The travels of the Rambling Roses: Mike cycling from Charleston

Oct 28 Sunday was the perfect day to tackle more of US 17 from Charleston SC to Beaufort SC. I rode through the town and about 20 additional miles to Hunting Island State Park. Its a campground right on the ocean, but tall pines and palm trees grow right out onto the beach. I rode 104 eventless miles in about 7 hrs and 15 minutes. The most unique event for me was to see two dead armadillos in the shoulder. I told you it was an eventless day! My legs feel strong and the weather was beautiful, while the rest or the east was getting blasted by hurricane Sandy.

Oct 29 We spent the day touring the Marine base at Parris Island. A very windy day, (from Sandy) I'm sorta happy I didnt have to ride in it.
Oct 30 As soon as the ride was over today, i walked into the motor home and took a straight shot of Royal Crown! It took. 6 and a half hours to ride 72 miles into a headwind left over from hurricane Sandy. I started the day with four layers on, including a hat which I wore under my helmut until 2 in the afternoon. The Savannah Georgia area has terrible maps, terrible roadsigns, and absolutely no shoulders. SC 315 was not on the map and no one had ever heard of it at the campground, but I was on it! US 17 turned into Interstate 16 at the Georgia state line and there was no other way across the Savannah River, so I did my first ride on an interstate highway. It actually crossed the river on a steep incline into a 25-30 mph wind, so my Outer Banks wind experience paid dividends, but it was the biggest hill I've pedaled since I've been home. The drivers are courtious to bikers down here, however, and I had no problems with them at all, even though I spent the day in their lane of traffic, since there are NO shoulders for very long stretches at a time. I got off the interstate as soon as I could, and a few nice people from Savannah helped me find my way back to US 17 south. We ended up getting a campground 20 miles south of Savannah , on a state road, with No shoulders! The most unique event of the day was the alligator carcass on the side of the road right before it turned into an interstate at the Georgia line.

Oct 31 Halloween. Spent the day touring Savannah today and also on Nov 1, including a trip up to Hilton Head just to check it out. I also took a walk at the campground, along ruins of the Ogeechee and Savannah Canal. It was only 16 miles long ( I only walked about a mile) and it basically served the same purpose as the more famous Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. On Nov 2, we spent alot of time at camping world, trying to get stuff straightened out, and I rode 32.5 miles on some back roads to and from Camping World, with decent shoulders and very little traffic, just a relaxing ride to shake out the legs and explore a little. We are taking a little down time here in Savannah, enjoying the weather, and just chillin out.