Nota

I'm getting ready to do a little one week "mini" bike tour, from Corolla, NC down to Savannah, GA, and I could sure use some help with suggestions on decent bike routes to do it. I'm leaving May 23rd, and plan on making it down to Savannah somewhere between the 26th - 29th, depending on how many miles I opt to do each day.

I want to try to hug the coast as much as is reasonably possible, as well as avoid making too many turns. Given a choice between the two, I'd rather have to deal heavier traffic than to have to figure out where my next turn should be every couple miles. I'm thinking Hwy 17 will probably comprise a lot of my route. I biked it once years ago, from downtown Charleston up to Surfside Beach, so I'm not a stranger to that road or completely adverse to it.

Also, if anyone can reccomend any cheap (but reasonably decent) motels along the way, that would be a big help, too. I plan on staying at the Driftwood Inn on Cedar Island for my first night, but after that, I have no idea. I'd like to make it to somewhere in or near Wilmington for my second night. I'd also like to spend a night in Charleston, or possibly Beaufort, SC, before making my way to Savannah.

Thoughts...suggestions, anyone???

France

Have you tried out Google Map//bicycle route?

Nota

I have. Their suggested route, as with the ACA map route, leaves something to be desired.

DieselDan

Take this from a local who has tired: there is NOT a good bicycle route into Savannah, GA! Every road is high traffic and bike hostile. You may be best to end the tour is Beaufort or Bluffton.

Nota

I hadn't really delved into the logistics of how I was going to get from Charleston to Savannah yet, but it looks like you're right about that. The ACA map doesn't even go to Savannah -- it bypasses it and goes over to Statesboro, and the ECG route is still showing it's in the planning ("wishful thinking") stages.

Oh well, I'll think of something......hopefully.

Thanks

FastFreddy

If you're going to Cedar Island, and if I remember correctly, the Driftwood motel is the one at the ferry dock, then you've probably passing through Ocracoke Island. It's my favorite beach and a nice place to ride a bike. If you're carrying camping equipment (sounds like you are not) you could stay at the National Park campground on Ocracoke -- some of the best beach camping anywhere.

Have a great trip.

Nota

Yeah, I'll be heading south along the OBX, taking the ferry from Ocracoke to Cedar Island. I am doing a "credit card" type tour - but on a tight budget. I don't even own camping equipment, but if I had a suitable tent & fartsack, I probably would try to stay at some national parks along the way; at least for a night or two anyway, just to try and ease the financial pain of grossly overpriced, run-down, ma & pa type motels I'll likely be staying at.

If time was no issue, I'd much rather stay on Ocracoke for my first night, and then take the first ferry out in the morning, but I prefer to head out at the crack of dawn, to try and have 50-60 miles knocked out before I stop for lunch. Spending 2-1/2 hrs on a boat in the morning would pretty much kill my plans to make it down to Wilmington for my 2nd night's stay.

I'll bring back pic's.

FastFreddy

Nota - I have another thought about your first day. According to Google Maps, it's about 83 miles from Corolla to Cape Hatteras (due South); then, after Hatteras makes the turn to the Southwest, you have another 12 to the ferry, then the ferry ride to Ocracoke, then 14 miles on Ocracoke to that ferry.

If you have a rough head wind for the 83 miles south, your plan for the day could be seriously screwed up. My point: have a Plan B for that first day, keeping in mind that the ferries eat up chunks of time.

Nota

I guess I must have gotten lucky then; the wind was never really a factor. I don't think I EVER got a tailwind, but I rarely had a headwind, either, so even with a well loaded 80lb bike, I made pretty decent time.

I left from Corolla at 6:55 am, stopped at the Wright Bros memorial for an hour, along with another (cumulative) half hour for the occasional refueling and offloading of ballast, and was waiting at the end of Ocracoke for the ferry to Cedar Island, by 3:50pm. Unfortunately, the next ferry wasn't until 6:00pm, so at least I had a chance to cruise around the end of Ocracoke, and get me some Thai cusine for dinner.

FastFreddy

I'm glad it worked out so well. That was a good day's cycling. How was the rest of your trip? Any photos?

Nota

FastFreddy

Thanks for the pictures, Nota. I haven't been as far north as Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills for many years but I remember the monument on the hill. I don't remember the plane -- I guess that's a replica??

Nota

Yeah, it's a replica.

Here's a link to the full picture album. https://rides.webshots.com/album/577935261hIeZOx?start=0

I tried uploading a few more pics here, but it won't let me. Either the files are too big, or I'm over my limit.