September 2002

Sunday ,September 1, 2002 - Holden Beach Surf and Turf
My morning started off with the usual Sunday morning bike ride to Lake Johnson. Then Merri Beth and I packed up her Jeep Grand Cherokee and drove to Holden Beach. When we arrived we had lunch with her family (Jim, Beth, & Jenni), her grandparents (J.T. & Lucille) and other neighborhood friends. Everyone contributes to this annual lunch bringing desserts and side dishes to accompany the BBQ chicken and pork that everyone enjoys. After lunch we hang out at the beach house and watch some college football. I finished reading the book, The Hobbit by J R.R. Tolkien. Afterwards, I went for a quick surf session at the beach. The surf was pretty decent for a South-facing beach with a North wind. I managed to sneak into a couple of right breaking waist to stomach high barrels for about an hour. Although my mind was somewhat on the time of day (dinnertime for sharks) I had a great time surfing at Holden Beach.

Monday,September 2, 2002 - Labor Day
We woke up early and loaded up the Jeep. We headed to Southport to catch the ferry to Fort Fischer. The ferry ride lasted about 30 minutes and we finally got to Fort Fischer. From there, we drove up to Wrightsville Beach and enjoyed the sun peaking out between the clouds for a few hours. The surf wasn't bad here, but there were more surfers in the water than there were people on the beach. I mean, it was literally surfboard to surfboard out there. While I entered the chest high, side shore line-up, I immediately caught a luck wave that was heading my way. I surfed for a few hours as high tide began to effect the surf. Merri Beth and I decided to leave and visit Topsail Island for a little while. We drove north for about 30 minutes and enjoyed the tranquil beaches at Topsail. I tried surfing there, you could definitely see the swell, but the tide was on it too much. We had enough of the beach and headed back to Raleigh.

Once back in Raleigh, we unpacked the Jeep and headed for the Saucer. We got up with Jesse and had a few beers while playing some pool. We went back to our house and dropped off Merri Beth (she had to work in the morning and it was getting a little late). Jesse and I went to Time Out Billiards and played a couple games of pool. I got Jesse back to his place safely and called it a day.

Tuesday, September 3, 2002 - WAM Man

Wednesday, September 4, 2002 - Two girls and a Dinkel Acker
I was working again tonight but Merri Beth hooked up with Amy at the Flying Saucer for Keep the Glass night. Craig (The Dinkel Acker) joined them later on. Tonight's featured beer was the infamous German favorite, Dinkel Acker. The girls (and Dinkel) got clear handled mugs with the Dinkel Acker logo on the side filled with the crisp flavor of the Dinkel Acker beer.

Thursday, September 5, 2002 - G-men Opener
Merri Beth brought the Jeep back to the dealership today to get the hitch installed that we had gotten as part of the deal when we bought the car. Now Merri Beth can pull all sort's of things around Raleigh with her brand new hitch!!

The official start of the NFL season began with the San Francisco 49ers visiting the New York Football Giants in the Meadowlands, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. To my misfortune, I had to listen to the game over the Internet because I was at work. The Giants came up short losing their home opener 16-13.

Merri Beth and I decided to add another 4 hours to our day and relocate to the Outer Banks. The only problem was that I was working and wouldn't get off until 12:00 A.M. I had came in early that day so that I could slip out a little before 12 and get on the road. We made the journey from Raleigh to Kill Devil Hills and were looking forward to going to Tony and Melissa's wedding tomorrow.

Tropical Storm Gustav was lingering off the South East coast of North Carolina. MB and I hit the beach at Lagerhead Beach Access in Nags Head. The sun was out because Gustav wasn't quite making an impact on the weather, but the surf was going off. I grabbed my board and hit the chest to head high wind blown surf. I surfed for about an hour and was disappointed in my performance, the surf was powerful and had decent, workable lines. I stopped by

to see MB who was busy reading Cosmo while absorbing some sun. Then I went to the Jeep, changed my surfboard fins, and recharged with some Gatorade. I went back out into the water and had a much better session the second time around. The tide was dropping and the swell was pumping! I got to practice some airs and almost pulled off a Superman move but it was a bit too windy and I lost control of my board.

Merri Beth and I left the beach and went to the beach house to get ready for the wedding. We showered, got all dressed up, and drove over to Manteo. We arrived at the Elizabethan Gardens and meandered through some of the extravagant plant life they have in the gardens. We proceeded to the Sunken Garden area where the wedding was going to be held. We started talking to all of our friends and were eagerly awaiting the start of the wedding.

The time had arrived, Melissa Vaughn and Tony Canale were getting married at the Elizabethan Gardens. The sun was out as the wedding started, but it began to drizzle shortly after the bride came down the isle. And just like the love between the couple has grown over the years, the drizzle turned into a steady rain. Amazingly, everyone stayed in their seats as true friends and family would. We all witnessed a beautiful wedding, one which I will always remember.

Merri Beth and I were soaked, so we decided to go back to the beach house and change clothes. On our way back we checked the surf and of course the weather started to clear up a bit. We made the drive to Duck after switching to a fresh pair of clothes. We were greeted with champagne while the jazz band was setting up. We mingled with the crowd while we eagerly awaited the arrival of the newly wedded couple. We hung out with Terry, Amy, and Andy on the porch at Elizabeth's until the bride and groom arrived. We showered them with bubbles as they came out of their classic 40's style Ford. Then the 6-course dinner began inside Elizabeth's.

Brad Price (Best Man) made a humorous, yet, respectable toast. After that, Andy and Amy Garman presented the newlyweds with authentic Hawaiian Luau's, courtesy of their friend, Jeff Lynn. Jeff sent Tony and Melissa luau's from the island of Kauai where he currently lives. Finally, they cut the wedding cake and we moved the party outside where we were delighted with the sounds of Laura Martier. Jazz and joy filled the air and the night began to dwindle down, but a life of togetherness, love, and happiness for Tony and Melissa, had just begun.

Monday, September 9, 2002 - Gustav Shows Face
Gale force winds filled the morning and stormy conditions started to over take the Outer Banks. This was Merri Beth's first experience with a Tropical System hitting land. Obviously, I couldn't surf today which was a little disappointing, but the conditions where too dangerous - 6-8 foot seas with a bad drift, windy conditions, and the ocean looked like a washing machine. We took Dot to see Roxy & Nalu, (Tony and Melissa's dogs) and Issac (Brad and Deborah's dog) at the beach house that Tony and Melissa rented for the week north of Avalon Pier. Everyone was busy doing wedding related things so we hung out

for a bit then went to have some lunch. After lunch we went and saw my mom at the Days Inn Oceanfront and then stopped back by the Avalon beach house to say good bye to everyone. Tony and Melissa where there and were getting ready for their trip to Cabo San Lucas! We said goodbye to Brad and Deborah and then said farewell to Jason and Allison (who were visiting from San Diego, California). I can't leave out "Pops" a.k.a. Tony's dad, later Pops!

Tuesday,September 10, 2002 - Peak Hurricane Season
Gustav wasn't a major hurricane, but he was a pretty strong tropical storm. In fact, Gustav was nice enough to skim the Outer Banks and say hello to Cape Hatteras. Gustav even effected Jesse and me on our bike ride today along the greenway by Crabtree Creek and Shelly Lake. The weather was awesome, a slight wind in our faces and the temperature was perfect. We enjoyed an easy 17 mile ride and a break from the hot summer days where we would be sweating before getting on the greenway.

Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - A Day to Remember
The one-year anniversary of the tragedy that happened at the WTC, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon started of with sadness, remembrance, and uncertainty. Dot and I watched some of the services held at ground zero. The day had a certain aroma in the air that I can not describe. Although I was not directly affected as so many people were, I felt their pain, sorrow, and loss.

Later that night, everyone (Jesse, MB, Amy, Courtney, and I) got together at the Flying Saucer for their special 9-11 Keep the Glass Nite. We played pool, sang America the Beautiful, and sipped on some Rock Creek All American Pale Ale - the featured beer of the evening. After things winded down at the Saucer, we came back to our place and watched Van Widler. Courtney and Amy thought the movie was gross, while Jesse and I laughed our asses off, "I think I've had these before," or "Ummm, they're still warm." If you don't get it, watch the movie I think it's a trip - "Write that down."

Thursday, September 12, 2002 - Rocking @ EV
How about East Village is celebrating their 10 year anniversary! Last time we went, it was storming really bad and the power went out. This time the power was on and 96 Rock was on location with Andaman. Jesse and I joined Amy, Courtney, and Merri Beth when we got off of work. Everyone enjoyed cheap food and beer and Amy even got on the radio! Happy Birthday EV!

On a sadder note, Merri Beth and her co-workers attended a funeral for Jerry Butler's mother earlier today. We would like to send our condolences to Jerry and his family for the lose of Mrs. Letha Tew Butler, 86, from Clinton, NC. Jerry is a Central Area Supervisor for the NC Department of Agriculture and works with Merri Beth.

Saturday, September 14, 2002 - Wake Forest Whooping
The phone was ringing off the hook. Rob would call, then Bubba would call, then Rob would call again. When are we tailgating? Where are we tailgating? When are you getting out there? You know, all the drama that's involved with planning a good ol' tailgate session. Merri Beth and I leave the house around 12:30 and head to the fair grounds near Carter Finley Stadium. We meet Bubba and set-up camp. The weather was not holding out for us, it had been raining/drizzling on and off throughout the day. We took shelter under 3 tarps that were rigged up between the fence line and the cars. The temporary shelter was a work of art and most importantly, it kept us dry. Rob finally arrived and was impressed by our tarp skills. Later on, we started grilling some hamburgers and my sister met up with us with a few of her friends. We tailgated until around 6:30 and started heading over to Carter Finley Stadium to see the Wolfpack take on the Demon Deacons. The Wolfpack rolled onto another victory, beating Wake Forest, 32-12, keeping a perfect record at 4-0.

Another tidbit of the day's events included MB and I signing our life away as we spent an hour in the morning with a lawyer refinancing the mortgage on our home. To those of you who have gone through this process you know how much fun this process is, insert sarcasm. MB and I decided that it would be better to use the purchasing power of our home to consolidate some debts and use the tax break to our advantage.

Another Sunday, another 10 mile ride to Lake Johnson and back. This Sunday was a little different, after my ride, I found out the News & Observer ran an article that had my picture in it. The article, titled, " Owners Block Rural Paving Projects," featured some of the work I've been doing trying to get the road near my house paved. For those of you interested, you can view my work in the Lineberry Dailylog.

I had to work today, so more football withdrawal. That's OK, I found the radio broadcast on the Internet and listened to the NY Giants beat the Rams, 26-21. The Giants improve to 1-1 and the Rams fall to 0-2.

Monday, September 16, 2002 - TAC Invasion
Well I tried to get TAC (my group at work) to get out of the office and relax with a few pints. We had a decent turn out. Deidre showed up with her friend Doug. Amy and Craig joined MB, Jesse, and I. A small outing compared to some other events that we've had as a group but fun nonetheless. Cheers or shall I say, "Prost."

Wednesday, September 18, 2002 - Devil's Elbow on the Pool Table
The plans had already been made, it was Devil's Elbow night at the Flying Saucer and Ben Blevins wanted to see what the Saucer was all about. Ben came over and then Jesse joined us, we headed downtown to the Saucer. We anchored ourselves in the back room at the pool table. The Saucer was pretty busy tonight but once everyone got their Devil's Elbow pint glass, the crowd thinned out. We weren't in the mood to stay out late and Ben is a student and had an early class the next day.

Thursday, September 19, 2002 - Disco Downtown & Reggae at Sammy's
Since we drank the night before, Jesse and I decided to ride bikes the next day to work off the excess calories. We stayed local and just rode the greenway at Lake Johnson, but the feeling after the bike ride is still the same. The air was brisk and the calories were soon a faded memory, until...

"Are you going to live after 5 tonight?" was the question. Amy was on the phone and said that her, Craig, and Courtney were on their way to downtown. We'll meet you there. Jesse joined MB and I and we headed in the same direction. We snagged a killer parking spot near the BB&T building and walked a mere block and a half to the downtown block party. The cooler was filled with Miller Lite and everybody had one in their hand. The band tonight was called Sleepin Booty and they played a variety of 60's, 70's, and 80's music. Our night was topped when they played the song "Low Rider" and then "We Are Family." These cyclists dressed in spandex, reflection vests, and blinking reflectors showed how white their dance skills were. I mean WHITE! The scene was unbelievably funny and was a definite crowd favorite!

After Live After 5, we headed over to Sammy's for Reggae night. Red Stripe was on special and the group was hungry. Rob Charest and Ben Blevins were there taking a "study break." Our whole group crashed at Sammy's and took up 2 tables. We played trivia while we were waiting for the band to get ready. The wait was worth it; Sammy's was filled with harmonizing reggae beats and a plethora of Jamaican spirit. We're jammin! Jammin...jammin...jammin...

Saturday, September 21, 2002 - The Texas Knightmare
The biggest game of the season so far, this could set the stage for how our team plays for the rest of the year. The Wolfpack was going to Bobby Knight country and Texas Tech's football team was very similar to N.C. State. Well, the Wolfpack is ranked 16th and they're not, but as far as potential and ability, the two teams are almost even. The teams have very similar quarterbacks and Texas Tech has a huge threat with a dangerous passing game. But don't forget about our freshman freight train, T.A. McLendon. Let the battle begin:

Texas Tech jumps out to a 7-3 lead, things aren't looking good. The Pack finds a spark and capitalizes on some turnovers, they jump to a 38-10 lead after a 17-10 halftime score. Texas Tech took advantage of the heat and a fatigued N.C. State defense. They trimmed the Wolfpack lead to 7 points and the Wolfpack offense woke up when the score was 38-31. A 72-yard bomb to Jerricho Cotchery from Rivers set up one of T.A. McLendon's five (5!!) touchdowns for the day [45-31]. Texas wasn't stopping, it was almost like we were at the O.K. Corral. They tied the game at 45 after intercepting Rivers and scoring a touchdown. Then Texas had a chance to take the game with a field goal that would give them the lead - wide left! Overtime. NCSU won the toss and choose to go on defense first. TT scored a field goal to take a 48-45 lead. Spotlight on T.A. McLendon. He had 4 touchdowns' already and the Touchdown King wanted five. The Pack scored a touchdown to end the game [at 51-48] and improve to 5-0.

After Work, After Victory, East Village
Amy called Jesse and I at 11:50 to see if we wanted to go out after work. Why not? Amy, Craig, and Meghan were going to East Village to take some shots and have some beer. Jesse and I met them there shortly after 12 and hung out until last call. I opted not to drink tonight, but still managed to have a good time. MB was out of town and missed out on the fun. She went to Moore County today to see her sister in a cow show. Meghan was hammered and looked frightfully sick (especially after the Yager Bomb), but she kept her own. Way to 'take one for the team' Megs! Hope your hangover didn't hurt!

Sunday, September 22, 2002 - 'Brothers and Sisters' at Carowinds
Merri Beth, Jenni, and Jamie made an adventure out of the day. They drove from Laurinburg to Charlotte to tackle Paramounts Carowinds Amusement Park. A fun filled family day spent riding rides and screaming on roller coasters. Or in Jamie's case, getting sick on "The Hurler." (I'm nawt kiddin' ya!) While they were at Carowinds having a blast, I was stuck at work listening to the field goal shootout in the Meadowlands. The NY Giants were playing the Seattle Seahawks and I was supposed to be there! Wish I could have tailgated with you Carol and Richie! The miserable lack of offense showed in the score and the Giants barely came away with a win beating the Seahawks 9-6 (all field goals).

Monday ,September 23, 2002 - Late Nite Flight
Another one bites the dust. MB was sitting at home and Ben called. The math was simple: it's Monday + I was working + MB and Ben weren't doing anything + Courtney got off work at 9:00 = Pint Nite at the Saucer. The trio chilled out on the outside patio until Jesse and I crashed the party shortly after 12:00. I said hello to some friends inside, Tim, Jay-Z, Jen V and Shannon. Holly was our beer goddess and she did a great job. We hung out for just a little while and I could tell that MB was dreading waking up for work in the morning. We called it a night and decided to meet again on Wednesday night for Keep the Glass.

Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - Trivia Losers
Well it's Wednesday and the Saucer was the hot spot, at first. Jesse, MB and I met Ben and we proceeded to the Saucer. Courtney and Amy were already there and we joined them at the table. We got some beer flowing and finally got our featured beer, French Broad Seasonal Ale (not French Bread Ale). The glass was really cool and looked similar to the Billabong symbol. We moved the local to Sammy's on Avent Ferry in time to play Willie Wright Trivia at 8:00 P.M. We were supposed to meet Margie there, but she couldn't make it. We played trivia and enjoyed $2.00 drafts all night. At 9:00 o'clock, we got to keep a Yuengling glass (cool!). We played trivia and didn't fair too well, so why not call it a night?

Saturday, September 28, 2002 - Wolfpack 6 and 0?
We borrowed a 10x10 green and white striped Tent from my man Ron at Tentworks. At 9:30, Steve and James were at the house and we started the caravan towards Carter Finley. On the way, MB and I (along with Steve and James) picked up Rob. We got to the fairgrounds, set-up the tent and started tailgating! MB had the mimosa's flowing. The music from a freshly burned CD that I made was jammin'. Katie showed up, thanks to the extra ticket from Chris. 12:30 came before we knew it and we had to start hiking. The game started and within a few minutes the Wolfpack were up by 14 points. The 6-0 start looked pretty reasonable at this point. UMass was our opponent and they played pretty good for a 2A school. They had us burned on a few passes, but the receivers dropped them and we easily rolled on to a 56-24 victory!