at nose level. I was distracted, it was full. I think I tripped on someone, no telling as the floor is slanted and the seating was from a picnic area, worn smooth by time. I had a beer (Hefeweizen if must know) for only 2.50! I was happy. Cheapest beer in a long time. The dinner made up for it though. The lobster was overcooked and pricey. Yet again proving that unless you are rich (and sometimes not even then) you will not be happy with an East Coast meal. Someday I will head back to the West Coast, and eat well for cheap.

After dinner we cruised around the area, discovering that the locals must be hiding; and headed off to points far, far away. Gathering a sore throat and a bit of holiday cheer, but that is a story for another time....


so from me to you, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!



Enjoy it, it might be the last time.

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