Columbia to Raleigh
Darlington Raceway, Myrtle Beach & the USS North Carolina
Day 49 took Ray through the heart of NASCAR country and along the Grand Strand.
Day 49 was a day for racing fans and history buffs alike.
Darlington Raceway — 'The Track Too Tough to Tame' — was the first stop. Darlington is the oldest superspeedway in NASCAR, opened in 1950, and its egg-shaped oval has humbled the best drivers in the sport for over 70 years. The distinctive 'Darlington stripe' — a scrape along the right side of a car from brushing the wall — is a badge of honor.
From Darlington, east to Myrtle Beach — the Grand Strand, 60 miles of beaches along the South Carolina coast. The Carolina Opry, a country music theater, was a stop.
Then north into North Carolina — Wilmington, and the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial. The battleship, moored in the Cape Fear River, is one of the most decorated American battleships of World War II.
Photos from the Day
The Day's Route
Darlington Raceway — Darlington, SC
'The Track Too Tough to Tame' — the oldest superspeedway in NASCAR, opened in 1950. Darlington's egg-shaped oval is notoriously difficult to drive, and the 'Darlington stripe' (a scrape from the wall) is a rite of passage for NASCAR drivers.
Myrtle Beach, SC — The Carolina Opry
Myrtle Beach — the Grand Strand, 60 miles of beaches along the South Carolina coast. The Carolina Opry is a country music theater that has been entertaining audiences since 1986.
Wilmington, NC
Wilmington, North Carolina — a port city on the Cape Fear River, with a beautifully preserved historic downtown and a thriving film industry (it's been called 'Hollywood East').
USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial
The USS North Carolina — a World War II battleship moored in the Cape Fear River across from downtown Wilmington. The ship earned 15 battle stars during the war and is now a museum and memorial.
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh — the North Carolina state capital and part of the Research Triangle (with Durham and Chapel Hill).