Day 13: To Shallotte, NC

April 28, 2017

Up at 7:30. The motel didn't have anything I want to eat, so I went to a cafe in town to have a big breakfast.

After breakfast I wandered around town. Conway is relatively charming, with a thriving downtown strip and several Victorian homes near the downtown.

I finally left town at 10 AM. No hurry, today's route should be easy. I left town on SC 905. Heavy traffic with no shoulder. That seems to be the norm in South Carolina. South Carolina has the lowest gasoline prices of the 8 states I traveled through on this tour. That's because South Carolina has lower gasoline taxes. The result is noticeably inferior roads compared to other states.

I have seen surprisingly few wildflowers during this tour.

Traffic decreased when I turned on county road 31, but only for about 5 miles. Then I turned onto SC 90 and traffic was heavy again for the remainder of the day. As usual, the narrow road has a rumble strip on the fog line. Sometimes there is 1 to 1.5 feet of asphalt to the right of the fog line. But it's highly variable and most of the time the edge is covered with soil and grass.

In most states the roads have either a wide gravel shoulder or a paved shoulder. South Carolina is one of the few states that lets grass grow to the edge of the travel lane.

Today's route is mostly rural. I did not pass through any towns, in the traditional sense. But today I frequently passed rural subdivisions. Quite different from the unpopulated countryside I pedaled through the previous two days. Traffic is heavier, but now the traffic is mostly cars. Few big trucks.

I'm in a rural area but am circling around the sprawling development of Myrtle Beach. Golf courses are a big thing. People often refer to the Carolina low country as "golf country". There are frequent large subdivisions seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Usually with a fancy swimming pool and golf course. Always with a fancy entrance and a strip of trees separating the highway from the subdivision. Nice homes with prices starting in the 160's. That seems cheap to me. Of course homes are much more expensive near the water in Myrtle Beach. It's surely a popular area for retirees, but I wouldn't want to live here because of the humidity. I would prefer to flee this climate when retiring.

South Carolina roads are so bad that I really looked forward to crossing into North Carolina.

In 1989 I pedaled through the opposite end of North Carolina on Blue Ridge Parkway.

As expected, the road immediately improved in North Carolina. The shoulder is only slightly wider but is usable because there is no rumble strip and no soil encroaching on the edge. The road is once again signed as a bike route, same as in Georgia. It's been a real disappointment to discover that South Carolina is less bicycle-friendly than the neighboring states of Georgia and North Carolina.

Signed bike route again. First time to see East Coast Greenway signs.

The route also has East Coast Greenway signs. First time I have seen the sign during this tour. Before the tour I did some research about the East Coast Greenway. That route stays very close to the ocean but has complex navigation. Go to www.greenway.org to learn more.

Now I finally see salt water again, but it's just the Intracoastal Waterway. I could see a heavily developed barrier island in the distance.

Looking across the Intracoastal Waterway to Bird Island and the town of Sunset Beach.

I took a long stop at the bayfront park in the town of Sunset Beach. There is no beach and the water is placid, but at least I'm finally near the ocean again. Wind was noticeably stronger.

Bayfront park in Sunset Beach. Nice to see the water up close again.

The previous 3 days were somewhat cool but today is hot again. High of 85F with the usual extreme humidity and south wind. Easy pedaling, but warm.

Today's destination is Shallotte, North Carolina. I had to detour a mile west to US 17 to find a motel. It's Friday night. My room at Comfort Inn cost $152. Probably double what it would cost on Thursday night. I had to pedal 1.5 miles for dinner at a Fish Grill that advertises that they only sell what they caught today.

Today turned out to be more difficult than expected due to relentless traffic, narrow roads, and a return to the heat. The terrain is very gently rolling, with frequent 1-2% grades. Now there is less shade because there are more open fields and lawns. No longer a continuous tree canopy.

Distance: 58.2 mi. (93 km)
Climbing: 424 ft. (128 m)
Average Speed: 10.6 mph (17 km/h)

Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 536 miles (863 km)

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