Negotiations within the DMZ…Stampede Edition

The Stampede is unique in that the location is someone like the Barkley Marathon, you never know where we will be going…that’s about the extent of the comparisons we can make between the Stampede and the Barkley! Having said that this was our last opportunity to make a complete route of the four bridges connecting Radio Island, Beaufort, and Pivers Island, as the Grayden Paul is scheduled to close effective 5-15, that last quaint vestige of days gone by will be no more.  Having said that a spry and spirited PAX from all points within the F3 Carterico family converged on the area lovingly known as the DMZ, the connecting point between East and West, old money and new money, tradition and progress, insert your analogy here.  Jang and Frosty rolled in in what was either Jang’s new golf cart for the CC East festivities or a prototype for Elon Musk’s next Space X capsule.  Steamer came rolling in…oh I forgot, he didn’t.  On Well.

As dawn begin to break in the eastern sky YHC delivered the instructions for the mornings route, in typical Carterican form about 20% listened, 20% acted like they where listening while checking the wind for surfing, fishing, diving possibilities for the afternoon, 20% completely ignored what I was saying and figured they would do what they wanted to do, 20% spaced out and needed further assistance, and 20% engaged completely irrelevant sidebar thus also requiring further instruction.  Once at least 60% of the PAX had some nominal understanding of our route and the need to avoid oncoming traffic we set off down Hwy 70 headed toward the East and the new High Rise Bridge (we really need to name that damn thing after somebody, perhaps the “Boss Tweed”?).  We avoided traffic as best we could, with some of our more risk tolerant PAX members assuming traffic would break for runners…they apparently forgot that the traffic in question was likely coming from Down East and none to happy to have to enter the metropolis of MHC and likewise belligerent about the expectations of commonly held traffic norms.  Thankfully no one was mauled or killed as we traversed HWY 70 and safely snuggled into the blocked west bound lane.  Onward and upward my friends.

The Pax moved over the bridge, down the downhill side and made the right hand turn onto the new Turner Street bridge, admiring the carnival like appliqué of sailboats and other “watercraft” that adorned the eastern end of the bay behind Knottyhead’s marina.  We safely crossed Cedar Street, down to Front and right to the turnaround at the end, back up Front, left on Moore and left on Cedar for our last pedestrian crossing of gallants channel via the Grayden Paul, it was a bitter sweet moment for all, Deebo had a tear in his eye as we crossed.  Carterican’s not being a group to dwell in the past, always focused on the future and change we soldiered forth taking the left hand turn onto Pivers Island, enjoying the sunrise as we crossed the fourth and final bridge of our mosey, down and back and quickly making our way back to the DMZ for Namorama, and BOM.  Coffee and Doughnuts for all at the finish line!

Announcements:  Tomorrow marks the return of the Slick Cam, Dipper is supposed to Q, provided he doesn’t overdo it with volleyball, basketball or Parcheesi tonight. Hero Patriot also rolling tomorrow, no clue who the Q will be???  Maytag will lead the western reaches at the Field of Dreams.  BBR participants, we will have a Bridge Repeat session 0615 at the Atlantic Beach Bridge, park on the AB side at the public access.

SYITG

Misty