May 16-May 19
Cruising up the Atlantic Seaboard. Camped at Francis Marion National Forest located in South Carolina, the first new state on the trip.
View East US Tour in a larger map
While camping I met a guy walking across the US for something called the Patriot Walk Across America, (check out his blog at http://patriotwalkusa.org/ his adventure and goal is impressive). He mentioned Francis Marion was the guy the Patriot movie was based on. He would hide out in the swamps and ambush British troops. We camped near the Atlantic Intracoastal waterway, a massive feat of engineering providing a 3,000 mile protected inland waterway. In the morning I saw a pack of three dolphins swimming upstream, pretty amazing considering the Intracoastal is more like an inland river.
Visited the Hampton Plantation, a stop on George Washington's trip to collect talent for the fledging new country. He recruited the plantation owner Thomas Pinckney as a diplomat to England.
Back on the road... as soon as I reached Myrtle beach, my bike starting having trouble in low gear... sounds like a clutch problem. Every 100ft there was a discount beach shop. The whole place was like the Dells but longer and more repetitive. I couldn't wait to leave. I've passed several thousand strip clubs and discount beach shops between Cocoa Beach, Florida and Virginia Beach. The heavily commercialized east coast epitomized by Myrtle Beach is a sharp contrast to the rural roads of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Took a ferry to the outer banks in North Carolina for a brief respite from the developed mainland. Met a BMW rider formally from Chicago and rode along Cape Hatteras with him for a bit. Visited the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the first English Settlement at Fort Raleigh and the Kitty Hawk National Monument, site of the first powered flight.
Got to Virginia Beach by sun down, had drinks with an old friend from Chicago and was offered a free place to stay by her coworker! It was nice to have a bed and hot shower after several days on the road. Off to Washington DC tomorrow.
This is so awesome. The pictures are neat, but the story is neater. I didn't know that the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway had some artificial components.
ReplyDeleteIs that old friend from Chicago have the initials of CF?
Thanks Steven! yeah, the waterway is expensive to maintain too. I've crossed it countless times and have yet to see anything but pleasure boats using it. Not sure it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about Christy. It was great meeting with her. She kept mentioning you.