# Outer Banks



## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Spent spring break with my sweetie touring in the Outer Banks area, starting about 80 miles south of the ferry to Ocracoke and getting as far north as Hatteras. We'd planned to camp in Hatteras but Ocracoke was so much nicer we just turned around and went back. Wound up with 200 miles over 5 days. I pulled a BOB with most of our stuff while my sweetie had a trunk bag and was responsible for hauling the groceries. Worked out very well.

Wife in tow.









Hauling groceries (and the all important wine)









Ferry!

















Beach (wife's first time to the Outer Banks. She was thrilled)









Moi









Ocracoke lighthouse









Obligatory cemetery shot for Mark (more cemeteries than you could shake a stick at out there)









Heading north









My lovely and long suffering wife









Final camp site


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Love those nice empty springtime roads.

It is not like that in the summer....


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

MB1 said:


> Love those nice empty springtime roads.
> 
> It is not like that in the summer....


We were a week ahead of the crowds. Worked out great. And I forgot to mention that I used the Adventure Cycling Association's Atlantic Coast Route with the Outer Banks Alternate map for planning and implementation. Worked great. So nice to know there are people out there who still know how to make a good map.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

better than what we have around here


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

Cool. Would love to do a trip like that w/ my wife.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Looks like a great trip and you went at the right time of year. In summer, the traffic could be a problem. There is basically only one 2-lane road running the length of the Outer Banks, so you can't get much respite from traffic when it's crowded there. I imagine that you encountered some challenging winds, unless you were lucky enough to have tailwinds along the way. 

I have driven the length of the Outer Banks a few times and it's a great place to explore. Ocracoke in particular is a gem.

A nice alternative for cyclists considering the Outer Banks is riding the "Inner Coast," that is the coastal roads to the west of the sounds. Traffic is much lighter there, winds are not as bad and the scenery great in a different way (farmlands, swamps, views of sounds, old historic villages like Bath). Cycle NC does a 3-day coastal tour every spring (this coming weekend in fact) that I have ridden a number of times, and it is a great way to kick off the warmer weather.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I was just at Hatteras a couple weeks ago to go tuna fishing with my dad and brother. Went out for two days -- caught 8 yellow fins the first day, and one black fin the second day. Tuna for dinner, anyone? 

I'd never driven that far down the Outer Banks (coming from DC). It was really deserted compared to what it looks like in the summer. In the summer, I'd never even think about cycling down Rte 12. When I've been there, my wife and I would drive over to Manteo and ride some of the roads in that area. There was one really nice road with big shoulders and nasty headwinds that we'd always ride.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

tarwheel2 said:


> Looks like a great trip and you went at the right time of year. In summer, the traffic could be a problem. There is basically only one 2-lane road running the length of the Outer Banks, so you can't get much respite from traffic when it's crowded there. I imagine that you encountered some challenging winds, unless you were lucky enough to have tailwinds along the way.
> 
> I have driven the length of the Outer Banks a few times and it's a great place to explore. Ocracoke in particular is a gem.
> 
> A nice alternative for cyclists considering the Outer Banks is riding the "Inner Coast," that is the coastal roads to the west of the sounds. Traffic is much lighter there, winds are not as bad and the scenery great in a different way (farmlands, swamps, views of sounds, old historic villages like Bath). Cycle NC does a 3-day coastal tour every spring (this coming weekend in fact) that I have ridden a number of times, and it is a great way to kick off the warmer weather.


Had I been alone I'd have looped around to the inner coast route and taken it back to the car. And yes, we had a wee bit of a headwind at times.


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## shawatsea (Apr 14, 2012)

Looks like a great trip. Where did you start from? I'm in Greensboro and some friend and I ride to the coast every spring. Looking forward to the trip this year.


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

Outer Banks is a cool place. Thanks for the photos and trip report.


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## goodwij (Sep 15, 2008)

Took wife to Avon for her surprise birthday in April when she turned 40 a few years back. We did a lot of riding there, not much traffic this time of year. Then, last October, CNC finished in Duck. Traffic was much more intense but not as bad as summer. I do love the smell of the ocean while riding a bike. Great photo's and brings back wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

shawatsea said:


> Looks like a great trip. Where did you start from? I'm in Greensboro and some friend and I ride to the coast every spring. Looking forward to the trip this year.


Cedar Point. Left the car in the grocery store parking lot there.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

wooglin said:


> / Obligatory cemetery shot for Mark (more cemeteries than you could shake a stick at out there)]


Thanks for the report and for the mention, too. Any place that has more dead people in the ground than living people above ground is a good place for riding. The only time I was on the Outer Banks was in 1984 when I drove from Emerald Isle to near Kitty Hawk via Ocracoke (and the ferrys). Your pictures make me want to go back. But, I will have to remember to go before the high tourist season. It was not as crowded in 1984 as I hear it is today.


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