While I have a few days, I figured that I'd finally get around to writing about my experience traveling to and on the outer banks. It's hard to believe that I was on Hatteras just 3 days ago. Even crazier, I left myrtle just a week ago, it seems so much longer than that.
Not having a phone to record the trip from topsail to Hatteras was disappointing. Worse still, I had to rely on main thoroughfares to get there, which meant a lot of shoulder riding as an onslaught of cars passed by. The shoulders in North Carolina for the most part were much broader than the ones in South Carolina, which was a reprieve from the stress of worrying about the cars behind you. The first day took me around Camp Lejune, through Jacksonville and eventually to Swansboro. I stopped in Jacksonville for a few hours, my you're had went flat, but coincidentally, almost right on front of a bike shop, so I walked and and talked to the guys for a while and got my bike fixed. It's amazing the people you talk to on the road, I thought I was doing something extraordinary with this trip, but one of the guys spent 9 months riding from Alaska to the southern most tip of South America, now that's an adventure! I also stopped into a Verizon store to request a new phone. I mailed it to a nice realty office in Hatteras village since they don't have a mailing store on the island, but the first location I called was nice enough to accept the package for me. In Swansboro, I stopped at the first dairy queen I've eaten at since the one in Boone shut down over 10 years ago. It was delicious and just what I needed after a long day of riding.
That night I set up the hammock by the nature trail at the Swansboro municipal park.
I didn't sleep well in Swansboro. It was a bit cooler at night and I kept waking up. When the sun came up, I was able to catch some adequate sleep, so I stayed there in the park until 11. I think I startled the old couple and their dogs as I walked out of the woods onto the trail, but I think they scared me worse. I've been a little jumpy around dogs lately since I've been chased by so many along the road. That day I rode another 60 miles up until I reached cedar island around 6pm. The ride was beautiful as I started heading up the coast again. But, the best was the 10 miles on cedar island. Oh my god! It was the prettiest stretch of traveling I had done the entire trip. Nothing but a road and marsh as far as you could see. And do few cars, it was serene. I thought that this must be what the middle of the desert feels like, you know, but with water.
Sadly, I had this cherry craving all day, but no where on this stretch of the path had cherries, not even the chain grocery stores. I've been trying to feed any cravings I get as my body probably knows not about itself than I do. The other day I was really craving awesome grapes and cantaloupe. Prior to that was a craving for peaches. On Hatteras it was ice cream. I don't eat much on the road, just typically a few snacks and a large dinner. So any cravings I get, I think, are usually warranted.
When I finally got to Cedar Island Point, the town, I was ready to hunker down for the night and get on the ferry tomorrow. The town had a general store and a motel...but the motel had a restaurant and an adjacent campground. I thought about starting at the campground and had inquired about a lot, but it was $25 for my tiny little hammock, too rich for me. So I had planned once again to find a spot in the woods. I spotted out a place behind some billboards while I still daylight and then went to the restaurant. I had ribs and the salad bar, salad being another craving, wow were they both delicious, those people knew how to make some ribs!
I finished off the entire plate and went back for another salad. Amidst my dinner, I had a sinking feeling people were worried about my absence of communique, so I tried to use the motel phone, but I didn't have auditioned phone numbers and 411 was pointless. I guess most people's numbers were unlisted. I went back to the table and I one of the locals had heard my blight. His name was Tom and it turns out that he was an avid cyclist as well. He asked where I was staying and instead offered me a place to sleep in the new house he was building by the beach. After a little hesitance I agreed. He informed me that the visitor center for the ferry had showers and bathrooms so I headed there first.
Around 10pm, I stopped by his house. He started a campfire with the scrap wood he had lying around and a talked for a few hours. Turns out that he had ridden up and down both coasts and also had gone cross county twice. His stories made me wasn't to plan a cross country trip even more! And he was only 39! This guy had some ambition. After the fire I set up camp on the stilts below his house. I have to tell you, this night was the worst so far, the wind was whipping around fast, with storms on the horizon. The wind and the cold kept me up all night, and with no woods to block it, it hit me full force and rocked the hammock with full force all night.
Once the wind died down, then came the mosquitoes. They don't call this mosquito island for nothing. Though they couldn't get to me, the incessant buzzing in my ears and the fear that they may be able to bite through the fabric kept me awake. I didn't get any sleep until the sun came up and then I had to crawl out for the ferry at 9. Cedar island is beautiful, but next time I'm staying in the motel.
Not having a phone to record the trip from topsail to Hatteras was disappointing. Worse still, I had to rely on main thoroughfares to get there, which meant a lot of shoulder riding as an onslaught of cars passed by. The shoulders in North Carolina for the most part were much broader than the ones in South Carolina, which was a reprieve from the stress of worrying about the cars behind you. The first day took me around Camp Lejune, through Jacksonville and eventually to Swansboro. I stopped in Jacksonville for a few hours, my you're had went flat, but coincidentally, almost right on front of a bike shop, so I walked and and talked to the guys for a while and got my bike fixed. It's amazing the people you talk to on the road, I thought I was doing something extraordinary with this trip, but one of the guys spent 9 months riding from Alaska to the southern most tip of South America, now that's an adventure! I also stopped into a Verizon store to request a new phone. I mailed it to a nice realty office in Hatteras village since they don't have a mailing store on the island, but the first location I called was nice enough to accept the package for me. In Swansboro, I stopped at the first dairy queen I've eaten at since the one in Boone shut down over 10 years ago. It was delicious and just what I needed after a long day of riding.
That night I set up the hammock by the nature trail at the Swansboro municipal park.
I didn't sleep well in Swansboro. It was a bit cooler at night and I kept waking up. When the sun came up, I was able to catch some adequate sleep, so I stayed there in the park until 11. I think I startled the old couple and their dogs as I walked out of the woods onto the trail, but I think they scared me worse. I've been a little jumpy around dogs lately since I've been chased by so many along the road. That day I rode another 60 miles up until I reached cedar island around 6pm. The ride was beautiful as I started heading up the coast again. But, the best was the 10 miles on cedar island. Oh my god! It was the prettiest stretch of traveling I had done the entire trip. Nothing but a road and marsh as far as you could see. And do few cars, it was serene. I thought that this must be what the middle of the desert feels like, you know, but with water.
Sadly, I had this cherry craving all day, but no where on this stretch of the path had cherries, not even the chain grocery stores. I've been trying to feed any cravings I get as my body probably knows not about itself than I do. The other day I was really craving awesome grapes and cantaloupe. Prior to that was a craving for peaches. On Hatteras it was ice cream. I don't eat much on the road, just typically a few snacks and a large dinner. So any cravings I get, I think, are usually warranted.
When I finally got to Cedar Island Point, the town, I was ready to hunker down for the night and get on the ferry tomorrow. The town had a general store and a motel...but the motel had a restaurant and an adjacent campground. I thought about starting at the campground and had inquired about a lot, but it was $25 for my tiny little hammock, too rich for me. So I had planned once again to find a spot in the woods. I spotted out a place behind some billboards while I still daylight and then went to the restaurant. I had ribs and the salad bar, salad being another craving, wow were they both delicious, those people knew how to make some ribs!
I finished off the entire plate and went back for another salad. Amidst my dinner, I had a sinking feeling people were worried about my absence of communique, so I tried to use the motel phone, but I didn't have auditioned phone numbers and 411 was pointless. I guess most people's numbers were unlisted. I went back to the table and I one of the locals had heard my blight. His name was Tom and it turns out that he was an avid cyclist as well. He asked where I was staying and instead offered me a place to sleep in the new house he was building by the beach. After a little hesitance I agreed. He informed me that the visitor center for the ferry had showers and bathrooms so I headed there first.
Around 10pm, I stopped by his house. He started a campfire with the scrap wood he had lying around and a talked for a few hours. Turns out that he had ridden up and down both coasts and also had gone cross county twice. His stories made me wasn't to plan a cross country trip even more! And he was only 39! This guy had some ambition. After the fire I set up camp on the stilts below his house. I have to tell you, this night was the worst so far, the wind was whipping around fast, with storms on the horizon. The wind and the cold kept me up all night, and with no woods to block it, it hit me full force and rocked the hammock with full force all night.
Once the wind died down, then came the mosquitoes. They don't call this mosquito island for nothing. Though they couldn't get to me, the incessant buzzing in my ears and the fear that they may be able to bite through the fabric kept me awake. I didn't get any sleep until the sun came up and then I had to crawl out for the ferry at 9. Cedar island is beautiful, but next time I'm staying in the motel.
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