History: 101

Saturday we woke up, some of us went to the farmer's market *coughoverachieverscough* and others slept in and packed. By 2 in the afternoon we had lazily worked our way of the beautiful town home

in Cary, North Carolina and on to the island of Roanoke.
ROANOKE:

History lesson:
In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh was granted a charter from queen Elizabeth to try to start an English colony on Roanoke Island. This was at the beginning of the Anglo-Spanish War. Roanoke was meant to be a military port for the English to jump on Spain from an unsuspecting direction. The first wave of men built a fort on the island as well as built relations with two of the native tribes. But after sacking and pillaging one of the tribes villages because they were suspected of stealing a silver cup (come on guys, what good is that going to do?) the tribe retaliated with many causalities on both sides. These men were shortly able to board a boat and head back to England thanks Sir Francis Drake who was coming up from the Caribbean after a raid there and offered a ride back for the men.

The second wave of people consisted of 115 men and women. They reached the fort and only found a skeleton. The pilot refused to let the colonists back on board the ship to return home when they saw

there was no one left here. The colonists stayed and gave birth to the first European born on North American soil, Virginia Dare. Because of the war, relief for the colonists stretched from the promised year to three. John White was able to charter a ship three years later to come and see what was left of the colony. Carved into a tree nearby was the word "CROATOAN" which was not only the name of a nearby native tribe, but also the island to the south. The fort and all the buildings within were dismantled showing that the people did not leave in a rush and had time to take the precious supplies of the fort with them.   Because of a brewing storm, John White's men refused to continue searching down to the southern island and they left the port to go back to England that day.

No traces were ever found of this colony after that. There were no more forts or encampments or even traces of them. If you go to the exact place where the colony first set down, you can see the remnants of the fort as well as a recreation with a full length play with liberal amounts of dramatization to the story. It's a beautiful place and a wonderful tourist trap. 3 out of 5. Would recommend, but would probably not go again.

The Wright Brothers:

After that eventful play, we trudged back to Stumpy Point, fell asleep to the raucous sounds of frogs all along the bank, and were up and out before noon the next day. We went to a local attraction, Stack 'em High Pancakes and no one even had a pancake (I know, I'm disappointed in us too). After that we stopped by the monument to Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright Brothers, as mentioned in School House Rock, built the very first airplane as well as quite a few very formidable gliders.

The monument itself is a hot place with lots of walking and wind, but the presentation about the brothers was the most uplifting thing a park ranger has ever said to me. He went on about their dedication and their unique visions of flight. They were simple bike mechanics in Ohio who had a dream. They never even finished high school, but they had a dream that changed the world forever. Did you know that Orville Wright actually watched the moon landing sitting on the steps of the memorial where he flew for the first time? It is amazing how their invention changed the world so rapidly. I cried. Honestly I cried a few times. I don't think I've ever seen something so moving.

After that we took a rather uneventful, but beautiful, ride through the outer-banks all the way down to Ocracoke. Now, if you don't mind. I think I have waited long enough. I am going to the beach.