{"id":21674,"date":"2017-05-23T19:24:52","date_gmt":"2017-05-23T23:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=21674"},"modified":"2017-05-24T20:20:23","modified_gmt":"2017-05-25T00:20:23","slug":"day-34-wednesday-may-24-north-myrtle-beach-south-carolina-to-southport-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=21674","title":{"rendered":"Day 34. Wednesday, May 24. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Southport, North Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"

We left the still sleeping beach town with blue skies,\"\"<\/a> the sun burning off the last remaining cloud. \u00a0Though the humidity was high the southwest breeze made the 71\u00b0 feel quite cool. \u00a0We warmed up quickly, as we headed inland to climb the \"\"<\/a>Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway and\u00a0then a short ride on the busy Route 17.<\/p>\n

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

We had the option to take the beach road, but we were enjoying this nice road and wanted to see something different. \u00a0The road \"\"<\/a>was surrounded by golf courses and “plantations”\"\"<\/a> all set far off the road so all we could see were their grand entrances. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0We rode through the flower adorned Shallotte\"\"<\/a>past the Sunnyside School\"\"<\/a> built in 1915 and then back on colorful\"\"<\/a>country roads. \"\"<\/a>\u00a0We enjoyed the step back in time,\"\"<\/a> but not so much the gently rolling roads of the countryside.<\/p>\n

At 37 miles we took a\u00a0much needed rest\/refreshment break, the 95% humidity was sucking it out of us. \u00a0By the time we rejoined the duckies, the\u00a0SSW breeze had picked up to 15 mph. \u00a0Our route this morning had taken us in every direction but north<\/em>, we hoped the wind would not bother us on our last\u00a0south east leg. \u00a0This straight road \"\"<\/a>was fairly busy, but no trucks, so we could enjoy the scenery.\"\"<\/a>The sun, trying to burn through the fully clouded skies of an hour ago, was hot. \u00a0Thankfully, the wind was just to our side, so it helped us slice through the humidity and down the road. \u00a0Evidence of the past days rain squalls had been everywhere, \"\"<\/a>flooding still evident in this field. \u00a0A quick ice cream stop and we were at our hotel by 1:30.<\/p>\n

It was pouring rain by the time we went to dinner, but be it the luck of the Irish<\/em>, we found a place to eat but steps away from our hotel. \u00a0Pictures do no justice to the Irish Mac N’ Cheese and Shepard’s Pie,\"\"<\/a> but they were both quite tasty. \u00a0A bit of a nightcap\"\"<\/a> to top the 55 mile day and then off to bed.<\/p>\n\n\t\t