186 Southport, NC-Myrtle Beach, SC

Today’s ride was consumed with thoughts of my friend Cody Bennett as I was entering South Carolina (his home state). We went to basic training together and met up again years later at Warner Robins AFB where we were inseparable and had lots of fun experiences, some of which was spent in Myrtle Beach. He passed away a long time ago but I think of him often. He would approve of my current cycling trip and say something in his thick southern brogue, probably starting like: SHOOT keen! dats tha stuff, git it brother.

Today was a hard day both physically and mentally. It has been 8 days of heavy riding and the body is feeling the affects of that (next break is Charleston in two days), and mentally as the entire day was highway riding. Highway riding is taxing because every part of every second is all about not getting hit by a car. North Carolina wasn’t too bad because I had a small shoulder which promptly disappeared when I hit South Carolina. Drivers so far have been nice with the exception of a few bad apples that like to honk or speed by.

I am hoping that the highway heading south will not be so busy but I am prepared for another mental challenge if need be. There is only one road for me to get south so I am stuck with it unless I give up (which is not an option).