Ride Day 64

I left camp early and headed to Sunset Beach for my coffee fix this morning. I chatted with the owner about my ride and then hit the road going North. The road was terrible at the beginning with no shoulder and heavy traffic. I rode hard because my plan was for 83 miles and the temp forecast was over a hundred with high humidity. The plan did not work out so well today. I made it to the ferry without much problem and just missed the boat but I got to watch it leave. It was 45 minutes for the next one. I sat around with a crowd of people and they quizzed me on my ride and my plans. I handed out some cards so they can look it up. On the ferry we played with the gulls and took pics of them. A couple of young kids were putting bread on their heads and letting the birds pick it off on the fly. I enjoyed watching them. After we landed I took off to try to make up some time. The heat had other ideas for me. I rode up the coast through Carolina Shores and enjoyed seeing all the tourists and the beautiful beaches. Then the first detour sign came along. It was for my road and I took it like the sign told me to. Detours are usually planned for cars and this was no exception. It was almost 25 miles out of my way and the temperature went over 104. I was melting big time. I eventually made it back to my route only to be told by someone that the detour was not needed because they opened the road for the holiday traffic. They just did not take down or cover up the signs...So I wasted 2 hours of my time riding hard in 104 degree sweltering heat. When I got to Hampstead about 23 miles short of my destination I had already ridden 98 miles. I was in danger of heat exhaustion and stopped at a volunteer fire station to ask if I could cool down and if they knew of a place I could stay the night either a campground or a hotel. They laughed and said there were neither any place close but that I could spend the night at the station. I was extremely thankful for the offer and accepted right away. I have now had a shower and have recovered well from my heat problems. They are all nice guys. We talked about my ride a bit but basically I am too tired to do much but get ready to crash for the night very soon. Tomorrow I am riding to the outer banks if I don't melt again in the heat which is forecast to continue with scattered thundershowers possibly severe.