North Cackalack!

Tip to tip. That was the goal.

When B and I were still in lockdown we would try to give ourselves something to look forward to by planning hypothetical trips with PowerPoint presentations. We got 5 slides, a 1 week itinerary, and it had to be a road trip with camping.

I chose North Carolina, aka North Cackalack! The plan - start in the OuterBanks (before they sink into the ocean) and make our way across the state to Durham and Asheville. And, uh, not so humble brag…I crush a slide deck.

I’ve always had a gut intuition about North Carolina. I don’t know why. I think it’s the very unique combination of hippie cities, beach life, and mountains; and that’s my kind of cocktail mix. Making the elixir even more delicious? A healthy does of those East Coast amigos of course!

And the Tar Heel State did not disappoint.

Now it wasn’t exactly sun tan weather - December is apparently also cold on the sandy coastal getaway of the OuterBanks. But with years of NorCal beach training under our belts, a sunny 50 degree beach day was not an unfamiliar scene. We even managed to have a picnic one afternoon south of Nags Head where I solicited a small child to chase seagulls away on my behalf. An ideal winter day. Shout out to the amazing Inn on the Palmico Sound for helping us avoid the well planned out camping with a lovely room with actual walls. Turns out, we’re very outdoorsy but not very winter resilient.

Lucky for us, our friends come with fire pits and outdoor heaters. Durham was the hot spot for the front yard party. We got all the local gossip in from President of the Cocktail Club and First Lady of the Neighborhood Waive Committee, Scott and Rose; and got to be the very first guests of Alex and Allie’s in the new A-team casa in Chapel Hill! Toss in some bikes, some biscuits, BBQ, and a shockingly good bagel sandwich and you’ve got yourself Bull Durham good time.

And that final tip. The tippy top of North Cack up in Asheville was delightful, but cut short by the…you heard it here first…snow! Did I mention our general lack of winter-specific resilience? (Truly. If the climate apocalypse results in a Day After Tomorrow situation and the world is just turned into a winter wonderland, count us out. May the mighty Minnesotans and Wisconsinites of the world prevail!) We should come back in the summer…are you sensing a theme here?

Tip to tip. The PowerPoint did not fail us. Currently taking all orders for virtual and actual vacation planning.