I was able to leave work about 11:00am. I had lunch at home, so I didn't need to go for a lunch ride, so I went for a just because ride. I was going to head up Hwy 18 North toward Morganton. So I set up through the rural end of Lincoln County, NC and wound my way to Hwy 18.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Highway_18Not a bad road.
On the way up Hwy 18 I saw a sign for South Mountain State Park. I hadn't been there in quite a while, so I turned left. When I was a child we did Sunday lunch there a few times. Back then the road had long gravel sections. Sometime in the following decades they have paved it. It is a nice slow curvy road. The state park speed is marked 35 mph except around the different turn offs where it is likely to be congested and the speed is reduced to 10mph. On a Tuesday the park was nerly empty. On the way to the picnic area (at the end where you have to turn around and head back) I may have been considerably faster than the speed limit. On the way back I was following a Park Ranger, so we kept the speed more reasonable.
Nice scenery.
Hwy 18 is a nice road. The old Hwy 18 is considerably more curvacious. I opted to take the old Hwy 18 (crosses the park entrance road) North into Morganton. That idea seemed good until I was heading down hill and ran low of gas. Luckily I still had reserve. I usually flip it when it starts to lug. I had never ran it until the gas stopped and the paddle had to be flipped. Old Hwy 18 has considerably less gas stations as it turns out. But the ride. The one gas station (over priced so I passed it) could name this road and people would gather. Not as demanding as the Snake or the Dragon, but a fun road in my backyard.
Old Hwy 18 brings you into Morganton by Broughton Hospital. Broughton Hospital has a specialization of working with mental patients. We used to call it the cu-koo house, or the nut house, but I'm sure that is not politically correct anymore. We had our family reunions there for a long time, at a picnic area behind the hospital. It has beautiful grounds and a lovely complex of buildings.
http://www.broughtonhospital.org/Perhaps not where I'm going to vacation, but it is worth seeing at some point.
I finally found gas. That is the second time in two days that my tourer needed 5.3 gallons of gas.
I took the new Hwy 18 back to Lincolnton, just for variety. Somewhat straighter than the older road, but still fun for a lazy 'just-because' afternoon.
Took Hwy 18 to Hwy 27. It is notable to point out that at that intersection is a nice icecream shop.
http://www.redbonewilly.com/I did not stop for icecream, I'm not sure how seasonal it is, but a good place.
60 degrees. No rain yet. No reason to ride, just because.
100 miles today just because.
