I woke up a little late this morning. Instead of heading off to nearby Lake Wacamaw at 9AM, I left around 9:30. Based on my Garmin 705 Edge, I would need to cover 24 miles. I figured that would take me about an hour and a half of easy riding.
The morning was nice. The temperature was around 75F and the sky was showing tall cumulus clouds. The wind was at a minimum. The only negative was that once again the humidity was coming down from 95% after a foggy early morning.
I took my video camera in hopes of doing a documentary of the Garmin 705′s routing capabilities. It might be nice to get some scenery of the lake once I arrived. The only problem is that the VholdR does a decent job getting video of trails and things, but when you try to capture the screen of the 705 it can’t a very distinct image. I’d have to wait and see how things turned out at the end.
The Garmin sent me down Highway 131 toward Bladenboro – then through Bladenboro towards Whiteville. This isn’t the way I would have chosen to go, but the plan was to obey the Garmin. Besides, I knew this would get me there.
From Bladenboro to Lake Wacamaw and back
The device worked great giving me alerts right before each turn. I was feeling pretty good about it until it started to lead me on a by-pass around Whiteville. Hmmmmm, what was it planning to do? The only thing ahead was a four lane road. I don’t think bicycles would be allowed on that divided highway.
Sure enough, as I approached the overpass the Garmin alerted me to get on the entrance ramp. I watched the big trucks passing over my head. Ummmm, I don’t think so. It is time for the Garmin to recalculate!
It only took a few seconds for the computer to find another route. I just needed to go down the road a couple more miles and then turn left. This took me to downtown Whiteville (exactly where I would have gone had I not gotten sent on the bypass) and then onto Sam Potts – an old road that runs parallel to the divided highway.
Suddenly I wasn’t feeling so happy. I was now over 30 miles into the ride and Lake Wacamaw was still miles ahead. This could end up taking me two hours to reach the water. The sun was coming out and the temperature was rising. I was on the last few swallows of my water.
Finally, about 1 hour 50 minutes into the ride I reached the lake. Of course, I realized that I was going to have to turn around a go back soon. I guess I was going to have a late lunch!
View of Lake Wacamaw from boat launch
It was cool riding along the edge of the lake. The lake is basically a body of water in the middle of a swamp. On a large portion of the lake is a ring of land with houses that have piers going out into the water. On the opposite side of the houses from the lake is the road that runs along about half the lake.
The thing that got my attention wasn’t the lake, it was the canal on the other side of the road. The canal runs along the side of the road and on the opposite side is the swamp. I saw several logs in the water with turtle families on it. You could find five or six of the turtles – baby ones and large ones together.
One of the smaller aligators I saw (click to enlarge)
Best of all were the aligators. Yep, Lake Wacamaw has aligators. They have been there for years. I’m not sure they are native though. I believe the were introduced to the environment many years ago. Maybe someone’s pets got loose. Anyway, I saw several with the largest being five to six feet long.
I contemplated riding around the lake, but realized that the road wasn’t that well connected (as I remember) and this lake is a good sized one. If I tried to work my way around and then back home, this could turn into a century! It was nice to head back.
Before leaving I rode over to a camp on the lake where a couple of college students from my church were working for the summer. The Anchorage has been there for as long as I can remember. I never went there as a camper, but I do remember going roller skating there and playing tournaments.
Checking the Garmin, I found that I had the routing setting on “Car/Motorcycle.” That would explain why it tried to put me on that major highway. I switched it to route for a bicycle and recalculated the way home. Guess what? It routed to take me back the way I would have come in the first place.
I had planned on the ride to be about 50 miles long. I was already about 48 miles into the ride. A stop at a gas station was required. Walking out I munched on a Milky Way dark chocolate bar. In my pocket was a package of Fig Newtons and some Peanut Butter cookies (the ones that look like peanuts). On my bike were 32 ounces of Gatoraide.
The ride started out a little more interesting. This road was a small rural road and gave me a chance to see some variety instead of huge fields and forests on both sides of the road. The only negative I noticed was the large amount of trash on the roadside. After finishing my FN, I was tempted to throw the wrapper on the ground. Everyone else seemed to do so! I couldn’t do it and stuck it back in my jersey.
Before long I needed to stop for a nature break. I finished that up at my first turn. The next turn would be onto Highway 211. That would be a major waypoint as it would give me the sense that I was nearing home – even if it would be the longest stretch of road on my way home!
211 is a looooooong straight road. If you look at a map it doesn’t seem that way, but when you are riding it and you look in front of you and then behind you, it seems like it goes on forever either way. A nice thing about it is the fact that it has a nice shoulder that almost seems like it was designed to be a bike lane.
My next stop was in Clarkton. My 32 oz. of Gatoraide was gone. I pulled up to the station and couldn’t see anywhere to rest my bike. Also, there was a number of people loitering around the doorway. I rolled my bike in to get a Pepsi and some more energy drink.
As I rolled the bike out, one of the women standing there said, “What? Were you afraid someone was going to steal your bike? I would have watched it for you.” The response in my mind was, “Yes!” I told her, “Oh, I always take it with me.” “I don’t blame you,” she replied. “How far did you ride? 10 miles?” I chuckled. “I rode from Bladenboro to Lake Wacamaw and now I’m on my way home.” The group visibly started (I doubt they did much exercising) and the woman said as I started off, “You be careful, honey!”
After a couple more turns off of 211 back towards my parents house, I was done. 72 miles and four and a half hours after I started. Granted, some of that time was spent looking at aligators and turtles, but it was a bit longer of a day than I had planned.
Still, even though I had underestimated what the ride would take out of me, I felt again that sense of accomplishment that comes from exploring out to a place where you have never been on your bike. It is a lot different than racing or participating in group rides. It is just you and the goal. It is up to you to support yourself and find your way home.
Try it sometime. Get your Garmin and type in a location 40 miles or so out. Follow the route it gives you unless you know that it is absolutely stupid (it does happen!) and then hit the road with some food and money in your pocket. Oh, a camera would be a good idea as well. When you get home, you won’t regret it.
