Currituck

Nov 9

I was up early and had my first cup of coffee by 6 am. I’m very skilled at lollygagging and if it ever becomes a sport, I believe I have a shot at the Olympics. Some how I lollygagged around camp all morning and didn’t get on the road until nearly 10. After leaving the campground I followed route 60 until Virginia Beach. There was a bike path a few yards from the boardwalk but since there were hardly any people walking I rode on it. It was beautiful.

After the end of the boardwalk I used my phone for directions. I must of been on 50 different roads in 30 miles. It was a little frustrating to only be on a road for ½ a mile at a time. I guess I got spoiled on the Delmarva Peninsula where I was on route 13 for several days. But after crossing into North Carolina I was on route 615 the rest of the way to Knots Island.

There wasn’t any shoulder on most the roads I was on today, but there really wasn’t much traffic either.

After going by several horse farms my route took me through the Mackay nature preserve. It was awesome.

I never resupplied this morning at the Food Lion like I had planned. I wanted to catch the ferry to Currituck and with my late start I was a bit short on time. I stopped for water at the Knot Island Market and also I bought a dozen eggs, baguette bread and some cheese. I still had potatoes from last nights dinner so I figured that would get me through a few days.

I arrived at the dock around 3. Having missed the 2pm ferry I had to wait for the next one at 4:45. If I crossed to Currituck then I would be riding after dark. The ferry ride would take about an hour. I thought back to the last several miles and I could not remember seeing a place to stealth camp. It was marsh on both sides of the road or it was inhabited. I decided to wait for the ferry. It was a beautiful sunny day. I laid down on the grass and took a nap. A short time later a woman woke me up to make sure I was alright. It was nice of her to check on me. While I had dozed off a line had formed to board. Not much of a line really 3 motorcycles and a Dodge truck. The 4:45 was the last ferry of the day and the only reason it ran at all was to take the kids home from school. The first to unload was the school bus.The children that live on Knots Island go to school in Currituck.

Everybody was loaded up and we were underway by 5:00. The ferry was much bigger then I expected. It turned into a sunset cruise. And completely free!

By the time we docked in Currituck it was I I dark. I enjoy riding at night if it’s on a trail. I don’t like it on roads that are busy. My bike light light does pretty good ,but it is still like driving through a black tunnel. It also seems like your going way faster then you actually are.

After leaving the ferry I was on a major road with heavy traffic and no shoulder. I took the first secondary road I came to. It was beautiful, there was water on both sides of me the only sound was an occasional splash. The stars were so bright they were reflecting of the water. I stopped and star gazed and just enjoyed the stillness for a while. I came to a boat ramp with a fishing pier and picnic tables. I stopped for the night. I couldn’t see a single light except for the red and green channel markers. I was along the intracoastal waterway. I hung up my hammock and started dinner.

The leftover boiled potatoes were in a ziploc I mashed them up the best I could with my hand and made potato cakes and eggs for dinner.

As I was eating I watched the boats going by. I know it’s not a good pic but I even saw a small cruise ship.