Bound for North Carolina

       Lately I've been feeling rather frustrated. I just can't seem to get anything go for me, so Joanna's phone call couldn't come at a more perfect time. The reason she called did suck for her for sure. It seems her assisant went skate boarding with his teenaged son and fell, hurting his wrist. He could barely move parts and or sand them and when he did he made the pain much worse. So, Jo gave me a call and asked if I like to come up and lend a hand. I never turn Jo down, because I love hanging out at her foothills home. She's out there in the country though not far from a a good sized City. I told her I couldn't leave until Saturday and would try to stay a week, well I could only stay 5 days, hey I got responsibilities too. She also wanted me to come up for she has won the chance to do a reality show on Lady Bikers and their lifestyles. What better choice than a woman that has been painting for over 30 years, authored a number of How to  Custom Paint your motorcycle, done photo journalism, and her articles have appeared in everything from American Iron to V-Twin Mama. I'm in the show as comedy relief, or the friend that shows up and chaos occurs.

             It's Saturday Morning, Top of the day to ya! I've got the bike packed and she's ready to roll. I've got everything ready so I get rolling about 10:30 am. I for one am so tired of the highway grind. I think as we get older as motorcyclists we don't have the desire, or we lose the desire to cruise 80 miles an hour blasting down the highway with our hair on fire. I think we begin to mellow, and learn to really enjoy the ride, and all that's around us. I had a different route in mind not just the standard 95 to 26 to77 to the inner loop 478 I think to 16 then onto the one of 5 different roads name Kcreek and into her driveway. Instead I think I'll take something different. In South Carolina there's a road 321 that runs right into 77 then I can pick up 200. I haven't done this stretch so I want to be sure to fuel up before I hit 321.
             I head out Saddler road watching the ocean views disappear in the mirror and turn on to 14th street, then on to 200/A1A, up 17 to 95north. I'm not a big fan of 95 but sometimes ya got too, I crossed into Georgia, and I'm telling y'all no matter how many times I pass that peach I can't help but think it looks like a butt. I was north bound and not alone there were several folks heading to Myrtle beach??? Or some other event. It was comfortable with out a jacket and the sun was shining. It seemed all and all the perfect day for motorcycling in the south. I fueled up in Georgia at the first truckstop. I prefer Georgia for fuel cause its like 22 cents cheaper than Florida. I burned that full tank up to the South Carolina Border. I like the flag pole with the nice brick wall that reads South Carolina! Now anyone whom has ever traveled 95 thru SC knows this section of 95 just sucks! It's two lanes of pot hole repairs and when traffic is heavy forget it, its like a parade and the lines will go only as fast as the first persons in line and don't ya know they always are pace cars keeping pace with each other, and totally unaware of the huge traffic jam they are causing. I will not be taking 95 that far so it didn't stress me out at all. I do believe that 321 exit was the second or third exit into South Carolina.
             I stopped at the first gas station and filled my tank as I didn't know what to expect on this road. Some areas of South Carolina can be a bit effie, and I'm hoping this road isn't one of them. The sun seemed to get hazey but still very nice and comfortable. I headed out on 321 and went though a nice little town, which gave way to forest and swamp lands. This was a good choice, there wasn't much traffic however there were several really small towns that along the way would have to reduce speed to travel through them. I continued on this road and came to realize that I had taken this road before, I took it last year on my way to the BMR. Well, no kidding right! If you want to see what little southern towns in South Carolina look like this would be the one to take. I believe I was at about the half way point on 321 when I noticed the high grey clouds moving in very slowly. I could only hope they would hold off until I got to Joanna's. I ride in the rain so much I kind of adopted two sayings one is "I ain't riding, if it ain't raining. If it ain't raining I ain't riding." and "Everything is Better When Wet". LOL, so what wold make me think this journey would be any different? Some of the old towns along this route you can see they are dying, which is a shame some of the structures that I passed by were just amazing!

            The temps were droping slightly and I fueled up just south of 77. With in 30 minutes I was on 77 and heading for Charolette, NC. 200 meets 77 south of Charolette so I took the exit. I went through some more little towns. One that I really don't like going thru for some reason is Lancaster. I have no Idea why but this place bothers me. I know its not the rolling hills its just the vibe of the place. I continued down 200 to Unity Church road. I need to turn on Shilo Church Road, I just have to remember which side of the little gas station convience store Shilo Church is on. I pick the right on and head down the road. There are Trailers and farm fields, pastures filled with dairy cattle and just the average Joe's home. Along the way some old plantation home look like they are just left to rott which I think is a darn shame. I know the plantations are a great source of pain for many, however they are still apart of our history. No matter how samefull it is we as Americans ought not to hide it away. We can look at the issues hidden behind they beautiful estate homes and learn from them, and be thankful of how far we have come in such a short peroid of time.

             The drops started one here or there then closer and closer together, I was just hoping to get to Jo's house before the skies opened up. Ya know what is worse than getting rain on for hours? It's getting rained on just miles before the destination just enough to get totally wet. I passed the North Carolina State line.  Right after about 1/4 of a mile is an old General Store, and old barn and a gas pump which is MIA at this time. I am just minutes from Jo's house I've just got to pick the correct    -----creek road. There are like 5 of them granted they all run into the same location sort of but not really. I wondered what it was like during the days that the General Store was in use. Many of these buldings and little stores and such were last used in the 1970's or 60's.

I turned into Jo's garage and was met by Jo and her assisant David. They were both so relieved to see me and thrilled that I had arrived, at this moment Jo thought about jamming sand paper in my hand, however I announced that I'm tired and need to rest before I go and start anything. So I ended up walking the shop guard dog down to the old fishing camp and hiked the trail that ran around the creek. This dog is a great dog, he kept watching and looking, he turn and look at me as if to say well what ya want me to do. I took him for the walk while Jo and David continued on with their work. David was trying to do everything one handed. LOL! it was going slow and its not like I'd be speedy. I walked the dog back, pulled some pork that had been in the smoker, and we all settled down to catch up in person on the going ons of life..............have a great one, the rest is to follow "T"