A brisk 49 degree start to a glorious blue sky day. Little River, SC.

North Carolina! It wasn’t a day deferred — it was deferred by a year, as I left the East Coast Greenway in Georgetown, SC last year on March 25th.

The two nutritional rudiments of my bike touring: protein shakes and caffeine from Celsius. Shallotte, NC.

The serendipitous savior of many a bike tourist or traveler — the randomly found porta potty when you just happen to need one in the middle of nowhere. Near Bolivia, NC.

A laughing gull spotted at the Southport Ferry landing. Southport, NC.

On my way to Fort Fisher from Southport on the 30 minute ferry ride. On the Cape Fear River, NC.

The mood / Traced in the shadow / An indecipherable cause. — Wallace Stevens / “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.”

Yeah . . . just a pelican taking flight. Cape Fear River, NC.

Memorial to the Confederate Unknown Soldier at the former site of Fort Fisher Headquarters, c. 1862-64.

Beach House Burgers, highly recommended by a local, ran out of propane and had to refund all of us with $50 worth of burgers & $10 worth of hot dogs on the grill and spoiled. Kure Beach, NC.

The only other nearby outdoor eatery just 5 minutes shy of closing. Kure Beach, NC.

All they could offer was a pumpernickel bagel with a schmear of cream cheese. Good enough with a chocolate softy. Kure Beach, NC.

The campground check-in at Carolina Beach State Park was at the marina, not in the boats — but here’s the view. Carolina Beach, NC.

Finally drying out the ground cloth from 2 nights ago. Considered doing a fast pack set up as there is no chance of rain in the forecast . . .

. . . but set up the full tent instead. Only 56 degrees for a forecasted low, so it’s definitely warming up. Tomorrow a short day and the historic sites of Wilmington, NC.

Day 3

Start: Little River, SC
Finish: Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach, NC
Miles: 58.7

Only 2 days left . . . until I meet the first 3 Spinners.

What I’m Reading:

The company credited “exceptional oil trading” for its highest quarterly profit since 2023, triggering an immediate backlash from campaign groups and calls for tougher windfall taxes on fossil fuel companies.

— Jillian Ambrose / “BP profits more than double as oil prices soar in Iran war” / The Guardian