This Blog was created because friends and family always say you have such a intresting life and funny stories. You should write them down so you greandkids can read about your life. We have throughly enjoyed our "Along the Way" excursions. Sometime we have had other friends along but mostly we have been alone.
We started this journey in 1997 in Sterlington Louisiana. At first I was just a rider. We bought our old Swift truck and he starting teaching me and my son, Brandon to shift. After a while I went and took my CDL test in secret along with my DOT physical. He came home from working as a driver for a tanker company and I had his supper ready. He sat down to eat and kept eyeing this letter from Department of Motor Vehicles. My 17 year old son and I was wondering how long it would be before curiosity got the best of him and opened it. He started smiling and that's where the stories began......................
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Okrakoke Island and Lighthouse N.C.
Okrakoke Lighthouse, Okrakoke Island North Carolina.
Our Ferry boat ride. the waters was crystal clear and the sky was flawless. This is a place I would love to move too.
The back of the Ferry. Watching all the seagulls. The jellyfish was surfacing and some were an unusual rd color.
Riding the north Carolina Ferry system. June 14, 2008 
Professional Tourist! I love riding bikes and since this photo I have bought our own bike. Just a pumping and a pumping! LOL
Exploring the island and checking out all the souvenir shops. What a blessing to see such beautiful place.
The Locals told this place was exceptional. The air is smelling good around here. We had grilled hamburgers and they were Delicious.
Looks like a sneaker wave about to get me.
Ready to take a dip. We didn't bring our suits, but we did get a little wet. We were sitting on the sand and a huge wave came and almost got us. We look like a crab on all fours behind us. We stuck our hindends up in the air! LOL! 
Forever and ever and presently 35 years... Married in August 1974
The sand was warm and just melted your cares away. This is where I wanna Be! We went to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to see as many Lighthouses as we could in one weekend. It was a 2 hour ferry boat ride to Okrakoke Island, the first of 4 lighthouses we visited that weekend. We saw huge jellyfish and some were bright red. When the ferry churned up the water all the jellyfish surfaced. It was a perfect day for the ferry ride.
One of the first things we did was stop at the souvenir shop and I found the most unusual light. Well it looks like a giant green diamond, it had a holder with chains that the diamond dropped down through. It was a prism of sorts to send light to the bottom decks of the old ships. Way too cool!
Next on my agenda was find that gorgeous Lighthouse. We did and boy was it beautiful and so well maintained. You couldn't go up in it but it was impressive to say the least! We spent an hour or so there but we returned again and again for more pictures.
We found the perfect hotel to stay and it had a private hammock on a private deck. After we checked in and put our things away we sent out to see what we could get into.
First, we rented bicycles and left of our exploration of the island. We made another trip by the lighthouse. We worked up an appetite so we asked the locals for a good place to eat and off we were in that direction. Delicious Food and a great place for resting after riding on a hot afternoon.
I hit every souvenir shop on the whole island before I was exhausted and returned to the hotel.
One of the first things we did was stop at the souvenir shop and I found the most unusual light. Well it looks like a giant green diamond, it had a holder with chains that the diamond dropped down through. It was a prism of sorts to send light to the bottom decks of the old ships. Way too cool!
Next on my agenda was find that gorgeous Lighthouse. We did and boy was it beautiful and so well maintained. You couldn't go up in it but it was impressive to say the least! We spent an hour or so there but we returned again and again for more pictures.
We found the perfect hotel to stay and it had a private hammock on a private deck. After we checked in and put our things away we sent out to see what we could get into.
First, we rented bicycles and left of our exploration of the island. We made another trip by the lighthouse. We worked up an appetite so we asked the locals for a good place to eat and off we were in that direction. Delicious Food and a great place for resting after riding on a hot afternoon.
I hit every souvenir shop on the whole island before I was exhausted and returned to the hotel.
Albuquerque Balloon Festival
Tragedy in the Sky
We were in Rio Rancho Albuquerque and just unloaded so we went to Wal Mart to buy a few supplies. On the horizon we saw thousands of balloons, so I ran over to an empty parking lot to take a few pictures. I took pictures of so many unusual and beautiful balloons. They looked like they were close enough to touch. Some of them even waved at me. They were landing in an empty parking lot next to walmart and I thought at first they were crashing. It was a perfect day or so I thought. While I was walking and gazing at the sky snapping away I heard a massive boom. I started running over to see what happened. I got there just as a triangular yellow balloon got tangled in the power lines. That's what the boom was...the transformer shorting out! What a horrific scene! I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. I saw a man get jolted overboard and heard him when he hit the ground. One man was left inside the basket. I regret to say he was killed. They both were from Pennsylvania. The last update I had was the man that fell overboard was taken ton the hospital in critical condition.
We were in Rio Rancho Albuquerque and just unloaded so we went to Wal Mart to buy a few supplies. On the horizon we saw thousands of balloons, so I ran over to an empty parking lot to take a few pictures. I took pictures of so many unusual and beautiful balloons. They looked like they were close enough to touch. Some of them even waved at me. They were landing in an empty parking lot next to walmart and I thought at first they were crashing. It was a perfect day or so I thought. While I was walking and gazing at the sky snapping away I heard a massive boom. I started running over to see what happened. I got there just as a triangular yellow balloon got tangled in the power lines. That's what the boom was...the transformer shorting out! What a horrific scene! I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. I saw a man get jolted overboard and heard him when he hit the ground. One man was left inside the basket. I regret to say he was killed. They both were from Pennsylvania. The last update I had was the man that fell overboard was taken ton the hospital in critical condition.
I kept snapping the pictures but I was sick at my stomach. I didn't think my legs could hold me up. I was so weak in the knees. That is not a cliche. I knew somebody would want these pictures, but it was the hardest thing to keep shooting these pictures.
When I got back to the truck I was uploading pictures and trying to contact a local news group when I had a knock on my door. It was the media. They ask if I saw anything, I said yes and get into my seat and I'll show you the pictures. I said I was trying to contact the local news online.
She saw my photos and immediately she started making phone calls. She told me her company would buy the rights to my pictures. I told her I didn't take them to sell but she could have them all. She asked me to give the rights to the associated press, so she took my statement. She interviewed me and wrote an article on my accounts of the accident. All the photos had my name as photographer.
A Fireman came after that and ask if I had photos. I said yes, so he jumped on the side of our truck and couldn't believe the shots. He also wanted my pictures, I told him to ask the journalist because I just gave all rights to her. She ask him what was he going to do with them? He said use them for emergency training. So I loaded them on his jump drive.
A Fireman came after that and ask if I had photos. I said yes, so he jumped on the side of our truck and couldn't believe the shots. He also wanted my pictures, I told him to ask the journalist because I just gave all rights to her. She ask him what was he going to do with them? He said use them for emergency training. So I loaded them on his jump drive.
After the balloons got the green light to go a strong wind was forcing them downward and they were all in trouble. Some landed on top of the WalMart store and 1 strawberry almost landed on our truck as you can see in one photo. The were crashing everywhere. There were even 3 or 4 almost down in the same place as the triangle yellow balloon. The fireman told of another story of another balloon about a mile away caught up in another power line and there were no survivors.
The balloon with no basket got untangled from the power lines and rose higher and higher. The fireman told us it came back down on an Indian reservation about 1 mile north of us.
You can see the smoke all aroud these balloons. The were almost crashing down in the same place.
This poor bumble bee crashed on top a road grader.
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