A co-worker said to me once that there are two types of time off: trips and vacations. Trips include an itinerary. They are about the journey. On a trip, you recharge in motion.

Vacations are spent in one location, and are a chance to recharge without all the in-and-out of the car or the plane or the train.

Our recent trip with three other families (the McKeones, Harts, and DeGeorges) to Hatteras, on the Outer Banks, was a blessed vacation. The farthest we traveled all week was 50 miles, and that was by fishing charter, to the Gulf Stream, on a fishing expedition. Virginia and I also took our bikes to Ocracoke Island, via ferry.

We ate well, we laughed a lot, and we recharged. The boys were there for half the week before heading to work (Pete) and to a church conference in Rhode Island (Kelly). It was great to have them.

The fact that one week later, the Outer Banks are being evacuated ahead of the landfall of Hurricane Alfred only has us feeling more fortunate.

Below are some photos.