Hunting Island State Park continued

I did have my other camera with me so I managed to get a few more pictures the next day hiking around the island.





This was behind my camp and would get about a foot and a half deep at high tide.





Hey look, a deer. They were all over the camp and neighboring islands. Someone told me there were 12 deer altogether and the staff would move them around, but I'm not sure I buy that.







All in all, I had a fantastic weekend. It was supposed to rain the whole time, but I guess Fate decided to give me a break and the weather was perfect. Couldn't have asked for more.

Hunting Island State Park

Decided I needed some beach time, so got the weekend free. The original plan was to go to Charleston, but then started thinking about a state park near Beaufort, SC that I used to visit when I lived there. So I headed off to Hunting Island State Park. Got in around 8 or so and set up camp. I loved the spot I got, down a little trail and over a little rise which separated me from the rest of the campground. Here are a couple of pictures of my camp.




Those pictures are from the next morning, I set up camp in the dark. Which would not have been bad, except I had orginially planned on taking the motorcycle down and had packed everything there. I moved everything to the car since it was supposed to rain all weekend, but forgot to grab one thing from my motorcycle bag, my flashlights! Luckily I had a headlight for my bicycle with me so I was able to muddle through.

So I headed into town to grab dinner and got downtown around 9:15. Beaufort actually has a decent downtown these days but being a small town, every kitchen closed at 9pm! So I ended up eating at Outback, which is always decent food, but I really dislike eating at chain restaurants when I am traveling. Really, what's the point?

I thought about heading downtown, but while looking for food I had scouted around but really didn't see a crowd I wanted to hang out with (either too young or two old). So I figured I would head back out to Hunting Island and get some sleep, but on the way back I passed a little dive bar called Weezie's that looked like it was hopping so I turned around and pulled in. A decent bar band was having a CD release party, and it ended up being a lot of fun. They even had Sierra Nevada on tap! Couldn't have asked for anything more.

Got out kayaking the next morning when I finally woke up. Stopped off at a sand bar and got some decent pictures there and traveled up the lagoon.













Headed up the lagoon, I got a few more pictures but mostly just kicked back and enjoyed being out on the water.



The next two are of the biggest egret by far I had seen. You can see in the second picture how much bigger he was than the typical egrets.





Tragically, that was the end of the pictures using that camera. When I got back, there was an incident involving a dock, a strong tidal current, and a little stupidity on my part which meant I went swimming and my camera got a little wet. I blame it on my lack of sleep the night before.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, took a bike ride, a little nap, dinner at Steamers on Lady's Island and a quiet evening.

My Trip to the Dragon Pt 3

Apparently, I am not the first person to break my shift lever on the Dragon. Wheeler's Cycle back towards Robbinsville was just closing up as I got there right before 7pm Saturday night and had a new lever for me. Change it out and I back in business with the only casualties being my ego and a few scrapes on my boot from shifting without the peg.

Got up early and got a nice shot of the lake as I am headed back up. Really like the colors across the still water.



Made the Dragon without incident this time (passed like 6 bikes total at 8:30am) and got a picture of the dam.



The lake looks nice, but no swimming. The sign said so.



So heading up to the skyway there is a pretty red bridge, somehow I managed not to stare at it and run off the road.



Got a little foggy on the Skyway.



But what, me worry?



This has to be safe right? What could go wrong?



So after another run over the Dragon and back, I head home via 28, got a nice picture of the water station on the way home. Lots of great roads but decided to do more riding and less taking pictures.

My Trip to the Dragon Pt 2

So here's where it gets stupid. Or I get stupid at least. Keep in mind I have been on the road for about 8 hours, it's like 6pm and I figure I would get a quick run in before I set up camp.

I head up, enjoy a few turns and pass Deal's Gap, then see a sign for Dragon Works and I decide I need to look and see what it was (nothing, a stupid utility shed!). Look back to the road and Hey, what's that? The road turns to the left. Turns? Who could have imagined those on a road called Tail of the Dragon?

So remembering all my careful training, I realize the best thing to do is to slam on the brakes and fishtail the back end straight off into the gravel where I manage a cool BMX slide to a stop. The bike is leaning about 50 degrees when I stop and I decide it must be tired, so I lay it gently down on it's side. ****, quick, pick it up before anyone comes along and sees you! OK, that's better. Decided to exercise the better part of valor and turn around to set up camp for the night. First shift and the lever breaks off, must have bent it when I set it down. I wasn't even moving at the time! Not a scratch on the bike but the lever breaks off, grumble... Alright, turn around and get a couple pics for you guys to mock (who needs self esteem, right?)

Look, shiny red sign! You can just see my tire track off the road...



Speaking of the road, maybe I should look at that?



Note the cool S shaped fishtail in the gravel before I slide to the right. Nice, huh?



So my consolation prize is that I found a great campsite right on the lake and got to watch a beautiful sunset across the water.

My Trip to the Dragon Pt 1

I managed to get the weekend free and rather than mow the yard or do any of the other 1000 things I need to do, I decided I would head over to the dragon and do some riding.

So started out Saturday morning, not looking like a great start being drizzling out but it cleared up I was packed, let's go.



Headed into Franklin, NC. Great roads and not too much traffic.



Stopped and had lunch in Highlands, NC. Funny town, it's basically a hoighty toighty little town in the middle of the mountains. Had lunch at a nice little Inn. This early '70s Rolls Royce gives you an idea of the type of town it is. Awesome burger and the beer was great too (yes I had a beer, bite me).






Hey so I finally made it. Here's the plant at the bottom.

The boat is in the water and sailing just fine. Still work to be done, but most of that will be waiting until wintertime.