Author Topic: Biking from Tallahasee, FL to Charleston, SC  (Read 5071 times)

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Offline palma

Biking from Tallahasee, FL to Charleston, SC
« on: December 09, 2011, 04:54:30 pm »
I'm planning a bike trip from Tallahassee to Charleston.  I'm focusing on the GA route right now (from Tallahassee into GA) and in looking at the state bike map, I see that from Tallahassee up through GA to Tifton, I'd take US highway 319. Then I'd veer to the right towards Savannah.   Does anyone know if this road is safe for biking? 

Offline litespeed

Re: Biking from Tallahasee, FL to Charleston, SC
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2011, 09:50:00 am »
Probably not. Main highways in Georgia tend to have narrow shoulders full of rumble strips. It will really drive you nuts. If you go that way you would most likely do better sticking to back roads.

I would recommend taking US90 to Jacksonville and heading north on US17 (good shoulder, no rumble strips) but I don't know how you would skirt around Jacksonville. Taking 301 and A1A from Baldwin to Yulee is out of the question. That stretch is really bad - narrow two lane, shoulderless and heavily trafficked although they are improving it in places. You could try 121 up to Folkston but I don't know anything about it. Or pick your way through Jacksonville.

If you go up US17 you can skirt around Savannah by taking Dean Forest Road (307) to Port Wentworth and crossing the river on the old bridge.

US17 through Georgia and between Hardeeville and Walterboro in South Carolina is good bicycling road. The interstate takes all the traffic.

Do NOT approach Charleston by taking 17 or 17A between the Interstate and Charleston or Summerville. They are very bad stretches of road. Go up to 61 and ride it into Charleston. It is not ideal but is much, much better. You can get from Walterboro to 61 by going east on 17A a few miles to Sidney's Road and up it to 61. This is the ACA route.

Richmond Hill and Hardeeville have very cheap, clean motels. They compete fiercely. I like the Motel 6 in Richmond Hill which also has a KOA.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2011, 10:54:05 am by litespeed »

Offline sedges

GA DOT bike routes not to be trusted
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2011, 10:27:46 am »
I would not depend on GA designated bike routes.  A route that goes through my county includes one of the most dangerous roads for bikes.  There was no thought put into the system and no work done to improve designated roads for bicycles.  When you get over to the eastern part of GA you can pick up the Atlantic Coast Route which will get you to Charlestown.

The GA coastal plain is full of county roads that have no shoulders, but little traffic.  Focus on these to connect river crossings that are mostly on the major highways.

If you can avoid high traffic areas the main traffic danger on back roads is log trucks.  Most log truck drivers are polite and fine, but you can't tell that looking in your mirror.  Some are real jerks.  I get off the pavement when I see them coming.  They drive fast and don't seem to know anything about brakes.  Its hard to tell from the maps where log truck traffic will be, so sometimes it might be more fun to alter a route to get off a busy one.