Day 24 – A New Friend, Myrtle Beach & What a SUNSET

February 6th 2015 – Day 24

It was chilly out this morning when I packed up.  I think it was about freezing.  I ended up using my heated liner and gloves all day.  I point this out because it’s the first time I have had to use heat for a while and the first time since my aerial ring was replaced at Baton Rouge BMW.  At this point in the ride I am OK talking about my issues with the EWS code.  No code showed up today at all.  Ran all my accessories as I have in the earlier part of my trip when the code showed its ugly head and would paralyze my bike.

So, one can wonder…was it the $40 part I was told about last fall?  The part I have asked for many times just to make sure while my bike’s diagnostics were being checked everything was done? As I ride up the coast and use more heat time will tell if my EWS is a thing of the past.  I can assure myself now everything has been done to my bike 😉 that could possibly be done to fix this issue.

I left Fernandina Beach pretty early in the morning so I could meet Jada.  Jada is an avid Tiger rider who has had quite a few other bikes as well.  We have been texting one another for days trying to arrange for me to either spend the night with her husband and she or meet for something.  Finally today we met off of I-95 at a gas station to ride about an hour and 45 minutes together to Charleston, SC to have lunch.  Jada led the way after we exchanged hello’s and off we went. Jada has been reading my blog for a while and made her decision to buy a Tiger after my 2011 Alaska Trip.  She made a nice choice.

Did not see much of Charleston after lunch because I wanted to get to Myrtle Beach, SC and it was another 100 miles or so.

The restaurant was an eclectic sort of hole in the wall and the food was just as diverse.  It actually was very neat inside, full of colourful people and servers and lot’s of Duck and Moose on the menu.  I had a simple chicken salad sandwich which was really tasty.

Jada has been here quite a few times before and it was a perfect place for us to “dine” and chat.

Jada and I of course did a little photo-op and then I took off.

The ride to Myrtle Beach was a bit long as I was getting tired.  I am glad sometimes when I don’t research destinations.  Well, I hardly ever do to a fault I suppose. When I got into the beach area I was very surprise to see that 1 mile before the water was this park like boardwalk with shops and tons of entertainment. I got here by sunset and the sky was on “fire”.  Made the decision to stay another night since it’s supposed to be so nice out this weekend and I have to check out this little family orientated tourist town.

There is a kid dance competition in town but the hotel front desk said tourists are minimal.  I would hardly visit these places in tourist season but off-season?  Why not.  So much easier to check the out with no people.

Walked around the boardwalk at night as tons of kids arrived.  Plan on just hanging out today, go to the beach and walk a lot.  I need exercise. Sunday I will head to Williamsburg to visit some old friends then creep up the coast to Long Island.  I am hopeful I can be on the Island via Bridgeport, CT by Feb. 11.  That will be the official end of my long one trip from Vancouver to NY.  Final mileage will be very high even compared to my 2 previous X Country trips.  I anticipate this trip to be over 13000 KM’s or 8000 miles.

Anyone who reads this post have you been here?

Off to shower and enjoy being and acting like a tourist.  😉