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DAY 17

We're taking the beach today!

ROUTE: Whiteville NC to North Myrtle Beach SC	DISTANCE: 55 Miles	WINDS: NE 15, quartering tail
WEATHER: Partly cloudy and humid	TERRAIN: Flatter than flat can be	TOTAL CLIMBING: Hardly any

DAY'S OVERVIEW: Short day today so we scheduled load at 9:00 to allow for a leisurely breakfast and maybe even a nap afterwards...like that would turn into a reality. As I was returning from my late 8:00 breakfast, there were already people riding around the luggage truck in the parking lot like sharks circling it's next meal. Everyone survived the delay and when we opened the luggage truck at the appointed time, it took about 10 minutes to empty the area of cyclists...poof, they were gone.

Today's route took us into the countryside in about 0.8 miles and most of the day we were riding sans automobiles along quiet soybean, cotton, corn, and peanut fields. We're starting to see signs of harvest as the field corn is brown and ready to pick and the cotton defoliation process is just getting started.

I was on the bike today and tried to ride through most of the riders who where riding a much more leisurely pace so I could get individual photos of them riding. Since I was only planning on riding to lunch at 29 miles, I also wanted to get a little intensity in my workout...catching most of the riders, getting off and taking photos and then getting back on to catch the next group gave me as much as I wanted.

For several days now we've been seeing subtle changes in the landscape, scenery, and way of life. Besides the fact we have long passed the strenuous terrain, I tell the riders every trip about the things they'll see when they get into the south. Aside from the obvious rusty cars in some yards and graffiti on the overpasses, water towers and dumpsters, I tell everyone to look out for fire ants...nasty little critters that will swarm a bike or a helmet if you lay it down in an active ant hill. The bite of a fire ant is toxic and will sting for quite some time...and if one gets enough bites, if allergic, it could be fatal. Another item we see down here is kudzu...a voracious plant that covers everything and anything in its quest to overtake the south. Some of the formations that we sometimes describe as Kudzu art are really spectacular. I'm sure if they ever eradicated the viney plant, they'd solve 90% of the missing files to include Jimmy Hoffa and maybe even Amelia Earhart. In addition, Karen was amused that most of the traffic signs or state signs down here have bullet holes in them (right). I told her that deer hunters use these signs to sight in their rifle scopes...it's a sport down here. They have to shoot at something and signs are better than cyclists.

In spite of the late departure the motel, arrived before 3:00. The staff spent the afternoon escorting thos, everyone, except for those who stopped for a final ice cream beforee leaving to bike shops to arrange for bike shipment, shopping for our departure, and working maintenance issues. We were pretty much through with our chores by 6:00 so there was time for a walk along the beach before sunset. Since it's the day after the Labor Day weekend, North Myrtle Beach was a virtual ghost town, but there were a few beach goers besides ABB riders. We were lucky to stroll before the high tide washed away some interesting sand castles on the beach...some even with water filled moats and wall designs that would make any engineer take notice.

Tomorrow we take a day to rest and see the sights. Most touristy things to do are in Myrtle Beach so riders are pooling cabs to ascend on that area. As for me, I'm going to just lounge on my back porch and watch the surf come in. Also going to watch very closely the storm that's sitting on the coast of Florida. Hopefully, it will go out to see before we get too much farther south, but I'm sure we'll get some affect from it in the form of rain at the least. It's supposed to rain on us for the next couple of days...scattered so maybe we'll be OK...we'll take it a day at a time with the realization of what can happen with one of these storms well focused in our minds. For now, we rest. See you on Thursday when we start the last leg of our journey.

HEARD ON THE ROAD: "Did you see that herd of Chihuahuas that chased us?"

"Did y'all lose your cars?" From a service station attendant along the road.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY
Barn yard chatter.	Fido just waiting for another slow rider.
Our Johns at the "Johns."	There were some great sand castles on the beach tonight. This one came complete with moat...and the tide was filling it.
In the low light conditions, Bob mistook this lounging sand maiden for Lee. Imagine his shock when we pointed out his mistake.	Barb and Lee enjoy the sunset at the beach.

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