The Bike Gods Smiled Upon Us
Sometimes you’re good, and sometimes you’re lucky. Today we were the luckiest people in the world! It poured all night and into the morning. We dawdled getting ready, putting off the inevitable. We were certain that we were in for a good soaking, and with 50 miles to go to Wilmington, and not knowing what the road conditions might be, we were definitely not eager to get back on the bike. But by 9 AM we could wait no longer and suited up for the wet day ahead. As we were packing all our gear (which, by the way, we’ve become very adept at) the rain sputtered and then came to an abrupt halt. Talk about good fortune smiling on us. It didn’t rain a drop the rest of the day. The roads were awfully wet, and we wore our rain suits so we wouldn't get soaked by passing cars, but we were lucky indeed.
It was a hot and steamy day. In fact, we both noted that for the first time it felt like we were in the tropics. Surf City had that tropical feel and smell. We don’t know if that is because the Gulf Stream comes close to shore or what, but it sure felt different. Within an hour we were sweating to beat the band, and had to strip down to summer cycling attire. The rest of the day was spent spinning through pine forests and marshes along little used roads. We really didn’t encounter any traffic to speak of, which was surprising considering that Wilmington is a city of considerable size.
Historic Wilmington & NC's Cape Fear Coast encompasses the city and the island communities of Carolina Beach , Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach . Its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and nearby estuarine reserves provide a haven for sunseekers, beachcombers and nature lovers, and the tourism folks will tell you that it is a sportsman's paradise for anglers, mariners and watersports enthusiasts.
Wilmington's picturesque riverfront emerges from the Cape Fear River . Gracing its banks is one of the state’s largest historic districts, numbering approximately 230 blocks. Across the river on Eagles Island rests the majestic Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, a restored World War II memorial. There are also other museums for children, fine art lovers, railroad and history buffs, including North Carolina 's oldest history museum.
The Cape Fear River the longest river entirely within North Carolina (202 miles), and it flows into the Atlantic near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. During colonial times, the river provided a principal transportation route to the interior of North Carolina. Wilmington was also an important Confederate port, and a number of naval battles were fought in the area.
We found the city to be warm and inviting, even more so since we had the pleasure of being hosted by Steve and Mary Ann Mangiacapire. We had met Steve on the ferry from Ocracoke Island to the mainland, and they took us under their wing, invinting us into their lives and home. We had a wonderful dinner, did laundry (which is no small thing for vagabonds like us) and drove us downtown to walk through the historic district and see Wilmington at night. It was a great respite, and even though our visit was short, we had a chance to learn about the allure of the area. The community is growing by leaps and bounds, and there's lots of new housing developments. We can understand why. It's a city that we definitely intend on visiting again.
Steve and Mary Ann's home is right on route, and the next morning we continued our journey south, crossing over to Caroline Beach to catch the ferry that would take us from Fort Fisher back to the mainland and south. We stopped for a while at the fort which was one of the last Confederate strongholds to fall in January 1865. The Cape Fear river was critical for the Confederacy, and blockade runners are still revered in local lore. It is said that a ship captain who could get through the blockade would receive $4000 in gold coin, which must have been quite an incentive for them to risk life and limb.
Once again we needed to make a mad dash to the ferry, as we had lost track of time visiting the fort and the nearby beach. We were the last ones on the boat, and as it was pulling away the first mate approached us and told us that the Captain would want to speak to us.
What had we gotten ourselves into now?
It was a hot and steamy day. In fact, we both noted that for the first time it felt like we were in the tropics. Surf City had that tropical feel and smell. We don’t know if that is because the Gulf Stream comes close to shore or what, but it sure felt different. Within an hour we were sweating to beat the band, and had to strip down to summer cycling attire. The rest of the day was spent spinning through pine forests and marshes along little used roads. We really didn’t encounter any traffic to speak of, which was surprising considering that Wilmington is a city of considerable size.
Historic Wilmington & NC's Cape Fear Coast encompasses the city and the island communities of Carolina Beach , Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach . Its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and nearby estuarine reserves provide a haven for sunseekers, beachcombers and nature lovers, and the tourism folks will tell you that it is a sportsman's paradise for anglers, mariners and watersports enthusiasts.
Wilmington's picturesque riverfront emerges from the Cape Fear River . Gracing its banks is one of the state’s largest historic districts, numbering approximately 230 blocks. Across the river on Eagles Island rests the majestic Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, a restored World War II memorial. There are also other museums for children, fine art lovers, railroad and history buffs, including North Carolina 's oldest history museum.
The Cape Fear River the longest river entirely within North Carolina (202 miles), and it flows into the Atlantic near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. During colonial times, the river provided a principal transportation route to the interior of North Carolina. Wilmington was also an important Confederate port, and a number of naval battles were fought in the area.
We found the city to be warm and inviting, even more so since we had the pleasure of being hosted by Steve and Mary Ann Mangiacapire. We had met Steve on the ferry from Ocracoke Island to the mainland, and they took us under their wing, invinting us into their lives and home. We had a wonderful dinner, did laundry (which is no small thing for vagabonds like us) and drove us downtown to walk through the historic district and see Wilmington at night. It was a great respite, and even though our visit was short, we had a chance to learn about the allure of the area. The community is growing by leaps and bounds, and there's lots of new housing developments. We can understand why. It's a city that we definitely intend on visiting again.
Steve and Mary Ann's home is right on route, and the next morning we continued our journey south, crossing over to Caroline Beach to catch the ferry that would take us from Fort Fisher back to the mainland and south. We stopped for a while at the fort which was one of the last Confederate strongholds to fall in January 1865. The Cape Fear river was critical for the Confederacy, and blockade runners are still revered in local lore. It is said that a ship captain who could get through the blockade would receive $4000 in gold coin, which must have been quite an incentive for them to risk life and limb.
Once again we needed to make a mad dash to the ferry, as we had lost track of time visiting the fort and the nearby beach. We were the last ones on the boat, and as it was pulling away the first mate approached us and told us that the Captain would want to speak to us.
What had we gotten ourselves into now?
posted by Matt and Mary Ellen | 12:30 PM
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