The most exciting part of today’s journey was that the Explorers have decided to take a day of rest after today’s bike ride. Both Explorers are sore and fatigued and ready to spend a day with their legs elevated. This is only their second day of rest on this trip and it seems overdue.
The promise of a day off, after one more ride, was enough to get Sidekick Sue motivated. The route today wasn’t very glamorous. The first 20 miles along Route 24 was extremely busy with 2 lanes of heavy traffic in both directions and a narrow shoulder. These rides are not fun at all because the Explorers are always worrying about the traffic coming up behind them. The traffic is loud, and it is hard for the Explorers to communicate, even on a tandem bike. Plenty of drivers have no patience with cyclists and won’t change lanes to accommodate, often passing within a few feet. On the right of the route was the edge of the Croatan National Forest, but it provided little comfort for the travelers on the road. The Explorers took a few breaks, first at an Exxon station, and then at a Walgreens. The only good part about the busy roads are the numerous places to stop.
After the first few hours, Sidekick Sue pointed out that Google Maps had an alternative route branching off that would redirect them a little more north and then west again. Captain Mark confirmed that his Adventure Cycling Association maps suggested the same route. They were thankful to turn off onto Route 58 which cut up through the National Forest and then crossed over toward Jacksonville through farmland and subdivisions. On the rural roadways, it is more difficult to find decent places to take breaks, and the roads are not always well-paved. The Explorers were counting on a place called Hunters Crossing for their final break of the day and a well-deserved snack. It turned out to be one of the worse “convenience stores” they have encountered…. depressingly few choices for drinks or snacks, but plenty of bait and animal feed. Still, it was nice to get off the bike for a bit and stretch. As they approached Jacksonville, NC, they had to get back on a busy road for about a mile to get to their hotel where they were going to stay for two nights.
In a minor glitch, the Fairfield Inn they had chosen was under renovation, so the entire entry way, dining room, and laundry room were out-of-service. Luckily the renovation was well-managed and the Explorers were told they could still expect their breakfast in a conference room, and could use the laundry room next door at the Sleep Inn, so they decided to stay.
Sidekick Sue was excited to see a Chili’s just a short walk away, so they walked to dinner to stretch their legs. Tomorrow will include a few short walks (laundry, grocery store, dinner), but mostly ibuprofen, elevated legs and hydration (and most importantly, NOT sitting on a bicycle seat). 🙂
