| The Low Country 2012 – Days 1 and 2 |
Days four and five of our Low Country Rest and Recharge 2012 week have involved shorter rides around the island of Hilton Head. The Woodman and I focused on areas of the island that we’ve only briefly visited previously or not visited at all…
(Our Hilton Head residence viewed from the adjacent golf course)
On Day four, The Woodman and I went in search of a battery I needed and chose Shelter Cove for that search. The network of bike paths on the island allowed us easy access to the shopping center from our Palmetto Dunes residence. Developers provided for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians by building a wooden bridge under William Hilton Parkway, the high speed multi-lane road that extends along the island.
While we didn’t find the needed battery at several different stores including a grocery store and an outdoor specialties store, we did find the Hilton Head Island Veterans’ Memorial. It is located along the waterway near a county park in Shelter Cove.
(Pathways around Veterans’ Memorial)
(Woodman checks out the backside of the Memorial)
(Inscription on the Veterans’ Memorial)
(Veterans’ Memorial flags against a clear blue sky)
The Memorial includes paths out to water’s edge with numerous observation posts and areas to sit and rest. Both the park and the Memorial had numerous bike racks located around the grounds – yet another indication of the community’s investment in biking infrastructure.
(Shelter Cove bike path)
Day five dawned overcast with rain. The Navigator and Sherry Shazam decided it was a good day for shopping and, for some reason that I cannot recall, I thought I’d join them. The early part of my day was spent walking around Tangier outlets in nearby Bluffton. We enjoyed a meal at Pantera’s before returning to Palmetto Dunes. (I will graciously leave out the details of the shopping experience other than to say that the Navigator found some good deals…)
By the time we returned to our rental unit, the skies had cleared somewhat and the Woodman had departed for a solo ride so I mounted my Salsa Fargo and headed out on my own spin around the isle. In doing so, I enjoyed locating a section of the island that I haven’t seen before. I had intended to end up on the Cross Island Parkway but turned a corner and ran into a gate blocking cyclists from entering the Sea Pines section of Hilton Head.
Having come to the end of the line, so to speak, I reversed my direction and headed “home.” I still have unpleasant memories of my run-in with a Sea Pines Guardian two years ago and had no desire to hang around, not that there was anything to see.
Retracing my steps revealed a previously unnoticed bike path crossing Hilton Parkway near Shipyard Plantation. The condition of the pavement and signs led me to believe that this is a new addition to the bike paths. It just may lead to some new areas of the island to examine!
I polished the day off with a fun ride around the adjacent golf course to our rental unit. The owners allow pedestrians and cyclists to ride and walk the golf cart paths after 7:00 p.m. The Navigator, Sherry Shazam, and I had a fun pedal around the circumference of this course, which provided some pretty views of the nearby Atlantic Ocean and some very pretty landscapes of the course itself.
(Ain’t technology grand! Calling in supper from the course.)
(A pretty sunset place to take a leisurely spin!)
We have one riding day left before returning to the mountains of home. We’re hoping for improved weather conditions on our last day.
Until later,
- Zeke
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment