Patterson, GA to Okeefenokee Swamp, GA 8322 mi I pass up a breakfast in Patterson – too early. These little towns all look deserted. Cracked wood, rusty siding, collapsed trailers, weedy and sandy sidewalks, cars on blocks, downed trees strewn around, piles of junk and trash. Hortense is just a crossroads, but it has a…

Statesboro, GA to Patterson, GA 8245 mi I get lost when roads weaving through beanfields, cotton fields, ponds, and pastures don’t seem to correspond to my map. But I find a way to 292, then to Collins. From there I take the direct route to Reidsville, driven by hunger. The only breakfast place is a…

Augusta, GA to Statesboro, GA 8156 mi I wake up early, read, and wait for the continental breakfast to open in the lobby. At 7 I call and ask about it. By 7:30 it’s open and there’s coffee. When I ask about food the guy makes me a bowl of Raisin Bran. Ha! But I…

Abbeville, SC to Augusta, GA 8067 mi I like starting the day in national forests, they’re usually pretty and I feel like I belong there. In McCormick I eat a good breakfast at the Huddle House and buy groceries for the day. I’m out of film, so I buy a bunch more. It doesn’t seem…

Greenville, SC to Abbeville, SC 8002 mi I get up early and replace the tube in my rear tire. Don arrives faithfully with a protein shake for me, and I eat my last breakfast with the group that is now familiar. I eat less than I really want. I pack up and give my last…

The mornings are all the same for me in this place. I toss in dreams through the wee hours, rise prior to dawn feeling ready for the day. Today I write until about 7 am, when Don arrives with a protien shake for me. Yum. I finish the shake and my thoughts head for breakfast.…

The day goes as planned. Really we do exactly what I have let on I might like. I go to breakfast ready to see if I can help, but Tess and Anabel won’t allow me. The institute founder, Mr. Carroll, makes an appearance to send a couple off to Indiana to begin their missionary work.…

Cowpens, SC to Greenville, SC 7936 mi Heavy rain during the night. My spot turns out to be a little high-centered, not quite comfortable. I wake up early and read until the rain lets up a little, then set off. I’m treated to some marvelous views as the sky clears and clouds again. Headwinds appear…

Lowesville, NC to Cowpens, SC 7872 mi Another fine morning in nature’s midst. I remember to turn my clock back, and get started an hour earlier than usual! 73 is still a little busier than I’d like. In Boger City I pass up a joint called Mutzie’s, then change my mind and go back. Everybody…

Troy, NC to Lowesville, NC 7803 mi There is a little mist this morning. At one point I think of many allegories when I see the road arch up, disappearing into a land of mist. Out of the top springs a gloriously colorful tress, vibrant in the sun. I wonder what message the universe is…