LITTLE RIVER, SC to CAROLINA BEACH, NC  55 miles, 13.1 mph, 4:11 min biking time, 7:45 to 4:00, DRY DOCK CLUB ($78)

Up late again-12:30am-UT wakes up-turns on ac-I turn off tv. Think after 80 m sleep would be no problem. Slow to get up in morning. 3 m-now in NC-see bike rt signs-shoulders w/no bumps. Best of all-1st day wind at back. Pass golf courses-see 2 alligators resting near green. 10 m-stop at Island Hoppers Bicycles-Tony gives me plugs for handle bars-1st time to put air in tires. 30 m stop for donuts & ch milk. UT gets big ch cake-another picture w/Sparky & Tiger. Now not scenic-don’t care-all flags blowing our way. Get to ferry. Meet Cindy from KY-tell her I was born at Ft Knox-her dad stationed there too. Also went to Germany in the 50’s-small world. Have farm in KY-here on vacation. Now feel like tourist-stop at aquarium & Ft Fisher. 1st costs $20 & is packed w/school kids. 2nd is free-last major fort to fall ending Civil War. Port used to export cotton in exchange for goods needed to fight war. Easily bike farther but exhausted being tourist. See our kind of motel-Dry Dock Club-$78-clean. Walk to dinner-Mexican-another great meal grilled shrimp, chicken & mx veggies. Take picture. Little 10 min walk on beach-bird pict. Only have 1 pillow-UT goes to office so he can have 1. Don’t know how to put pictures in order of when happened but at least I have pictures. UT had to go to the store for desserts-so different on the rd.

ANDREWS to LITTLE RIVER, SC  81.5 miles, 12.6 mph, 6:26 biking time, 7:45 to 5:00. DAYS INN $73

Long day on mostly 2 lane, no shoulder-rough rds w/lots of traffic. Stopped in Conway (50 m) for lunch buffet in local rest. Last 12 m into town was terrible-had about 1 ft or less, bumper strip-logging trucks going both ways-very stressful. Meal of smoked sausage was stressful too. Leader-do we stay or go-several golf courses close by. Want to go-get away from traffic-too early for motel. Hard up for pictures-flowers, ducks & geese at one of rest stops. See 1st Hillary sign. Lots of churches-every yard for 80 m is manicured-too bad about litter-can’t believe what people do. Temp got up to 90-still ok. Another detour-leader starts to go on hywy-STOP-point to sign-BIKES PROHIBITED-leader missed it. Go back to rd. Stop for icee-& post office-talk to Debra-said she was impressed-gave her my card. Hywy 9-sressful-lots of traffic. Finnaly at Days Inn-room large-looks remodeled-nice. Mex rest. across street-can’t believe it-shrimp tacos-wish I had camera. Beautiful & delicious-much better than meals in TX. One is sleeping & one is watching tv. Not sure how far we’re going tomorrow.

MONKS CORNER to ANDREWS, SC  39 + 7 miles, 12.1 mph, 3:10 biking time, 8:30 to 1:00  COLONIAL INN $50

Slept in-7:45-not much traffic on Sun morning-beautiful, peaceful-listen to music. STOP UT-TURTLE IN RD! Must help it. Take picture w/Tiger & Sparky-then carry turtle to other side. Stop in Jamestown-2 donuts & ch mk-YUM YUM😊Man next to us asks UT for .25-goes to get it-wants to buy soda. Man is dressed in Sun best-clean white pants, cross around neck-Bible in front of him. GOD bless you when UT gives him .25. Has trouble speaking-Says he’s a twin-57 yrs old (looks 87) tell him I’m 69-really-you’re beautiful. Talks to us  about God-give him $5-because we are truly blessed. Talk to motorcycle on way out-part of 40 bikers on rd today. Saw a lot yesterday. Stop at Andrews sign-home of Chubby Checker. Man (Chris) coming out of church walks over to take my picture. Biking away-kid (Shaun) yells-you dropped something. Look back-Tiger is laying in rd-he runs back-brings Tiger to me. See Colonial Inn-leader asks me-go another 50 m or stay here for $50. STAY. Girl at desk is well spoken-family is from India-grew up here-moved away-came back to help family run motel. Ran for mayor twice & lost-wants to change things. Room is large & very clean. GOLF course close by-call-noanswer-decide to bike over. CHERRY HILL COUNTRY CLUB is one of a kind. 2 men smoking cigars greet us-tell them we tried to call-# disconnected. Can we play? Yes. Rent clubs? No-maybe can find some. Clubs must be 20 yrs old-finds us a bag. Cost? How about $20 + $5 for balls. Take credit card? No. Glad we have $25. Includes cart-be careful-brakes don’t work well. Course is nice-wide open-like clubs-for back 9, play front 9 at different location. Have wonderful time-win $1. Finish-talk to Allen. 25 volunteers take care of course-everyone has key-down to 50 members. Industry closed down-glad they still have club-glad we came. Stop at Chinese rest.-only customers-have best meal yet-$8.50-take picture. Open 7 days a week-family run-play pen in next room for cute 2 yr old. Back for warm bath-no internet-watch tv-the other one reads. Favorite day so far. Good ride-nice clean motel-golf-dinner $100. So glad we stopped-if in a car-never would have stopped.

POiNT SOUTH to MONKS CORNER, SC  82.5 M  12.5 MPH  6:35 BTime  7:30 to 5:00  Carolina Inn ($55)  Subway ($13)

Up late again last night-TV, light doesn’t bother the other one. Up early-ok-I’ll get up. Parking lot is full at cheap motel. Denny’s is full- bike by. Temp is 64-don’t need jacket. Can’t remember much about the ride today-some rds were worse than usual. 30 m biked into Ridgeville-crowds lined the streets-waiting for parade to start. Girl told us it was yearly RICE CELEBRATION. Haven’t grown rice since Civil War but big deal. Tell her we’re from TX-says she’s for Cruz-not me. Invites me to church if we stay. Go to food court-get the biggest BBQ beef sandwich w/slaw-$5. Back on bike-ready for a shorter day-but no motels anywhere. Detour near end-adds another 5 m. Ask if we can get through w/bikes-SWAMP-ok-detour.  Knight’s Inn was not very good but Carolina Inn beats it. Walls are cracked-mold on walls. Had to put washcloth to use as plug in tub-black mold was everywhere I looked. AC works & is NS. Subway for dinner-asks guy what’s good-laughs-never eat here-because I would be eating the food-worked here 3 yrs. Go to store for cream for my sore neck. Hope tomorrow is a shorter day.