The Promised Land

Today's mileage: 51
Cumulative elevation gain: Negligible
Weather: sunny, rainy, 70-ish
Attitude: SO happy to be done with South Carolina

Welcome to North Carolina, the promised land, where roads have shoulders and are relatively smooth, and (so far anyway) logging trucks are few.

I don't have a picture of the "welcome to North Carolina" sign as, after riding through 34 miles of sunshine, at the state line the sky chose to open for a brief drenching. But there were (OK, only 6-12 inches and then spotty, but still....) SHOULDERS ON THE ROADS! And bike route signs! And no logging trucks!

Much of today was through a sort of rural suburbia, convenience stores every few miles, in-progress housing developments. I am so tired of nothing but woods and swamps that this was a very welcome change. A couple of turns on the cue sheet were confusing as the roads have been improved/changed/re-rerouted, but we all found our way. On smooth roads, some with shoulders, and no logging trucks.

Today I rode with Lesley from Australia, who, like me, is generally not in a hurry. We stopped at Rivertown Roasters on the way out of Conway this morning and left town at the decadently late hour of 9am, well after everyone else had absconded. It was very nice to have such a relaxing start to the day. And very relaxing indeed to have shoulders on some of the roads, and no logging trucks.

About ten miles from the end of today's ride I came upon a critical mass of bikes stopped at a restaurant and so made my first real lunch stop of this whole trip. So far it's been PB&J's by the side of the road for me, which is usually my preference, but this was a nice change. And no logging trucks, and some roads with shoulders.

New acronym: EFI. Used to describe those among us (of whom I am most decidedly NOT one) who insist on riding Every Fucking Inch of the route.

Tonight we are in Shallotte, North Carolina at a very nice Comfort Inn, and I have just finished my requisite state line marguerita. Or two.

Did I mention that some of the roads here have actual ride-able shoulders, without the friggin' rumble strips? And without the logging trucks?