The Old School Bikers Blog

The Old School Bikers — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:14:00 +0000

4.22.08 Tuesday
Andrew to Charleston NC
62 miles 11.5mph avg
Very Light Precipitation in AM but for the most part partly cloudy and 70

Travelled South on 41. Decided to take an alternate Rt. and save 50miles! This puts us a day ahead of schedule and makes me realize that the maps we are following do not take you on the most direct route. I still think the maps are great but am glad we are not blindly following them. Stop in at our first bike store. I buy a bell for my bike which has a compass built in just like big D. They give me a magnet for my cycle computer which I had forgotten but I still can't get the thing to work. We ask them were we should stay and eat. They say everything is expensive in the city but we should check out 82 king for a good meal. We bike into Charleston over the new bridge on 17. The bridge is awesome. It has a pedestrian lane and two bike lanes. We meet some people who are "biking the bridge". It is a local tourist attraction. Some are struggling and have to push there bikes others are hammerheads in town for the airshow and are riding carbon fiber. Arrive in Charleston around 2:30. The holiday inn wants $199 a night so we move on. I call the "Not So Hostel" and get an answering machine but the message sounds promising. It looks like we have started to settle into our roles. I am in charge of communications and D is in charge of Navigation. It will be interesting to see how the dynamics play out. We ride uptown to Spring Street and check in at the Not So Hostel. The place is great and for two nights we pay $165. We get the private room with two beds. You share a kitchen and bath with the other folks on your floor. There are quite a few people around and I am stoked to get the private (Austria Room) room. We carry our bikes up the stairs to the second floor balcony where we are staying and secure them in our room. D thinks I'm a little paranoid and i guess when it comes to the bikes he's right. We wander down to Wali's for dinner. We get the seafood platter and Bean Pie. I never had bean pie before and actually didn't even know there was such a thing. But over the door to the place it says home of the world famous Bean Pie so I gave to try it. Man is it good and sweet. I can't taste any beans at all. I forget what kind of beans she uses to make it and she won't give me the recipe. We go across the street to the local corner liquor store for some big beers and call it a night. I really like Charleston and am exited to explore the city tomorrow.

The Old School Bikers — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:30:00 +0000

4.21.08 Monday
Little River to Andrews NC
90 miles 12.5 mph avg
Sunny but not too hot.

We woke up 6am it looks like this will be the routine for the trip. We both like getting early starts. Ate breakfast at a local pancake house across the street. I think a big breakfast will be key to a long day in the saddle. We head South West and into the country. Small farms begin to appear some look to be doing ok most look like there struggling. We run into several other couples riding North. The first couple we run into are a couple from San Francisco. We run into them at Sunset Beach. They have done the Southern Route and are headed north to NYC. They then plan on going to Greece and then back to SF 11,000 miles of riding. They both decided that they had enough and quit there jobs and headed out. The guy got hit by a truck their first day of his trip only 40m from home and it didn't stop them. They only stay in motels no camping gear. They look very happy and she is drinking a 24ounce miller lite. The second couple are both riding Sorrata bikes and trying to get in 100miles a day and mostly camping. They are riding on 25cm tires which makes D nervous. We also run into a Tandem duo from Portland OR. They are very nice and loaded down with everything but the kitchen sink. They are towing a BOB trailer and spending an average of $78 per day. The fourth group we run into are danish and are riding recumbent. They started riding 5 months ago from Guatemala City. They took a bus through the worst part of Mexico because they thought it was to dangerous. They plan on circumnavigating the US. They are weathered and very cool. We stop for lunch under a nice shady tree by the road and eat Gorp for lunch. D made some great gorp and we recharge and head out. We arrive in Andrews around 4:30pm. I am a couple miles ahead of D and stop in the first place I see for a cold beer. I get a beer in a frosted glass and it tastes great. I watch D ride by and sneak up behind him. He grumbles" You Suck" but he really means I'm tired and my ass hurts. It looks like I am going to have to keep my mouth shut until D finds his bike legs. We check in at the local hotel and go back to the pizza place for some more beer and spaghetti.n We order a pitcher and can't finish it, Dad would be disappointed. Great meatballs and homemade pasta, just what we needed. We settle in for the night both nursing sore asses. I hope my new saddle breaks in soon. D seems to be holding up well. He is a tough guy. He expresses concern about me overdoing it. I tell him not to worry to much about me. I wonder how long before he realizes that I haven't even started to ride hard yet. Great news! Lynley and the kids have made it home safely. I'm starting to believe that I'm actually going to be able to go on this bike trip.

The Old School Bikers — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:58:00 +0000

4.20.08 Sunday
Wilmington to Little River NC
54miles, 11mph AVG
Sunny and Hot

The First Official Day of the "Smiling Jack Memorial Bike Ride"
AKA "The Smart As Hell Tour".
We said our goodbyes at Vick and Gwen's House in Hempstead NC. They have a great spot and I enjoy visiting
It was hard to say goodbye and see the family go. The hardest part of the trip will be justifying time away from the family. I will do my best to live int he moment and be thankful for the opportunity which has been allowed me. Thanks and praises to all those at home who have made this trip possible.
We barley make the 10am ferry. They honk there horn to hurry us up as we unload our bikes from Vick's truck.
We cross the mouth of the cape fear river and debark at South Port NC. We ride our bikes up off the ferry with 4 easy miles under our belt. We head North on 211? I think. We have only ridden about 4 miles when i spot a small purse on the side of the rode. I turn around and find the purse and it's content's scattered in the bushes. I open the wallet and find $140 and no ID. Dennis thinks we should return it. I let him know that I have a policy about these things; Finders keepers. Luckily we avoid the moral dilemma as there is know local id so we can't return it. Things are looking good so far. We have shrimp for lunch and finish up our ride just South of Calabash at Little River. We shower and head down towards the intercoastal. We find a bar/restaurant named Key West Crazy full of 50 somethings, I'm the youngest guy in the place. Enjoy some more shrimp, listen to some pretty bad live music and call it a night. Not bad for the first day.

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The Old School Bikers — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:59:00 +0000