After our noisy-cuz-it's-very-near-the-Interstate stopover in Daytona Beach, we get back onto Interstate 95 (I-95).
Now I just gotta tell you more about I-95:
I-95 is the main highway on the east coast of the USA, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean all way from Miami, Florida, in the south ~~> to Maine at the Canadian border, in the north - with just a small break in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area. At a total length of 1,925 miles [3,098 km], It's the longest of all the north-south Interstate highways.
The fact is, if you live along the east coast of America and travel by road over any reasonable distance, the chances are that you'll find yourself on I-95, sooner or later. Much like landing on the M1 or M5/M6 if you travel around England a lot. But my word, it gets you 'there' ever-so quickly. For instance, we checked out of our Daytona Beach-based motel at precisely 10:00am - and by 11:21am we had already left the first 100 miles of travel in our wake.
It can, however, be brutally ugly too - and unforgiving .. [uh-oh]. For instance, take a look at the queue of traffic on the opposite southbound carriageway in the above pic. At the head of the queue, around two miles behind us, we saw a car in the centre lane .. on it's roof! - and a few more scattered around sporting that 'concertina' look. A couple of occupied stretchers were lying around the wreckage too, although it didn't appear that anyone had been killed. Still, it just had to hurt - and somebodys' day-plans must've just instantly changed .. that's for sure.
We were making such good progress that by 12-noon we pulled off I-95 for a 30-minute unscheduled Starbucks break .. 
.. and an hour or so later we're in Savannah, Georgia, which reminds me of a smaller, classier version of New Orleans.
There's some fine historic buildings around here; for instance, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
We stop for a nicely serenaded lunchtime meal of crab stew and salad ... 
.. overlooking the Savannah River, where there's yet more music from a busking clarinettist. 
But we soon move on - over the River across the Talmadge Memorial Bridge on US-17 ... 
.. and immediately find ourselves in South Carolina.Two mostly northbound hours later (107 miles) we're checking in at our Charleston-based motel. 350 miles covered for the day - but it felt like 250, thanks to the I-95 super-slab.
The weather is indeed cooler up in these slightly higher latitudes; more like England at this time of year.
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Wednesday, May-14
I deliberately chose to stay in Charleston some time ago, specifically to take a closer look at the coastal fortification called Fort Sumter, which is located on a small island in Charleston Harbour. The fort is best known as the site where the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12-13, 1861).
We park-up outside the ferry terminal at Liberty Square, Concord Street, then brouse through the memorabilia and other artifacts inside the building.
There's Fort Sumter, out in the Harbour Bay .. the Island Fort where the Civil War began, which led to all that bloody carnage, the aftermath of which I saw up at Gettysburg on July-18 last year. 
And we have a decision to make: (a) Spend around three hours and $15.00 each on the ferry crossings and island tour. Note: My National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is not aceeptable 'tender' for this particular National Monument [??.. hump!]; or
(b) Carry-on up along the Coastal Highway on US-17 to Myrtle Beach, where we know the annual Bike Week Fest is happening.
So right now, is it going to be a ride on the ferry in the foreground; or along the bridge in the background?
We choose to ride over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge ... and make our way back to the parked-up Pan.
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Talking of ferries - now there's a coincidence. Because as we were walking back to the Pan ...
.. we see one of Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s roll-on/roll-off intercontinental ocean ferries at the dockside, clearly on its way down the US eastern seaboard to off-load and pick-up its scheduled cargo of vehicles ... 
.. to take across the Atlantic to Southampton, England, and Zeebrugge & Bremerhaven beyond.Now I've been trying for some time now - since May-01, to be precise - to secure a berth for the Pan on one of WW's Ro-Ro ferries - the same shipping line that brought her across the Atlantic to Halifax NS, Canada, way back in June of last year ['07] - but I keep on hitting a brick wall with the shipping broker, E H Harms of New Jersey. All I ever get is their voicemail service when I phone - I have left messages, which are never returned; and all my e-mails to them have been returned as 'UNDELIVERABLE'. Utter frustration. So sorry Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, I would like to do business with you again, but right now you are in partnership with at least one shite shipping bunch-of-jokers, therefore I regret to inform you that my dollars will end-up in another shipper's bank account - namely, Air Transat - a Canadian Airline. Yes, we're all flying back home on Monday, May-26, and the Pan will be in the cargo hold somewhere below my seat.
At least I won't need to worry about recharging a flat battery at the other end, in Southampton, as I'm not looking at a 26-day crossing now - but Toronto -to- London Gatwick in just seven hours .. gotta be the way to go, right?! .. :o)
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Anyway, back to getting up there (Toronto) in the first place!103 miles [166 kn], and two hours later, we arrive in Myrtle Beach, still in the state of South Carolina.
Approximately 200,000+ bikers make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event, which includes: motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals. Myrtle Beach Bike Week contends with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as one of the most popular motorcycle rally in the United States.
But nearly all we see are Hardley Rideables ... 
.. bleedin' thousands of 'em
95% are ridden by owners wearing no protective apparel whatsoever
.. Hardley a lid in sight, neither.
The death toll, as at Saturday-19, equals: 3 .. and gawd knows how many other survivable injuries had been sustained.'Dog House' = Best Place.
After a more than half decent Chinese buffet - and another hour or so of riding around town, wearing our fully armoured gear and helmets amongst this ridiculous army of poseurs on top of their 1940s technology .. we go take a look at the beach ...
.. which is just another beach .. albeit a very long one.By 4:00pm we decide to call it a day here - and head northwest for 110 miles [177 km] until by around six o'clock we cross the Stateline into North Carolina - and find ourselves a cheapo motel (USD $40) in the Township of Rockingham .. right next to the railway line - doh! .. :o( :o(
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Thursday, May-15
We have a couple of dates to keep this forthcoming weekend.
The first is in the neighbouring [north] state of Virginia ...
.. and along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway in particular.The first Meet is at Meadows of Dan, just off the Parkway; exactly the same spot that I first landed on the BRP last year from my old friend's place - David Bunt, in Chesapeake - at 10:30am on Saturday morning, July-28.
The event is 'CampSTOC' - a casual gathering of like-minded, mainly Honda ST Owners. 
We find our already set-up motel room for the night. Thanks again Mac .. :o) ;o)Later that evening ...
.. we enjoy the best sausages I've had in America so far .. by far
.. with some good campfire yarns too - then, after everyone had retired .. it p#ssed it down all night!-----------------------------
Friday, May-16
Up at the crack of dawn and a load of us are on the Blue Ridge Parkway riding north again by 8:30am ...
.. which can be sooooo beautiful at that time of day.
After 150 northerly miles [240 km], and 2½ later, at just before 11:00am, we arrive at the pre-arranged rendezvous of Mrs Rowes Restaurant & Bakery at Staunton, just off I-81 .. to meet-and-greet the FriendSTOC group of riders - down from their weekend meeting venue at Canaan Valley.
We spot our ol' mate Uncle Phil from Nashville, Tennessee ...
who gives us both the customary Unc Phil 'Welcome Bubbas Hug'
.. a superb lunch followed - CampSTOCers and FriendSTOCer .. united.[delicious lemon meringue pie BTW]
But by 1:30pm we say our collective farewells - and we ride back to the Canaan Valley Resort - a distance of around 120 miles [193 km] to spend the rest of the weekend at the FriendSTOC Meet up in nearby West Virginia.The weather is turning decidedly chilly and wet - even 'wintry' - which is a far cry from all the glorious, and sometimes oppressive, sunshine that I've been enjoying so much for the last eight weeks .. :o( :o(
Saturday, May-17
The Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center is definitely a great venue to hold an event like FriendSTOC. But the immediate weather outlook is getting worse by the hour, as a series of frontal systems move in from the west .. 'tis just like back 'ome at this time of year! .. :o) So with the distinct 'whiff' of imminent oncoming rain in the air, we get on with the mandatory group photo call
But THE main purpose of FriendSTOC - and this is the fifth consecutive annual event so far - is to raise money for good causes. At 5:30pm everyone gathers for the buffet-style dinner - and the fundraising auction that will follow thereafter. Molly the veteran world-travelling lamb-sheep looks on .. and gives me the evil eye. "Okay, okay .. I'll bid for something, alright!" 
Unc Phil does a determined job as the evening's auctioneer. I understand that he managed to prise and ultimately 'yank' (for want of a better word .. :o) a whopping USD $1,426 out of us poor innocents for good causes - a record by all accounts. Well-done Phil!"GOIN' ONCE'D
... GOIN' TWICE'D
.... ??
... GAWN"
;o)
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Sunday, May-18
Just over a week remaining.
Everyone leaves the resort this morning for their respective homes - but we decide to stay-on and take advantage of the discounted group rate for one more night (almost half price :o). Besides, we don't have to go to work tomorrow ...
.. AND it's bloody pouring down.
My faithful silver machine, which so far has carried me nearly 25,000 miles [40,000 km] around North America, now has the whole parking lot to herself. Almost two-and-a-half days rest for her and for us too .. with this evening still to go ..... time to retire to the bar for a quiet one or two, we both reckon .. :o) :o)
Tomorrow we're all off on a 350-mile ride to Philadelphia.
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