It's time to get on the road again. I hate to leave my sister's home, but we still have three hard days of riding before we get to Palm Beach.

As we left South Carolina, it was overcast and about 72 degrees. It was humid but riding felt cooler than sitting still so moving was the option we selected. The one feature that had caught out attention about South Carolina roads was the Kudzu I had mentioned earlier. I thought I had better stop and get a picture before I left the state (photos 1 & 2) so folks could see what I was talking about. We passed an old barn that was trying to fall down and the Kudzu was already starting to cover it over. Suspicions confirmed.

The various state routes out of South Carolina took us through a number of small towns, some more deserving of that title than others. Because of this, our average speed was only about 45 mph. Still, it was a pleasant way to leave the state. Photo 3 shows a pretty typical South Carolina back road. About three hours into our ride we picked up I-95, heading south. Now I have heard horror stories about police profiling drivers on I-95, excessive truck traffic, etc. so I was not looking forward to traveling many miles on this stretch of superslab. So far, the stories have turned out to be exaggerated. It's a nice road surrounded by the same green forests that have been our companions all through South Carolina.

We stopped for lunch just before the South Carolina/Georgia border and met a gentleman name Don Hodges. Don is a Goldwing rider and member of the Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA). He told us to stop by Savannah if we could but when we got to Florida to get off I-95 and jump over to A1A. He also mentioned that Fernandina Beach was a nice little place to visit and we may want to stop there for the night. Because of his suggestions, that's what we did and it has turned out to be a really pleasant afternoon at our motel across from the marina.

Before we could get to Florida, we had to get through Georgia. The terrain around western Georgia changed from that of South Carolina the further south we got. The large green forests gave way to forests surrounding wetlands or marshes. We passed over several rivers winding their way slowly to the Atlantic Ocean. I noticed several fellas sitting in their fishing boats, anchored on the river, trying to catch tonight's supper. Georgia went by quickly and we were soon in Florida.

I have to admit; I-95 has not been all that bad. I'm starting to think that every interstate since Toronto now seems "not all that bad." We kept a steady pace, stayed at the speed of the majority of trucks, stayed a good distance behind the big ones when we could, and the miles slipped by without incident. By 3:00 o'clock we're in Florida.

It didn't take long before SR 17 appeared and we took it over to A1A, a route we hope to follow most of the way to West Palm Beach. I followed the signs to Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. I was hoping to be able to stay on the ocean tonight. We didn't get right on the ocean but the Hampton Inn in Fernandina Beach is right across of the marina, which is on a estuary that leads to the sea. Close enough.

We walked over to a local seafood restaurant for dinner and then around the waterfront (photos 4,5,6,7,8,9,10). One of the signs warned boaters to be careful of the Manatees, those lumbering, ugly mammals that frequent these coastal waters. I've never seen one of these in person so I find myself looking, hoping there somewhere close. No luck.

There were several boats that would take you out for a day or an evening, whichever you were willing to pay for. It would have been nice to be out on the water again, but I left my money in my pocket.

Fernandina Beach is an old town and many of its buildings on the main street have been restored and painted bright colors. It has fallen pray to the same disease that afflicts so many other small towns in popular places. Its downtown now consists of quaint galleries, restaurants, gift shops, bookstores, and so on. If you want to buy a souvener, it's the right place to be, I guess.

I'm not going to complain about Fernandina Beach though. It's still alive. It's still employing people and providing services that people seem to want and are willing to pay for. So many small towns, especially those in South Carolina where mills have long since shut down, are becoming filled with buildings shuttered and run down. They are often right on the main street and so it brings the whole town down a notch. Most of these communities do not have the revenue base to do much about the disheveled look they have acquired and soon they no longer attract those who want to live and work there. If nothing is done to stop this downward spiral, you soon have nothing but Kudzu covered buildings. No, quaint is better than dead any time (photos 11,12,13,14,15).

The sun is starting to get low in the western sky (photo 16) as we head back to our air-conditioned motel room. The southeast may be green but it's sticky. How do people put up with this humidly?

I can hardly wait for tomorrow's sunrise. It should be a beauty.

Today's Route: SR 25 south, SR 78 East, SR 19 south, SR 301 south, I-95. I-95 to leaving South Carolina, all the way through Georgia, and into Florida. SR 17 west to SR A1A north to Fernandina Beach, Florida.