Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Days 24-25: Life is beautiful



Leaving Charleston, I biked 55 miles inland to historic Walterboro, the seat of Colleton County. The days off had healed my saddle sores and faded the bruises on my hands and feet. I felt strong and fast again and remembered why I had once liked to ride bicycles. The first 11 miles out of Charleston took me on Ashley River Road, a National Scenic Byway, which passes three national historic landmarks: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, and Drayton Hall and Middleton Place plantations (picture from Flickr). Ashley River Road is described on the National Scenic Byways official site as "a journey into the history, culture, and beauty of the South Carolina lowcountry. Ancient live oaks, Spanish moss stirring in a warm summer breeze, and elegant brick gates hinting at the architecture within hearken back to days gone by." It was lovely indeed and, on midday Tuesday, traffic on was light. If I'd had a wand I would have alighted Disney-style stardust on all the flowers and butterflies in my path -- that's how good I was feeling.

The next day I traveled from Walterboro to Yemassee, my last stop in South Carolina and came across the first (and still only) fellow traveling cyclists I've seen. Wendy and Leilani were on their way north to Boston after traveling cross-country east all the way from Tucson since the 4th of July. They had been baked to a deep brown color and gear was strapped to every available inch of their bicycles. Unfortunately, they were going in the opposite direction, but we stopped briefly to discuss saddle sores, the kindness of strangers, and why they loved riding through Texas. Good luck, Wendy and Leilani!

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