Mccormick and moving on from Bakers Creek Tues 30th March

The railroad crossing

Downtown Mccormick
The camera decides to work as the train goes by !

The county court house

Downtown Mccormick

We had planned a 3 night stay but decide to move on this morning as it is an area mainly for fishing and hunting, no problem with that, but the hiking trails advertised have been very poorly maintained. We went for a short walk yesterday afternoon and ended up getting lost as the marker posts were missing and the trail kept disappearing. No big deal but one of the main things we want to do is hike and use the bike trails. Also no phone signal or internet so unable to look and book our next site. At this stage of the adventure we don't want to be that cut off, maybe later when we are old hands at it all. Such a pity as it is wonderful quiet and peaceful area.

Sadly it turns out that the AT & T network that the nice young man in Charlotte recommended is not available nationwide !! We plan to buy a Verizon prepaid phone when we next hit a Family Dollar so that we have one or the other, ha ha !

Day starts well with a look around Mccormick and a visit to the chamber of commerce for area info. The railroad as with many small towns runs right through the centre and I was so excited when I heard the sound of an approaching train. The sun was shining and a train was coming what more could I want ! Well I would have liked my blessed camera not to choose that moment to freeze !! but all was not lost I did get to see it pass all one mile of it !!

Off on the road again to Lake Hartwell but the day got a bit stressy as my navigation skills really do need to improve. It is a beautiful day and we are spending it driving about. It's the end of the first week and it's been a huge learning curve and we just want to sit and chill.

I was not best pleased that when we eventually get to Lake Hartwell Camp Site the wifi doesn't work and by the time I realise this the owners have gone home. I know I'm whinging but they do advertise wifi. However all is not lost my boy cooks some great BBQ steaks and it's a beautiful evening, the stars are shining brightly and we are settled here for a couple of days. Life is good.

Bakers Creek State Park Monday 29th March

View across the lake from our camping pitch

One of my water towers. They are also useful to know where we were as most have the name of the town on them.

On the road from Charleston

There was the most amazing thunder storm with very heavy rain last night our first storm in the RV. Looking at the local website this morning we decide to delay our departure in-land to Bakers Creek State Park for a bit until the Monday morning rush hour and accidents had passed.

And we're off down I-26 skirting Augusta, 101 miles until the navigator's skills will be required so The Eagles CD in and sit back and enjoy !

Last part of the journey very rural and single track roads with light traffic. We got signed in with the park ranger and set up camp. We have the prime spot on the lake side one of the good things about being slighty off season. A beautiful place, very quiet and peaceful.

Beautiful sunset over camp site

Some photos and info

This is one of the cabins at the camp site.

This is a totally over the top RV it even has red lights under it at night !!! But the owner is happy with it. His 4 wheel truck is red too.

Our rig entering camp site

The Happy Campers or RVers to be precise !

Some folk have asked the size of our rig. It's 31 feet long and 11 feet 6 inches in height. Michael so far is the driver and I'm the navigator but I'm not very good but I knew that anyway. I'm sure I shall improve as I like a challenge !!!

It turns out the rig is a lot easier to reverse than we thought so our 2 way radios have not yet been put to the test and I do know how to shout loudly. We were right in thinking that a downside to the RV would be ease of getting about especially when we reach the campsite and get set up (Clive and Eileen, Michael now agrees with you that a 5th Wheel was probably the way to go) but we are still seeing things and the more we get used to it I'm sure the bolder we will be.

And sorry folks but I shall be sharing pics of water towers, not all of the ones I take as you would get quickly bored, Michael is already !! but they fascinate me !! Also the railroad. I'm a simple girl at heart !

Old timer RVers, wow, they have a home from home, hanging baskets, lanterns, table lamps and all sorts of nice homely touches. Having said that we are very comfortable, we're so glad we got an RV with a slide out and we have bought a few bits to make life more convenient.

Thank you to all our followers and the comments so far.

We do have Skype. Skype address is poppet.harris and the e mail for Skype is poppetharris@yahoo.co.uk

xx

Sunday 28th Charleston

Sunday morning and off to see downtown Charleston. Caught the bus as parking our rig in Charleston not recommended as the streets by American standards are quite narrow. As seniors 55+ we got there, 12 miles, for 75 cents ! We bought an all day pass for the trolley system for $5 each and set off to see the sights. As pics show lots of historic buildings. We learnt yesterday at Boone Hall that many of the original houses of Charleston were built with bricks made on the plantation by the slaves. The blossom in pic is all the same tree. The MGB reminded us of the ones we once owned and an unexpected find parked in a drive in Charleston. The bridge is the bridge used for the "fun" run. Mount Pleasant where we are based is in fact an island and the first bridge over to Charleston was not built until 1929.

Very cold wind and spit spots of rain at times.

Sat 27th March Boone Hall Plantation

We decide to be party poopers and avoid the 30,000 fun runners and go to Boone Hall Plantation another recommendation and again well worth the visit. We drive in through the bus lane as not sure our rig will fit through the car barrier but once they hear our English accent all is forgiven ! Extremely cold wind so wrapped up in my ear muffs and our warm clothes (shorts and tee shirts yesterday!). The plantation "masters house" above is the 3rd on the site this one being built in 1935 using the original wood and bricks. It was one of the biggest plantations in the area at one time being 4000 acres. They have the only remaining original slave homes (photo above) in the country which have been preserved and each building tells the history and stories of the African Americans from slavery through the abolition of slavery to the fight for equality in the 1960's. The plantation still produces fruit and veg for the local markets.
The magnificant avenue of live oaks (photo above) with Spanish Moss trailing from them gave a real "Gone With The Wind" and Southern Belles feel. Re the photo of the baskets, these are hand made by locals who have passed the tradition down through the generations. The baskets are made of Sweet Grass and are made exclusively in the Mount Pleasant area. Highway 17 which passes through Mount Pleasant is lined with stalls selling this local craft.

On route from Myrtle Beach to Mount Pleasant

Friday 26th and we move on from our vineyard down highway 17. We were recommended to stop off at Brookgreen Gardens and as it has a sculture garden we just had to pay a visit. Wow, certainly worth it. Extensive gardens and sculptures many in bronze dating back from modern to the late 1800's. One of our favourites, The Triad, one of the photos above.
We did have a laugh at the signs about not harassing the alligators, as if anyone would ???
On from here to Mount Pleasant just outside of Charleston and checked into a KOA. Kamps of America. We discovered on checking in that tomorrow is a BIG day on the Charleston calendar, 30,000 odd people descend on the city to run the bridges !! A sort of marathon we think we might do the city tour on Sunday !

23rd to 25th March Myrtle Beach

And we're off. Our hula man's skirt is shaking and it's a beautiful morning. We left J & P's at 11.30 and had our first stressy moment at 11.45 !! I'm a hopeless naviagator it seems (well I knew that already !!) I have plenty of time to improve and we do have Tammy the TomTom to help out. First camp site ie near Myrtle Beach and amongst others we pass through Scotland County, those jocks get everywhere ! Above pics show Michael testing one of the bikes we hired (lovely soft saddle, not !) and putting together the newly aquired (great shop Wal Mart) gas BBQ. Puts together in 30 mins, oh yeah !! Anyway all up and in use now. Brian the campsite owner who turns out to be Byron (his father is a poet) very helpful to us 2 rookies and we get hooked up with all the tubes in the right places !!! Very quiet and peacful site in vineyard about 20 miles from Myrtle Beach a good place for us to practice camping ! Sadly the wines we tested are all sweet but never mind the Harris' being good boy scouts have bought their own supplies. Our first night and we slept for 9 hours and awoke to another beautiful if chilly day. It seems this area in South Carolina has had the worst winter for years even having 5 inches of snow. We met fellow campers Richard and Judy, not the The R & J, but very nice folk from Illinios who have spent the past 3 months here for warmth ! They are going further south next year !

Decided to stay here an extra night in our comfort zone. Only downside was internet connection very flaky, ok if you stood on one leg with a beer in one hand and faced south south east in a light breeze ! Hence no blog update and few e mails. Paid a visit to the Blackmoor Golf Club, for those of you who don't know this is the name of Michael's club in UK and one of only 3 in the world. It's a very nice resort club, shame the golf pro was not that friendly, perhaps it was us turning up in our rig ! Drove the length of Myrtle Beach and parked up in Wal Mart (good thing is they are happy for RV folk to park up in their parking lots even overnight) about a mile from the ocean and decided to give our bikes their first real outing along "the prom" so now a bit saddle sore !

Off tomorrow to Mount Pleasant near Charleston. Still having a few stressy moments but all part of the learning curve !

More hopefully soon. xx

19th - 22nd March

We have had a great stay with John and Pat, we have chilled out and been thoroughly spoilt by them. Up at 0510 this morning (22nd) to drop John at the airport on route to pick up the RV. Formalities over, Michael manouvered our new home back to J & P's. Wine and beer all loaded, Bradda Ed on the dashboard and now it is time to move out !! Off tomorrow to our first campsite in a vineyard near Myrtle Beach.