Did you hear the one about......... ?

......the guy on the bike trip that got hit by a car while walking?  Luckily it was only a glancing hit but still resulted in a broken arm.  As a result, I had to end the trip in Charleston.  Given all the possibilities and the unbelievable help of my hosts in Charleston, this is just a blip, not something worse.  I look forward to riding again soon and will return to finish the trip sometime in the future but not this year.  Thanks to all those who followed my trip.  I would urge all those so inclined to please make a contribution to the New Paltz Educational Foundation as a gesture of support for my efforts and in support of our wonderful school district.  Keep on the lookout for more trips in the future.  As my wonderful wife said, the house was so clean while I was away!  Cycling and giving, two things good for the soul.  Thanks again for all your support.

David

Day 13: To Charleston

The lack of roads in many places in the south means riding on major roads to get many places.  They are noisy, often unshaded and straight for miles which can lead to a certain brain-deadness after awhile.  Due to the high speeds, I also spend a fair amount of time checking my mirror for oncoming cars.  In all but one or two cases, drivers move away from me.  Given all that, there is always not time to sight see as I would like.  Nevertheless  I did manage to have a good sign day.  See below!

Now we know where they are!

Doesn't get more retro than this.

It's sooner than I thought.

Sounds like a full service motel.

Which way to go?

67 miles for the day.

Day 12: Savannah to Beaufort, S.C.

I cycled into Savannah this morning to get a look at the old city.  It was laid out by James Oglethorpe and is a masterpiece of city planning.  Every few blocks there is a park.  The buildings are reeking with history.  Most are occupied.  There is also an old cobblestone street along the banks of the Savannah River which is  a mixture of history and tourist kitche.  Nevertheless, it is easy to look beyond the commercialism and see the old city for what is once was.  I was lucky to encounter another recumbent rider.  He was a history buff, lived nearby and was pleased to escort me around, giving me some of the stories he knew about the city.  We did some riding and walking about.  What a nice happening.

I left the city and wended my way through the nicest part of the day, a two-lane country road with little traffic that traversed the Savannah Wildlife Refuge.  It was a haven composed of miles and miles of lowcountry marshland, teeming with animals.  I saw many herons and two alligators--see pix below. 

The rest of the ride was better forgotten, on a four lane hi-speed highway, safe but unattractive.  I arrived in Beaufort to find that my planned night's campground was no more.  Alas!  But motels here are $40-45.  It makes recharging all the electronics a breeze!  After showering, I rode the mile or so into Beaufort.  The second oldest city in SC, it also boasts a historic section as well as being home to a University of SC   campus. 

This and the next few from Savannah.  Notice all the trees.  Providing needed shade in the summer's heat.

Waterfront walk.  Oriented for the tourist.

The bridge leading to the Refuge.

Shrimper.

My first SC alligator.

This is a picture of the Broad River going into Beaufort.  I did manage to get a dip in it.  It is saltwater as it is near the ocean. It is 1 1/2 miles across the river.  The walkway over the Hudson is 1 1/4 miles; the river is less.  You can't even see both sides of the river in this picture.

Beaufort.  One of the buildings of the college.

This is a National Cemetary in Beaufort, similar to Arlington, and just as impactful.

Tomorrow I go to Charleston where I am to be hosted by a member of the WarmShowers organization for two nights.  It is like Savannah but larger.  I can't wait and hope to go to Fort Sumter.  SC, the home of secession.

The day started with yet another tire issue. This one seemed to resolve itself but I vowed to get some extra tubes. I also had to buy a new sleeping mattress. Both are only available in Savannah so I made a beeline for it.  It turned into an eighty mile day.  I was able to obtain the needed items.  Happy day!

A view of one of the myriad rivers that trace through the marshes.  These areas were the rice farms.

The church is 10 by 15 feet.  It seats 12 people.  It is still in active use.

And now for today's signs.

And the winner is....................

Day 10. Welcome to Georgia.

Before I could get to Georgia, I rode on what was the orst road of the ride so far.  It was a four lane affair with big stores and fast traffic.  What made it so bad was that the shoulder was ribbed, making it impossible to ride on safely.  Of course, it was not possible to ride safey on the road either.  This is the designated bike route in the area.  A letter to the Florida Department of Transportation will follow.  A saw one bicyclist involved in an accident while I was this stretch--he wasn't hurt but it's only a matter of time.

I had gotten an early start so when I turned north, I was able to ride in the shade of the trees for hours.  That was good because when I lost the shade, the temperature was around 88 and the sun intense. 

Georgia is much more forested that Florida.  It is also the land of the coastal islands.  Again the Rockefellers and their ilk bought them for their own use.  As a result, much of the land is preserved and wild in public hands.

I gained the most elevation in one shot today as I climbed a beautiful modernistic bridge just before coming into Brunswick, my home for the night.

Homes sitting on and in the river

The bridge.

From the bridge out across the marshes to the islands and the ocean.

Sign of the day!

Does this mean she was good at baking bread?

Day 9. Last day in Florida.

This was a day to throw away the map.  Route A1A all the way for 66 miles.  The wind was at my back for a good part of the dat which made riding easy.  I passed what has become the usual suspects of gorgeous houses on the Florida coast as well as many that are for sale.  A long day, I wound up camping at a state park.  It turned out that my campground was almost three miles on from the gate.  If I wanted to swim in the ocean, I had to go to another site so it was a day filled with logistics.  Since I am not cooking my own food, I had to go 5 miles each way for dinner.  It's not over until it's over.

Beauty and the beach!

Too many floors!

Scene  of the crime.

Yet the most interesting experience occurred on the ferry over the St. John's River.  I am the only bike about 10 cars.  The attendent tells me that I have to have my pack inspected.  It turns out that this is a Homeland Security regulation.  Okay, I think.  I get that.  But none of the cars are inspected.  So they are looking to see that there are no bombs on my bike but the cars go unchecked.  The employee was just doing his job and when I pointed out this contradiction, his body langauge acknowlegded it for the conundrum it was.  I suspect this is the way things are in security.  Could they inspect every car at every point?  No.  It would appeaer that we are not as "safe" as we would like to think.  Welcome to the real
world!

66 miles

Day Off

After seven days of riding, it's time for a day off and where better to do that than St. Augustine, the oldest settlement in America.  The Spanish were here 50 years before the Virginia settlement.  The town itself is small, about 10,000 so it is easy to walk around.  It has the requisite pedestrian mall with the usual stores plus some real high end stuff.  The old city has small streets with many of the original buildings still existent or reconstructed.  It's easy to get a feeling of what it was like 500 years ago.  The center of the old city is the fort.  It was built out of a local resource made of shells that was used after the original wooden fort had been set afire.  Both the French and the English attacked the Spanish to try and obtain Florida.  The "coquina" that they used for the walls repelled the cannonballs and made the force impregnable.  The fort had the usual musket displays and good talks by the guides.

The modern city is centered on Flagler College.  This is on the site of the Flagler Hotel.  Henry Flagler was a partner of John D. Rockefeller.  With his fortune, he built a phenomenal hotel which he used to create the "Newport of the South."  Only the best people stayed there.  It is now the home of the college that bears his name.  I don't know what it is known for but I did met a mother whose son came to the college so that he could surf! 

 
I found a good used book store to replenish my supply.  Sorry, no Kindle! 

Pictures from the town square