Touring - Jacksonville, NC to Columbia, SC Last Weekend in March

I will be going down to Columbia SC by bike from Jacksonville. I estimate the trip is about 300 miles and will take 5 days. If anyone will like to join my for any of the legs of the trip please let me know by email. DavidARay@gmail.com I willl be happy to ride with anyone interested. It will be self-supported and I will be using a tent.

Thanks

David, that sounds like a good tour, especially heading south late March/early April when it can still be chilly here in NC.

FYI, I've settled on April 4-8 for my Outer Banks trip with my son. Loop ride from Cedar Island to Ocracoke, north to Kitty Hawk, then US 264 southwest to Swan Quarter, take the ferries to Ocracoke and finish at Cedar Island.

I just bought a tent at REI at lunchtime today and need to try it out. If you're riding Sat. 3/31 I'm unavailable, but if you're riding Sat. 3/24 maybe I can find a way to join you for a day or two. Looks like you'd pass near Lumberton and I can get a ride at least that far (my in-laws live in Fayetteville).

So what are your dates, and how are you getting home from Columbia? Rental car?

Ken

My wife is visting family in Columbia, so I'm just going to ride with her. If I leave on Saturday the 24th, I won't be anywhere near Lumberton until MAYBE Sunday night, monday morning. I can try to change my schedule to accomidate, tell me what dates you MIGHT BE ABLE TO RIDE. From lumberton, I think my next stop will be near Florence (hopefully I am that far along). What do you think. EMail me and lets see what we can do.

Yea, the Route will be consisting of 17S until it crosses 74W/76W in Wilmington, NC then I will ride 76W through to Columbia. I don't think it goes near Lumberton. GMaps says that it will 255 miles. If that is true, and I doubt it is that short, then I could possible do it in 3 days. Does anyone know of a better route planner than GMaps? I tried Mapquest, but it keeps trying to put me on the interstate.

David,
You may have to pick your own routes and not auto route. Typically in NC the NC routes are going to be less traveled than the US routes and they are going to be less traveled than the Interstates...IIRC 74 crosses I95 at Lumberton. 76 tracks more to the south thru Florence. It is divided 4 lane for a ways after it leaves Wilmington. I would look at NC 53 as a possible alternate. I use Delorme, Routeslip (http://www.routeslip.com/), and Google Earth for my basic planning. Then head to the paper maps. Are you planning on established campgrounds or stealth camping? BTW I live near Fort Bragg in Harnett County, but travel all over...I used to tour a lot 20 years ago, all over NC. I only do short weekend rides now due to time constraints.

Aaron:)

Yea I know what you mean by 76. I drive 74/76 to 95 to drive to SC. 53 may be an option. I plan on stealth camping. Is there anyway that you can use your computer program you got to estimate miles. GMaps says 255, but I think that it is closer to 300. 45 miles can make a big difference in planning.

Thanks for the advice.

David, I did a quick look at Google, using driving directions from Jax to Columbia, and this looks very doable:
NC 24 to NC 111 to NC 41, which will go all the way to Lumberton.
You'll have to find local roads to go Lumberton-Dillon SC, but then you can try SC 34 from Dillon all the way to Camden. Then you'll need to find the best way from Camden down to Columbia (other than US 1, which should be heavily traveled).
A DeLorme gazetteer may be in order here. I'm picking up the NC one because it shows all the numbered NC bike routes on it.

Note to Aaron -- I'll contact you when I eventually head down your way. I sometimes do a day ride from Durham down to my in-laws in Fayetteville, and that takes me through Lillington and sometimes 210 south to the backside of Bragg.

Looking forward to riding season!

Ken

Yea I know what you mean by 76. I drive 74/76 to 95 to drive to SC. 53 may be an option. I plan on stealth camping. Is there anyway that you can use your computer program you got to estimate miles. GMaps says 255, but I think that it is closer to 300. 45 miles can make a big difference in planning.

Thanks for the advice.
David,
Plug the route in on routeslip and it will give you the mileage as you plan it. You just have to put in points as you go along, it will also give you elevations, but that should be an issue until you get up closer to Columbia. From Lumberton take US 301 to Dillion it is a very nice 2 lane road with moderate traffic. You will have to search around Lumberton for the local road(s) that lead to it, they routed it back onto I95 on the north side of Lumberton years ago. I know it used to run down the East side of Lumberton before crossing over somewhere around Exit 10. I would look at taking NC53 down close to Tarheel and cross the Cape Fear there, then head over towards Fairmont and pick US 301 up there or get on 130 down towards Dillon.
If I get some down time tonight I will try and route it out for you on Routeslip.


Aaron :)

Ken,
Shoot me an email or PM. I live about 4-5 miles off of 210 in the Overhills/Anderson Creek area. My parents still live in Fatalburg too.:p I am planning on a the possibilty of a ride from my area to Dunn, NC this weekend. My wife has a bridal shop there. About 25 miles one way...ought to be enough for one day on a 3 speed:eek:

Aaron:)

Yea I used RouteSlip. It says 250 Miles if I use 53 to get to 76 and then 76 down to Columbia. I will use a few local roads just to get into towns like whiteville to stock up and buy things.

Day 1: 70 Miles Jacksonville to 10 Miles past Wilmington
Day 2: 70-85 Miles Wilmington Across the border to Mullins or Florence, SC
Day 3: 100 Miles End of Trip in Columbia.

If I follow this plan I should have no problem. I imagine I will Average 12 MPH which means I will get about 6 hours of riding a day, which is not that much, on the last day do 9 hours and be done.

Anyone interested? Maybe Doing one leg and turning around? We can meet, I can change my route to meet halfway or something. I have 7 days to make this trip.

Leaving in a week, anyone interested?

Then you'll need to find the best way from Camden down to Columbia (other than US 1, which should be heavily traveled).

SC 34 is a good route to Camden from Dillion unless it's race weekend at Darlington. I agree with US 1 being a bad two-lane road with no shoulders from Camden to Columbia. But here is a good alternative. Go south on US 601 from Camden (it will still be a crowded road but it's 4 lane) and just past the I-20 exit, go west on SC 12 which is a lighter traveled traveled road that goes by Fort Jackson and go right into Columbia that way.

David, I was right -- after being on family road trips the past two weekends, I'm needed around the house the next two weekends. Darn the luck.

I'll be doing an MS150 kickoff ride with my son Sat. morning and whatever local ride I want on Sunday. Next weekend, same deal. Can't stray to far from home.

Good luck with your trip -- we'll be interested to hear details of it!

Ken

SC 34 is a good route to Camden from Dillion unless it's race weekend at Darlington. I agree with US 1 being a bad two-lane road with no shoulders from Camden to Columbia. But here is a good alternative. Go south on US 601 from Camden (it will still be a crowded road but it's 4 lane) and just past the I-20 exit, go west on SC 12 which is a lighter traveled traveled road that goes by Fort Jackson and go right into Columbia that way. So you dont think taking 76 straight from NC to Columbia is a good idea?

So you dont think taking 76 straight from NC to Columbia is a good idea?

Given a choice, I would go with US 76 from Florence to Columbia over SC 34.

76 from Sumter to Columbia (Garner's Ferry Rd) is mostly 4 lane with good shoulders at times, which is rare for SC. I don't remember if 76 from Sumter to Florence has shoulders or not but I do know a lot of trucks use it to get to I-95. You might also get to witness military jets taking off from Shaw Air Force which is pretty neat to see.

Given the condition of most of SC US highways, 76 from Columbia to Florence is pretty good. US 76 is also a more direct and flatter route.