Hi all,
Cyndy and I have been doing Al Johnson’s 600 km down to Wilmington for several years. This year we decided to do the pre-ride and give our insights.
The ride to Wilmington and back is a far more challenging ride than you may imagine. In years past there have been tropical depressions (2007), heat waves, headwinds, and road conditions that would make you want to apply massive doses of your favorite chamois cream. But never fear!! From Angier to Wimington is mostly flat, except where it isn’t.
While the first 37+ miles are an undulating, mostly downhill run from Morrisville to Angier, remember you have to climb back up this at the end usually with winds from the west. You eventually wind your way through an increasingly suburbanizing countryside with great vistas of whatever the weather presents. We were lucky to have a very nice sunny day (oh yeah do remember your sunscreen, Chet can attest to that).
Note: Godwin at approximately 65 miles in has a Founder’s Day celebration and parade that starts at 0930 this coming Saturday. Back in 2015, Lee-Ann Musselwhite and Cyndy got caught up in the parade and had to go to the side of the road and walk a bit…
You then go up and over I-95 and past the campground on your way to the greater Wade – Stedman “metropolitain” area 😉
The Marathon gas station is now a Shell station and the grill isn’t what it used to be, so don’t count on it for more than just “food is fuel.” Sadly, the little old ladies were replaced by a couple of guys and the grill is not completely working as of this past Sunday morning.
The pavement is delightfully pleasant on the long stretch of Turnbull / Old Fayetteville Road…long time NC Randos will remember this as a hot, painful section. One year had a fresh covering of chipped gravel and tar…
As you then turn onto NC 242, the road surface is asphalt over old concrete slab, so you get the thunk thunk thunk for 8.63 miles that long time riders will not fondly remember. Sweet Home Church Road (look for the firetower) is also rough except where the bridges were replaced. Note that the firetower is also a location where you may find a functioning water spigot. While we would not recommend this as a water fill up, it can possibly be used as an emergency to cool off.
Note: Loose country dogs. Large and physically fit dogs live around here. On the way out and back one dog (approximately 2 miles before the left onto 701) can give you a run for your money. We clocked them at 22 – 24 mph and they kept up a good long chase.
The Scotchman at White Lake is a welcome respite and a good place to refuel with a Subway attached to the C-store.
The long stretch of NC 53 has a wonderful pavement. In years past, this stretch was known for just how much it would make your butt feel like a raw hamburger. Kelly Store on the right is a great place to cool down and get fluids if the day turns out to be hotter than heck.
NC 53 / NC 210 are scenic and mostly fantastic road surfaces. There are some crossroads gas stations that don’t stay open very late, however, they do carry gallon jugs of cold water, etc.
US 117 is not a place for the faint of heart; the drivers on this stretch in both directions are mostly jerks (the only vowels left from Chet’s description are “ks”). Use extreme caution on this road and be safe.
The remainder of the roads to the halfway mark are ok. The tracks are at angles but you can see them well in advance. There’s a pizza/pasta place in the strip shopping center on New Centre Dr. before you get to Waffle House. We hit it on the return and it was nice to sit down and refuel before the return to White Lake, etc.
Open stores late at night are scarce. For those riding through the night The Scotchman was actually open past midnight, and looked to be closing around 2, so keep that in mind when you do see Chet at the overnight control.
The grill at Strickland’s opens at 0600, but as noted earlier this ain’t the same old times country breakfast joint it used to be. So unless you are extremely desperate, stick to getting fluids and pressing on to Erwin. Get yer biscuits, etc there or hit the IGA on the right hand side of the road.
When you get to Angier, the McDonald’s is basically the last food stop. Yeah…it’s McD’s, but their smoothies are amazingly refreshing. (and the soda machine has unlimited ice to fill your bottles, and whatever else you may want to put ice in/on).
There’s an off-route convenience store near New Hill, otherwise there’s the place at the top of the hill right after you turn onto Cass Holt Road.
Sunday morning traffic seems to be as fun as ever. Expect that some of those folks you share the Sunday roads with to be in a hurry and not very polite as they drag their family/boat/dog/etc to where they are heading. When you make it to Lewter Shop Road, the end is near, and the drivers for the most part are used to seeing cyclists on the road, and by then (in our case probably were more awake) more polite.
If you are so inclined, a hydration pack stuffed with ice works really well on this ride.
Have fun! Stay hydrated. 🙂
Chet & Cyndy
