Day 8 - June 6th
Another day, another wakeup in a random motel room. After awaking, I availed myself of the continental breakfast in the motel lobby, which in this hotel consisted of stale corn flakes, lukewarm milk, toasted wonder bread, and burned Folgers.
I finished breakfast, put on my leathers, loaded up, checked out, and headed out eastwards.
The day's route took me eastwards along Route 76 and across the Chattooga river, which separates Georgia and South Carolina. This is the river along which the movie Deliverance was filmed.
The area around the river is a very popular whitewater rafting destination now, but as you get farther away from the river, things get VERY remote. The area is very beautiful though, so it was very much a relaxed, enjoy-the-scenery ride.
As I headed eastwards in South Carolina, it got hotter and more humid, the terrain also got flatter. I was out of the mountains, and into the flatlands. I picked up Route 29 eastwards across the northern tier of South Carolina. Along the way, I saw my very first Piggly Wiggly, and I filled my gas tank at the first gas station I have ever seen that carries E85. Now if I only had a bike that would run properly on it...
My final destination was Rock Hill, specifically andronyka and c00kymonster's house. Unfortunately, thanks to a cellphone that had NO coverage anywhere in South Carolina, I overshot my destination a bit. My phone (T-mobile) worked great in Blue Ridge, GA, in the middle of nowhere. Anywhere populated in SC? Nothing. I ended up on Route 77, and found a payphone at a rest area to call andronyka. She directed me back the way I came and I finally did arrive at their place around 6:30 or so.
They have a great house that they're in the middle of fixing up, in a quiet little neighborhood. And they have a pool. An inground pool. I am still jealous. :-P
Dinner was steak, with strawberry shortcake for dessert, and it was yummy. After lots of catching up, we all decided to hit the hay, and I fell asleep in a real comfortable bed. Mmmmm bed.
Thank you again to c00kymonster and andronyka for their hospitality, and the home-cooked meal. It was MUCH appreciated after a week on the road.