Jacksonville 4/25

An easy 10 mile ride east to the Atlantic, with great tailwind.  Needless to say, there was no gourmet breakfast at the Nassau. We decided this was third hotel which would not be Paula/Jen approved.   But the best of those 3.  So had breakfast with Santa at a diner in Fernandina then explored 'historic" Amelia.  After all the sites in SC/GA,  it didn't quite compare.  But the bike trail through Amelia, Talbot and Fort George islands was sweet.  Called a (necessary)  audible and took ferry across St John river, then cruised south along A1A to a Marriott in Jacksonville Beach. Upgrade for us!  Both of us commented that the miles are going by easily and we missed the 70+ days of earlier in the trip.  Arrival in time for face-off of bruins-penguins game,  some beach time and bittersweet tears of joy and sorrow. 45 miles.  

Travel day featured beach morning,  no massage, Frankel taking the go kart championship and 20 miles of exceptionally unpleasant riding to bike shop to drop off bikes for shipping.  Then good smoothies and bad Uber experience to the airport. Not coming back to Jacksonville. 

Podunk, FL 4-24

Back on 17 for the last time.  GA has well marked, great surfaced roads and cruised down about 20 miles before first sanctioned cutoff in woodbine where there's a paved rail trail (unpaved further north).. Then followed the Google directions, rather than the greenway site, onto groover rd where after a couple miles,  the road turned to sand.  Not gravel, not dirt, but literally sand.  Who makes a road out of sand?  And why did Google send us there?  We were cursing Jason for 3 miles, as we mostly walked.  Then back onto 17 for bbq in Kingsland, city of royal treatment.  Surprisingly, they had no salad but good roadside bbq!  As we watched the bad weather get closer, we headed south towards FL, getting 5 miles from yulee when the skies opened.  We waited for the predicted break, and then got most of the way to our hotel, before being solidly soaked by the Nassau hotel ($80).  At least we beat the hail. Ducked across the street for some bowling, Sinclair smoking frankel, more bbq and then one more day of riding.  50 miles.

Bonus day on jekyll 4-23

After a work morning, cycled around the island including great ride (checkout video!) on the beach among ghost trees, and the sunken car transport ship.  Then the big event - the mini golf showdown.  It was neck and neck throughout,  taking turns going up by 1 or 2. Then Sinclair went up 2 on the 17th,  Frankel surging back on 18th to tie it.  Or so it seemed, till Jean re-read the score card declaring himself the winner.  Alternative news he claims, as he was actually up by 3.  Paula said he cheats so the truth remains unknown.  Then crashed the Westin pool for smoothies and a nap before heading off the island into the sunset and Brunswick comfort suites. 25 miles

jekyll island 4-22

No discernable effects from our stay at the i95 Inn, except someone turned off the heat - 46 degrees to start the day, and a long way away from savannah culturally. Headed south to Darien for breakfast, teach a class and a tour of fort king George, built in early 1700s, supposedly the 1st English fort in Georgia. There is lots of history here from early 1700s as the French, British and Spanish territories met around here.  Cycled down to Brunswick for lunch at the mellow yellow deli. With salad AND smoothies. Many towns here have both historical and poorer areas; in Brunswick they seemed to change within 1 street corner. Also rode by butler plantation where 436 slaves were taken from,, and sold in Savannah to pay off some debts in 1859, now known as the weeping time. Shamefully, the island is still known by his name.  Then over another big bridge to Jekyll island by 3pm for beach/pool time. Off the bike for 24 hours planned. 43 miles.

podunk, GA 4-21

While the donuts at the Thunderbird worked for me, Jean and I set off through the city for alternatives for him.  When we walked into Le Cafe Gourmet,  Jean's 1st words were "they have crepes'   then he said it again. Explored some the 22 parks laid out by Oglethorpe in America's 1st planned city.  Or so they told us - hard to believe everything you hear about Georgia.  Checked out the historic riverfront (very old looking walls, but underdeveloped imho), 2nd biggest port in USA, the oldest reform synagogue (1733) in USA- peculiar as reform Judaism didn't emerge until the early 1800s. See earlier comment about Georgia. Savannah is beautiful with all the trees, parks and architecture. Then powered by smoothies and a nap, started really heading south along 17 (actual bike lane on shoulder in parts) around 2 30.  Got milkshakes at the DQ bike-thru on hot afternoon. No rush to get to our $45 country inn i95 in podunk.  (Actually it's in Eulonia, and it was better than Econolidge).  59 miles, 60% of them after 5pm. And before sunset. 

Savannah, GA 4-20

Slow morning at the HoJo,  then cycled into Beaufort for second breakfast by the water, and national park service tour.   Loved ranger Kaley who taught us about reconstruction and the sociological experiment that Beaufort was in that process.  Saw 157 year old African American church, which was one of first in the nation and learned about Robert Small.  Toured around beautiful antebellum houses and live oaks. Very cool!  Then cycled rest of swamp moss trail (okay, not outstanding), then a great tailwind brought us to nirvana- banana pudding, with real bananas. That propelled us across alligator alley in Savannah NWR, then into Georgia (disappointingly no sign) and south through port into Savanna, avoiding the big bridge.  Met up with Mark and Jenn for nice dinner and walk around town.  1 flat, 3 gators, 6 raindrops and the seriously retro Thunderbird inn.  56 miles  

Gators & gunfire, Beaufort, SC 4-19

Left our luxury digs after mediocre muffin, back over the bridge by 7.30am.  A record for us for sure.  Found a nice rail trail heading west out of the city, cranking out about 15 miles before stopping for a real breakfast at Waffle House.  Can't go wrong with Waffle House, and we spent next hour of the ride running the financials and decided its a solid business. Also had thoughts about SC senator Lindsay Graham,  and being unable to imagine him caring at all about some of the small towns we rode through. Some great miles along old jacksonboro rd, that looked like a road to nowhere on the map..  And then it was- first solid dirt,, then a grassy forest road with lowcountry swamp on either side.   Then we heard the gunshots.  We were happy to get back on 17 after that!  Got a gas station fried chicken lunch - a definite food lowlight, then 20 miles on 17, although with a good shoulder and only occasional headwind.  We, I mean John,  tried to avoid it by chartering a boat but after 3 captains said 'you want to do what?', we rode.   Great stretch down 43 where we saw a gator jump into the swamp.  Cruised into bew-frt along Swamp trail, and staying at retro HoJo hotel, blue walls and all.  Walked to Gilligan's for seafood dinner, watching the jets fly over the swamp.  75 miles. 

Charleston 4-17/18

Woke up late and after Styrofoam (packaged, not tasting breakfast)  hit the Walmart for more tubes.  Continued the ecological disaster tour by the IP paper plant, then some beautiful riding along south island rd, by old plantations.  We could feel the ghosts.  Also curious that many houses in SC have no trespassing AND welcome signs.  Had to do more miles on 17, but decent shoulder and lighter traffic so it was fine..  Great southern lunch of fried chicken and sweet tea at buckshots, with a nap under a tree during heat of the day. Then back on 17/backroads, through Francis Marion natl forest, to outskirts of Charleston, where we upgraded to a Hilton after last night's econolodge.  Bbq for dinner, no shortage of good food so far.  Between the biking and food, there was much groaning at night.  Three consecutive long days...looking forward to a day off the bike, and not packing up in the morning.  And we've planned out the food to fill in the day. Perfect riding weather continues- 72 and mostly sunny.  70 miles, no ocean views today. 

On Sunday,  got up late and both caught up on work in the morning.  Biked over the 200' high Ravenel Bridge into the city.  First stop, which we'd been anticipating all trip since watching Netflix chef's table BBQ, was Rodney Scott's restaurant. After indulging,  John asked if we could see where the magic happens and we got a backstage tour.  Wow.  Then cycled around Hampton Park, the citadel (and napped) and then all around town.  Lots of beautiful homes and history here, and at Paula's suggestion we had the coconut cake at peninsula grill. Unique architecture here in that the 'front door' opens onto the street, while the house is positioned sideways with lots of porches/piazzas.  Back across the bridge, gonna make it an early night and get back on the road early to Beaufort.   20 miles. 

Georgetown, SC 4‐16

Decided to ride two 70 mile days, rather than three 50 mile ones,  and take a day off in Charleston.  So left sunset Beach, and road 5 miles into SC for breakfast deal at local-type place.  South Carolina seems much wealthier than NC- nicer, well kept houses, and developments strangely still named plantations.   Nice riding on back roads when we remembered to use greenway map, vs the Google map.  Some great stretches along the beach too.  Pushed on to Myrtle Beach, and took a go-kart break - Sinclair winning the first heat, Frankel roaring back in the 2nd despite being t-boned.  Fun times.  After oceanside lunch, during which we received photos of the snow in Boston, we found great trail through the woods in Huntington Beach state park. One more diversion around the highway but then 8 unpleasant miles on the shoulder of 17. Roads named weird around here - kings river,  Duke,  queen st. Turns out Lafayette came to georgetown to help the Americans defeat the British in 1777.  Town has many historic and beautiful homes,, and good carribean food.  And an active synagogue founded in 1904.  Who'd have known. 71 miles + 3 to dinner.  And 3 flats.

sunset Beach, NC 4/15

Headed south along river rd, through the industrial area (shipping, trains, oil tanks) then through a residential area under development on beautiful road with good bike lane. Wilmington and NC in general seem underpopulated, but preparing - quiet streets, lots of new (cheap!) housing developments in various states of construction and lots of undeveloped land.  Rode down to the end of the cape, along the beaches to fort fisher where we learned a little alternative history.  It seems this is where the 'Federals' tried to stop confederate shipments up the cape fear river to Wilmington.  The confederate army at fort fisher fought hard to keep their last unblocked port open, winning the 1st battle, but the federals came back and won the biggest land sea battle of the Civil War.  Once the last port of entry fell, the fate of the south in the war of northern aggression was sealed. Pulled up right for 10 45 ferry to Southport and good lunch in courtyard of Moore St Market. John finally got his salad.  Then a long (flat, straight) slog on busy route 211 before turning off on backroads to sunset Beach, NC and a $75 hotel room a block from the beach. Got long with a headwind, and first flat. but made it in time for John's 5pm call.  Did more vertical going back/forth to dinner (Boat Landing - great fish,  dragon shrimp) over intracoastal bridge than the whole day.. Only saw 1 confederate flag.  70 miles.

Wilmington, NC 4-13/14

After mediocre breakfast at hotel, stopped at Royal Farms for the best and freshest coffee in the world.  Drove through poorer area along Cape Charles/ Route 13 in VA and by Perdue, Tyson chicken plants you see on 60 minutes/John Oliver exposee (and trailer parks where employees live).   Crossed the 17 mile long chespeake bay bridge tunnel, then  took a driving break for hour long ride along poorly-named-for-marketing Dismal Swamp Canal trail. Supposedly it was surveyed by George Washington,  but we won't let the truth get in the way of a good story.  After 1st buffet lunch (captain bobs) since marks bday lunch at tin-tin buffet in feb 2020, drove rest of the way to Wilmington where we're staying for 2 nights.  Mark even splurged for the river view room, with nice boardwalk along the water. Tapas style dinner at rumcow. 17 flat, straight miles on perfect surface.  Then mark jogged 7.5 miles. Of course. 

Next day, did NOT have to pack as John Sinclair arrived, and stage 2 of the trip began.   Set off to explore city.  After great-runs-certified historic tour of downtown, including oldest synagogue in NC with a sign that said 'built by the Jews', headed around greenfield lake, with a deja vu moment looking for someone's lost kid (safely reunited).  Then followed nicely marked 'cross city' cycling path to UNC Wilmington for lunch on campus.  Continued on trail to very nice Wrightsville Beach, then took the poorly marked 'River to the sea' trail back to hotel. Things that keep your average speed down in Wilmington - historic brick streets,  and the world's longest traffic lights.  Ended day with farewell (for now) dinner for Mark.  35 miles, 70s and sunny - perfect cycling weather. 

Assateague and Chincoteague islands 4-12

After a hearty breakfast at Sammy's, drove south towards Assateague island/National Park.  Our first town south of the Mason Dixon line was Ocean city, MD featuring miles of honky-tonk: sunsations (t shirts), candy kitchens, concrete motels (nothing high end),  and dinosaur themed mini golf.  A north wind kept it cool as we biked onto Assateague (avoiding $25 park entry fee).  The park features wild horses, romantically portrayed galloping in herds on the beach.  We saw a few mangy ponies eating grass by the side of the road, 27 people taking photos of them. Back in the 1950s, they were going to develop 9000 houses here off Baltimore Blvd, but a hurricane in 1962 destroyed the 15 mile road and a national park was born. Skipped real lunch (ice cream sandwiches and candy bars) and drove to southern end of island, where we're staying in Chincoteague, explored further and made fun of all the people birdwatching.   Seafood dinner at ropewalk restaurant. 31 flat, windy miles - half into it, and half with it at our backs.

Rehoboth Beach 4-11

Woke up to rain and bagged breakfast (skipped the Waffle House across the street) so a slow start out of our hotel, on our way to Delaware Beaches area.  Definitely spring here, with trees flowering and green grass.  Got to Cape Henlopen late morning, with the rain gone, fog lifting and biked around the state park, which got built after WWII era Fort Miles .  Nice trail along gordon pond, through salt marshes/pine forests.  Went to Lewes (est 1638) to look at the flowers, and good Italian sandwiches from Big Ray. Then onto Rehoboth and the brighton suites hotel.  After some reading/nap on the beach, cycled down route 1 on the straightest, flatest road I've ever been on into Delaware seashore state park as far as Indian river / Burton island. Cool estuary and think we heard the Cicadas as they emerge, on the way back.  Dinner on the boardwalk. 32 flat miles.