Day 29: Riegelwood to Wilmington

Yesterday morning, after saying goodbye to Lee, I started riding around 6:30 AM, the earliest starting time so far on the trip. I stopped by a gas station convenience store not too far from Lee’s house and got some bacon, bologna, sausage, scrambled eggs, and a cup of coffee. I needed the protein since I’ll be riding for a long time in the morning.

Lee had warned me that there will be lumber trucks on the road and he was right. I stuck to the shoulder of the busy road for 12 miles before meeting the East Coast Greenway.

Beautiful weather on a morning ride

I stopped by another convenience store for an ice cream bar about half way to Wilmington, then I rode on route 421, which is a very busy road with trucks and cars going 60 miles per hour. I also had to be very careful when crossing the Isabel Holmes Bridge to get to Wilmington. There was an exit on the right and I had to wait a long time to cross to the left lane and cycle into the city. I arrived in downtown Wilmington after riding a total of 38 miles and it wasn’t even 10:30 AM yet. I made good time.

Downtown Wilmington

The battleship in Wilmington

While finding a place for lunch in downtown, a local couple tried to recommend some places for me to eat, but most restaurants don’t open until 11. I ended up going to Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill that’s right by Cape Fear River. I chose a seat on the edge of the barge and had a great view of the river. I had fish and chips and they were not bad.

River side lunch

I texted my Warmshowers host Steve about an arrival time since I’m early. He didn’t get back to me until a couple hours later. I decided to ride to Wrightsville Beach on the other side of the town, about 12 miles away.

I rode on some bike paths and went through the University of North Carolina Wilmington. After crossing another bridge, I arrived at the beach. I walked on the beach briefly and took a couple of photographs before riding my bike to the south end. Along the way, I took a rest at an ice cream place and had a root beer float. I ended up charging my phone using my power bank for the first time since I wasn’t able to charge it at the restaurant.

Wrightsville Beach

At the south end, I walked on the beach to the ocean. This is the less crowded part of the beach with only a few people. I wondered what it would be like to live in a place like this, somewhere close to the ocean. I’m still debating where I want to settle. Sure, I like the Greensboro area, but Wilmington also seems like a great place if I want the beach life. Though, I’m not sure what would happen when the ocean rises and hurricanes strike.

The Atlantic Ocean in Wilmington

I decided to head over to Steve’s house that’s about 10 miles away in Myrtle Grove. I arrived there a little after 3 PM. I rode a total of 67 miles.

Steve’s wife, Mary Beth, was home. After showing me around the house, I took a shower. Steve got home as well and I did my laundry while chatting with both Steve and Mary Beth.

Steve is 70 years old and doesn’t want to retire yet. He’s a manager of a building company that builds houses around Wilmington. Mary Beth is retired.

Steve just signed up on Warmshowers not too long ago and I am their first guest. He will use Warmshowers to do a self-supported tour going to Florida later this year.

Mary Beth made a huge salad, a potato dish, and pulled pork for dinner. The food was so good that I had two servings. After some dinner table conversations, I was so tired that I went to bed around 8 PM.

Mary Beth and Steve

This morning I woke up at 6 AM. Steve was already up and was making breakfast. I had two fried eggs, bacon, and some toast. After the meal, Steve had to go to work. I will leave soon as well.

I have no idea which town I’ll be staying at today since there are no Warmshowers hosts until south of Myrtle Beach, and I don’t feel like riding over 100 miles there. I’ll play it by ear. I guess that’s what an adventure is.