A gorgeous, low humidity morning to ride,until we joined buses, boats, commuters, campers and log trucks on Route 17.  The contrast in traffic from yesterday to today was startling and noisy; the cool morning made it more tolerable, though.  This part of our route had an ample shoulder, but they had rumble-stripped the entire shoulder, so we were once again, forced to ride the white line.

We crossed a couple moderate bridges and the turnoff for Jekyll Island before having to tackle the ridiculously high (480 foot) Sidney Lanier Bridge.The suspension lines were dizzying and the view below was like looking from an airplane.

It was ten miles before we turned off the busy highway and another two before we were in Historic Brunswick.  We had planned on stopping at a cafe for coffee or something, but found only a little park for a quick rest.

The town boasts an impressive City Hall and  Giant Live Oak trees forming a pretty tunnel through the downtown streets.  We especially liked Brunswick Water Treatment Plant’sclever way to spruce up their buildings.

A half an hour later, we rejoined the busy highway with less than a twelve inch shoulder.  Traffic was still heavy, but the drivers were polite.  When the traffic turned off to the interstate, we once again had a quiet road.

On our way into Darien, we crossed the Allamaha and Butler Rivers.  Shrimp trollers waited on the river and the Butler Island Plantation, a former rice plantation, was now being overtaken by the surrounding marshlands.  The planation has a very interesting and sordid slave history.

Though the town was tiny, we found a great place for a “small bite to eat”.Before we pulled away from the town, we were admiring this massive Live Oak, when a log truck pulled up, quite the juxtaposition.

 Our long lunch break and very full stomachs slowed our progress on the last stretch to our motel.  The long morning shadows had disappeared from the road, so the last hour was hot.

Our stop tonight is in the middle of nowhere, but we were happy to have a room and restaurants close by.

Thar jus’ ain’t nothin’ like gooood suddern cookn’……tough to type a southern drawl, but that was dinner.  A good down-home cooking restaurant.  Lightly fried fresh shrimp and fried pork chops (yes, fried – the only way to cook southern……apparently), mashed potatoes with gravy and lima beans.

This will definitely be a record weight gain trip!