Beach Ride / June 19

I must be living right. Forecast for the beach ride called for heat and a headwind. The heat was on, but the wind was out of the northwest all day -- and I was heading southeast. Many low traffic roads and flat terrain made for a leisurely 165 miles. Pix follow:

John Lee Ellis of Last Chance fame always jokes about expanding his territory outside of the Colorado boundaries. Has the land grab begun? Check out that sign I spotted.



Remember me bragging about finding that dirt road while scoping out the route in Google Maps? Well, I missed one. Shoulda known by the name -- Hog Heaven...

Here's the sign....





And the road, which actually was well-packed and dry.


Look familiar? This Civil War cemetery is on our 600K route.


Bad tracks, bad!


The road more traveled. I crossed I-95 just above Fayetteville.


Tobacco, North Carolina's version of Killer Weed.


Cool church...


Cooler church...

Now, where in the hell are my cowboy boots? (Buddy Chip & the Backsliders; great song, dopey home video somebody made)




Scenery along the way...


Bladen County Tar Snakes


Yup, we're in the South...


Looks like I was traveling at warp speed when I snapped a shot of the bridge just before Tar Heel.


Speaking of Tar Heel, here's the town sign. There's a big pig slaughterhouse here -- the biggest in the world, maybe the universe. A dozen trucks hauling pigs or waste passed me on area roads.


Did I mention it was hot? -- 93, according to one bank thermometer, so lots of these along the way...


Here's the Coho chillin in the shade, while I enjoyed an ice cold Perrier, a surprising delight in the convenience store cooler.


Glad I didn't go down rough and ready. Peacock was bad enough...


And did I mention tailwinds?...


I think this is the Waccamaw...


The trees seemed shocked that I made it. No need, a piece of cake.

Another great day on the bike.