I thought up the little title homage to Brook Benton before, unexpectedly, the above happened right at the end of the day. Behind a bush in the beautiful Savannah Nature Reserve I was suddenly in the Carolinas. I’m so obsessive about planning the routes every night, not sure how this detail slip my notice. Great little boost though to cap off a day of ups and downs.
The local news promised rain all day, but I’ve heard that 20 times before, and then spent the day topping up the tan. This time they were spot on. Bar a couple of hours at dawn and the a couple riding into the motel, it’s rained non stop. It’s spat at me, drizzled on me, and soaked me right through. The downpour just before lunch was the heaviest rain I can ever remember being in, or certainly that I’ve not been inside or in a car in for.No complaints though. Today is the start of the 7th week cycling, and in all that time I’ve only been rained on properly once for 20 mins in Arizona, and spat at twice. 42 days and 20 mins rain. It’s crazy. I was long overdue, and to be honest it’s taken the sting out the heat.
The riding was basically a sandwich, dull filling for the middle of the day (more of the forested, flat, sleepy land) with beautiful dawn ride through the fishing villages up inlets off the Georgia Coast, and then a lovely ride through the Savannah Nature Reserve and on into South Carolina at the end.
However before the peaceful end, there was another mechanical detour. The gears started skipping yet again, so I divert off route 15 miles into downtown Savannah. As experienced time and again the service in the bike shop was friendly, fast.....and amazingly free. They just don’t charge you for tune ups, which is obviously awesome.
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| Smallest church ever |
I was only 5 blocks from the historic downtown, however after almost getting mown down trying to push through the soaking streets to see it, I just turn off North out of town. It’s bad, but Savannah will just have to join New Orleans, Austin, and the rest as a place to come back to with a car. When it’s raining, and everyone says you have to watch your stuff and lock up your bike, it just seemed to much hassle, especially when soaked through to your underwear.
And I’m not unhappy with the decision. Half an hour later I was out cruising through the Nature Reserve. I’m no twitcher or particular love of wildlife, so much so I’m embarrassed to admit I found a safari in Kenya rather dull, but this was lovely.
So lovely in fact not only did I almost missed the sign to South Carolina, but I almost rode over an uncomfortably large snake sunning itself on the road. It was probably the Carolina Toothless Kissing snake or something equally wet like that, but I didn’t stick around to find out, and now have the fear again about every rustle in the bushes.
The shoulders on the road have dropped away completely in Carolina which is discouraging, but a decent Mexican meal in lively spot over the road, has more than made up for it. And set me up for the 35 miles of I-95 frontage road I’ve got first up tomorrow morning.Route - Brunswick - Savannah - Hardeeville (very conscious the maps need updating. Today was meant to be the day, but got in late)
Breakfast - Couldn’t face another motel breakfast, so nipped over the road for oatmeal and breakfast bun at Starbucks. Yummy change.
Lunch - Grilled Mahi Mahi, baked sweet potato and salad - Captain Joe’s. Best sight of the day, out of the driving rain, into another brilliant local. Same story as yesterday. Looked weary from outside. Inside it was cheerful, friendly and most importantly serving up great local food. Spot on.
Supper -Tacos - Mi Territa - Seriously lively mexican restaurant right by the free way. There was a tent outside filled with punters dancing away to Mexican dance music, inside the bar was a fascinating mix of lonely truckers, fat cops, drunk golf fans on their way back from the Players in Florida, and locals of all backgrounds, and all held together by the very diligent and welcoming family who own the place. A real gem of a place, and rightfully busy. Oh, and the food was fantastic and really authentic.
