2 weeks down

Our 2 week anniversary! We are resting and reorganizing at the lovely home of Ron and Debbie Gorrell in Walterboro, South Carolina. They are “WarmShowers.org” hosts and as cycling enthusiasts have enjoyed hosting long distance bicycle touring guests since joining the hosting group in fall 2011.

We spent a wonderful night Friday in Savannah, at Darlene’s good friend Silvia Heermann’s home. Thank you to Silvia, hostess extraordinaire, cat and dog lover, and professional pet sitter/ dog-walker who is an active member of the Gaston Gang, her neighborhood group of close friends.

New RASR spokeswoman, Joy (Darlene's daughter)

Stopped for a shine at one of Ken's carwashes

Darlene and Silvia

Victory Dr in classic southern Savannah

We started the day Saturday with two local bike rides in honor of Teddy Herrera of Across America for Childhood Obesity (www.AA4CO.com). The first ride was with the Savannah Bike Campaign, led by Frank McIntosh, Healthy Savannah, represented by Paula Kreissler, and the Health Department represented by Cristina Gibson, her husband, son, and daughter. The second ride was organized by the Savannah Bike Campaign (thanks to Drew Wade for connecting us!) and the Savannah Tree Foundation (Karen at www.savannahtree.com) and was designed as a tour highlighting tree planting accomplishments in a loop starting from Daffin Park. Christina’s daughter Alyssa rode with her dad in a top-bar mounted child’s bike seat with a convenient “head rest” in front for occasional short naps. Getting the children out and enjoying bike rides at as young an age as possible is a great way for them to grow up knowing that cycling is a fun way to travel and have fun with your family and friends. What a great start to the day to spend time cycling with so many groups who share similar passions for improving the safety for and participation in bike riding!

Savannah neighborhood ride

Darlene, with new friend Shamal, riding his daughter's bike who was still in bed asleep

The RASR team headed north across the Savannah River from Savannah and had to detour a bit to find the “bike friendly” route after being clearly warned off the main interstate bridge out of town. A non-negotiable wait slowed our progress- for the same long train twice (two RR crossings across the the route).

Bikes prohibited across the Savannah River on Rt 17, detour #1 on the day

Train delay

Finally we found the quiet roads again across sweeping lowcountry salt marsh, just in time to make our third state border crossing.

Savannah Nat Wildlife Refuge

Wahoo!  State #3!

Route 17, the bike route alternate to Interstate 95 north, wandered along either side of I-95 and sometimes “merged” onto the interstate. This slowed progress and diverted Jane, driving the van, onto some lovely country roads heading toward the coast before rejoining 17 again. We had a great lunch at the Mexican restaurant Mi Tierrita in Hardeeville, SC including chips and salsa, fresh tortillas, and delicious guacamole and lemonade. Thanks Rebeca!

Mi Tierrita owner Rebecca in Hardeeville, SC - best chips and salsa snack stop ever

Pink Primera with Pinky the fireworks elephant

Hardeeville, SC

We dodged the predicted downpour, riding through only a few “drizzles” with a wonderful mild temperature and slightly overcast weather and managed a total of 62 miles by about 5:30 pm. After repairing a flat tire on Darlene’s bike we made it to Walterboro and a wonderful lasagna dinner complete with homemade wine and banana pudding. Thanks to Debbie and Ron Gorrell for being terrific hosts and sharing great biking and family stories.

Our gracious host Ron in Walterboro

Today, our one rest day per week, we’ll clean and relube bikes, do laundry, catch up on communications and head to Charleston to meet friends and watch the DockDogs- dog diving competition. Monday morning we’ll head to Columbia to see Aunt Edna Barber, Jane’s aunt, and connect with the Columbia cycling and Safe Routes to School community.

Finally, a day off.    (Pig compliments of Darlene's friend Mindi.)

We are excited for the future improvements in South Carolina cycling as the Colleton County High School Students have created a pedestrian and bicycle plan for Colleton County as part of an “Eat Smart, Move More” program. Avid cyclists, such as Ron Gorrell offer their expertise to local leaders to help with plans to add traffic calming, bike lanes and develop Rails to Trails on available, unused railroad right of ways. These changes will attract cyclists and pedestrians to increase business to local shops and businesses by both tourists and future residents.

Posted by Jane