DAY 7: Raleigh to Stedman, NC (61 miles)
The weather is supposed to be decent until midday when the chance for a thunderstorm becomes 30-40%. With that in mind, Erin and I get into a rhythm, quickly knocking off the first 25 miles of today's journey before lunch. We contemplate lunch in Coats while sitting out a rain shower under a gas station awning, but the attendant on duty is lukewarm on any recommendations in town. With the rain diminishing, we decide to press forth another 10 miles to Dunn where there will be more choices (perhaps partially due to its proximity to I-95). About 5 miles in, though, the sky becomes darker and rain begins to fall once again. Just as the sky begins to really open up, we duck under the carport of a nearby house whose occupants kindly allow us to wait out the downpour. While waiting, we search on our phones for a lunch spot in Dunn and decide that Kim's BBQ will be the spot. A short time later, we are back on our bikes, navigating the the mist steaming off the pavement following the rain. For the first time on our trip, we also get on a rail trail, though only for 2 miles.
Kim's BBQ looks a bit rundown from the outside, but we are hungry, the reviews on Yelp are favorable, and another storm is brewing. Inside, our spandex clad sweaty selves quickly become the focus of the restaurant. It starts with our waitress who thoughtfully leaves us our own pitcher of sweetened ice tea when she recognizes that we've been biking. The other tables then quickly get in on the action after our waitress announces to everyone that we've been biking since Washington DC. Several visitors to our table ask about our trip and proffer advice about our upcoming route and the location of the nearest bicycle shop. All told, Kim's ends up being a highlight of the day, not to mention a pretty darn inexpensive way to refuel (as $15 ends up buying us two sweet teas with unlimited refills, a meal of pulled pork with mashed potatoes and coleslaw,a meal of fried chicken with boiled potatoes and green beans, a basket of hush puppies (offered as a free option instead of dinner rolls!), and two dishes of self-serve non-dairy ice cream (whatever that is)!
We then give Erin's cousin Gigi a call to let her know that we are 24 miles away from her house in Stedman where we will be staying that night. She generously promises to have some pizza waiting for us which definitely provides some motivation for the final miles. We make good time and arrive around 6:30pm. Besides Gigi and her family, we also get to see Erin's aunt Diamond and hear countless entertaining stories about Erin's family.
Day 8: Stedman to Whiteville, NC (59 miles)
After sleeping in a bit, Gigi fixes us a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and sweet tea (a first for me in the morning!). We then head over to visit Gigi and her friend Fay's horses before heading out. While we won't get an opportunity to ride (something I haven't done since about age 10), we do get a chance to give the horses some treats and get paid in horse kisses. They are truly magnificent, powerful creatures.
Before we depart around noon, Gigi lets us know about a can't-miss burger place 35 miles away in Elizabethtown, pretty much the only town we will pass thru during our 59 mile day. This means we are definitely out in the country today, but the pavement is smooth and the hills have virtually disappeared as we near the coast. Still, I feel sluggish and Erin develops some discomfort in the saddle once again. So, 18 miles in, we pull off into some pine trees for a snack and to lower the nose of her saddle (something we have done before in addition to raising her saddle height; these slight adjustments can make a world of difference when it comes to comfort!). The brief break does some good, but hot and humid day takes its toll; by the time we climb the hill into Elizabethtown, we both feel tired and thirsty. Melvin's is a welcome sight. They sell only hot dogs and burgers (the latter described by some as the best in North Carolina) and have been doing so for 75 years. They have interesting hours for the food they serve (7:30am-5:30pm) and you have to order at the counter first before you sit down. That last fact bears noting because some 15-20 years ago, Erin and her family apparently got tossed from the restaurant for violating that rule! There's a story there, but I'll let Erin tell it.
In any case, the air conditioning and our Cokes and burgers at Melvin's rejuvenate us. The weather also looks like it might hold out, so we book a B&B in Whiteville (24 miles away) for our final night of the bike tour. Maybe 10 miles into this final stretch, though, the western sky turns dark. Still, there is some blue sky ahead of us that offers a sliver of hope that we might just outrun the storm. Erin optimistically wagers dinner that night that we will not be rained on. I don't hesitate to take her up on this bet although I tell her that I would not mind losing this one. Eight minutes later, a free dinner is mine. Thankfully, there is a nearby house with a carport that we are able to duck under before becoming completely soaked. The residents there are just pulling out in their car, but they kindly wave us to shelter when they recognize our situation. Maybe fifteen minutes later, the rain has stopped and the thunder has diminished. There are still some dark clouds on the horizon, but we optimistically decide to press on. Things are fine for a while, but then the rain resumes about ten miles from our destination. There isn't really anywhere to take cover this time, but thankfully the rain is falling only moderately hard, and we are less than an hour away from the B&B. Knowing that the weather could take a turn for the worse at any time, Erin and I pick up the pace; whereas we typically average about 12mph on the flats with our loaded touring bikes, we now hold 16mph with the raindrops pelting our faces. For a while, I think we are going to make it, but with 4 miles to go, the sky again turns threatening. We continue pedaling hard hoping for the best, but with the Whiteville city limits in our sight, lightening begins to flash and it begins to pour. We are so close to the B&B, but the rain falls so hard that cars are pulling over. Thus, we duck under a closed gas station's canopy until the rain lessens and the lightening ends. Completely soaked, we wait about twenty minutes before it seems reasonable to bike the final mile to our place. The Madison House is a welcome sight as we carry our bikes up onto its covered porch. A couple of hot showers later, Erin and I head out to enjoy a nice dinner at the Southern Kitchen, one of the few local restaurants opens still open after 8pm. Thanks for the meal, Erin!
Day 9: Whiteville, NC to Little River, SC (i.e., the finish line!) (40 miles)
Thankfully, we have our shortest biking day ahead of us to reach Little River, SC where we will join Erin's family for a week of relaxation and beach time. It's been a fun and memorable journey, but I think we are both looking forward to reaching our final destination. In fact, we take only two small breaks in knocking out these last 40 miles: one about halfway in to have some snacks and a drink, and one when we are about five miles away to take a picture of our crossing into South Carolina.
Overall, it's a day without incident -- no rain, no mechanical problems, neither of us gets "inked on" (Erin's terminology for the many times one of us has chain grease on our legs), and not even a single dog gives chase (although I'm pretty sure we've been chased by more than nine dogs on the trip for those that voted in the poll; Erin, however, had a knack for spotting them early not to mention a nice getaway burst that left all of our dog pursuers only dreaming of sinking their teeth into our calves). I consult my phone for directions into Little River until we reach US highway 17, about a mile away from the condo and familiar territory to Erin.
Erin leads the way from this point, and soon enough, we turn left off the busy highway and head downhill into the condo development...where Erin's parents, brother, nephew, and aunts surprise us with a finish line tape and cold Shiner beer they place in our hands almost before our wheels come to a rest. It's a pretty amazing close to our trip!
