Day 9, Andrews, SC to Conway, SC – 54 miles, average speed 12.4 mph. Total miles, 651

The Weather Channel convinced me to consider shortening my day to avoid severe afternoon storms. Wind directions were very similar to those experienced last week when every breeze seemed to be a head wind. These winds, related to the location of potential storm cells, shift with cell development and were very much in evidence along with growing and billowing cumulus clouds. What the Hell. It’s only money. And better to be poor than be hit by a car in blinding rain.

Yeah, being hit continued to have a high probability as I traversed more of the Palmetto State. As an aside . . . the South Carolina flag is reputed to be the second most popular flag after Texas. Love the flag. Hate the roads.

This whole road thing is depressing. I complained about the lack of visual stimulation in Georgia, but at least there was adequate paving to permit me to be right of the white line most of the time. In SC a paved berm is practically nonexistent. The result is that anything visually pleasing or interesting is missed or has to be ignored lest your attention wanders for a moment and you are deposited in the grass along with beer bottles and mostly empty Styrofoam takeout containers.

It does not matter whether the road is primary, secondary or tertiary. It doesn’t matter whether it is a US, SC or county route. It doesn’t matter which county, though some counties do have better road surfaces. Riding a bike puts me (and you, if you were here) in harms way. Everyone who cautioned me about good old boys in pickups need not to have wasted their words. In SC everyone has the potential to take a bicyclist out. My best hope is that cellular coverage is so spotty as to make text messaging while driving impractical.

The other scary thing is log haulers. Every road in SC must lead to or from a logging operation. The drivers are mostly respectful of me, slowing if someone is approaching and they never blast me with their airhorns or pass unnecessarily close. There are just so damn many and all are on a deadline to get to the mill or too the cutting site. More loads means more money. A bicycle is a brief impediment, but an impediment nonetheless.

Today’s ride featured fewer rough roads, so the physical demand I experienced yesterday was greatly reduced. Tension and attention was just as heightened, if not more so.

I reached Conway and the Red Hill Motel by 1:30. The rate fit my budget. WiFi is adequate. No washer and dryer. Pizza delivered. Cable TV. A/C works. I’m not within about 80 miles of North Carolina. I am hoping that the Tarheel will be better suited to travel and its campgrounds more readily available.

One more thing about SC. Damn nice people.

Day One; G'ville to St. Augustine - 86.9 miles, average speed 12.6 mph

Left later than intended (745), but within my planned window. Stopped at work, which was on the way out of town and said goodbyes. I've dealt with all the internal issues related to leaving my job to someone else. I prepared as much as possible and have to trust that things will work out. The nature of this Adventure is such that I cannot dwell on what might happen anywhere except on the road.

Before leaving G'ville, I stopped at Winn-Dixie and bought the sunscreen I had forgotten yesterday. Later, I'd be glad of the decision. I also picked up a handful of Larabars because I had packed my supply deeper than I wished to dig. Added a tin on wintergreen Altoids for their diversionary quality.

From G'ville to Palatka was typical Florida except for a few tedious hills. The final several miles really sucked, though; hot, featureless, straight and a headwind. It's been my observation about headwinds in Florida. No matter which way one rides, eventually there'll be a headwind. Pallatka turned out to be 50 miles distant and while that had been my maximum distance previously, I did not intend to stop before reaching St. Augustine, another 35 miles.

I ate two Larabars, drank a lot of water, even stopped at a convenience store for more water and some Gatorade, but over the final miles before reaching Palatka I could only think about double cheese burgers Well, I never intended to make this a fine food adventure. I bought two. Loved 'em. And had refills of Coke and suffered not a moment of remorse. I did have an extended moment of anxiety when two men in my age range left and headed to their cars. They wore jeans. Neither had an ass. Will this happen to me? Is there a treatment or is it terminal?

Soon after leaving McDonalds I encountered one of Florida's "mountains."

This one climbs over the St. Johns River. 5 mph up. 30 mph down.

I opted to diverge from Adventure Cycling's route which would have me zigging and zagging my way to The Ancient City. Having driven 207 I knew it has an adequate paved shoulder. Using it would reduce the distance by 5 to 7 miles. It was a tough 35 miles. Headwind. Heat. Tired. And a diversion.

The bike path to nowhere.

 About 10 miles from St. Augustine a bike path appeared along the 207 right-of-way. I doffed my helmet and took it. When it crossed to the other side of 207 an continued to follow the right-of-way I stayed on it. When I reached a point where it seemed to vanish at the horizon was concerned. A single road crossed it after 3 miles. When I met an oncoming walker and asked about getting to my destination he told me the trail was a dead a few miles ahead. I needed to backtrack only a few hundred years and eventually reached the Pirate Haus.

I admit to being damn tired, but managed too get bike and gear to the top of the stairs of The Pirate Haus. After sitting numbly for awhile I showered, got some expensive pizza and a lot of Pepsi and am now ready to call it a night. Tomorrow will be a significantly shorter ride likely in the 55 mile range. It will also be the first tent night. Today convinced me I can do this thing.