Cycling the Atlantic Coastline is spectacular thru parts of the North Carolina Coastline to Virginia Beach. If I may recommend a starting point for a long-distance ride thru some of the best scenery of the Atlantic Coast; start at Gull Rock at Long Point and ride your two-mile warm-up to Gibbs Point at Englehard. Then up the coast to Mantee, NC passing Long Shoal Pt, Sand Pt and Stumpy Pt; this is about a good 25 miles. From there we will ride East onto the Outer Banks and 10-miles of breathtaking scenery thru Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, NC then from Kitty Hawk back to the shore at Point Harbor NC. From there it is a straight trek 38 miles into Virginia along Highway 158 to 168 passing thru the towns of Harbinger, Spot, Mamie, Powels Point, Jarvisburg, Grandy, Coinjock, Barco, Maple, Slingo and Moyock before you hit the Stateline. May I also recommend the Hwy 3 detour on the 158, which takes you 1.3 miles thru Poplar Branch and Aydlett. Just before you hit the 168 Toll-way in Virginia make a right turn towards the coast again and it is only about 25 miles into Virginia Beach and this rounds out a great scenic ride and you can crash on the beach for a few hours for a good pick-up point. Consider this in 2006. |