Southern U.S. Day 2

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Day 2

Today started out dreary; a bit chilly and cloudy, and threatening rain. As I approached the Outer Banks after about an hour of riding it looked like it was clearing up little towards the east. The south and west still looked ominous, though. It was warmer than yesterday, so I wasn’t as cold, but it still wasn’t what I would call warm. I went to the Wright Brothers National Memorial to get a stamp but didn’t stay very long because of the impending storm. I then went to Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island to get three more stamps bringing my total to 41 stamps from 14 states.

I would have liked to have spent more time visiting these parks, but I have to be in Key West by Wednesday, which means I have to average 355 miles a day. That’s not a lot in a car, but on a motorcycle in the rain, that can be a long day. Between the need to travel a lot of miles each day and the lousy weather, I am not able to spend much time visiting the parks and taking pictures. Hopefully that will change once I get to Key West.

I would have loved to ride the length of the outer banks, with the 2 ferry rides, but it would have taken me about 10 hours and it was supposed to rain all day, so I opted to take the land route to Jacksonville. I will add this to the list of trips I want to take with Chris (in the car, of course).

North Carolina is much prettier than the Delmarva Peninsula, but I didn’t get to fully appreciate the beauty because about an hour after I left Fort Raleigh, it started to rain. It rained off and on for the rest of the journey to Jacksonville. Today must have bee my lucky day, though, because right after I got to the motel (actually while I was still checking in), the rain turned into a torrential downpour.

Tomorrow there is 100% chance of rain here in Jacksonville, but only a 20% chance in Charleston and no rain in Savannah, which is tomorrow’s destination.

In case you haven’t noticed, weather is an important factor when you are traveling on a motorcycle. When the weather is nice, it is really, really great to be on a motorcycle, when the weather sucks, it is really, really, not great to be on a motorcycle. I guess you just have to take the good with the bad.

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Comments

[Linda Liedtka]

David ... thank you so much for including me on your blog. As last time, it is so interesting to read your daily events - you have a pleasant writing style and really makes someone feel like they are there. Enjoy your trip and thanks again !

[Jeanne]

Was really amazed when we traveled from Savannah to Charleston a few years ago at the shacks along the road and the poverty of the people living in them. Was a little afraid we would break down in that area - enjoy the scenery but be safe!!

[Davidc313]

Thanks
Thanks, Linda. Compliments are always appreciated. I'm glad you are enjoying my blog. This trip is dramatically different without Rick & Bill.