Day 8: Andrews, SC to Little River, SC

May 20, 2008

82.57 miles, 5:22:51 Ride Time, 15.35 Average Speed, 28.6 Maximum Speed

Robert and I decided to ride together again today. At some point soon, our schedules would probably diverge - he was meeting some friends in Washington, DC for a couple of weeks off, and didn't want to get there too early; I was feeling like doing longer days.

We left the motel faily early, but then spent 1 1/2 hours in McDonald's using the wireless internet there - the $2.95 for two hours was the first time I've paid for WiFi. Unfortunately, it was too slow to upload many pictures. I also ate a greasy breakfast there.

While at McDonald's we talked to an inquisitive older man for a while, who asked many questions: About our route, what we carried in our bottles (he guessed beer), etc. He seemed more interested in the bikes than most non-cyclists I've met, and was especially admiring of Robert's duct-tape repair job on his bad tire .

There was some annoying traffic getting out of the Andrews area, and then a nice section from Rhems to Yauhannah. Then we were dumped on an extremely busy two lane road with no (or minimal) shoulder. This 20+ mile stretch was by far the worst traffic of this trip, and among the worst I've ever ridden. Robert said that it was probably one of the five worst sections of bad traffic he's experienced in his 50 or so days on the road. I rode in front most of the time, and later he told me that he was freaked out by seeing how close the big log trucks got to me (of course, they were getting that close to him, too)

For the rest of the day, I remained (uncharacteristically) optimistic at each turn that "the traffic will surely get better now." It never did.

At one point, we made a water/Gatorade/snack break at a busy gas station, and Robert got a call from his mother telling him that there were apparently Tornadoes in the area we were heading to.

We rode through a couple of shabby areas, not for the first time in the last few days in South Carolina. In one of them, the little town of Wampee, we pulled over at a truly sleazy-looking strip club called "The 'G' Spot". Nailed to a tree in the unkempt yard of the club was a handwritten sign: "No Weapon, Drug, Fighting, Loitering. If anyone violote (sic) these rules they will be prosecuthed (sic). The G-Spot will not be responsible for anyone. You are on your own. Thank you." A braver person would have gone inside the club (in his bicycle clothes) and checked the scene out. I am not that person.

Robert and I finally arrived in Little River (pop. 7,027) after about eighty miles, where we stopped at a gas station and tried to decide what to do. There was a campground three or four miles down the road, across the state line in North Carolina, but the weather report didn't sound promising - thunderstorms were likely in the evening, and tornadoes were still a possibility. That was enough for me. I went down the street and checked into a motel (as did Robert).

After eating an entire medium pizza from the Pizza Hut next to the motel (and drinking an entire two liter Diet Pepsi - I guess I'm on caffeine again), I watched it storm outside the motel room. I was glad I wasn't experiencing the wind, thunder and lightning from inside the tent.

(A bit of sad news to report: I broke the first piece of equipment on the trip when I washed my bike shorts in the sink, forgetting that my little WiFi detector was in one of the pockets. I loved that little toy, which would light up whenever I was near a wireless internet hotspot. Oh well).

My vintage television at the motel also functioned as an AM/FM radio. Nice.

Healing Center / Furniture Store in downtown Andrews

This man at McDonalds peppered us with many questions. One of them was "Do you carry beer in those bottles?"

Apple pie vs. actual apple: Robert and I obviously have different approaches to proper nutrition.

This seemed funny at the time, for some reason.

We passed this classy Gentlemen's Club near Wampee.

I'm sure this carefully crafted legal language will protect The "G" Spot from any potential liabilities.

Today's ride: 83 miles (134 km)
Total: 573 miles (922 km)

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