We had a couple mile warm up through the old industrial area of Charleston.  An old Cigar Factory had been converted to shops and homes still had the narrow road frontage and large side porches, just not as elaborate as in the Historic District.

We had seen the tall bridge over the Cooper River from the shoreline of town, now we were up front and personal with all 575 feet.  It was a slow two and a half mile climb, but great views back to the city and of the Historic USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier, sailboats are dwarfed by this awesome ship.

A quick turn at the bottom of the bridge and we wound our way through beautifully shaded neighborhoods.  An hour of zig-zagging through neighborhoods, we decided to hit the straight road.  Again there was no shoulder on Highway 17, but traffic was at a minimum,  so it was a good choice.

Over fifty percent of our ride was through the Francis Marion National Forest, so not a lot to see and very narrow shoulders.  The shade of the trees kept the temperature from climbing too quickly, but did nothing for the humidity.  The air was thick, our sweat actually chilling us in the wind we created by riding.

At forty two miles, we stopped for the only available food we would get for the remainder of the ride.  We looked forward to resting in some air conditioning, but the sandwich shop had no table or chairs, so we stood and ate and pushed away thirty minutes later.  Around noon, the slight southeast breeze picked up to our speed adding a little assistance to our pedal.  We would need all the help we could get to pedal over the bridge into town and for an iced tea stop.  A short pedal through the “Historic District”,waterfront and neighborhoods of Georgetown, then to our hotel.  Directly across from our hotel, we enjoyed dinner with a view.  It was a nice finish to a bland scenery day.  Today’s ride was really a destination ride, not much in between, but a means to an end…..a good, but long end; 68 miles was a bit longer than expected.

Right out of the door, we hit the very busy Highway 17; all the trucks and cars that stayed home to make our ride enjoyable yesterday, were out in force this morning.  The transition from a quiet hotel room to the steady scream of traffic was a little rattling.  That and three bridges, one being a tall bridge over the Intercoastal, in the first two miles made for a frantic start.

Once we settled in to the rhythm of the traffic and found our space on the shoulder (a very creative rumble strip), we slowed our frantic pace and took in the day. The morning was thick as pea soup, the humidity hung in the air like Spanish Moss on the trees; we were dripping.

Less than an hour out, the speed limit dropped to 45 mph, we lost the rumble strip and could relax and enjoy the sites and our tailwind.  We biked through the outskirts of Pawleys Island, seeing only the entrances to grand neighborhoods, but enjoying the creativity of the shops and restaurants trying to….…catch your interest.

At one point we missed our turnoff for a bike trail, but we were not to be thwarted.  The twists and turns of the trail slowed our pace, but the quiet was wonderful.  The trail led into a bike lane through neighborhoods that led into miles and miles of creatively signed restaurants.  We were beginning to think all the homes we just passed lacked kitchens or at least someone to cook.

Shortly before 11:00, we hit The Grand Strand – Myrtle Beach in a light sprinkle; miles of restaurants were replaced with miles of hotels.  With our appetites tickled from the previous restaurant tease, we could now not find a place to eat.  A turn onto the wooden boardwalk,we found a cluster of restaurants and unbeknownst to us, settled on a Myrtle Beach staple.  We picked it for it’s slogan (below), but this iconic restaurant/bar has a great history for bands, remember Alabama?!

The long stretch of Myrtle Beach(s)seems to contain everything, but in sections.  Hotels and colorfully disguised garagesabruptly stop and big expensive homes begin, then you are back on a beach tourist strip in Anywhere USA.

The wind had picked up and the clouds were getting darker, we were anxious to get to our hotel in North Myrtle Beach before the skies opened; we arrived just before two o’clock.  Though our room was ready, Jerry had managed an upgrade that would not be ready for another hour.  So the hotel gave us a couple free drinks while we waited……it’s 5:00 somewhere, right!

A few hours later we were ready for some good pasta, which we found a short pedal away.  Benito is/was amazing, excellent sauces each distinctly different (Chicken and Shrimp alla Benito) and delicious. (Bolognese below)  Though it had been a wind assisted 54 miles, it still deserved some pasta.

We’ve had to put the brakes on our trip.  With the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, we have been unable to find Any rooms on the Outer Banks.  After four hours of routing, re-routing and calling hotels yesterday, we came to the conclusion if we were staying coastal,  we would have to take at least one day off somewhere and probably do several short rides to slow down our arrival to the Outer Banks.

Yesterday sunny view from our room
 was dramatically darker this morning.  But sleeping to the sound of the ocean waves and the overnight rain was delightful.  Even with the ominous sky, this seems like the perfect place to take a day off.

The sky lifted slightly about mid-day and gave us a chance get to the beach for a sunny picture or two before the clouds closed in again.  Kids, always oblivious to stormy weather, enjoyed the small tidal pools, much like at home in Virginia Beach.

Myrtle Beach is wide and flat and seems to stretch forever.  The narrow sand dune, totally wiped out by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, is slowly making a comeback.  The city has created small parks, planted sea grass and has made it illegal to walk the dune anywhere other than crosswalks.  But even after twenty eight years, the dune still struggles against the wind and sea.

We thought about a massage today, but the best offer we’d seen, was apparently short on help (in case you missed this from yesterday, it was from a BBQ joint).

Mid-afternoon, the wind picked up and a few rain squalls came through.  With a small break in the rain, we biked up to dinner.  Since we missed last night’s restaurant’s specialty, brick oven pizza, we returned tonight.  As good as the pizza was, their pastas Rule!

We left the still sleeping beach town with blue skies, the sun burning off the last remaining cloud.  Though the humidity was high the southwest breeze made the 71° feel quite cool.  We warmed up quickly, as we headed inland to climb the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway and then a short ride on the busy Route 17.

As soon as we turned off the highway, we entered North Carolina and onto a freshly paved road with a shoulder and signage to watch out for bicyclists; a far cry better than Georgia and South Carolina.

We had the option to take the beach road, but we were enjoying this nice road and wanted to see something different.  The road was surrounded by golf courses and “plantations” all set far off the road so all we could see were their grand entrances.

 We rode through the flower adorned Shallottepast the Sunnyside School built in 1915 and then back on colorfulcountry roads.  We enjoyed the step back in time, but not so much the gently rolling roads of the countryside.

At 37 miles we took a much needed rest/refreshment break, the 95% humidity was sucking it out of us.  By the time we rejoined the duckies, the SSW breeze had picked up to 15 mph.  Our route this morning had taken us in every direction but north, we hoped the wind would not bother us on our last south east leg.  This straight road was fairly busy, but no trucks, so we could enjoy the scenery.The sun, trying to burn through the fully clouded skies of an hour ago, was hot.  Thankfully, the wind was just to our side, so it helped us slice through the humidity and down the road.  Evidence of the past days rain squalls had been everywhere, flooding still evident in this field.  A quick ice cream stop and we were at our hotel by 1:30.

It was pouring rain by the time we went to dinner, but be it the luck of the Irish, we found a place to eat but steps away from our hotel.  Pictures do no justice to the Irish Mac N’ Cheese and Shepard’s Pie, but they were both quite tasty.  A bit of a nightcap to top the 55 mile day and then off to bed.

We had a short ride through the darling quaint town of Southport.  Old homes had been colorfully converted to businesses and stately homes sat on a ridge overlooking the Cape Fear River.  Waiting for the ferry, we realized just how much the wind was blowing, southwest at 15 mph.  It felt like a fall day/football kinda weather; best of all that wind would be over our shoulder.

During the twenty minute ferry crossing (in operation since 1965), we passed the Archer Daniels Midland Terminal (details below)and enjoyed the view of Oak Island Lighthouse (more facts below).  Arriving at Fort Fisher, we immediately felt the tailwind, as we rode past this Civil War Battlefield and Landmark, caught a glimpse of the Atlantic and then through a couple beach towns.  Kure Beach was bright with color and what looked like mostly new homes.  This beach folded into the older resort of Carolina Beach, where rental homes, motels and condos were plenty.  With no continuous road on the islands, we once again were forced inland to cross the inland waterway and navigate the sound, rivers, inlets and other bodies of water that make this area so desirable for the water lover.  The country roads were busy with people getting a jump on the holiday weekend, but speed limits were low, so everyone got along.  We bicycled through a smorgasbord of homes and neighborhoods;enjoying the small homes with big porches, as much as, the bright and shinny neighborhoods.

Our 36 miles of sightseeing ended when we hit Highway 17, hopefully for the last time this trip.  But we had a nice shoulder and now a direct tailwind, so we flew down the road.  Riding in cool temperatures with a 20 mph tailwind is about the best way to travel this road; it was a gorgeous day.

A few more miles down the road, we stopped for our daily iced tea and lunch/snack.  We took a longer break than normal, as the wind had progressed our mileage ahead of our scheduled arrival.  When our shoulder ended, we gained a wide sidewalk/path along the highway,  we continued to hum down the road.

At mile 52, we turned off the highway and our rapid progress came to a halt, as the strong wind we had enjoyed all day, wiped around to our side and occasionally front to challenge our upward and forward mobility.  The last five miles took us almost thirty minutes to ride, fighting the wind the whole way….but we were due.  It was a small price to pay for the enjoyable tailwind for most of the ride.  Less than a mile to go and our path abruptly ended.  We walked our bikes to the road and then threaded our way through the traffic still unmoving from the recent bridge lift.

Shortly after checking in, thunder rumbled and the skies opened, it poured; by dinnertime, there was not a cloud in the sky.

A short stroll down the beach road brought us to dinner, with a beautiful view of the ocean and a bowl of Jambalaya and Lobster and Shrimp Marinara that could not be finished.  A shot or two more as the sun kissed the waves, goodnight, as we will do too, after 57 miles.

So close to home and chomping at the bit,this does not help!

We left today, about the time we are usually stopping for lunch.  With only 14 miles to bike, we were trying desperately to forestall and slow down the ride.  A morning walk to the beach was shocking!  The sand dune had been washed to the crest; beach-goers had just enough room to spread a towel.

The late morning was still cool and the traffic was negligible, but you can only take but so many pictures of homes,interesting churchesand sand dune walk-overs where sand dunes no longer existed; it all seemed very sad.

It was 11:00 in the morning and no one was around; locals obviously lived here, but it seemed very desolate to us.

At our snails pace (which is Really, really slow) it was dreadfully boring, we could not even break a sweat.

Of course, it was a beautiful day and there were a few interesting things to see.  The house, that was not, that had a great view of the sea and sound, the white elephant on the beach and an interesting bar.

Can’t complain about having to once again cross the Intercostal Waterway, since we’d barely biked ten miles.  But we were a bit surprised to find our hotel at the bottom of the bridge, as we came to a screeching halt; we had severely underestimated our already short 14 mile ride.

This is one of our sacrificial days necessary to slow our arrival to the Outer Banks.  There was only one hotel with vacancy to choose from and we were in the middle of nowhere, not in Sneads Ferry as expected.  We did have a beautiful view of a golf course, unfortunately we would have to bike to dinner.

Sad as it is to report, it was less than a ten mile ride to our destination, today.  But, with a ride to the grocery store and then another ride to dinner, we managed to squeeze out 16 miles……we hang our heads in shame.

It was a cool crisp 65° morning, when we pedaled past the golf course and through the outskirts of town.  It was not long before we were hiking a high bridge over the New River (fisherman already on the water) and dropping to the gates of Camp Lejeune, where my sister was born.

Though the gate looked foreboding, the young Marine checked our I.D.’s and waved us through.  This is a huge base (246 square miles) and it took us 15 miles to bike through.  Tall pines shaded the road, keeping our morning cool on the mostly deserted road.  With the exception of a few vintage tanks and a Vietnam War Gun Boat, there was little to see.

When our ride through the base ended, we were in the middle of the country; no shoulder, but little traffic.

Around 30 miles, our course on the country road turned to a country commercial highway.  Still no shoulder, but the speed limit was low, so the ride was not bad.  The road between Swansboro and Cedar Point is a slightly elevated and narrow land bridge over the White Oak River.  A couple miles later, we took a right turn on the very busy road and bridge that led to Emerald Isle.  We could have continued straight and avoided this tall bridge over the Bogue Sound, but we would have missed this beautiful area.

But, first stop was a bicycle store to repair a broken spoke. After almost 30,000 miles on the bike, Jerry’s wheel/rim was feeling the strain.  Considering the miles left before reaching home, Pops recommended a totally new rim.  It was going to take some time for him to get us going again, so we took a break next door and enjoyed a cold drink and delicious coffee cake.  Even with a store full of customers, this family owned business could not have been more helpful and attentive.

This island stretch is made up of Emerald Isle, Indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Atlantic Beach.  The first part of our ride was along a nice bike path that skirted the traffic coming in for the long weekend.  Once the cars dispersed, we were back on the road enjoying the very colorful homes and rentals with views of the Atlantic, Bogue Sound or both; built high for protection and sight-lines.

Long boardwalks led to the beach, protecting the sand dune, but shielding our view of the ocean; naturally, we had to take a look.  Once again the sea glowed with color.

But on this 20 mile stretch, there is very little in the way of restaurants.  After 51 miles, we finally found a place to eat;before even looking at the menu, they plopped down an over-sized basket of hushpuppies.We added the Flounder and Paper Skin Crabs; lunch was fabulous, albeit fried and too much.  There was still more to see and miles to pedal before our hotel, but our two long stops earlier had kept us in the heat of the day longer than normal.  There had been a nice breeze coming off the water all day, but a shaded break was necessarybefore heading over the Intercoastal one last time (today) and into Morehead City.  This is another stop and tomorrow another day off, due to the lack of rooms over the holiday.  And though our hotel does not have much around it, we did manage to find a delicious dinner and a beautiful sunset to end our 63 mile day.