The Van is Go

Florida: the Everglades

After leaving Naples (well, both times actually) we/I stopped off along the way heading from west to east in the amazing natural phenomenon that is the Everglades and surrounding area. Before reaching the Everglades National Park, we reached Big Cyprus National Preserve, where we stopped to gather some info and lucked into a ranger talk about manatees. The ranger showed some manatee skulls and told us that they continue to grow new teeth because they wear down their molars so quickly eating over 100 pounds of plants per day. I wish my body did that! I’d be like, sorry dentist, see you never. But alas. We saw a manatee here, too, which was cool, plus got a lot of information about the native species. Special thanks to Kevin for drawing my attention to a creature called a pig frog. Who knew that two such wonderful creatures could be combined like this.

Maybe half a mile down the road lies the smallest post office in America. The smallest! In America! And they’re not kidding- this is a shack that sells post cards and takes mail. I think they have a few boxes inside for locals to pick up mail, but seems pretty teensy weensy and of course I mailed a bunch of cards from here and took pics. If you are one of the lucky ones who received a post card with the Ochopee postmark, you’re welcome.

Determined to take an airboat ride, which apparently they don’t run inside Everglades Park itself, we stopped off at a pretty obvious tourist trap place called Gator Park, which for all it’s being obviously a money grab was also pretty fun. We went on an airboat through the wetlands (or maybe swamp? I’m still confused where one ends near Big Cyprus and the other begins with more nutrients and diversity in the Everglades) and saw a few alligators, birds, and the sea of grass. It was loud and beautiful, and our boat tour was followed by a reptile show where a dude showed us some baby gators, fed some full grown ones, frightened a lady half to death by making her pretend to kiss a poisonous toad, and attempted to get everyone to pay to take a photo holding an alligator. No thanks, but fun times.

Again, skipping ahead out of order a bit but following the map more, I stopped by myself after leaving Naples the 2nd time at the Shark Valley Visitor Center and took a tram tour of their paved loop, which stops at an observation tower. Had I a full day to do it I would have just walked the 15 mile loop but between not really having the time and wanting to get the ranger led experience, I opted for the tram tour. It was about 2 hours and totally worth it in my opinion. The ranger who led us had been there for many years and was a great guide, full of fun facts and info which (forgive my lack of continuity) was new to me despite having been through other park exhibits, talks and tours. We saw so many alligators, some baby gator nests, a variety pack of herons, storks, egrets, ibis, even roseate spoonbills from afar (my personal goal). Pretty cool stuff.

A bit further south near the town of Homestead lies the main visitor entrance to the park, at least in my opinion given where most of the land lies. I camped here close to the entrance once with Kevin and later on for a night by myself. This area is rich with palms, trees, sawgrass, and cyprus trees. It also happened to be undergoing a controlled/prescribed burn, so was on fire a little (which is a weird theme for us- thanks, Glacier). I may have misread the sign that said “caution: smoke on the road ahead” as “snake on the road” and was severely disappointed.

We camped at the Long Pine campground, and attended a ranger led talk at the amphitheater about the perception of the Everglades and depiction in popular culture- basically it’s not as scary or dangerous as movies make it sound. We learned about how invasive Burmese Pythons are eating all the native mammals, and that there are very few unprovoked alligator attacks/fatalities annually. I guess my “Florida Man Throws Gator Through Drive-Through Window” counts as provoked (side note, please open another window and google your birthday day and month with the tern ‘Florida Man’ and see what you get. Mine is pretty sweet. Thanks, Kevin’s friend Burrito, for this game).

Not far down the road we also stopped at the Royal Palm Visitor Center to walk the Gumbo-Limbo (best tree name award) trail and the Anhinga Trail at sunset. The birds and frogs definitely played it up for us, and it was memorable to say the least. I had no idea the Everglades could be as gorgeous as it is in real life. If you doubt or haven’t experienced, really anywhere at sunset or sunrise will do the trick. I later went back to this same trail for a starlight walk where the alligators were more active, but there were so many people and bugs it ruined the moment and I should have stuck with my first outing as my final memory of this spot.

On my solo trip I had time to join a ranger led Slough Slog, also called a wet walk by some, which was a pretty amazing experience. In a smallish group a ranger leads you through a section of the wetlands with just walking sticks, a net or two for observation, and his/her knowledge. We trekked through water above the knee at times, and this was in the dry season, and stopped every so often to take it all in and discuss. This section we were in that day is also frequently used for field trips so the gators prefer to stay away from that noise most of the time. Seeing the sun glistening off the water on the bald cyprus tree trunks covered in epiphytes and surrounded by wild orchids was pretty unforgettable. I may have tossed my already breaking hiking shoes afterward, but so worth it.

Further south we stopped off at some ponds where we spotted large gators sunning themselves and not caring one bit (that we could tell) that anyone was there snapping photos. Rest assured, we waited until some slower older people came by and left uneaten before getting closer than 20 ft away. We walked a few trails, like the Mahogony Hammock, where someone spotted a cool snake and we got to see some huge old trees and I squealed in delight at the hundredth lizard sighting.

At the end of the road, at the pretty much most south-central point in mainland Florida, is the Flamingo Visitor Center, where I camped one night and we took a boat tour another day. We had heard from someone that you could camp right by the bay here when we were at Long Pine, but sadly when I had time to go back and stay it had stormed recently and the waterfront sites were mainly still mud pits. It was still beautiful… but the mosquitoes. Oh the mosquitoes, So many bug bites. So many moths and bugs had a bad night by choosing to fly into my camp stove. So many gross bloody spots found on my blanket in the morning from smacking and rolling over the ones eating me all night. I’ll take fewer bugs and less pretty next time for sure.

Flamingo operates boat excursions like canoe and kayak rentals, day and sunset boat tours, and even house boats for rent. Kevin and I did a boat tour through the canals and waterways, which eventually could lead all the way to the gulf if you kept going or followed some of the many canoe ‘paths’. I kind of wish we’d done a kayak adventure but I admit I’d never have noticed or learned half the things the operators told us. This particular area has American crocodiles which we spotted a few of on the boat, and they blend so well with the tree limbs it took me a while to find them. I spotted a bunch of manatees (baked potato of the sea!) in the marina, and there is an osprey nest with chick there, too. I had lunch one day at a picnic table and these very confident birds tried to steal my Wawa sandwich! If you know me, you know I chased them off like crazy because I’m not losing my Wawa.

baby croc on the far right bottom- you can see her open mouth

Well, sorry for the excessively long post, but so much to say and over several days! There was such variety offered throughout the park and I tried to take advantage of every tour opportunity I could find in my time here, and was rarely let down. A spectacular experience overall!

Florida: The Southern Gulf Coast

My first stop on the gulf coast was to once again impose upon my mother’s cousin I’d stayed with in Massachusetts. Steve and Margaret were just beginning a three month winter relocation in the quiet town of Rotunda West. This place was a planned community designed to look frankly like a crop circle with canals and golf courses throughout. I mean, if you look at a map it stands out for sure, but it served as a great home base away from the more touristy and crowded areas.

We went out to the beach for the afternoon on a lovely island I don’t remember the name of, and went for a walk to some mangroves and spotted an eagle’s nest. Pretty cool stuff! As always, thanks for having me and for the delicious veggie dinner.

After leaving the crop circle land, I went north to St. Petersburg where I was meeting a friend who was in town helping out at the Shrine Bowl football game that weekend, so I got to crash the end of their party before taking off again with my travel buddy. Kevin and I have been on some pretty sweet trips without killing each other, so it will be interesting if that continues in my teeny van space, but the van was excited to have a new friend!

Instead of actually go see what the deal with this game is (my best understanding is that it’s senior college atheletes in a sort of allstar game with scouts, which is also mainly a fundraiser for Shriners Hospital), I elected to chill at the hotel by the beach in a little cabana chair setup. I chatted for a bit with a girl next to me who was also a frequent solo traveler, but then she tried to hype up a Christian book she was re-reading so I figured maybe we had run the course of our commonalities with the travel. Either way, she went off to the bar soon and I had a nice relaxing reading and sunning time. The clouds were beautiful, the sunset was pretty decent, and I even braved the cold water for a few minutes.

Later on I consumed way too much pizza (I’m so sad we forgot the pizza leftovers in the room) and listened to some nice lady doing decent folky covers of hit songs at the tiki bar, and later watched a bunch of adult men have way too much fun hiding a pretend turd around the room to gross each other out (okay, I may have done it too), and watched some seagulls fail to find bits of donut we so kindly gave them.

Our friend Pam’s parents were staying in Fort Meyers not for down the road, so we arranged to come by where they were staying and make Pam jealous that we got to hang out with her family without her. To those in the know, this was what we call a PWOP (party without Pam) and of course we sent her many photos of getting to be substitute children. Steve and Julie gave us the tour around town by the beach and we had a drink with our feet in the water while the people next to us played some fun music, smoked cigars and had their pirate mascot out by the beach. So random. I of course never turn down the opportunity to take ridiculous touristy photos and there were many to be had. We got to meet their friend Sue and her bird and cats, but missed the gator who roams the drainage canal out back which or course popped back out not long after we left.

On our way out of town we stopped by Manatee Park on the Phelps’ recommendation because the manatees like the warm water from the nuclear power plant next door. It took a few minutes but we definitely did see a couple of manatees and even a baby one. I was googling manatee facts and the first page I got was intended for children, and began by saying “what’s brownish gray and looks like a baked potato in the sea?” which may be the funniest way to describe any creature. Move over, sea cow, henceforth manatees shall be known as the baked potatoes of the sea!

Some longtime family friends/my mother’s longtime boss before she retired offered to let us use theri condo in Naples, so we jumped on that as we continued south. Naples is an affluent area which reminds me of my hometown just picked up and moved to the beach. It was kind of eerie how like Bethesda or Chevy Chase it was in the shopping area. We hung out at the beach and watched the pretty sunset, and had a sunset drink at a fancy hotel down the road. It was very restful, until the next morning when the landscape people were working with one of the neighbors to do some trimming around 7am. On our way leaving Naples to head off towards the southeast, we stopped in Marco Island for a bit and walked the beach in a strong wind. We saw all kinds of shells and even a coconut washed up which did not appreciate Kevin attempting to open it. Sorry, coconut. You win.

Later on in my trip I returned to Naples for a few days. A big thunderstorm was coming into the area over Superbowl weekend, and I abandoned my initial plan to find somewhere to watch the game in Miami (how often am I going to be where the game is being played randomly?) and instead zoomed back west to Albert & Diana’s condo to take advantage of covered parking for the van and to cook up some food that’s better suited to a real kitchen. I made a yummy red lentil and rice spicy curried stew one day, and some great lentil-based pasta (thanks for the ingredients, Ingalls family!) with tomatoes for a super bowl night dinner. In my wanderings through town I walked on the beach some, went to a local brewery where I had the whole patio to myself and ended up chatting with some super nice people who’d moved down from northern Virginia and had done a similar trip in an RV years ago. Good intel as usual from fun coincidence chats like these!

One day I was stationed in Naples I took a day trip to meet up with my beloved godmother (queen of the van build project) and her main squeeze Roger in the Siesta Key/Sarasota area. They’d been in the area on vacation so it was great tp be able to meet up and spend the afternoon together. We went to the Mote Aquarium and saw all kinds of sea life. One building had sea turtles, otters, alligators, and more, while the other building focused on reef life for the most part with sharks, rays, and so many cool fish and jellyfish. A few crazy highlights include a preserved giant squid named Molly, and places you can pet sharks, rays, urchins, and other things I’ve forgotten about. Super beautiful and the informational displayes weren’t just the same facts I feel like I’ve read in every other aquarium. Well done, Mote!

We had an early birthday dinner while together at a cool restaurant in an old dry dock (maybe this isn’t the right term but I’m sticking with it for lack of knowledge), which overlooked the water and was decorated with all these boat things everywhere. The waitress picked up on our little celebration and brought some birthday key lime pie so that was a treat.

So anyway, not all of this is actually in order but for the sake or organization I pulled from a few different weeks all in the same general area. Back to my buddy travel saga next!

Florida: Central stops

Heading inland from St. Augustine I got to stop and visit with a wonderful ex-coworker from my school, from whom I took over a few roles when she smartly retired to this gorgeous property. Marshall’s home in DeLand is like a garden oasis, with multiple koi ponds, shady sections of ferns, fences made from felled trees, and an abundance of native plants and bird feeders. The colors here in January were enough to make me in awe of what it must look like when more plants are in bloom. I was treated to a tour of the garden by Marshall and her garden guru Erin, got my own baby snake plant which hopefully may withstand van life, and saw personal highlights of a piggy statue and a stump garden. So magical, plus all kinds of lizards, a snake, and a monster toad in residence.

We had a great dinner (hibiscus tacos for the win) and a tour of the town complete with bats soaring from bat houses in a pocket park, cool street art and sculptures, and even a free show of a couple on what seemed like a tinder date pretty much going at it in a car in front of the restaurant patio. Crazy times in DeLand! So good to see Marshall and Ric at their new(ish) place and meet Erin. Keep up the good life!

On a whim because I was going right past I decided the night before to drop crazy cash for a day solo at Disney to check out the new Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge area in the Hollywood Studios park. I hadn’t been to this park in years since it was MGM who knows when, and after my most recent Disney trip being such a blast with park aficionados Laura and Julianna I wasn’t sure going alone would be much fun, but I am glad I went despite not enough pre-planning. Thanks to the newness of the Star Wars stuff the timed passes for one main attraction ride are only available to register for once at the park, and despite arriving 20 min before the main opening all the passes were already claimed for the day by people staying on property who get to go in early and by others way crazier than I. Despite missing out on that particular ride, I was totally blown away by the look and detail of the new area of the park. Much like is the case in the Magic Kingdom being surrounded by kids of all ages (ahem my adult friends) in full Disney mode, being at Galaxy’s Edge with a bunch of die hard Star Wars fans in all varieties of silly outfits and funny t-shirts made it a great time. Plus being alone, I got a few wins from solo rider lines on all the other rides, so that’s an upside.

For the sake of my budget I escaped the day only buying one treat of giant ice cream sandwich which came recommended and a coffee, and a new phone case of baby yoda cuteness since I’d been avoiding buying one for months (I swear I’m wearing clothes in my mirror phone photo… yikes). Have to admit it, it was totally worth a day and all the dollars. Plus, added bonus, I got to end my night after Disney fireworks and Star Wars light show by having a facetime date with my awesome buddy Amanda! We caught up and had dinner and a champagne toast ‘together’ for our college’s “Toast Heard Around the Word” night, so what better way to close out a day of fun. Miss you, lady!

Florida: St. Augustine

Driving south from Jekyll Island my first stop was Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, where I stopped off and checked out some cute little shops and streets. It was super laid back (well it was a Monday…) and I randomly met a group celebrating a birthday who invited me to join their distillery tasting, so why not? They were pretty funny- happy birthday, that guy whose name I don’t recall! Spent my first Florida sunset at the pier there watching the pelicans before heading off for the night by a fishing spot in on Little Talbot Island.

I got a cool foggy wake up scene before heading into the park to do a little walk in Bog Talbot Island park, which took me through the most mosquito-laden sandy trail before looping back along the beach which, yet again, was covered in driftwood and dead trees. Always cool, and the tide was coming in a bit so I had to walk in the water most of the time which I enjoyed. Made it up to a point called ‘the Bluffs’ which the ranger at the gate said was a must see, I think for birdwatching, but it was kind of a letdown after the pretty beach earlier where I saw many sand dollars, shells, and even a gopher turtle heading home.

After my bug bites and exercise I made it into St. Augustine, the oldest city in the country. I had a beautiful sunny day to explore the city by walking around, though I was a little late to do more than tour one site that afternoon, which was Castillo de San Marcos- this fort with a Spanish flavor compared to Pulaski. Cannons? Check. Walls to climb? Check. Rooms decorated to show soldier’s quarters? Check. Here though the difference between the Spanish and British times was something new, and the views from the fortress of the river and city are magnificent.

The city itself is my favorite so far with its mix of Spanish style architecture, colorful cottages, opulent railroad and oil tycoon Flagler-built landmarks, palm-filled parks, and lights everywhere. There are a few streets in the historic district which are totally tourist geared and feel like being at Disney or something, but with the upside of real history and hundreds of years on some of the sites. I spotted the oldest school house, the old city gates, and wondered why I didn’t attend Flagler College with its pool in the quad before ending the evening watching sunset over the river back from the fort.

The next morning I toured the Mission Nombre de Dios, which dates back to 1565 and claims to have had the ‘real’ first Thanksgiving. The modern Mission stands on a nearby property to the original site on the riverside but has an exhibit about the history along with a church, but I really visited to see the outdoor space. Across a small pond and stream from the church lies a giant cross, a statue of the founder, an archeological dig site, and a serene garden in which lies the ivy covered Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. Apparently it’s a shrine for expectant mothers but it was lovely all the same for childless me.

Before leaving I had to stop by the mythical “Fountain of Youth” extravaganza. I mean, I know it’s fake and ridiculous but I couldn’t be right there and not hedge my bets. Watch out, wrinkles. First off, I don’t know what the deal with the peacocks is here, but they’re everywhere free range roaming around. White peacocks, blue peacocks, feathers galore. They’re even on the fencing!

The first display is an enclosure with a spring to drink from which, according to the owner, is on the site of the original fountain of youth. This claim is based on some relics from the time period of Ponce de Leon and old stones in the shape of the cross at the site, so who knows. The staff totally admits that there was never any magic here but to a European traveler who has been on a ship full of disease and used to crowded gross cities, fresh spring water would seem like a wonder of health. I had some, it was fine but stinky from sulphur, and perhaps now I’m aging in reverse. Time will tell, I suppose.

They also have a bunch of other exhibits about the era and history of the first settlement, such as exhibits about the native tribes the explorers encountered, the original mission site, the weapons and lives of the settlers, and more. There’s a planetarium and a big interactive map of some kind showing Spanish exploration across the ages, but I didn’t see those, though I did see them shoot off a cannon and watch a blacksmith making nails. He told a few blacksmith dad jokes, my favorite of which was “have you ever tried to use a broken nail? It’s pointless.” Ha. A fun end to this stop before heading inland.

Georgia: the coast

The coast of Georgia is littered with more barrier islands, and after having such a wonderful experience on Hunting Island I was excited to see more.

Outside Savannah I spent a day exploring Skidaway Island State Park, which is on the intracoastal waterway and has trails going through marsh, salt flats, subtropical forest, and all kinds of cool historical sights. I took a walk early one sunny morning and saw numerous marsh birds fishing along the water and hunting for insects in the wetlands- a little buggy but beautiful. Almost like magic the open marsh grasses gave way to a dense forest which once served as a hiding spot for bootleggers and you can see the remains of old stills rusting and overgrown now. The path later took me past Native American shell piles, Civil War earthen barriers, and an observation tower. Wish I had known there was camping here since it was very quiet and great weather, but alas I had places to be, namely Tybee Island a few miles down the road.

Tybee Island is a barrier island not far from Savannah which looks like a prime summer destination. It reminded me of the Outer Banks and beaches near Chincoteague, open with dunes and lots of rental housing but not a huge touristy boardwalk area (at least that I made it to). In early January it was pretty deserted which was wonderful. Easy parking near the middle beach, almost no one else in sight, and water too cold to swim but nice to dip my feet in as I walked the beach and later set up a chair for a picnic lunch and some reading time in the breeze. What a lovely and relaxing time.

On my way off the island and to the highway, I stopped in to Fort Pulaski national monument, because why not. Like every fort I’ve visited, it had cannons, exhibits on the old soldier’s lodgings and lifestyles, and the history of the fort. This particular fort was notable in that during the Civil War the Union tested out new rifled missiles (or something cannon related… guns aren’t my deal) which totally penetrated the walls and made the site obsolete. So thats’s something? There are lighthouses here, too, but one path was under construction so I couldn’t go.

Further south I imposed upon some very kind acquaintances, the parents of a former family from my old school. One of my favorite kiddos from a few years back had moved out of the area but his mother and I keep in touch, and I visited them at his grandparents’ home in Saratoga Springs a few summers back. Very kindly they offered to put us up that night, and little did they know I’d be back at their daughter’s invitation at their summer place in Georgia! Jacqueline and Dave were nice enough to welcome me on their first days of vacation into their home on Jekyll Island, which is right on the water where I had the ocean waves lulling me to sleep and had beautiful sunrises each morning from the balcony.

Once a summer escape for the wealthiest (think Vanderbilt, Morgan, Rockefeller, etc.) when owned by an exclusive club, the island retains that opulent history now that it’s owned by the state. The whole island is best accessed by bike or electric vehicles thanks to a series of great paths, which was unfortunately not my first option since I can’t ride a bike. I know, it’s ridiculous. The old club area has the summer cottages to tour, and still operates as a resort with a gorgeous clubhouse and wharf. I enjoyed a sunset from the pier before having a drink in the clubhouse surrounded by pictures of millionaires past making the first transcontinental phone call, making deals, and letting loose away from the public eye. Sadly no rich husband awaited me there that night, though. Alas.

On the northern end of Jekyll lies driftwood beach, similar to the decimated beaches of Hunting Island covered in ghostly reminders of past storms, which I walked in the mist. Rounding the northern corner of the island on the beach I caught glimpse of the overturned ship that’s been in the channel for months, and arrived at the fishing pier, home of the parking lot which gave me my long awaited license plate game victory. From there I got to see the marshy area on the interior of the island on the remainder of the loop.

On the southern end of the island I spent another morning walking the beach and reading, and came across a number of neat sea life sightings, some I recognized and some I didn’t. If anyone knows what that brain-looking thing is, let me know!

Before I left I stopped by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Here I chatted with a guide who was very excited to have an adult embrace the games meant for children (in my life as a sea turtle I lucked out in my random stamp choices and lived to be a full grown adult- score!). I got to watch as the staff operated on an owl who had been injured by a car, and see the turtles recovering from shell injuries from boats and cars, some recovering from frigid temperatures, and even some super cute hatchlings from last summer’s nesting. I admit it- so many squeaky happy noises came out of my mouth uncontrollably. What a great place with a great mission!

Random other Georgia fun, a fun find at the GA visitor’s center, and a pit stop by the smallest church in America- seating for 12! Spent a night at St. Simons island en route to Jekyll and had a great veggie burger and slept near a marina, and when I was at a McDonald’s using the free internet for a while the next morning I guess I was unknowingly occupying one of several tables a group of regulars uses, and when they decided I’d been in their space for too long they all came over and sat around me explaining this is where they sit on Saturdays…. and one talkative gentleman stated chatting and trying to give me tips of where to go and telling me about his daughter’s ugly shoes being great birth control. So there’s that? He also mistakenly drank my coffee so I left that behind and packed up real quick. Good incentive to hit the road! I thought back to visiting my aunt and uncle in Salem, VA who are regulars at a Wendy’s and imagined taking their table by accident and immediately understood these locals’ frustration. Now on to Florida!

Heading south through the Carolinas

My first stop after leaving home from the holidays was a night visiting relatives in Farmville, NC. I got to have a lovely visit with Larry and Joyce in their gorgeous home, shared a special southern New Year’s Day meal (now I’ll be extra lucky), and have great Jeopardy watching company, not to mention a tour of town and the crazy holiday lights! As always, I’m reminded how glad I am to have this time to reconnect with friends and family and make new acquaintances as I go. The gift of time and freedom to roam is one of the best anyone could ask for. What a special start to the new year.

Not long after hitting the road from their place, I saw my first billboard for the rest stop mecca and home of all things tacky: South of the Border. This place is legendary in large part due the barrage of ads you see for it for probably a hundred miles in any direction. I’ve been before, and of course stopped again. It’s just over the border from NC to SC and spans two exits with its multiple buildings and attractions ranging from a reptile world, amusement park, restaurants, gift shops, and maybe even a hotel. It was hard to distinguish what was actually functional since I was there in the off season but it all looks run down and dirty. A memorable rest stop though for sure. Those were a 15 minutes well spent.

I stayed one night outside Charleston in the Francis Macon forest at a nice free campground, had a little camp fire, and was well positioned to eat some good breakfast in the Charleston suburb of Mt. Pleasant. I’d been to Charleston before with and seen the downtown, waterfront, and markets, so passed that up and instead visited a historical plantation in the neighborhood. Boone Hall Plantation has beautiful grounds which, according to the tour guide, have been used at the setting in a number of films and shows… I don’t remember any except the Notebook, which I’ve never seen, so who knows. Their drive lined by Spanish moss covered live oaks was the image used to create the 12 Oaks scenery in Gone with the Wind, so that was more in my wheelhouse. It was a beautiful property, and while I was a little hesitant at first to pay to see the plantation slavery era preserved in time, they did have a series of exhibits on the enslaved people and the institution overall which was good to see. There was a Gullah storyteller, as well, which was pretty cool.

Also in Mt. Pleasant I hit the jackpot on another school visit and got to spend the morning with a class at a forest school operating on an educational farm property. Of all my visits so far, this school was the most pure forest school in that there was no indoor component aside from a small storage area and bathroom facilities, at least that I was aware of. It seems like whether it’s cold, raining, whatever, as long as there isn’t catastrophic weather they’re out there. The benefits of the locale where frigid temps are a rarity. Anyway, it was wonderful to watch the children there so totally engaged in their imaginative outdoor play, confidently and competently exploring their environment, and making informed observations. Plus, goats and chickens! The director, in a wonderful stroke of luck for me, is super well connected in the outdoor school movement AND had lived and traveled with her family in an RV and gave me a boatload of tips. Thanks Danielle!

Further south around my trip to Hunting Island I went through the coastal areas of Bluffton, Hilton Head, and Beaufort, SC. The coastal views are beautiful, but definitely aimed at the trifecta of summer tourists, retirees, and military folks from the nearby base. I definitely had some Great Santini connections in my mind near Beaufort. Let me say that Hilton Head grossed me out at the number of ads for viagra, porn, etc. aimed at the golfers and retired dudes. I get it, this is your version of spring break or whatever, but a little too in your face. In Bluffton I did stumble across the (so labeled) world’s largest boiled peanut (statue). The shop and cafe it’s adjacent to was surrounded by other funky things and I was sad they were closed when I got there.

Onward to Georgia!

South Carolina: Hunting Island

I spent two nights camping mere steps from the beach on this beautiful island, and totally recommend it to anyone looking for a stop at any time of year. What a find! Totally worth being the first place I’ve paid to sleep so far on my van trip. I did cheap out a little, though, and take a tent spot rather than be allowed to sleep in the van, which had the added bonus of being closer to the beach. While putting up the tent (in the wind), taking ot down and drying it out was kind of a hassle I’m not used to while doing the van life, it was a nice change to have all that air flow along with the sound of the ocean all night, and peeking through the flap to wake up to the sunrise seems even closer and more magical in the tent than the van somehow. I walked the beach at sunrise and sunset as the tide allowed, cooked over the campfire, and had a relaxing time here for sure.

Hunting Island is one of the southern coastal islands providing a barrier to the mainland, and is mainly a state park. Being a barrier island also means they take the brunt of hurricanes, storms and erosion, which is unfortunately extremely evident here. The camp site used to have beachfront cabins which washed away, and the beach is littered with bits of concrete, piping, and other last signs of these structures.

one of several walls trying to keep the sand from washing away as quickly

On the southern end of the island the beach, which is no longer accessible most of the time except by a footbridge thanks to the erosion cutting off access from the rest of the beach, the shore is covered in fallen and weathered trees. The lighthouse guide said they call it ‘the tree graveyard’ which seemed pretty fitting.

Thanks to erosion even the lighthouse had to be moved further inland, which it was engineered to do thanks to the foresight of the builders when the structure was being redone after the Civil War ruined the first one if I recall correctly. The giant iron pieces can be undone, and the building itself jacked up and moved. Crazy. From the top of the lighthouse I could see the whole island and those nearby, and we spotted a pod of dolphins feeding. The chatty volunteer gave me lots of info and suggestions for the rest of my day.

I must have walked almost every inch of that island’s paths, and was on my trek back to the campground when the whole path was just a swamp under at least a foot of water which I didn’t want to deal with, so turned back and added about 4 more miles to my trip. A good way to even out those sedentary driving days at least! Aside from this one setback, the paths took me past marshland, a lagoon, subtropical forest, and along the beach. Quite the variety pack.

In summer sea turtles come nest here, and the baby turtles hatch and go back to sea. If I ever have the chance to return then I would in a minute. Aside from it being too chilly to swim and missing the bulk of the wildlife, January was a wonderful time to visit. Nothing crowded, lots of space, quiet walks, you name it. What a special place.

It only took almost 4 months…

I began playing the license play game the day i left in September, picked up over 30 my first day up the 95 corridor, hit 40 the first week, and had then been sitting at an unmoving 47 until I left again on January 1st. Got 2 more the next day, and have been stalled at 49 since. Finally, I am happy to report I got em all! Thank you, Montanan (?) for escaping to Georgia this winter.

Now of course I begin again and hope this game goes more quickly!

That is all.

Georgia: Savannah

New year, new travels! Back on the road after my holiday hiatus, and like the birds and retirees I’m heading south with the warmth. One of my first stops was Savannah where I had the best luck and crossed paths with two of my favorite people for a night of fun as they headed back to DC from Florida.

I’m not going to lie… driving into Savannah was underwhelming. Savannah doesn’t have a skyline to speak of and the direction from which I arrived provided mainly views of factories or something similar (also stinky). The beauty of the city lies behind the wall of modern hotels and tourist shops lining the waterfront area. And beautiful it is with all its historic squares and beautiful homes and gardens. Live oaks covered with Spanish moss trailing down make even uneventful streets seem alluring, mysterious and romantic. I love, too, how they’re not afraid of color in the south (or the parts I’ve seen so far)- pretty pinks, yellows abound with major pops of color on doors, shutters, and trims.

We started the evening with rooftop drinks by the river, and had a majorly cholesterol-heavy dinner, then took to a ridiculous piano bar for some fun people-watching and group sing alongs. This place was quite the gathering of characters epitomizing of what one might stereotype the south. There were groups of super preppie folks, some groups of bachelorettes straight out of Forever 21, a group of younger people taking turns dancing with an elderly gentleman who could have been adorable or skeezy, had to tell from afar, and a group who were willing to pay lots of cash to have the message ‘Trump 2020’ in several different iterations posted behind the singers. I guess the place has a nightly thing where patrons can pay for their messages, some of which were expected like ‘Danielle’s Birthday!’, but these people one upped each person to keep their political stuff up there and cheered like mad each time it went up. I’ll bet they changed soooooo many votes that way, but if that’s how they want to waste a few hundred bucks, so be it. My favorite was when some other group put up ‘Dolly Parton 2020’ as a response, which really may be a unifying rally for America. Anyway, I belted out some *fabulous* renditions of Journey, Wagon Wheel, Lizzo, and whatever random stuff people requested. Everyone around me was grateful when there was a song I didn’t know and their ears got a rest.

After my happy reunion was over, I made it my goal to walk to every square in Savannah and racked up some good mileage in the process. Each was a little different and had its own flavor, some with beautiful fountains, historic statues and plaques, and serene landscaping. Modern streets and sidewalks intersected with old cobblestones, which knowing me, resulted in some pretty funny trips. People make fun of me for walking and looking down at my feet so often but this is why!

I wandered through both the Colonial Park cemetery in town, and drove out and spent the morning at the gorgeous Bonaventure cemetery outside the city center. This place would be a wonderful spot for one’s remains to call home for eternity. Right on the riverside with views of marsh, and Spanish moss adorning trees left and right, it’s just a pretty spot enhanced by the elaborate statues and grave markers. I chatted with a fisherman who used to live in Maryland and we agreed this was a little more peaceful than inside the beltway.

I toured some beautiful old homes, including the mansion heavily featured in ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’ owned by Jim Williams. Man, is it gorgeous. The house itself is a work of art and Williams filed it with even more beauty from antiques, items refurbished in his own workshop, and mementos ranging from hunting trophy antlers to preserved wasp’s nests from his grandfather’s farm. I spent a day in the Telfair museums, one of which showcased modern art, another classic art in an old mansion, and the third a historic home which once housed Lafayette (my brain may have played the name ala Hamilton each time it was brought up) for a time.

Inspired by some kind of native water plant or algae

Food and drink is a big part of Savannah culture, and I couldn’t leave town without partaking, of course. I had lunch at the Olde Pink House, which is a fabulous mansion turned restaurant, and has a cool basement bar with a bank vault turned wine cellar. It’s legal to wander the streets with a drink in your hand, too, which I tried out during a haunted ghost pub crawl tour recommended by a high school friend who was my secret Savannah resource (thanks Bob!). It was a small tour on a chilly evening with a couple from Kentucky, myself, and a group of ladies who looked ready to hit a club in Vegas and were freezing immediately trailing along in their heels all night, and the guide dressed as a soldier who tolerated me ruining some of his dad jokes throughout the evening (sorry, Rhett, I was too excited that hearing so many bad jokes actually paid off for once). I didn’t feel any ghostly presence, but did have a great bloody Mary.

My favorite place in the city, though, was Forsyth Park. It was a gorgeous sunny January day with temperatures in the low 60s as I walked through the park, plopped down on a bench to read for a bit. Around me people were playing soccer and frisbee games in the grassy fields, kids and dogs were running happily among the trees, tourists (such as myself) jockeyed for photo space with the dozen or more wedding parties posing in the last hours of daylight. The golden glow on the moss and peeking through the oaks and palmettos was a pretty magical view to end a day of walking. Pretty decent and delicious start to my southern adventures.

Central Virginia-a surprise hiatus

Long time, no blog! I had planned to spend a few days in the DC area and central Virginia for Halloween festivities and a horse race, which were fun diversions and a great time to restock, swap out clothes, and drop off items I found I did or didn’t need in the van (goodbye 2nd cooking pan and half my shoes).

Between my initial visit through now, I’ve packed in the celebrations and visits with family and friends. I made a ridiculous costume for a Harry Potter group theme (don’t want to brag but we may have been invited to compete onstage at an 80s cover band show costume contest). We were unicorns in a field of horses at the Montpelier Races tailgate competition. I visited my parents in Delaware and spent time at my friend’s parents’ lake house. Went to an awesome concert in DC. I made my gazillionth salad for Thanksgiving and ate myself into a food coma with my parents and their friends. The holidays kicked off with prop-laden viewing parties of Christmas Vacation (ties, glow sticks, pine air freseners) and Die Hard (cap guns, lighters, twinkies). My friends’ annual Christmakuh celebration was filled with white elephant gifts, the airing of grievances, and dirty 12 Days of Christmas carols. Have enjoyed many fires in indoor and outdoor fireplaces. I feel like Buddy the Elf over here with more to come!

But back to the hiatus- while at the horse race, my host friends had just discovered that their longtime nanny had a family emergency and had to leave, so they asked if I might stay for a bit to take care of their kiddo. Not my original plan for sure, and had to drop the trip around TN, KY, OH & PA I’d planned for between then and Thanksgiving, but had a fun time getting to know my friends Annelee and Craig better and spending time with their little one I shall call Yurtie (not real name but they hate it when I call her that so of course it shall continue for all eternity). I got to test out a bunch of child development ideas for kids younger than I’d worked with in school which improved my understanding of this toddler age and how they get to the age I taught. Plus I got to go to *super cool* things with Yurtie like baby yoga, music together class, baby gym, and painful storytimes at a bookstore which took all my self control not to push the staff offstage and read… better. I got a few bite and scratch scars as souvenirs but more fun memories and snuggles. We spent lots of time on walks, at the playground, at the library, singing, and I introduced her to messy fun like playdough, paint, water play, and puddle jumping. I’ll miss that little nugget but am glad to go back to my childless travels soon. Love you, Yurtie!

In between childcare days I took off on little weekend trips around central Virginia. I had one nice weather weekend in early November and took off to Shenandoah and the Washington & Jefferson forest for the weekend, stopping off at a few cute breweries along the way. I found a nice quiet spot on a forest road in the mountains for the night- one of the few spits not taken by hunters- and had planned to get up super early to climb Old Rag mountain the next day but on my way down the winding hill road my whole shelving wall pulled the screws out from the van wall and toppled over, so instead I spent my morning fixing that and reinforcing the attachments. Booooo. Perhaps a sign of changes to come. Nothing fell out really so my bungee situation was successful, so that’s a plus? Anyway didn’t have enough time with the shorter daylight hours to do that long of a hike, so just did a few shorter ones in Shenandoah National Park instead. There was some icy patches despite it being close to 60 degrees in the valley so perhaps a good thing I didn’t do my original plan anyway.

Another weekend a friend and I met up at an ex-coworker’s adorable historic inn in Tappahannock, VA. It was so great to see Janet’s B&B and stay the weekend with her, my friend Destani, and their doggies.

I visited family in the Roanoke area before heading home for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to spend the day with my aunt and uncle and my cousin and her husband. We looked at old photos, compared road trip stories (they’ve had a lifetime of great trips!), and got to see their church & Wendy’s tradition in action. My aunt and uncle are undoubtedly Wendy’s best and most loyal customers. I’ve never felt closer to a fast food chain than I was that day. How nice to see them after too long. I drove by the Roanoke star overlooking the city and drove along a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive on my way to DC, and stopped off at a few cute wineries and did a fun yet icy rock scramble hike in the park. Cold but beautiful.

I did get to see some of the sights in Charlottesville while there, too. I did a tour of Monticello, stopped at the Michie Tavern which had lovely colonial era holiday decorations, saw lots of cool murals and artwork, and sat by the fire at some cool local wineries and restaurants.

Home for the Christmas then excited to hit the road again. I’m super antsy after staying put for as long as I’ve been traveling. It’ll be like starting all over again I guess. Departure part 2, coming your way!