The Quality Inn in Mullins outperformed it’s counterpart from the night before. The Explorers enjoyed a real breakfast with eggs and sausage. The only drawback was a lack of a laundry room, so the Explorer had to break into their “emergency” biking clothes for the first time on this trip. A hotel with a laundry will be a priority tonight.
The ride out of Mullins was actually quite enjoyable once the Explorers got away from highway exit area. As the Explorers went west, they went through the nearby town of Marion where the Google route detoured north on farm roads and to a nice wide bike path. Unfortunately, that didn’t last too long before the Explorers were guided back to highway 76, a fast-moving divided highway with about 6 inches of shoulder. To add insult to injury, much of the tiny shoulder had rumble strips, causing some major brain-shaking every time the Explorers hit them.
This nerve-wracking highway continued for several miles until shortly after the Great Pee Dee River crossing where, to the Explorers great relief, the shoulder widened to a generous 3-4 feet. It was still loud and busy, but felt a great deal safer. While the wide shoulder didn’t last all the way to Florence, the Explorers turned off of highway 76 shortly after the shoulder shrunk again.
First, the road was somewhat of a maintenance road, parallel to the highway. After passing the Florence Regional Airport, the Explorers veered away from 76 down some backroads, eventually returning to 76 which had now transformed into a regular city road. After a long series of twists and turns that basically took them from one side of Florence to the other, the Explorers popped out in “hotel central” which had no fewer than 5 Marriott-branded chains alone. But there were also Hiltons and many of the other “standards” at this popular confluence of Interstates 20 and 95. After a relatively short but stressful day of riding (30 miles), the Explorers checked into their Residence Inn, did their laundry, ate at Chili’s (so many choices tonight) and “hit the hay” to rest up for a longer trip the next day.