Monthly Archives: November 2009

November 26, 2009 · 9:14 pm

Sunshine on Thanksgiving in Savannah

Historic Savannah Orleans Square

A fountain bubbles in Orleans Square in Savannah's historic district.

Hallelujah! The sun finally shone in Savannah, Georgia. We awoke to a clear blue sky this Thanksgiving morn for the first time since our arrival in the Savannah area last Saturday. It poured on Sunday and stayed overcast with a thick lead gray cloud cover the following days. Yesterday evening, hues of pink streaked the sky. Maybe, just maybe, we’d actually see Savannah in sunshine before we hit the road.

The past two nights we dry camped in the heart of the city at the Savannah Visitors Center RV parking lot. (48 hours for $12 cash!)  Because today was a holiday with free parking, we didn’t need to be on our way by 8 a.m.  So once again we walked the 1 mile by 1 mile historic district, revisiting our favorite squares, Forsyth Park and the riverfront.

While locals were out walking or attending church services before their Thanksgiving feasts, we tourists examined the detail of the wrought iron railings, brickwork and facades on the historic homes.  Everyone was in joyful spirits, greeting each other with smiles and hello’s.  Our dog, Sonya, is like a magnet.  People love to ask about her, pet her and tell her how beautiful she is.  She has been the catalyst of many friendly conversations.

Except for some restaurants and the occasional shop, everything was closed for the holiday. People gravitated to the Peacemaker, a docked wooden sailing vessel, open for free self-guided tours. In the center of the Savannah River, towboats escorted huge container ships. I searched for the two playful dolphins I had seen the other evening, but apparently that magical moment was meant to be a one-time sighting.

Early afternoon, after we had fully savored the sun-kissed charm of historic Savannah, we began our journey south to Florida.  Our “home” tonight is the Flying J Travel Plaza outside Brunswick, Georgia.  We finally had our Thanksgiving feast — a hearty, delicious buffet at the truck stop’s Country Market Restaurant. The yummy home-style cooking hit the spot!

We’re so very grateful for this beautiful, memorable Thanksgiving Day on the road!

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November 25, 2009 · 9:57 pm

Where’s Forest Gump’s Bench?

Forest Gump bench seekers

Barbara and William of Charleston sit on a bench in Savannah's Chippewa Square behind the original location of Forest Gump's bench.

Outside the Colonial Cemetery in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, a young couple from Charleston asked us, “Do you know where Forest Gump’s bench is?”  No, we didn’t, but we’d love to join them on their hunt. After looking at so many gorgeous historic homes and walking around the grave sites of heroic patriots, we were ready for some contemporary levity!

David, Barbara and William started repainting the bench scene in words and remembered it took place where the streets formed a T.  Ah, it must be at one of Savannah’s 22 squares.  But which one?

When David saw a policeman in a store, he decided to go to someone who should know.  By the time he got there, the policeman was gone, but the shopkeeper knew. The bench was at Chippewa Square, only a few blocks away.

Wooden benches formed a ring around the statue in the center of the square. We checked every one of them for some kind of plaque.  No luck.  Long, concrete benches sat on two sides of the square. Again no luck.  So the young woman asked a local in a nearby restaurant about the bench.

Forest Gump bench scene

Forest Gump sits on a bench in Savannah, Georgia.

“We’re in the right place,” she reported, “but the bench isn’t here anymore. It’s in a museum now.”

It was already after 5 p.m.  – too late to go there.  Seeing the actual bench at the Savannah History Museum will have to wait for another day.

Meanwhile, Barbara and William did the next best thing. They sat on a bench behind the original location of Forest Gump’s bench and posed for this photo. Now that’s what I call fun sightseeing!

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November 24, 2009 · 10:21 pm

Giving Thanks

On the eve of this Thanksgiving, we’re especially aware of the blessings we enjoy. Here are just a few:

Staircase in Savannah's Historic District

Pumpkins decorate the staircase of a home in Savannah's Historic District

  • Friends and family who enrich our lives in countless ways, from telling rib-tickling stories to giving a consoling hug.
  • The silly antics, affection and companionship of our dog Sonya.
  • Doing what we love.
  • The gorgeous landscapes of this country.
  • The power of a smile to brighten another’s day.
  • Interacting with so many wonderful people, for a few minutes, a couple hours or a lifetime.
  • Our cozy, comfortable “home/office on wheels.”
  • A dependable RV and car.
  • Good health and strong bodies.
  • Our abiding love and joy-filled life together.
  • Ice cream, popcorn and chocolate!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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November 21, 2009 · 11:50 pm

Crescent Moon and Palm Trees

South Carolina logo has a crescent moon and palm tree.

On the eve of our departure from South Carolina, a beautiful crescent moon sat low in the pitch black sky over the ocean.  If a palm tree had been below it, the scene would have resembled the state of South Carolina’s logo: a palm tree with a crescent moon rising. For me, the moon that night looked like a wave farewell. 

We’ve spent 16 delightful days in South Carolina, ranging weather-wise from sunny beach days to downpours and blustery storms.  That’s all part of being here.

Highlights of our visit include:

  • Touring the State House in Columbia, filled with its history and news-making current affairs.
  • Listening to David and other male campers share their favorite Crock pot recipes.
  • Seeing fields of ripe cotton.
  • Strolling the historic streets of Dizzy Gillespie’s hometown, Cheraw.
  • Watching Sonya romp in the ocean for her first time.
  • Admiring the sculptures in Brookgreen Gardens and touring Anna Huntington’s retreat, Atalaya.
  • Driving under beautiful arches created by the canopies of live oak trees on Edisto Island.
  • Chatting with a Gullah in Charleston’s Old Market about how she makes sweetgrass baskets, and then buying the small one she wove during our conversation.
  • Watching 17 pelicans fly in formation over the ocean.
  • Collecting new treasures: shark tooth and turtle shell fossils, and a variety of pretty shells.
  • Attending Gullah Heritage Days on St. Helena Island.
  • Taking morning meditative walks on Hunting Island beach.
  • Making acquaintances who may turn into friends.
  • Soaking in the beauty of nature: the tide flowing and ebbing, brilliant stars twinkling, dolphins frolicking, pelicans diving, the sun setting and so much more.

Our visit has enriched us. Even though the miles are putting distance between us and South Carolina, each time I see the crescent moon, it’s bound to jog these pleasant memories.  

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November 17, 2009 · 11:12 pm

Hunting Island: Beaches, Salt Marshes, Sunsets and Surf

Salt marsh, Hunting Island, South Carolina

Sunset over the salt marsh, Hunting Island, South Carolina

Sinking into nature’s rhythm has been the focus of our stay here on Hunting Island. This South Carolina barrier island sits “away from it all,” just south of Beaufort’s Marine Corp Air Station and Parris Island. Hilton Head Island lies to the south.

A canopy of palm trees and long leaf pines shades the Hunting Island State Park campground. Here, it’s hard to believe that anything can be more important than watching a pod of dolphins frolicking in the ocean, pelicans gliding overhead, or waves rolling toward shore.

At low tide, we were able to walk along the beach to the historic Hunting Island lighthouse. The ocean is devouring the island, as evidenced by stretches of skeletal trees, killed by the invading salt water. We climbed the lighthouse on a clear day when we could see 40 miles to the horizon, have a bird’s-eye view ofthe neighboring islands, and look down on the rounded tops of tall Loblolly pines.

Another day we learned about the area’s land and maritime creatures at the Nature Center and absorbed new views from the fishing pier. Late afternoon, we walked on a boardwalk stretching over the salt marsh to a hammock of trees. Shrimp scared off predators with their popping sounds while egrets stalked through the reeds searching for their next meal. Tall marsh grasses swayed with the water’s current.

As the sun began its descent, it blinded us with its bright golden light. Then it quickly dropped below the horizon, painting the sky with colorful hues.

After staying here three days, we decided to make this campground our base for another five days. Our initial RV site sat within yards of the beach where I fell to sleep at night to the surf’s melodic lullaby. Now we’re in a secluded site bordered with trees and shrubs, where we can spend focused hours on our work. At night, instead of the surf, stillness lulls me to sleep.

I continue to greet each day with a meditative stroll on the beach, take a long walk on the sand at low tide, and end the day admiring the countless brilliant stars carpeting the night sky. Hunting Island has won me over with its natural rhythm.

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November 16, 2009 · 10:26 pm

Gullah Descendents Celebrate Their Rich Cultural Roots on St. Helena Island, SC

Traveling in South Carolina added a new word to my vocabulary: Gullah. The Gullahs, I learned, are people of African ancestry who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia, including the coastal area and the Sea Islands.

Gullah heritage

Dancers celebrate their Gullah heritage at the Penn Center Heritage Days on St. Helena Island, SC.

The annual Gullah Heritage Days at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island were held this past weekend, November 13 and 14.  Eager spectators, including David and me, lined Martin Luther King Drive several people deep for the morning parade. My favorite float – Barefoot Farms – won the heritage category. A tractor driven by a barefoot farmer pulled a flatbed wagon teeming with college bound youngsters.  Another favorite was a float honoring the community’s senior citizens. The elders riding the float were clearly having a fun morning, smiling and waving at the crowd.

The grounds of the Penn Center, one of the first schools for freed slaves and now a national historic district, burst with activity. Vendors sold shrimp, flounder and other seafood with fries or grits. Mounds of collard greens, sugar cane and other produce filled truck beds. Rows of stands sold items ranging from earrings to Motown CDs. And carnival rides kept the kids grinning.

The best, though, were the performances. Groups related the Gullah heritage through song, stomp and dance. Storytellers kept the audience rapt as they spoke Gullah and taught some basic words, like oonuh (you). And Zulu tribal dancers from South Africa got the wildest response when they invited dozens of people onto the stage to learn how to really dance.

What I loved best was the joy expressed all around us, and how heart-warming and comfortable it felt to share in this celebration.

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November 8, 2009 · 10:02 pm

Sonya’s First Romp in the Ocean – Huntington Beach, South Carolina

Dog friendly Huntington Beach State Park

Sonya frolics in Surf at Huntington Beach State Park

What a great birthday present for a 9-year-old puppy dog! Sonya, who has lived a landlocked life in Colorado, had her first romp in the ocean today at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina.

This wonderful dog-friendly beach and park lets dog owners take their pets on the beach as long as they stay on a six-foot leash and out of the coastal dunes, which are a bird sanctuary (a tough one for our 100 percent bird dog!). Dog owners showed their appreciation by abiding by the rules.

 This photo shows Sonya’s sheer delight frolicking in the surf at Huntington Beach State Park. You can see a series of photos, from her first tentative steps to dashing away from the surf to being totally enraptured with the exciting newness of this experience.  Just go to the Pet Travel page.

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November 7, 2009 · 9:02 pm

Taste of Southern (as in South Carolina) Cuisine

Have you tasted South Carolina cuisine? We tried some unusual (for us) items today in Cheraw, South Carolina, about 80 miles northeast of the capital, Columbia. See what you think by reading our descriptions on the Cuisine page.

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November 6, 2009 · 9:18 pm

The Best RV Site Yet!

Towering Pines and Deciduous Trees Shade Sesquicentennial State Park RV Site

Towering Pines and Deciduous Trees Shade Sesquicentennial State Park RV Site

Here we are in the midst of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, and we’re in the most natural and peaceful RV site we’ve had to date!  The Sesquicentennial State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930s to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Columbia, South Carolina. Since then, the city has fanned out, expanded and grown around it. 

Everything you might want to buy or eat is available on the road just outside the park gates. But inside the park, towering pine trees, nature trails and the lake create a tranquil setting. The RV sites were two to three times more spacious than the norm – no neighbors on top of you! The surface was packed sand covered with pine needles, which made everything all the quieter.  And the price is super attractive at under $20 a night.

In late afternoon, the autumn color of the deciduous trees reflected on the lake while geese skimmed across the water.  At night it was soothingly quiet – no air or road traffic sounds. Just nature.  And she was quiet, too. 

Before breaking camp for our next destination, we hiked the pine needle-cushioned trail around the lake, soaking in the serene setting shaded by Loblolly pines. Restored, we hit the road again, knowing that given the chance, we’ll return to Seisquicentennial State Park.

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November 5, 2009 · 12:05 am

Mount Mitchell Lords Over the East

Mount Mitchell Tallest Peak

Mount Mitchell Tallest Peak East of Mississippi River

 Mount Mitchell – the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River – isn’t much higher than the Mile High city of Denver.  Even so, I felt on top of the world.  Mountain ranges rolled like waves toward the horizon, and clouds hovered in the sky. I could see for miles in every direction.  

Like any good mountain, it requires you to drive up winding roads and then hike up the last stretch to the summit.  The hike didn’t make my lungs crave oxygen or my thighs burn from exertion like Colorado’s Mt. Evans does. And, frankly, I was glad for that.

Mount Mitchell provides a great recreation break when driving the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.  In the park’s little museum, you can get acquainted with the local flora, fauna and mountain folk – namely Big Tom.  He and his wife Niagara raised 11 children in these mountains.  Big Tom gained enough fame – probably from shooting some 114 black bears in his lifetime – to have a peak named after him.  

 

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