Planning the 4th Solo Trip

June 18, 2013 by LB

My last post glorified the joy of being home, and I truly am excited to have the next four weeks at home without travel (other than day trips on the bike of course). It’s time however to get serious about planning the 4th Solo Bike Trip.

So many places to ride; so few vacation days!

You may remember that I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Tail of the Dragon (in Tennessee) in 2010 as a way to celebrate my 5oth Birthday (photos taken with my old Canon Powershot SD1000)

2011 found me riding to the Outer Banks of North Carolina (again, with the old Canon)

Tennessee was the destination in 2012

So it seems that I have, not with purpose, alternated between the mountains and the beach.

This year then, I’m going back to the beach! I’ll ride to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Annapolis, and possibly Delaware.

The near constant rain has had me less than motivated to pull out the maps, but this weekend I WILL get to it! After all, the day of departure is just 7 weeks away!

Let the planning begin!

Charleston: Cycling to the Sun

June 1, 2013 by LB

One of the many great things about Charleston is that it is a community that bikes. Everywhere you look, you see folks riding bicycles. Unfortunately most are riding without helmets, but that story is for another time. I loved this dedicated “bike parking lot”.

A bookstore right in front of the bike parking lot uses cool combination advertising.

One of the purposes of the trip was to bring my son a bicycle so he’d be able to join the other cyclists in commuting and in play.

One evening, Andrew and I rode through Hampton Park and from there, found a curvy little pathway that led to the Ashley River.

It was the perfect place to watch the sun set over the river.

Such peace and tranquility … I was almost ready to move there!

The Final Myrtle Beach Post: The Beach!!!

May 25, 2013 by LB

This is the fourth and final post about Myrtle Beach Bike Week and my experience as a first timer.

One of the things that was a bit of a surprise to me about my trip to Myrtle Beach is that actually going to the beach did not seem like much of a priority. Me? At the first sign of the ocean, I pulled the bike over, breathed in the ocean air and relaxed into the view. I’m an Outer Banks, NC kind of woman … the Outer Banks is “beautifully natural, formed by centuries of wind, water and sand blown from the Atlantic Ocean, and home to a rich history; a place that inspires a true sense of adventure” (http://www.outerbanks.org/)

Even though Myrtle Beach is vastly different than a less developed beach community, it was during the very early morning hours that I found the ocean experience that I love.