JT and I rolled out of town at the very late hour of 8:30 a.m., and headed north; each of us intent on reaching our respective mothers for a few days visit before continuing farther north for this year's Fall Leaf Ride. Other than the late departure (totally my fault), things went just fine. We took the fast route by running up I-4 to I-95 to get out of Florida. At our first gas stop near St. Augustine we agreed to a running speed of 75 MPH as indicated on our GPS units. And that's where the problems started; apparently our GPS units aren't equal when it comes to reporting speed because despite maintaining the agreed upon speed, JT faded farther and farther back until somewhere north of Brunswick, GA, he was over the horizon behind me. Despite waiting on him at an exit in Ridgeland, SC, JT and I did not cross paths again for the rest of the day. He did call me around 8 p.m. and let me know that he made it to his mother's home in the Winston-Salem, NC, area. I, too, made it to the area of my mom's home, but had to stop short due darkness, rain on the mountain where she lives, and an unreasonable fear of meandering darkness-loving deer!
Drawing upon my long-ago pilot training on recognizing and defeating "get-there-itis" I erred on the side of caution and stopped for the night in Marion, NC. It had been a long day of riding and my body told me about every mile of it, but it had also been a good day of riding. Here's the blow-by-blow of my progress for the day:
08:30 - Rollout from the home area;
10:10 - Daytona, FL;
10:56 - Gas stop #1 -St. Augustine area - 199.8 miles;
12:05 - Crossed into Georgia;
13:37 - Crossed into South Carolina;
14:00 - Gas stop #2 - Ridgeland, SC - 399.2 miles - Waited for JT, but no sign of him;
15:05 - About 20 miles south of I-26 started feeling odd then realized I WAS COLD!!!
15:27 - Turned west onto I-26;
17:09 - Gas stop #3 - Enoree, SC - 595 miles - 2.5 gals only - bad station, but I was desperate!!!;
17:45 - Near Inman, SC, mountains sighted on the horizon;
17:53 - Crossed into North Carolina on I-26;
18:00 - Gas stop #4 at I-26//US-74, 640.7 miles;
19:00 - Marion, NC, stopped for the night with 693 miles on the clock.
Only took two or three pictures all day and they weren't worth the trouble to post. On Wednesday -- once the rain clears -- I'll make my way up the mountain out of Marion, jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and slowly meander the rest of the way to my mom's house where I'll hang out for the next few days.
Drawing upon my long-ago pilot training on recognizing and defeating "get-there-itis" I erred on the side of caution and stopped for the night in Marion, NC. It had been a long day of riding and my body told me about every mile of it, but it had also been a good day of riding. Here's the blow-by-blow of my progress for the day:
08:30 - Rollout from the home area;
10:10 - Daytona, FL;
10:56 - Gas stop #1 -St. Augustine area - 199.8 miles;
12:05 - Crossed into Georgia;
13:37 - Crossed into South Carolina;
14:00 - Gas stop #2 - Ridgeland, SC - 399.2 miles - Waited for JT, but no sign of him;
15:05 - About 20 miles south of I-26 started feeling odd then realized I WAS COLD!!!
15:27 - Turned west onto I-26;
17:09 - Gas stop #3 - Enoree, SC - 595 miles - 2.5 gals only - bad station, but I was desperate!!!;
17:45 - Near Inman, SC, mountains sighted on the horizon;
17:53 - Crossed into North Carolina on I-26;
18:00 - Gas stop #4 at I-26//US-74, 640.7 miles;
19:00 - Marion, NC, stopped for the night with 693 miles on the clock.
Only took two or three pictures all day and they weren't worth the trouble to post. On Wednesday -- once the rain clears -- I'll make my way up the mountain out of Marion, jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and slowly meander the rest of the way to my mom's house where I'll hang out for the next few days.
1 comment:
Thanks for the update. Keep them coming. Ride with Pride.
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