Yes Virginia, I’m in North Carolina

For starters, I apologize for not posting an update yesterday. The reason was simple. Nothing happened. Nothing of note anyway. As I mentioned in my previous update, yesterday was another day in Chesapeake doing some freelance work. Of course, that became somewhat more challenging when the hotel WiFi went down. So, I found myself running back and forth between my room and the computer in the lobby – the wired internet was still functioning but the lobby computer had strict limitations on what could and couldn’t be done. It was a bit frustrating. Not to mention slow.

Not knowing how long the internet would be down (but assuming it would be a while) I cancelled my extra night at the Hampton Inn and found another option down the road. Their WiFi wasn’t much better but the room rate was significantly cheaper. Side note, Hampton Inn has a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not 100% satisfied then your room is free. I’m going to investigate that but I won’t hold my breath on seeing a refund.

Today was somewhat of a “back to the basics” day. The plan was to bike to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina – about 110 km away. Well, it’s 110 km if you take the direct highway. It’s a 132 km if you follow Google’s crazy detour. I opted not to do that. My research indicated that I was allowed on all the highways between Chesapeake and Kitty Hawk so I saw no reason not to follow the shortest path. It was a good decision. And a great ride. Well, not particularly scenic but very easy. And very flat. Very, very flat. So flat that even with a bit of a headwind I was able to maintain a faster than usual speed. The downside to flat terrain is that there isn’t much opportunity to coast. The upside is the pedalling is pretty easy.

I was on the road by 8:00 and off the road 30 minutes later. Nothing wrong, I just stopped at another Subway for a sub to go. And as a bonus I got a free cookie – apparently Friday is “free cookie day” at Subway (in Virginia, anyway). With my cookie and sub securely stashed away, I was back on the road by 8:40.

By 9:30 I reached another milestone. The North Carolina border – and my 11th state on this trip. This border was more significant for one main reason. There was actually a sign welcoming me to the state. The downside to not travelling on major highways is that there tends to be a dearth of “Welcome” signs. That wasn’t the case today. It may not have been a big sign, but it was still a sign. And a photo opportunity. There was also a Welcome Center where I was able to refill my water bottles and get some camping information. Yes, I’m hoping to get back to camping again.

The woman at the Welcome Center was very helpful in suggesting campgrounds and potential routes. I have a few options of “things to do” in North Carolina so I’ll have to look at the map a little more closely to figure out which route I’ll be taking.

With Virginia officially behind me, I continued to ride through North Carolina towards Kitty Hawk. The ride continued to be very easy and very flat and, with the exception of traffic lights, I didn’t stop again until about 12:15. I should mention that another downside to avoiding major highways is the lack of official Rest Areas along the way. So, when one appeared at 12:15, I decided it would be a good time to stop for lunch. By this point, I had gone 70 km. With less than 40 km to go, I decided I could have a very leisurely lunch.

My leisurely lunch was officially deemed to be over at 1:00. Based on my morning travels, I figured an arrival in Kitty Hawk before 3:00 was well within reach. And it was. There was just one somewhat minor adventure along the way. With less than 10 km to go, I approached a bridge that would lead me to Kitty Hawk. Normally this bridge has two lanes travelling in each direction. Sadly, today didn’t fall into the “normally” category. Construction had closed two lanes, leaving one very narrow lane in each direction. Did I mention the bridge was about 4 km (2.5 miles) long? With a bridge that long, waiting for a break in traffic was not an option. So, I took a deep breath, pulled onto the bridge and just kept pedalling.

Needless to say I survived the bridge crossing. It wasn’t the most fun I’ve had on a bike but it wasn’t too bad either. Most vehicles left me as much room as they could and were patient as they passed. That said, I was relieved when I finally reached the other side.

With the final hurdle of the day behind me, all that was left was to find the Adventure Bound campground. And I did.

For the first time since entering the United States, I am staying at a campground. And for the first time since the Montauk leg of the journey, I am once again using my long-neglected tent. It’s actually nice to be camping again. Sure, staying in motels has a few more amenities to offer. Then again, it’s also rather relaxing listening to the crickets as I type this update. I say that with great confidence since I just woke up from a little siesta.

While I’m enjoying my return to the basics, it’s also more than a little apparent that I’m a bit out of practice. I think I currently have every bag partially open as I try to remember where everything is supposed to belong.

After setting up my tent, I cycled over to Food-Lion to get some groceries which included apples, bananas, rice, Cliff Bars, fruit/vegetable juice, and a four pack of “Klondike Fudge Krunch Kandy Bars”. No, I didn’t really need a four pack of ice cream bars but, at $2.99, it was cheaper than one comparable bar at a convenience store. Of course, today’s warm weather meant I’d have to eat the bars quickly. That wasn’t a problem.

In addition to setting up the tent for the first time in several weeks, it’s also the first time I’ve used my Trangia stove in a very long time. It’s not quite as good as an All-You-Can-Eat buffet but still quite effective at cooking up the recently purchased package of rice. It wasn’t until I opened the package that I noticed that it makes enough for four servings. I’m guessing that only applies to people who didn’t spend the day travelling 118 km by bike. I ate it all.

Today’s Totals:
Distance travelled: 118.77 km
Time on bike: 4:52.25
Maximum speed: 43.56 km/h
Average speed: 24.34 km/h