May 22, 2008
Day 10: Wilmington, NC to Maysville, NC
85.08 miles, 6:11:06 Ride Time, 13.76 Average Speed, 24.0 Maximum Speed
I was up at 5:30, and ready to ride out by 7:00. I had decided the night before that I wouldn't ride up the Outer Banks. I didn't want to deal with the tourist traffic, especially with Memorial Day coming up. In any case, I have already seen the Outer Banks before, on "normal" vacations. So, my plan was to ride further inland up the coast, probably stopping today in the little town of Maysville, where there was a campground.
I reversed yesterday afternoon's route through town to get back on the Adventure Cycling route. The traffic wasn't so bad this morning. Once I got back on the official route, though, I got lost. My maps didn't match what I was seeing - there has been some re-routing of roads in Wilmington in the last few years, and the maps apparently haven't been updated. I stopped at a beauty shop, which I was surprised to see open so early, and got directions from the nice ladies there. They were patient with me, suprising given that I was interrupting their early morning hair-straightening procedure. Perhaps the sight of a puzzled guy in a goofy bicycle helmet brings out the best in people.
Their directions got me out of town, and I eventually made it to Hampstead, unfortunately in the middle of some ugly sprawl. I had breakfast at Hardee's, then rode over to a CVS pharmacy for some sunblock - I had run out of the first bottle in ten days.
I was now making the required detour around Camp Lejeune, and it sucked. For the next 25 miles, I rode on US 17, a four lane divided highway. Most of the time there was a wide shoulder, but the traffic was so heavy, it was like riding on an interstate. So, so boring.
I eventually arrived in the large-ish town of Jacksonville, and finally got on some quieter backroads that led me out of town. The last ten or fifteen miles to Maysville, a small town of about 1,000 people, were good.
I decided to stop and stay at a campground about one mile south of Maysville, partly because I live near Maysville, Kentucky, and I found the idea amusing. I made a few lame, semi-prank calls to people back home. They went something like this:
Me: "Hey, guess where I am?"
Them: "Where?"
Me (sad voice): "Oh, Maysville"
Them: "What?! What happened?!"
Me: "Maysville, North Carolina!"
I know - lame.
The White Oak River Campground was nice. The lady who runs it let me put my tent down by the river, away from the road and the other campers. After I got cleaned up and set up camp, I rode the mile into town and checked things out. There was a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, a Hardee's, a couple of local diners, and a small library which unfortunately was closed on Thursdays.
I opted for dinner at Andy's, a 50's-style diner, where the young waitress was impressed by the ridiculous amount of food I ate - Huge double bacon cheeseburger, fries, several root beers, milkshake.
Back at the campground, I got in the tent before dark, listening to the frogs, crickets, and my little radio. It was a good end to a not-so-great day of riding.
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Today's ride: 85 miles (137 km)
Total: 739 miles (1,189 km)
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