15th June - Exmore, Virginia

After what feels like many, many nights in motel land you grow used to growling V8s, ground shaking roars from artics engine braking , farting Harley Davidson's, glugging air conditioning, room fridges that click on and off throughout the night.... it was good to have a break from it.

Dave, Kelly, Jack & Max live in a brand new house in central Raleigh. After commenting on how grand their house was, I was told they have downsized. Their last place must have been on par with the Ewing's Southfork. But there was no stetsons to be seen here (although they may have been put away) just every conceivable mod con you could need - inlcuding a fridge that cost more than my motorbike. Spent a very pleasant few days drinking craft beer, cycling, watching bands, watching football then drinking more craft beer (including Dave's own daft beer).

From there, I headed for the coast of N.Carolina and followed it up north to Virginia. The coastal road tracks the shoreline and crosses the many inlets and estuaries via bridge networks that last for miles. The longest crossing was the bridge over Chesapeake Bay. The bridge-tunnel (as its called) stretches over 17 miles, has two tunnels and four man-made tunnels. This is the first tunnel which is about 4 miles out to sea.

  
Yes, Americans do things big.