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Savannah, GA May 12,13

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Shuttled down to Savannah,  skipping more miles along 17 and left from the andaz hotel by 10am towards the Isle of hope.  Nice ride by all the parks in town, along the water until Wormsloe historic site - another 1700s era plantation.  Good BBQ lunch after looking around - sure is nice that someone else is dealing with the details (routes, food, timing, communications, etc...).  Peeled off from the group and rode out to fort Pulaski on one of barrier islands.  Well preserved civil war era fort.  46 miles, a couple of which were in the rain.  Friday woke up to rain showers so did a little walk through the squares - such a lush, well planned city.  Oglethorpe knew what he was doing back in the early 1800s.  Then a walking tour with vbt learning some more history, and after lunch a 25 mile ride up to Savannah NWR along route 25, 80 degrees and humid. Nice to feel summer.  Evening featured goodbye dinner; VBT does a nice job for those lookin...

Beaufort, SC May 10,11

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Left Charleston in a van, avoiding the gators/gunfire/route 17 ride and arrived at Spanish moss trail by 10.30.  Driving does have advantages.  Rode down to Port Royal, and out on the boardwalk looking out over the river.  Pretty.  Then cycled over to Parris Island (usmc training grounds) but was denied entry to the base/museum.  Back up to Beaufort for an NPS walk of reconstruction historic site.  Beautiful mansions (built by plantation owners, then bought by slaves when planters abandoned Beaufort during the civil war) and live oaks.  Staying at another hotel I'd never pay for myself, the Beaufort inn, and had slowboil with stories for dinner.  Love the lowcountry here.  Perfect weather, 22 miles. Wednesday was the longest day of the trip, over to St Helena Island.  Started out with the crew, waiting to get over the drawbridge then out 21 to nice some nice backroads.  Very cool to ride under the live oaks, with the Spanish moss al...

Charleston, SC May 8,9

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 Spring in New England is a fickle thing.  It usually stays damp & cold (with a few exceptional days) until sometime in June when the temperature just jumps to 90.  So a May escape to somewhere warm is always welcome, and when Dan's dad passed away recently - and VBT would not refund his spot on a trip he planned (!!) - I jumped on a plane.  Going to be weird staying at fancy hotels, and not trying to herd the cats of my usual bike adventures.   Returning to Charleston after last year's ECG ride with Lowenstein & Sinclair, which brought back many memories.  The cool architecture (and beautiful, well kept homes) and lush trees in Charleston, gators, the climb over the Arthur Ravenel bridge and great BBQ at Rodney Scott's.  Spent the day mostly on Isle of Palms which has a revolutionary war fort, nice beaches and great, flat, riding.  Found yet another "oldest" synagogue and stayed at the fancy Ansonborough Inn, right in historic part o...