75 Old Farts

   Veterans Day. I was feeling a little better and Ruthie thought we should get out of the room.   Within a block we had several choices.    Knowing that restaurants usually do something special for veterans we asked at the door of the first stop.  Nothing, they didn't seem to be aware of the day.  Applebee's was a different story, not only did they have a special in honor of the Veterans.  They had a place setting inside the door in memory of the servicemen and women that couldn't be with us.  The type written explanation was very moving.  
      With my returning energy and budget in mind we thought we better head on down the road.  I did  a quick check on surrounding weather trends, it didn't look promising this far North.  Changing our plans I checked out the motorcycle club lodging situation by Myrtle beach SC,  I sent of a email inquiry and headed down to breakfast.  It wasn't long until Ben gave us a call and

said he would straighten a room for us if we didn't mind, of course we didn't. .  For a change we set the GPS on fastest route and tried to find warmer weather.  It was a 48 degrees when we headed out.   With a little time and the rising of the Sun it started to warm up  It crept up to 70 before it started going backwards.  We were very happy.  One thing we noticed was the amount of trash on the highway, evidently they don't have the adopt a highway program here.  At one point we seen inmates out picking up the road side.  There was the normal my car's having a bad day trash, a bumper here, a muffler over there several road gators ( pieces of broken tires). I pointed out another deer along side the road and Ruthie asked if it was dead?  "Must be unless it's sleeping alongside the road.". A couple of miles down the road I said "There's another one sleeping in the median" I think she hit my helmet, no sense of humor that girl.   Then there was all the trash people throw out with out thinking, from cigarette butts, fast food debris and a sofa cushion. Oh my, the poor fella that lost that is in trouble, when he gets the couch home and the cushion is gone,  he would be better off to take the sofa right to the landfill and say some one stole it.
     We stopped at a fast food place, when we came out this monster was parked beside us.   Kind of intimidating.   I think he did it on purpose the lot wasn't that full.  Back on the road to Shallotte, NC,  locals kept correcting us you pronounce it with out the T's.  Now you try, say Charlotte with out the T's.  Not easy is it.
     Ben had been watching the gypsy tracker and had timed it so he was waiting at the end of the road by his mailbox when we arrived.    A comfortable fit from the start even the house animals accepted us.   I'm not normally a cat person, one seemed to become attached to me.  Jumping on my lap and even trying to get in between me and the computer.  At some point I asked what time Sue would be home.   "Friday he replied". It seems she is a traveling nurse and is usually out of town during the work week.    Ben took us to a local Restaurant "Jerome's Steak and seafood." great food Ruthie kept mentioning how she didn't care for hush puppies, I think she had five.  while we were eating the weather started deteriorating. 
     Ben showed us the weather map, he said the trailer edge was snow or ice.  Tomorrow we were going with Ben to breakfast with the Old farts motorcycle group.  And then off to find a long term place to stay.  He is the pastor of a church just across the line into South Carolina and the reason he had said he would clear a spot for us is they had recently moved from Iowa.  We were quite comfortable for the night except one detail was kind of ironic.  Ben could not have know the teasing we get from our "Harley Davidson" friends.   We were staying in the "Harley" room.  comforter, sheets, curtains and the pillow shown here.  Our Facebook friends got such a kick out of it.  
     Wednesday at the cycle breakfast.  Old farts motorcycle club.  Rules, no rules, any bike, just people that like to ride and evidently go out for breakfast.  The group was fun and diverse.  A good variety of cycles represented, no riders today, to cold.  It seems their was a good representation from New Jersey.  Because of the dramatically increasing tax and of course the weather, people seem to leave if they can at retirement.    This area is perfect since they are still close to the beach.  A little catchup on what the goings on since they last breakfast and they all dispersed until next week. 

Maybe not an RV, my sisters and brother-in-law still call this camping!
Shake down trip Lake City Minnesota.

   During the stay either because of my cold or a reaction to my friend Mr. Cat I was so stuffed up I couldn't breath.  Sudafed kept me going but I knew I had to move on.  Ben had graciously extended our stay while we found something.   
     We spent the remainder of the day riding on checking on a more permanent spot to spend the 16 days we were planning on staying in the area. our host was very generous but it is always nice to have your own digs.  It seemed that the area was spoiled by the summer traffic and the charges they would accept, more of a take it or leave it attitude. Which is fine if money is not an object.  That night I started a phone calling campaign using the maps and internet. Branching out I figured their had to be some lodging that would rather have some income than an empty room.  The camping wasn't working.  Those that would allow our little pop-up wouldn't allow motorcycles (discrimination) or the cost was so you might as well stay in a motel.  One snooty one said "well, you have to have an RV to camp, don't you?  Guess they have been around money.

The Buccaneer!

    In my search we found 3 possibilities, at least 2 of them I thought would be acceptable.  We drove first to Carolina Beach and checked out an older mote,l lots of activity in this area, restaurants, beach, things to do, refrigerator and microwave a competitive price , two rooms available and very friendly.  We had the rest of the day and sunshine so I thought we should check out the other place so Ruthie would have a choice.  On the internet it had looked like the lodging were older houses and as it turned out one was a historical residence and a couple of older local homes she had moved there.  Nicely done they would have worked well however Ruthie opted for the busier beach area.  We rode back to the beach got checked in and moved everything into the room, Home for 16 days.