After our wonderful beach run last Saturday morning, we headed over to the Wright Brother's National Museum to learn all about the birthplace of flight. It was so neat to get to take Kemo to the museum. He has flown airplanes for most of his life and yet last Saturday was the first time that he had ever stood on the spot where it all began. The park was really something else. We started in the museum where we got to learn all about the Wright Brothers, their dream, the obstacles they faced and the high moment when they finally realized their dream of powered flight. Aviation has come so far that sometimes we forget how big of an obstacle flight was.
The first airplane was a fancy "glider" with a makeshift engine and an open air cabin where a Wright brother literally laid on his stomach, held onto a pole for security and shifted his hips to operate the direction of the "airplane." Amazing! Dad got special treatment because the ranger learned that he was a pilot.
So Kemo got to go behind the ropes and actually get a closer look at the Wright bros. replicated flying machine. Let me just say, those brothers were ballsy and gutsy.
After we learned everything we could about the "machine", we headed out to the open grounds where they have a replica of the shanty and hangar that the brothers lived in during the testing phase. They also have the actual "first flights" path marked. So Cool! On December 17th 1903, the brothers made history with 4 powered flights. They took off at the same location each time.
First flight 120 feet, 4th flight 852 feet, next flight.....the universe is the limit. From that first day of flying it only took 66 years before we were on the moon. Amazing! That just goes to show you, if you have a dream, don't let anyone, including yourself, or any obstacle get in your way. Pursue it with abandon.
To finish the journey, we walked up to the top of Kill Devil Hill which was the sand dune that the Wright Brothers originally tested their glider off of.
The Park has erected an amazing monument and it was so neat to visit such an incredible part of history. Lily was such a trooper the entire time and hunkered down in her jogger for the trip around the park.
The next time I fly in an airplane, I will always remember the incredible men who pioneered flying. Thanks to them, the childhood dream of flying like a bird didn't stop at a wish, it became a reality!
Stay tuned for our last stop on the OBX.....
Looks like fun! I got to meet your Dad & Mom when we were in Colorado, Had Alot of fun talking with them, really really did..and they were so happy to see Nyssa after many years! :)
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