Wow, sizeable FOT presence on the OBX* this summer. My wife and I drove from Roanoke to Ocracoke Island, which was totally amazing. You have to drive onto a ferry -- there aren't any bridges connecting the place to mainland NC or Hatteras.
We booked a campsite at the National Park there, but the first night the mosquitos were incredibly fucking awful (I looked like a leper), and I realized I forgot our pillows in VA, so we gave up and pulled into the first B&B we saw. We were incredibly lucky -- there were no other rooms anywhere on the island, and the people who had booked the room never showed up. It was an entire apartment with a kitchen and everything, and it wasn't too expensive.
We didn't take pictures, but it was an awesome vacation. We basically drank beer, ate shellfish, barbecued, read, and swam for 4 solid days. I got 2 pairs of Birdwell Beach Britches on Yesno's recommendation (they are indeed great), and ate the best figs of my life. We played one CD in the rental car the whole week because we never had to drive longer than 5 minutes, so whenever I hear Beat Happening's "Black Candy" I'm instantly transported back there.
Next week I'm going to Chicago. It's more of a business trip because I have a play going up there, but my wife is coming along too and hopefully we'll do some fun stuff.
*This is what my beer cozy calls it
