Aug. 19
Charleston, S.C.
Bryan:
All I can say is it was nice to have a day off, even though we spent most of the day chasing down a room for tonight. For those who do not know we have been getting hotels donated along the way. Thanks to some really nice people we have a place to lay our heads and hopefully get some good sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a 60 miles day. US 17 here we come.
Kathleen:
We had such a nice stay at the Rutledge Inn, I highly recommend this place if you want a unique experience. This morning we had breakfast brought to us in the courtyard by Sal, egg souffle’, croissant with fresh fruit, coffee and juice. We intended to have the paper interview and photograph us before we left, but they never returned our calls. This was to become the trend for the day. We were sent to the visitors center to speak with someone about a room for our second night and ended up spending half of the day walking around and trying to find welcoming people in the welcome center. After some phone calls, we found a Sleep Inn that graciously helped us. After that stressful bit, we had time to enjoy the beach and found an amazing Indian restaurant for dinner. Now we have to pack this mess we’ve made of our room.
Hector:
After getting settled in at the Sleep Inn, we went over to the beach to relax. I sat on the sand trying to avoid the direct impact of the sun. We had delicious Indian food for dinner at a restaurant called A Taste of India. Good Night.
Aug. 20
Georgetown, SC
Bryan:
57.8 Miles in the hot sun, I fought the law but the law won. Our ride on US 17 was full of shade for half the day, but the other half was my demise. Man is it hot out today was all I can remember saying for the last 20 miles. Georgetown SC is a swell town. The historic downtown is what I believe all towns or cities should have modeled themselves after. Instead of the big building Wal-Mart, McDonald’s look that you see all over our country. We also meet with the local paper and I believe our story will be in tomorrows edition. We rode around the DT and ate ice cream and had a relaxing evening.
Kathleen:
I don’t want to put any pressure on my rear end whatsoever. Today was a bit of a rough ride, the roads had little or no shoulders and were so busy that I could feel the exhaust lining my lungs. There were more long straight-aways that gave me the opportunity to see how far forever is. We passed through the Francis Marian National Forest for about 20 miles, which offered much time to discover all kinds of pressure points on my tush. At 44 miles in, we crossed a bridge that tore up Hectors derailleur , causing the chain to get hung up. We all dismounted and immediately got introduced to every mosquito in South Carolina. After fixing the bike, we couldn’t wait to start moving and endure the heat compared to that attack. I also noticed my quads were developing a heat rash, among grease, sweat, blood and dead bugs. When we got 1.02 miles from our hotel, Hectors bike did it again. We are getting good at fixing bikes! Back in the saddle, got our room and went to find grub. My dining experience took a nose dive from last night, from delicious Indian food to French fries and ice cream, but I loved it anyway. Georgetown has lots of history, tree lined streets with houses dating back to the 1700’s. They used to have a huge rice growing industry, called “Carolina Gold”, they would travel 14 miles from here to the sea to ship the rice.
Hector:
The rides are getting harder to recover from. This area of South Carolina is so humid. The humidity and my knee is making the breaks come more frequently. Unfortunately in these rural areas the gas stations don’t come as frequently. Ran out of patience and had to take a break at a church.
Aug. 21
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bryan:
Only 40.6 miles of pedaling today. We got off to a early start but a humid one. 93 percent humidity. How does a thing so simple like a percent effect you so much. Myrtle Beach SC WOW its like Gatlinburg, Tenn., on the ocean. Sweat in my eyes most of the day. We ate the best Mexican food on the trip so far. I had a taco, tostada and chicken quesadilla and also churrito with whipped cream. We are staying at the Serendipity bed & breakfast. What a spot of Heaven in such a hot humid place. Later in the evening we walked to an Exxon and I played the scratch off lottery and won ten dollars. Awesome. Now I’m heading to the hot tub and then to bed. Finding out that someone you grew up with maybe on their last breath is never something you what to hear but tonight I did. He is a good person and as a kid I looked up to him. I hope he will be OK but I hope he does not suffer.
Kathleen:
The road started out with no shoulder for miles, causing us to ride with traffic through construction. The new road was nice and smooth, but my tires got coated in tar which acted like glue and collected all of the loose gravel, with some escaping into my fenders making a ticking noise. When we got to South Myrtle Beach, Bryan spotted a trail in the woods running parallel to us so we got a nice break from the road noise and pedaled through the trees for a few miles. The trail ended back on US 17 where the streets are lined with tourist shops and tacky attractions like “See Elvis Live ”. We passed water parks, amusement parks, and rows of resorts. As the party started thinning out, we turned down a quiet street to Serendipity B&B, and had a warm welcome by the owner who let us check in early. I went for a refreshing swim in the pool, ate good food, took a nap and rode up to the beach for a wade in the surf.
Hector:
The first hour of the ride the humidity was so high that my vision was fractured, I could not focus on anything further than 5 ft. The second I left the motel the sweat started pouring out of every pore. We persevered by taking more breaks. Riding on the bicycle trail was beautiful and surreal. It almost made me feel like we had entered another dimension. One that was more isolated, shady, and breezy. It was nice getting away from the constricting roadways full of horn blowing maniacs. We made it here safely and I wondered to the Liberty Taproom to unwind while Bryan and Kathleen napped. We went and had delicious Mexican food and listen to mariachis play Rockytop.
Aug. 22
Southport, N.C.
Bryan:
33 turned in 58.7 miles. We thought we had a short day but due to the lack of Hotels in the small town of Shallotte NC we kept on trucking on to Southport NC. Man today’s weather was Hot, Hot with mostly Hot. The sun and heat fills your lungs at around 2pm with no relief until after 5pm. We have a room at the Riverside Motel and what nice little place in a cool town. We are right on the waters edge. We spent a couple of hours walking the town and ate at a place called Dry street Pub and Pizza. Great pie. Kathleen and I rode to a store to stock up on some water for tomorrows ride. I finally organized my gear. Packed up and ready to ride.
Kathleen:
The drivers in Myrtle Beach have some interesting ideas, such as driving in mini vans with the side door open while cruising the strip. They also seem to have little respect for cyclists, as we were bombarded by horns and cussing this morning. Luckily, things changed when we crossed into North Carolina, for one thing there was finally a decent shoulder to separate us from traffic. The terrain became more hilly, and the roads got more desolate. Passed corn and sunflower fields, got chased by a dog (he ended up being all bark and no bite), and battled the heat. Got to Southport around 4:30 and met Jeremy, the proprietor who gave us much appreciated ice water and the use of his washer and dryer. We walked along the Cape Fear River and the fishing pier as the sun set and the wind cooled us. There are sidewalks along the river with benches and porch swings facing the water and a few gazeboes for shade, a very well thought out area. I really like this little town. I wonder what tomorrow will bring…
Hector:
Last night I got a spider bite on my hand that made for an interesting ride. We got up later so that we could eat a good breakfast at Serendipity Inn. It was another hot and humid morning. The sweat began pouring instantly off of our skins. The bicycle ride is becoming metaphoric to my life. Whenever I feel like I am on the right track, life answers back with a unusual twist….I FELL AGAIN! It happened when I was trying to glance back to see if I was still part of the pack. So now I have a big road rash and bruises to add to my list of complications. I am lucky that it happened later in the ride. I was able to make it back to Southport, NC which turned out to be a beautiful town pressed up against the bay. It was a perfect retreat needed after a hard days ride.
still Aug.22
Wilmington, N.C.
Bryan:
I was told it would take two weeks to get over the hump. My legs are sore, I can hardly walk up a flight of stairs, but ride I will.
Now that that’s over, todays ride was really easy, only 24.9 miles to Wilmington. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we changed our route just a bit. We’ve needed to adjust to smaller than normal towns not having any or few hotels. We are having a great time at the Clarendon Inn, Mike and his wife are very welcoming, they took us in when 14 others turned us away. The town is a small college town with a nice waterfront, its nice to see boats running up and down the river. I wish we had more boats in Chattanooga. I really miss working on the water. To recap, I ate a burger at a sushi bar, walked along the boardwalk, (singing in my head “tender years”) and oh ya - my pinky is numb. I have’nt had feeling in it for two days. All in all, today is a good day.
We are getting very close to $5,000 raised, almost a quarter of the way to our goal. Without all of your support, we would have not been able to have done this trip. Thanks for giving three good friends a chance to hang out and do some good in their lives.
Kathleen:
Jeremy from the Riverview Inn in Southport had told us to swing by his house this morning and so we did at 8 a.m. and recieved freshly made, individually wrapped sausage egg biscuits. I just gave the suasage to Bryan and enjoyed my egg biscuit, before heading to Port City Java for coffee. I really like thier brew, I even rode my bike with my to-go cup in one hand so that we could make the ferry. All that rushing, and a few palpataions later we still missed the last boat and had to wait an hour. But I was O.K. with that, maybe I could enjoy the rest of my “joe”, and as soon as I parked my bike after successfully transporting said coffee in hand for 1.5 miles, it spilled everywhere. darn. I spent the rest of my time meeting some very nice local people and giving out our post cards like a salesperson. Once we boarded, people started feeding the seagulls bread, a local told me they feed the birds when it is too windy or stormy for them to fish at sea. I also had to meet the owners of the most beautiful car, a 1955 pale yellow and white Chevy Belair. Our ride on the other side was much more rewarding, we passed houses of colors that I didn’t know existed. Not one was the same. They were like the “painted ladies” of North Carolina. Then we headed a little inland and passed over some bridges, one of which we had to turn back around since we saw Wilmington on the same side as us. The B&B we are staying at is very pretty, the owners introduced me to “D.J.”, thier chihauha that stays in the office. Right when we were riding up, the sky started to rumble and there was a nice storm that kept us in and made us more hungry. As soon as it receded to a sprinkle, we shot out for food. Found a cool Japanese resturaunt that was not pizza or Mexican. yay! Tomorrow is going to be a long day, 55 miles to Jacksonville. Maybe I will find some good coffee.
Hector:
Today was not so bad considering all of the things going wrong with my body. I got to get healed by Don, the blessed motorcyclist, who has been given the gift of healing from Jesus Christ. This occured while waiting in line for the Southport Ferry. Shortly after departing the ferry we realized that todays ride was going to be along a beautiful road close to the beaches. The clouds and wind seemed to take away from the bare intensity of the sun. Leaving me slightly less exhausted than some the prior rides. Wilmington turned out to me a small college town with a pretty view of the water.
Aug. 23
Jacksonville, N.C.
Bryan:
What a great ride, right from the start. Overcast for most of the day. We did have a few flats that really bummed me out. But in the end all was well. We hang our head at the Cabin Creek Campground thanks to a really nice lady. Thanks Beverley.
Kathleen:
The day started wonderful, but then it turned into a rollercoaster of events. Breakfast was delicious, meatless sausage and biscuits and cereal that made me feel ready to go. Said our good-byes to Mike and rode in a light drizzle through the old town of Wilmington, passing huge mansions with columns and iron gates. At 8 miles, my back tire went flat. No worry, there was a gas station up ahead and the sun was behind the clouds, so we did a 5 minute-2 person-pit stop. Pretty pleased with ourselves, we moved along for another 10 miles when the same tire got a flat again. This time it occurred conveniently in front of a fire house so we got to use their air because our bicycle pump is no good. We would still be there pumping away if we had to use it. Also, I sat my hiney promptly on a red ant pile, an art of mine since I was a kid. At one rest stop, we met a Marine that was very nice and gave us some expert advice on the area, he said there are 80,000 people at Camp Lejeune and most are 18 and hung-over on a Sunday so ride carefully. This proved to be true because today we had more angry reactions that any other day. Our route took us a little inland because of the marine base, so we took US17 and it got desolate again. Then, in the middle of nowhere, Bryan got a flat. We tried to pump the tire up temporarily to no avail, and on the horizon we spotted a white building so I got on my bike and rode up to investigate. It was a warehouse called Dougs Salvage and the door was open, with country music wafting through into the searing heat. I walked in and it smelled musty, with a little office but no one around. I walked through the narrow space between piles of stuff from furniture and old toys to boxes of car parts. After a few “hellos”, I found Doug. He was in his 80‘s, white hair and beard with no teeth and wearing overalls, doing something busy in the back of the shop. I explained our situation and asked him if he had an air compressor, he said no, but we could walk to the gas station a few miles back. Discouraged, I walked outside and we decided to fix Bryans flat there with our pump. After what seemed like an hour, Bryan gave up the pump. Then Doug came outside and said, “you want to try my air compressor?” I guess something clicked. So we got air and thanked Doug and got on our salvaged bikes to ride. At this point, we still had no place set up to stay, no managers work on Sundays and we had a hard time finding a hotel or B&B that would help us. Our plan was to get into town and walk in anywhere that had a bed. We were getting more heat and sun and hills to climb that wore us out physically and more cussing that wore us out mentally. Then Bryan pulled a hard left, he spotted a campground across the street and miraculously arrived alive. The manager, Beverly, listened to our story as we told her about the flat tires and the Semper Fi yelling at us and she said “we’re not all bad” as she handed us a key. I hugged her and we all got teary eyed. Then she handed us laundry soap and change, towels and sheets before we headed to our cabin. After settling down, she came by with pots, forks, fresh snapper, pasta and veggies with Alfredo sauce for us to cook on her grill! This lady really made our day.
Hector:
This mornings air was more humid than yesterdays, causing us to break more frequently. My right knee, which I hyper extended, is feeling much better but the other still has not scabbed over completely. I am starting to recover more quickly after every ride.. My body is acclimating itself to its surroundings The breaks needed are also becoming shorter. I was actually a little scared when we got stranded out in front of “Doug’s Salvage”. My anxiety kicked in and all I kept thinking was how this could be the basis for Texas Chainsaw Massacre part 10. Luckily Kathleen convinced me to go in and experience the full façade. It turned out to be a labyrinth of old toys, appliances, and genuine Americana bric-a-brac. I wish I would have had more time to rummage through Doug’s Salvage on route 17 between Wilmington and Jacksonville, N.C.
Aug.24
Pine Knoll Shores, N.C.
Bryan:
It started with a wobbly wheel. So we headed to the the local shop (The Bicycle Shop). They trued my rear wheel. I bought a CO2 pump. Then after the sales guy started suggesting a new route to Atlantic beach that would be a nicer ride. We hit the D & D for a quick iced coffee, which was to Hectors surprise because I don’t drink coffee. But today it was needed to get me riding. We met a couple of lovely old men and we talked about our lives, then to the new route. We got lost but then found our way, the roads were not bicycle friendly be we made it through. Not a bad ride just a rough one. I called about 12 Hotels for a place to sleep but all with a no, until I got a call back from a hotel I do not remember calling. This put a quickness to our pedaling and we were off. Stopped off at another Bicycle shop and the man inside was mean so we were gone in a flash. I asked if there were more shops along the way and he replied not for another 500 miles. This turned out to be untrue because with in 6 miles we were at HWY 58 Bicycles and were meet with kindness and friendship. Kathleen gots me a parrot for me Bicycle (arrgh!) and I was happy. I think I squeaked it only about 200 times before we pulled in to our hotel for the night.
Kathleen:
Its been a long day, we got in at 6 p.m., the latest so far. We had a late start because we went to “the Bicycle Shop” (clever name), and had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. You know you’re on an adventure when you come across amazing people like Harry Loc. He was having coffee with his friend Nick and was 86 years old. I know this because that was one of the first things he let us know, then he showed us a folder with the title “265 Ways to Make Change Out of a Dollar Bill”. I thought this gesture was leading to a joke, but he went through about twenty pages of numbers that were typed in neat rows that in fact added up to 265 ways. I asked “Are you a mathematician?” He replied “I was a nuclear physicist in WWII, the Korean war and Vietnam”. This guy was a walking history book, and he survived all of these wars! I asked him what was one of the most beautiful places he has seen in his global travels and I was surprised when he said “Afghanistan, I loved it there”. I could have spent all day listening to his stories but my team was packing up so I got a photo with him and Nick and with regret and honor, I shook his hand. They wished us luck and to watch “those crazies out there”. We then traveled 10 miles on potholed, country roads with wind gusts and sun adding to the experience. After crossing the Intracoastal on a high bridge, the roads got more friendly and scenic. The ocean was on one side and the bay on the other, with beach houses flying colorful beach towels from their balconies. After eating ice cream for dinner (there is not much around), we went for a walk on the beach as the sun set and now I am ready to retire.
Hector:
Personally I enjoyed the route change through the country roads. The man at the bicycle shop warned us about the wind. The guys at that shop were informative but a bit aloof. We began this morning with a large cup of coffee to help with our energy levels. We ended up riding up so close to the ocean that I could taste the salt in my mouth. This ride felt like it went on forever because of the late start that we got. But at least we got our bicycles situated for a little while. We will not be getting up that late if we can help it. Those last 5 miles that late nearly killed me. I would like to say thank you to all the support from the caring people back home in Fishtown - the community I live in Philadelphia.
Aug. 26
Ocracoke, N.C.
Bryan:
We took HWY 58 out of town and hit the first of the 7 bridges for today. I’m not so fond of the middle of the bridge. So high sometimes. We rode 48.6 miles total but total mileage for today was 68.6. We had a 20 mile ferry ride, from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island. We pushed on and on to make the 2pm ferry. We made it with only minutes to spare. I fell right asleep after only a few minutes on the ferry. We are staying at the Island Inn in a spacious villa. My first to date. What a nice little town once plagued by the famed pirate Black Beard. Kathleen and I rode to the light house and took a trip to the harbor to take in the sunset. As we arrive to the edge of the island we immediately were attacked by 3 or 4 dozen mosquitoes per appendage. It was a nice spot but painful and itchy. We booked it back to the villa and took our much needed rest.
Kathleen:
When we were making the most of the expansive breakfast bar at our hotel this morning, we met two retired couples that seemed so excited for our trip and our cause. It is always nice to start off the day with nice people, we gave them postcards and were on our way. The weather was mild, cool and overcast with a slight breeze which gave us inspiration to keep up the pace since we had to catch a ferry by 2p.m. We passed through the third oldest “towne”, Beaufort (spelled the same in S.C., but pronounced differently), where the term “Tar heels” originated. This was the port where they used to export tar and turpentine and the deckhands would get the tar on their feet.
After crossing our umpteenth bridge, we came upon a coffee/gift shop that proved to be a fine choice. And the only one. It was called “Davis Shore Provisions”, and had local crafts, art and homemade baked goods. The two women working there were very hospitable and they were not phased by my taking 2 hours to perfect my cup of hot tea with cream and honey. Unfortunately, all of my hard work lasted all of three sips before being knocked over on the deck. Now we really had to go. Nothing like rushing in 90 degree direct sunshine to reach the ferry. The road led us through the marsh, with tall grass stretching as far as the eye could see, it reminded me of a Kansas prairie. This went on for miles, it was hard to believe that this was an island. We found the ferry, about 10 minutes before departure. What a relief to have a 2 hour break from constant motion. Our route took us into the Pamlico Sound, the largest lagoon on the East coast of the U.S.
It is so large that we lost sight of land during our ride, the water was brilliant green and there was a soothing breeze that had that ocean fresh smell. We passed several shrimp boats at work, with their nets extended out like huge outstretched arms, sitting still and quiet in the water. We docked at Ocracoke, a small island that had a key west feel to it, with surf shops and open air restaurants. We got to our VILLA, a two bedroom, two bath apartment with a kitchen that I took immediate advantage of and cooked the Thai noodles I’ve been traveling with for 14 days. Bryan and I took the bikes up the road to look at the lighthouse and watch the sunset. A word of warning: don’t stop moving after dusk because mosquitoes will try to kill you here.
So we rode back -fast.
Hector:
After breakfast we had to ride for 45 miles. My right knee was hurting so we had to take more breaks and Ibuprofen. A motorcyclist stopped to inform us that the ferry would be leaving in 45 minutes. My five hour energy kicked in and I was flying. Luckily the amount of caffeine I had taken was enough to keep this sore body going. Its amazing what the body can do it when put into extreme situations. Luckily we had less than 2 miles to ride to Island Inn. The Ocracoke island in the outer banks of North Carolina is something everyone should experience at least once. It is beautiful.
Aug. 27
Nags Head, N.C.
Bryan:
Today is where I wanted to be when we planned this trip. Pedaling passed dunes and ocean along the Carolina Outer Banks. The view is wonderful and the scenes last for most of the ride. We took the Hatteras Ferry for a 30 minute ride. The towns are not as big as I thought which makes for a little uneasiness when your only travel is on a bicycle with little supplies. I hoped there would be more bicycle shops along the way. I can’t stress this enough READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. I of course learned this the hard way cause I did it my way. My way was wrong. I got a flat about 2 miles outside of what was to be called a town. I grab my newly bought CO2 pump. I screwed it in and away the pressure went but not into my tire cause I had yet too put my new tube in. I looked cold as it sprayed into the air. So Kathleen rode back into town with my wheel and got me a proper filling. I really enjoyed riding today. Singing song by Joe Strummer and humming some Johnny Cash as I passed the day. Then it happened Kathleen had a flat and we had no way of repair. Out of luck with our devices so we walked and Kathleen rode on it for as long as we could. I started to put the thumb out but it soon turned in a full body wave. Terry pulled over and took us to town. Tomorrow we are going to double back and finish today’s ride. What a full day.
Kathleen:
We had a 14 mile ride to the other end of the island to catch the free ferry to Hatteras, only a forty minute cruise. The sun was ready to do battle, today was hot at 8 a.m. At 7 miles we stopped to see the Ocracoke wild pony corral that was built after too many ponies were getting hit by cars. There used to be a herd of 300, now the count is down to the 25 protected in this pasture. They are descendents of the Spanish horses brought to the States in the 1700’s and have one less vertebrae and one less rib than other breeds. After watching them graze peacefully, we went the other 7 miles to the ferry. The boat docked at Hatteras, a busy port with about 5 other ferries going to different islands. We rode past Hatteras, through other small towns to Frisco, where we discovered the Frisco Sandwich Co. After consuming delicious wraps, we felt rejuvenated to put in some miles. Then I got a flat. We fixed that little problem, and went back into the heat. We began another stretch of desolate road when Bryan got a flat. hmmm… this is becoming a trend. We tried to use the CO2 cartridge, or should I say, we used it- right into the ocean breeze it went and not into the tube. Lesson of the day: learn how to use your equipment. I took the tire and brought it up the street to a gas station for air, hoping we would find a bike shop soon so that we could replace our busted pump. We then had a 13 mile stretch of sand dunes and nothing else to reach Rodanthe, where we were planning to stay. En route, we got a call letting us know that we had a hotel, 30 miles further that Rodanthe which would make our day an 84 mile ride. Yay. As we went along, I could hear the waves of paradise on the other side of the sand dunes to my right, tempting me to ditch my bike and go for a swim. At this point, after 65 miles, I could barely put any pressure on my Ischial Tuberosity, a.k.a., my butt bones. We were running low on water so we pulled into a wildlife sanctuary and viewing area looking for a bathroom. There were no sinks, just hordes of killer mosquitoes and a few Canadian geese, so we reluctantly treaded on. Then I got another flat. We were 16 miles away from anything and had no way to fill a tube. I walked my bike in frustration and heat, getting bombarded by kamikaze bugs. Bryan tried waving down some pick-ups as the sun was going down and I was picturing us sleeping on the beach or in the water to prevent being bit. Finally, a pick up pulled over and our savior, Terry, came to our rescue. He was headed home from visiting his son in Rodanthe and after arranging fishing poles and coolers, we managed to fit our bikes in the bed and escape impending doom. Thank you, Terry. Now I can rest.
Hector:
The air in the beginning of our ride seemed to have less humidity. The cool breeze being produced, allowed us to maintain a higher pace. The ride became almost rhythmic when we traveled through the more congested areas. After riding more than 50 miles to Rodanthe we found out that the only available hotel was another 23 miles away. I gasped and suggested sleeping on the beach. But we as a group decided to move on. After 10 miles we were thirsty and tired, so we stopped at a visitors center to rest. We quickly realized that the only water available was in the toilet bowls of the restrooms. So we quickly drank from the toilet water. Ha. Just kidding. I have never been in a bathroom that did not have a sink. The man outside informed us that the nearest available water was over 10 miles away. We were nervous because all of us were out of water. The weirdest thing happened to my pedal straps when tried to remount my bicycle. They were both so tight that I could not even get my toes in. I got off the bike to readjust my straps. By the time I caught up with Kathleen and Bryan her tire was flat. After being assaulted by a multitude of insects we were able to flag down out guardian angel, Terry. He saved us and flew us in his Ford F150 to the Surfside Hotel.
Aug. 27
Kitty Hawk, N.C.
Bryan:
Today felt like I was riding in circles. Oh that’s right, that’s what I was doing. We went here we went there but we never really went anywhere. We only made it one town up for a grand total of 21.59 miles. I spent 50 bucks on a new tire cause my heart could not take another flat. So I dished out the much needed cash. Nice guy at the Bicycle shop. He really new his stuff. Enough about the trails of the day how about the fun stuff. Kathleen and I walked to the beach as I searched for treasure she danced like a horse set free after a long ride of herding cattle. I did find me treasure though. I picked up 3 pieces of sea glass along the way, 1 small green, a medium white or once clear one and a large blue piece. It was cool. I used the pieces to make a charm for each of our bicycles. I had a good time on the beach and riding around on my bicycle. Its half way over. I miss it all ready. This has been a real experience. I look forward to the days ahead. I now know we can do the ride, now we just need to reach our $20,000 goal. We are doing this after all to fight this terrible disease.
Kathleen:
We overslept today, by about 3 hours. Oops. I guess we needed it after yesterdays ordeal. I have counted a total of 13 bug bites, enough to create a palate for connect the dots. We found a bicycle shop online that should have been about two blocks away but ended up being about 7 miles away. A far stretch on a bike. I walked my bicycle to the nearest gas station for air and promptly fell pathetically upon my graceful exit within view of many witnesses. After untangling my leg from the bikes frame and only receiving some bruises, I pedaled along the narrow two lane road that the sand dunes threatened to take over. Everything about this area screams vacation, with rental homes lining the street that have individual handmade signs labeling them. “Beach comber”, “Gray Fish”, “Summer Breeze”, and my favorite, “Five O’clock Somewhere”. We took a detour to take a peek at the Wright Brothers memorial and museum. Kill Devil Hills revealed huge sand dunes that look like something out of “Star Wars”, people were hang gliding from them. About a half-mile away from the bike shop, my tire blew out with a pop and a squeal. I knew this was a possibility because the tube created a kink in it after improper inflation. Bryan and Hector rode up to the shop while I walked along when a fellow cyclist offered a ride. Her name was Joy, when I thanked her she replied, “I’d hope someone would do the same for me.” Thank you Joy! The guys at the shop were really nice, Chip and Jeff gave us some advice and tubes and supplies much needed. After draining them of advice and us of our funds, we rode to a coffee shop to access the computer. Today was spent mostly looking for a place to stay, finally at about 5:30, we found out which direction to turn our wheels. Immediately upon reaching our hotel, I couldn’t resist the ocean any longer and went for a swim while Bryan combed the beach for treasure. The ocean is like my medicine, soothing my muscles and cooling me down. I was glad to spend some time with my old friend, the Atlantic.
Hector:
I was exhausted when I got up this morning. Luckily we had time to eat breakfast and drink a couple of cups of coffee. Even the morning pack took us longer than usual. Fortunately we only had a short ride of 21 miles today. It was so hot when we left this morning. Kathleen popped another tire on the way to the bicycle shop. I didn’t realize it so I met them at the Outer Banks Bike shop. Chip and Jeff were helpful, nice, and willing to offer us advice. So the rest of the day was spent at the coffee shop trying to get a hotel room for tonight. Then we went to Pizzazz Pizza to eat lots of buffet pizza, kill some time, and get out of the heat. We finally got a hotel room at Holiday Inn Express and pedaled our bicycles in the wrong direction.
Aug. 29
Coinjock, N.C.
Bryan:
I found out that my Aunt Annette had passed in her sleep this morning. It came as a shock because no one in our family new that she may be sick. When I think of her I think of her kindness and her smile and laugh. She will be missed. It was in my head for most of the day. That’s the good thing about riding it gives you time to reflect. For the first hour and a half I could only think about life and death. I had no energy to ride, though I did anyway. After I drank a SB coffee drink my awareness and energy was up and running. I got to fulfill a childhood dream of riding in a Monster Truck over a school bus. (Take that Bagley Middle school, I finally got my revenge.) I was hooting and hollering the whole time. As we pulled into our Motel we went inside and there was no one in site. We waited about 10 minutes before Ronnie came walking in. He was family from the start. What a nice guy. He has been one of the kindest people. If there is ever a real superman I hope he has Ronnie’s character and qualities. The area here feels like home. I whole heartedly recommend everyone stopping by the Midway Marina & Motel in Coinjock NC for a stay and some dinner. It will be very positive experience. It has been for me.
Kathleen:
This morning started off a little rough with a phone call from Bryan’s mom letting us know that his aunt Annette died last night in her sleep. She was diabetic but was not having any health problems and was in her 60s. This was devastating as she was taking care of her husband who has lung disease and their son who has downs syndrome. I feel so bad for the whole family. I felt like our ride today had more purpose of celebrating life and adventure, as if Annette herself was with us and urging us on. Our average speed was faster than usual, about 13mph - wow! We crossed over a 2 mile bridge spanning over the Currituck Sound, and once back on the mainland we were harassed by several angry horns and middle fingers. This seems to always emanate from good ol’ boys driving pick ups that have stickers like “Git R Done” on them, one passed us a few times and thought it was clever to give it some gas so that we would be left in a cloud of diesel smoke. I noticed a bill board advertising “Beach Organics Health Food Store” a half mile ahead.
Salvation! We ate all of the tasty whole food bars we had (thank you Julie for the Pro-bars). The store opened a few months ago and we met the couple that runs it, Frank & Lynn. We had a good conversation as I savored my favorite beverage, Kombucha. I told them about my little vitamin shop that I work at in Calhoun, GA that I love so much. I could have stayed there for hours but Bryan and Hector were ready to go so we said our goodbyes. Down the road, Bryan spotted a monster truck exhibit and wanted to pull in. He was so excited to see “Gravedigger”, a famous truck that was built at this garage. We decided to do something we’ve never done before and go for a ride in a monster truck. I never thought it would be so much fun, it was like a slow, loud rollercoaster. Back on our bikes, we only had 6 miles to our destination, the Midway Marina and Motel. We were greeted by Pixie when we pulled in, a Yorkshire terrier that immediately presented her belly for a pat. Her person, Ronnie, introduced himself and was very inviting. We went straight to the pool for a swim and relaxed for a couple of hours before we ate dinner. The owner, Terry, also runs the restaurant “Crabbies” which was some of the best food I’ve had. I had flounder that was caught by the waitresses husband and our milky way cheesecake was made that morning by Terry himself. Ronnie made the place feel like home, he even gave us his cell phone number when he left in case we needed anything. What a great way to feel loved when we cant be with family during this time of loss.
Hector:
The ride was only 31 miles which allowed us to maintain a much higher pace. It was hot but comfortable enough for us to not feel exhausted. At the beginning of our ride Bryan was feeling a bit tired and got to experience the joys of caffeine via a cold Starbucks Vanilla coffee drink. He became aware of the reasons of a subculture of humans obsessed with coffee. As we were riding closer to Coinjock we realized the mammoth monster trucks parked on the side of the road. We quickly pulled over to take pictures and became aware of some of the other attractions. They had a closed off area with an assortment of animals like pigs, sheep, and chickens. It was the first time in my life that I had seen a solid black chicken. It was beautiful. We actually got to ride in a monster truck on a dirt track that hopped over a school bus. We quickly reached the Midway Marina and Motel where we were greeted by Ronnie who went out of his way to make us feel like family. His genuine enthusiasm is one of the things I miss most about living in the South. He topped off our stay by dropping off some delicious egg and cheese biscuits in the morning. Yum.
Aug .30
Virginia Beach, Va.
Bryan:
Egg, Bacon and cheese biscuit please. Thanks Ronnie. What a good start to the day. We headed north in a hurry to get to our ferry one and half hours early. Don’t you love when you don’t read schedules. After reaching Knott’s Island we had some of the hardest miles, I feel we’ve ridden. The wind was hitting so hard that when I stopped pedaling it would slow me to a halt and then start pushing me backwards. Ruff stuff. Then we were in Virginia, five states down. The ride into Virginia Beach was hard and felt really long. I used our cell phone to help navigate the way and that was a great idea cause it only took about 12 U-turns to get us to our hotel. After getting in we realize Wow its not like usual cause we are off tomorrow so we can actually settle in instead of packing up before we lay down. So we spread our gear over the room and are relaxing in our filth. Nite Nite.
Kathleen:
Our new friend Ronnie knocked on our door with 3 biscuits for us this morning and he had moved our bikes out of the storage shed for us, they were lined up like steeds waiting to be saddled. We packed up our panniers and said goodbye to Ronnie, Pixie (the dog) and Terry, before traveling 8 miles to the Currituk ferry. There was a lot of traffic this Saturday morning, people heading to the shore for the weekend in the north, away from the oncoming foul weather. We noticed since we’ve been off the islands of the outer banks that our friend, SHADE, is back because there are trees. Once we found the ferry, we had an hour and a half to kill so we took some photos and met Jimmy and Peggy. Peggy was taking her 88 year old father, Jimmy on a vacation to Virginia from Kentucky. Jimmy was a WWII veteran, he was on a navy destroyer and the second WWII vet I’ve met on this trip. He and Peggy were so interested about our cause that they each donated some cash towards Huntingtons and gave us a bag of snacks for our trip. There are a lot of good people out there. The ferry docked in what looked like someone’s backyard at Knotts Island. Then we followed winding country roads with soy beans and cornfields that occasionally emanated a rotting smell from fallen victims after cultivation. There was a local vineyard offering a wine tasting so we followed a long gravel road and heard shotguns going off. Not very inviting. After dodging bullets, we met the shoeless, zero personality proprietor who informed me that the shotguns were a cannon shooting dummy rounds to scare the birds away from the grapes. (And naïve tourists.) The wind was picking up, right into us which made for a struggle in our already worn legs. We passed by several horse farms and stopped to watch a few hunter/jumpers perform at a small show where our presence went unnoticed. Went back into the sun and wind for about 10 more miles before we got turned around a few times in the confusion of busy roads and busy city life. What a different environment from the laid back outer banks we traveled for a week. Now we are at a motel in suburbia, which is slowly bringing us back to the reality of our lives.
Hector:
The beginning of our ride, to the Knotts Island Ferry, was quick and pain free. We got to rest an hour and a half while we waited for the next ferry. We realized soon after leaving the ferry that the next thirty miles were going to be tough. The wind was blowing just hard enough to keep us at the fabulous speed of 5 mph. It felt like an eternity… This was the first time on this trip were I thought I might have to stop from physical exhaustion. Luckily we were able to pedal through. Unfortunately in this situations mother nature can be quite the temptress. Like when we thought we had broken the impenetrable winds, we’d get hit with another 5 miles of nonstop wind. One should never underestimate the human spirit.
Day off in Va. Beach
Kathleen:
Today is my six year wedding anniversary. I found that out when my dad called at around 5 p.m. to wish us happy anniversary, neither of us remembered. That’s what happens when you ride your bicycle through five states, things like bills, responsibilities, and important dates are forgotten because your mind is constantly being stimulated. Today we rode 10 miles to the beach and came across the East Coast Surfing Competition. There were bands, grandstands, vendors, a skate and BMX ramp, and free energy drinks. I got in the water very carefully so as not to be hit by a skim board or surfer and still got reprimanded by the life guard. Virginia Beach was lined with high rises, resorts and shops, with a bike path and a separate walking path for miles. The bike path was so crowded that I witnessed a collision between two beach cruisers, something you don’t see every day. We had a 25 mile day today, which made up for the 15 miles we lost when Terry rescued us and took us to Nags Head. My two partners in crime, Bryan and Hector, are already resting in their beds and Bryan has red arms.
Hector Victoria, Kathleen Vlodek-Hensley and Bryan Hensley
Slowing The Way 1300 Miles 30 Days 3 Friends 1 Cause.
www.firstgiving.com/slowingtheway
PART III: 420 miles later. Coming Friday, Sept. 4.
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