After our NJ trip (see the archives), we decided to take the bikes to Honda of Sumter to get 'em checked out. I had put 2,000 miles on mine in the first three weeks, and Linda has 8,300 miles in a year and a half (bet I catch up with her). Ted, the sales manager, had suggested that I get my first change after 2K (not a break-in oil, but a good idea), and that we grease the trike's rear-end every 8K. So we got there early and they had 'em finished before 11. Maybe it's my imagination, but I swear that my Goldwing rides better now! Linda says the trike seems smoother as well.
In spite of our McLellanvile run that left us soaking wet at a closed restaurant, I still like the idea of trying out new places to eat. It gives us a destination to ride, and you never know what you'll find. That's what makes it an adventure!
I checked Google maps, and looked for places north of Florence, as we haven't gone that way yet. I found Sandy Ocean Bar-B-Que. A look at the street view, and it looked like a nice, country restaurant. We weren't disappointed!
The place is only 35 miles from Florence, and we headed up through Darlington, went slowly through Society Hill (the speed limit is 35, and I wouldn't go 36). and across the river to Marlboro county on Highway 15 / 401. For most of the ride, once we passed Darlington, Linda and I had the road to ourselves. Beautiful country, beautiful blue sky with light clouds, a great ride! As we neared Bennettsville, we began to look for the restaurant. The picture on Google's street view is just how the place looks and we pulled in.
The parking lot is mostly loose stone, but we found some hard ground to put down my kickstand, and headed for the front door. People were standing outside, waiting to get in. At first, I thought I had to get my name on a list, but that's not how a traditional country restaurant works. The line inside had simply gotten too long, and the line outside was waiting for room. The line went straight to the buffet.
Inside, the place was filled with tables ranging from 4 chairs to 10 chairs, and another room off the side had more. While some groups were obviously together, other tables held several smaller groups. You just found a place to sit, and make room for the people next to you.
The food was truly your basic country fare -- ham, chopped bar-b-que, turkey and dressing, rice, macaroni and cheese, pulled pork and roast beef, greens (yes, I tried the greens), beans, corn, salad fixin's, peach cobbler and 'nanner pudding. The difference? This food had real flavor! The bar-b-que is described as "vinegar-ketchup" based, and it was tasty on it's own. Add the sauce from the table, and it was as good as any I've had. Home-made mac and cheese -- yum! Everything was delicious, and I wasted not one bit of it. The girls were prompt in keeping my glass filled, not an easy task in that busy place. And at $20.01 (don't forget your penny), it was a true bargain.
In truth, we had to spend about 10 minutes in line before we got to the food. And I recommend you get what you want in your first pass. The line never got shorter than out to the door the entire time we were there!
As we headed back towards Florence I believe our gas mileage suffered considering the amount of food we put away. I'm sure we'll make that trip again!
Same great ride back home -- little or no traffic, just great weather and feeling the road rush under your wheels. A great adventure!
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