North Myrtle Beach to Georgetown, South Carolina 51.6 miles (83.1 km)

Laura who was working the front desk of the Comfort Inn at North Myrtle Beach had talked with me last night regarding my bike tour and the memoir that I'll be having published about the 1986 bike tour. I shared the story about finding the book Wild, by Cheryl Strayed up a the fish camp. When I handed her the card of my blog and email, she seemed to recognize my name and recalled meeting another doctor and his wife who were in the hotel a few months prior and had told her about me and the book that I was working on. Wow, bizarre. I racked my brain trying to think of whom that might be. I gave her the last names of some of my friends and colleagues who knew about the memoir, but she could not find anyone in the hotel's data base to match those names and her memory. I wonder if she had a premonitory dream or vision about meeting me or maybe there's someone else with a similar last name as me and who has written a memoir like mine. 

In the morning Rose and Mr. B were at the hotel's front desk. Laura had left a note introducing me and suggested that I be given a Friends and Family Discount for use down the road. Rose set up the discount for me as I stood there and invited me to call her if I need any more as I made my way south. Pretty amazing kindness and hospitality. I'm very thankful for having met all of them.

I got off of Highway 17 and on to Ocean Blvd through Myrtle Beach. There were quite a number of people biking and jogging along Ocean Blvd which had a dedicated bike lane for some stretches, paved shoulder for other stretches and no shoulder for other stretches. I was glad to be away from the heavy traffic of Hwy 17. Decreased traffic and then finding a couple of beach hotels that had Starbucks which drew me in for a Tall Green Tea Frappaccino and Tall Dark Roast... mmm relaxing. Maybe the universe thoguht I had things too easy today... another flat tire on the rear wheel. My progress was slowed considerably.

I made my way to Beach Bike Shop at 711 Broadway St. in Myrtle Beach and made the decision to have a high quality puncture resistant tire and tube installed. I think that there must be an unwritten rule about bike shops helping guys on long bicycle tours. Sean, (yes spelled the same way as my son) who was working on a bike in the back repair shop immediately stopped what he was doing to work on my bike. On my way out of the shop I handed Gail who was working the cash the card with my blog and email. We immediately got into a conversation about chiropractic. The entire shop got in on the conversation and they wanted me to set up a table and start adjusting each of them. 

If you are ever in need of a bike shop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - go see these folks. they really care and give awesome service. Here's their shop website address: www.beachbikeshop.com

Once I was out of Myrtle Beach and back on Hwy 17, there was a shoulder that varied from about 8 inches to 18 inches. The scenery along the route was lush green with pine trees that had long soft looking pine needles. My intention was to camp at Huntington Beach State Campground. The geezer at the registration booth of the campground seemed to take pleasure in admonishing me for not knowing that I should have had a registration. It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it...
"We're full. We been full since April."
"There isn't even a tent site for me?"
"No, we're full."
"I can't really register for campsites ahead of time because I started my trip in Canada and I never really know how far I can go on the bike in any given day."
"Like I said, we're full. Sorry I can't help you. You'll have to turn around and leave."

It's too bad that campgrounds don't have unwritten rules like bicycle shops that would accommodate a guy traveling by bicycle.

This striking statue is at the entrance of Brookgreen Gardens, a designated National Historic Landmark and is close to Huntington Beach State Park . The park was created in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington and is hallmarked by renowned sculptures. I wanted pay the $14 entrance fee to explore the gardens and see the sculptures but it was already after 4:00 pm, the gardens close at 5:00 pm and the closest accommodation I could find was 18 miles south in Georgetown. Back on the bike and heavy traffic. The last 11 miles were a sweat bath and completely drained me.