Greenwood State Park to Home

We were awakened this morning to multiple boats motoring away from the boat ramp a few hundred yards from our tent.  They started about 6:00 and we finally gave up sleeping about a quarter to seven and climbed out.  We had a breakfast of grits, cheese and spam singles.  It was not my favorite but it wasn’t too bad.  By the time we had eaten and packed it was 9:15 when we pulled off.    About 10 miles down the road we stopped at a store and had another breakfast of little chocolate donuts and OJ. Now that’s one of my favorite breakfasts.

From there we pedaled on to just outside Laurens where we had a hotdog lunch.  Then it was on to familiar roads for the next thirty miles home.  First Grey Court, Owens, Fountain Inn and then Simpsonville.  Up through the three neighborhoods and then home.  We arrived back around 4:00.

This was another fun trip through our state seeing little towns and meeting so many people we would never had seen or meet had we not taken it.  The group at the bikers club that blew their horns and waved as they passed us in Camden.  All the folks we talked to at the Pantries and Quick Stops we stopped at for drinks and snacks.  The people we talked to at the different camp sites and the ones that shared their firewood with us.  We would have never learned what “buffet” stands for if we had not meet the two big bikers at a café in Cold Spot SC.    They said they were hogs that rode hogs and they loved buffets.  They told us “buffet” stands for “Big Ugly Fat Folks Eating Together”.  Yeah, you gotta love South Carolina.

Today’s stats:
60.2 miles
5:46 hrs/mins
34.4 max
10.5 avg

Cold Spot SC, wouldn't you stop here?

Leesville to Greenwood State Park

We woke up this morning to a light rain and 70% chance of more to come.  We packed everything in waterproof bags and buttoned up for a rainy day.  After breakfast we said our goodbyes to our host and loaded up the bike and trailer.  The weather was warm and since the rain was very light we both elected to leave off the rain gear.  We rode into Batesburg and headed for Saluda.  The traffic again was light and hwy 178 was rolling without many tough climbs and before long we pulled into a very nice Laundromat outside of Saluda.

For those who have not visited a Laundromat in recent years let me warn you they run the course of too scary to enter, to ones like this one.  It was well lighted and clean with people in it that looked safe enough to make eye contact with, and before we even got the washer loaded we had company.  An elderly lady wanted to know what two sane looking people like us was doing on that bike.   She and Susan talked the whole time we were there and she gave us directions to a great buffet for lunch.

After eating we headed out for Greenwood State Park under some very heavy grey clouds.  Tonight there would be no hotel or B&B.   The signs of heavy rains were everywhere in huge puddles and dripping trees as we rode but still we had not been rained on.  That did not last though.

About 4 miles from the campground it started to drizzle.  Still light, but I put my rain coat on while Susan chose to enjoy the cool shower.  We pulled into camp and found a site where we could stretch our tarp over the picnic table.  This gave us a dry place to store stuff and sit and eat.  We quickly set up the tent and we were set for a rainy night.  We cooked a meal of pasta and chicken and tortillas.  As we drank a cup of coffee the rain stopped and the sun came out and that was it.  With the exception of it being warm it was an uneventful night.

Today’s stats:
46.0 miles
4:19hrs/mins
35.9 max
10.7 avg

Ready for rain

And here it is

Fixing supper under tarps

 

Sunset on the lake

Life IS good!

Denmark to Batesburg Leesville

We had a different kind of night last night.  Around midnight I  was awakened to a party outside in the parking lot.  Finally around 3:00 things quietened down.  It seems $35.00 hotels are not always in the best part on town.  It also seems as if some people even live in $35.00 hotel rooms.  We did leave early so that was a plus.  We were rolling before 8:00.  After a couple of McD biscuits we hit the road only to discover our first snag of the day.

Our first turn of the day was supposed to be down a dirt road.  With cloudy skies and a chance of rain we decided we didn’t want to do an 8 mile ride down a dirt road.  Plus the loose sand and ruts would make things tough.  After a quick look we decided on a detour.  We just pushed on to Norway, SC and then turned towards Springfield the end point of that dirt road.  So that meant today we rode from Denmark to Norway.  How great a vacation is that?  Denmark, …..Norway; …..both in one morning!.    No matter how great it sounded on paper Susan was not impressed, and the 3 added miles actually ticked her off.  The woman is never happy. 

From Springfield we headed for Wagner, SC.  The road today was much more rolling but still enjoyable and the cloud cover and low traffic were really appreciated.  Once we made Wagner the low traffic part went a way.  It seems we were now the main truck route from Aiken to I-20.  More than once we pulled off the road because of the heavy truck traffic in both directions.  A few times we were even passed by 5 trucks together in a convoy!  Finally we crossed over I-20 and the trucks went away.  The only problem now was the topography had changed and the hills had become more demanding.

They were not hwy 97 type hills but still a tough pull towards the end of the day.  We pulled into Batesburg around 3:00.  Another 1.5 miles towards Leesville and we came to our B&B for the night, the “Able House Inn”.   Since being here it has rained once.  I’m glad we are not in a tent tonight, but not real sure what tomorrow will be.

Today’s stats:(guessing, computer on bike in garage.  Will correct tomorrow.)
60.5 miles

 

How would you like to buy a set of these?

 

Home of the Governors frog jumping contest.  Who knew?

 

Break time

 

Nothing says I love you like a hand painted billboard

 

Denmark, Norway and Jackson Hole in one day

 

Able House Inn

Collerton State Park to Denmark

Last night I really missed that pillow.  I tossed and turned all night it seemed.  It didn’t help that it was hot too.  We did leave the fly off the tent and that helped.  I finally got up around 6:45 and made some coffee.

We were packed  up and got on the road by 8:00 sharp and rode through a great morning.  The air was cool and it was another lonely road.  We made a short stop for some OJ and little powdered donuts and hit the road again.  By late morning we were taking a break and looking at the map.  We realized we were going through two small towns that were big enough for a hotel.  One was Bamburg where we ate lunch and then rode on to Denmark.  In Denmark we stopped at the Carolina Inn and got a $35.00 room.   Now when you think $35.00 room you have to compare that to a tent site to put it in perspective.  Let’s see. Tent site; dirt floor with leaves and pine needles, bugs, picnic table, hot and rain.  $35.00 room; dirty floor with leaves and pine needles, bugs, but AC, TV and roof.  Not even a contest.  Actually it is clean and not too bad.  It has caused a route change though.

Instead of going to Derher State Park tomorrow we are going to look for another room in Batesburg-Leesville.  The main reason is a weather change has been predicted  with an increase in rain chances tonight an tomorrow.  If we can find a room we will then head to Greenwood State Park for Friday night.  That is the plan, but as you can see it can always change.

Today’s stats:
37.9 miles
3:20 hrs/mins
20.4 max
11.4 avg

 

My sandal has about had it

 

Another day with our riding buddies

 

 
 

My stroker was bored so she just started taking pictures

Summerton to Colleton State Park

We slept in to 8:00 this morning.  After a cold breakfast in the hotel lobby we loaded up and pulled out by 9:15.  The ride today had one very big unknown that even kept me awake a little last night.  We had to cross lake Marion.  The only way across according to the maps was I-95 and we could not ride on it.  I knew the original hwy 301/15 bridge use to cross at the same place and googling streets I could even see it, but I wasn’t sure we could ride across it.  I wasn’t even sure that they had not taken a section out to insure you couldn’t ride across.  I had emailed the local bike clubs and they said we could cross, but still I was uneasy.  If we could not cross here it meant a whole days detour and a very unhappy stoker on the back.  Turned out to be a great 4 miles because we had the whole bridge to ourselves.  We rode right past the barricades and across the bridge.   We took some great pictures from the bridge.  The only problem was the memory card was still in my computer.  You will just have to take our word on how award winning and stunning they were.  The best shots of  the trip.


From then on it was a relaxing easy ride with low traffic and mostly wide shoulders.  We stopped in Santee and did our laundry and then rode on to St George where we ate a late lunch.  We arrived at the park around 4:30.  We  unloaded and I still had enough energy to  ride 3 miles down the road to a pantry to get some cold drinks.  Cold drinks are what we really miss when bike camping.  That and pillows, a mattress, AC, chairs and few other things, but mostly cold drinks, and oh yeah TV.

Today’s stats:
48.2 miles
4:16 hrs/mins
22 max
11.34 avg

 

It's no fun sharing the road with these guys

 

  

SC yard art, the best in the world

 

The captains cockpit

 

One of the outstanding restaurants we patronized 

 
 

Camp

Camden to Summerton

This morning we woke up in a bed.  Always a good way to start your morning.  Today was a short day of only thirty miles so we decided to ride back into Camden to do some grocery shopping and see the town.  Around 11:oo we loaded the trailer and started for Poinsett State Park.  About half way we stopped for a break and while sitting under a tree looking at the map we saw a town next to interstate 95.  I pulled out the computer and found they had 3 hotels.  Since it was going the same direction we would be traveling tomorrow we decided to head for it.  That’s the good news.  The bad news was it was 23 more miles down the road, but today’s road was nothing like yesterdays so we decided to push on.  It was really a nice ride with low traffic and mostly shaded roads. We rode through the Manchester National Forest and by an Air Force bombing range.  A real difference in land use.  It was still a lot of miles today, what with the added downtown tour and the 23 miles to Summerton, but much nicer miles.  Today was a good one and tomorrow will be the short day.

 

Mural on a wall in Camden

 

Boykin Mill

 

County Store along the way

 

Church circa 1850.  They are repairing roof

Highway 97

I was really too tired yesterday to say much about the route other than it was tough.    That really didn’t do it justice.  Hwy 97 is used by the area biking clubs as a training ride.  Everyone we talked to could not believe we rode over it with the trailer.  I can’t believe it myself.  There were at least 4 major climbs of 2 or more miles all hooked together by steep rollers.  At times the only way I pushed through them was convincing myself  we would hitch a ride at our next rest stop.   But we pushed on, breaking it down into little goals.  Just climbing to next the tree or mailbox we reeled in the hills.  As an after thought I don’t believe I would ride this in two days again.  It needed to be broken up in three sections for us. On other note there was one humorous  moment.

As we climbed up a hill we saw a sign that said Catholic Presbyterian Church.  We both thought that was strange and Susan wanted to take a picture so I started slowing down.  I knew we would roll by it so I started to stop, and before I could unclip my shoe we fell over.  I caught the bike at about forty-five degrees but Susan just rolled right off.  I saw her laying in the grass just like she was still on the bike; feet and legs in pedaling position and her hands and arms up like she was still holding the bars.  Fortunately she wasn’t hurt and it was really sort of funny looking from my perspective.  She didn’t see the humor in it but she doesn’t have a good sense of humor anyway.  Yeap, yesterday was tough day.