April 30, 2022
Day 21 - Shallotte to Wilmington
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It was another day of perfect weather and even a tailwind to go with it! We left Shallotte and took back roads to reach Southport-Supply Road which took us to the ferry in Southport. The rural back roads had a surprising amount of traffic and some unsurprising bad pavement. I had a hard time relaxing and enjoying the ride. Once we got to Southport-Supply Road, it was a bit better, but then we encountered several rude, obnoxious drivers. It's uncommon for us to get nasty things yelled at us several times in one day - and here "at home" in North Carolina, it is even more distressing.
At Southport, everything got better. Southport is a charming little town on the Cape Fear River.
Kerry had mapped out a route to tour the downtown/waterfront area. He didn't let the fact that he had us going the wrong way on one-way streets deter him from his planned route!
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The Western writer Robert Ruark was from Southport. We aren't familiar with his work, but I love this quote from one of his novels.
In Southport, we took the ferry over to Fort Fisher. It is a peaceful 3o minute crossing of the Cape Fear River.
While we were waiting to board the ferry, we saw this tugboat pass.
And then the barge which the tug was towing.
This young couple took the ferry from Fort Fisher to Southport to pick up bicycles which they had bought online. We had fun talking with them during the crossing. They are from Wisconsin and moved to North Carolina for work. Now they have settled in Carolina Beach and are enjoying the good life.
The ferry docks at Fort Fisher, which was the site of a large Confederate fort. This monument was erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
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Earthen embankments were constructed during the Civil War to help soldiers at the fort keep shipping into the port of Wilmington protected.
Now this area has become a positive, healthy place. The Fort Fisher Recreational Area is a state park which provides recreational opportunities for visitors.
The forecast predicted a 25% of afternoon showers. It looks as it some raining is falling over the water ahead. We made it to Wilmington without getting any rain.
Kerry again... Overall, I really enjoyed todays ride. We started out by riding 25 miles before our first break (which is probably a record for us) because we just didn't feel the need to stop. However, leaving Fort Fisher, we truly had cycling nirvana for the rest of the ride - flat terrain, smooth roads with wide shoulders, low traffic, and a tailwind. Those last 20 miles just flew by!
Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 768 miles (1,236 km)
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