In the home stretch

Everyone seemed to enjoy the rest day in Savannah on Tuesday.  We were joined by several others on a bus tour of the historical district.  There are so many points of interest, it began to run together for me though.  After lunch, several of us took a river boat cruise of the Savannah port.  I did not know the nature of this cruise and was pleasantly surprised.  Savannah is the second-largest shipping port in the US behind my hometown of Long Beach-Los Angeles ports.  I learned more about shipping in one hour yesterday than in my growing up years in Long Beach.  Everything is about container shipping now and I cannot stand to take the Long Beach freeway for all the container trucks leaving the LB port.  It was not like that when I was younger.

We had a nice dinner at Belford's last night.  Several of the riders were there.  Robin and I were joined by Tracy, the Darlington's and the Walker's.  What a fun evening!

We are in the home stretch of the last four riding days.  Today was the longest day at 83 miles.  The remaining days are between 53 and 61 miles and this veteran group will knock off those days with ease.

After several days of tailwinds, we were faced by a slight headwind today.  It should be more of the same tomorrow.  The riders were greeted by a stopped train leaving town this morning.  After a 20 minute wait, they were underway only to be faced with a long string of vehicles wanting to pass them.  All went well thankfully.

A tough stretch

The past five days were difficult days.  Nonetheless, the cyclists handled it quite well.  During the first four days, they were just a few miles shy of 400 miles, averaging nearly a century per day.  The weather outlook was dim for yesterday, but everyone made it in before the rain started.  No such luck today on our way into Savannah.  Although a short day at 46 miles, the rain was present for most of the day.  The last stretch made up for the part where it was a light drizzle.  It POURED!  I was in the truck today so was not on the road and was quite glad for it.  As we drove over the Talmadge Bridge into Savannah, some of the cables were whipping violently in the strong wind.  If there was a good thing about the day, it was a strong tailwind that got them out of the rain sooner.

I pedaled 41 miles on Sunday with the big boys, averaging 20 mph for the distance.  Six of us rotated to the head of the paceline every mile, making it easier to cycle with some rest. 

The forecast called for rain through Friday a few days ago, but it appears that we will be able to ride without rain for our last four days.  The riders are scattering to the corners of the downtown Savannah area today and will be certain to do so on the rest day on Tuesday.  Robin and I had a nice lunch along the waterfront today.  The beer tasted great!

Cheers.

Jacksonville, NC

We took a nearly 2.5 hour ferry ride to get our day started.  The forecast was for a very nice tail wind today and the weather did not disappointment.  After one hour on very rural roads, I was averaging over 21 mph.  Once the busy traffic started, I became cautious and slowed down.  There was no shoulder to the SAG at 42 miles and riding the white line at the edge of the road was a necessity in the heavy traffic.  Still one driver tooted her horn at me as she passed very close.  Was I supposed to ride through the fields?  Oh well, I just give a mental shrug of my shoulders in cases like that.  I suspect that they do not see many cyclists around that part of NC.  The riders did have a nice shoulder for most of the ride after the SAG.

Jacksonville is home to Camp LeJeune, a US marine facility.  We could see young marines training at the side of the road.  They were next to what appeared to be a berm where they could practice their weapons training.  I recall from three years a bit of culture shock when the restaurant and adjoining WalMart was filled with many young and shaved heads.  Several in this bike group could fit in with the shaved heads!

We now have just eight cycling days left.  The next two days will be difficult at 110 and 119 miles.  I suspect that 119 miles will be a career-high for many on the tour.  This follows today's 87 mile day.  I am glad that I accomplished these distances already and can ride as I choose on the tour.

Ocracoke

Ever since Hurricane Irene struck the Outer Banks, we wondered if we would be able to cycle the planned route down the Hatteras island chain.  The road was destroyed in four places and a bridge needed to be replaced.  The target date for completion of repairs was early October.  Tracy had a different route planned but was earnestly trying to use the planned route.  Alas, the repairs were finished for us and the cyclists were disappointed to not ride on the highlight of the trip.

So Plan B was enacted.  We had to complete 80 miles of cycling by noon in order to catch a ferry to Ocracoke Island.  The next ferry was at 4:30 and would not arrive at Ocracoke until nearly 7:30, well after dark.  CrossRoads figured that the strongest riders would be able to pedal the entire distance well before noon.  We allowed six other cyclists to leave the hotel with them and we would monitor them.  Two vans with six cyclists in each were bumped up the road so that they would be able to reach the ferry in plenty of time.  Ten were able to pedal the entire distance, with the last of the 25 riders reaching the ferry departure by 11:45, 45 minutes before it would leave.

One of the cyclists said that it was a day that proved CrossRoads well-deserved reputation by facing adversity but making it seamless for the cyclists.  As it turned out, the largest obstacle was the mosquitoes.  As I dropped the cyclists from the van, the number of mosquitoes could have carried the van away.  I dropped six cyclists off and had perhaps over 150 insects in the car.  I had to drive with the windows open to flush them out and close them before I stopped the van.  The mosquitoes also provided an incentive for the riders to keep moving with a minimum of stopping.

The rest day on Ocracoke was fabulous.  Most of the cyclists rode to the other end of the island to experience cycling the Outer Banks.  Some took a ferry back to Hatteras and rode some of the Highway 12 that was open.  The sunsets were spectacular.  We should see a sunrise over the water when we leave on Thursday morning.

Bikes on the ferry.

Sunset view from our hotel.  It was couples night as the Dunn's, Darlingtons, and Taylors enjoyed wine, fruit, and cheese.

Another rider joined us.  The picture shows us his dinner choice.  Should I say that it was a "meal of Champ(ions)"?

The lighthouse on Ocracoke.  It has operated since 1823, the second-oldest operating lighthouse in the U.S.

Troopers

When I did this trip 3 years ago, the weather was great.  Sunny skies, favorable aiding winds, and warm temperatures.  Every day but one.  The Eastern Seaboard tour this year is a different animal.  Hank said this morning that it has rained every day but one.  We had only day of rain in 2008.  Despite the challenge of difficult conditions, they soldier on with few complaints.  I told Jack that he would remember this ride the rest of his life.  Jack is from Israel where rainfall is scarce.  He said he had cycled in the rain only twice in his life prior to this trip.

Our SAG stop was at this church today.  Fewer than ten cars were in their parking lot.  The riders spent only a few minutes here so they get warm again by cycling.

The riders are enjoying another meal at Ruby Tuesday.  This restaurant has provided the quickest service the past two nights.  Serving 25 to 30 people so we are in and out in one hour is an accomplishment.

Pocomoke City, Maryland

The cyclists pedaled 63 miles today from Dewey Beach, Delaware to Pocomoke.  We had a rest day yesterday and were blessed by the best weather of the trip.  Sunny skies and warm temperatures scattered the cyclists to all corners of Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach.  Scott even rented a boat to cruise the bay.  The skies opened up at 8 last night so hopefully all were in by then to avoid a certain drenching.

Rehoboth is a long strip of retail shops.  I attribute it to the absence of a sales tax in Delaware.  Shoppers from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey take advantage of it.  We went through Ocean City today, another long strip of retail and hotels.  I want to know the number of traffic lights on Highway 1 through Ocean City.  They are every block, perhaps two blocks at times.

The last several miles of today's ride were through forests.  The tree canopy spread over the road.  The thickness of the tree cover interfered with the GPS signal as my bike computer showed I was traveling at 8 mph one moment and a more believable 19 the next.  In any case, it was a beautiful setting.

Pocomoke is a Native American word meaning "dark-colored water."  I just love saying Pocomoke.

Al, Jan, Sam, Jack, Michel, Jim, and Stuart on the ferry crossing from NJ to DE.

A rain squall that would drench riders on the next ferry after they de-boarded.