Sharon usually takes care of booking where we will stop on trips, but this last stop was just a little different. She looked around for a place to stay around Beaufort SC where my sister lives. She'd heard that there was a park call Hunting nearby so she searched the web, got a phone number and made a reservation.. This state park sounded like a good spot with full hook-ups and was near where we wanted to be. As we got ready to leave Jacksonville, she called the number back to verify and found that she had booked us into Huntington Beach SC, some 150 north of where we wanted to be; and not Hunting Island State Park where she thought she booked us. As this is Easter week, getting a spot at any location is tough so she cancelled the reservation in Huntington Beach. When she called Hunting Island, they told her they were "full" so she asked for suggestions as to where we might find a spot for a few days. The gal at Hunting Beach said you might try a small place near Beaufort (that we had never heard of) and see if they have room. She called and as luck would have it they did. Full-hook-ups, pull-thru and cable. Nirvana!
So after waving to Bill & June as they pulled off on I-16, we headed north on I-95, and plugged in our new destination ...Tuc-in-De-Wood RV park on St Helena Island SC (http://www.tuckinthewood.com). Now if you just read the written driving instructions to this place you might become a little put-off . It appears that you need to take a lot of turns and road changes to get to the place. Well it's all true ... you do, but ... it's not as bad as it sounds. The GPS did its job and got us to the front gate.
It's located in the heart of South Carolina's Low Country. A special coastal place for South Carolinians, as St. Helena Island is Gullah country. The Gullah are African Americans who have maintained their linguistic and cultural heritage more than any other African American community in North America, according to Wikipedia. If you're a history buff this is a place to visit. Antique shops, art shops, unique restaurants, old ruins ... lots of interesting people and things to see. And, but 10 miles from equally historic Beaufort (http://www.beaufort.com) with its spectacular antebellum homes, beautiful marina, even more art galleries, and eateries; you just have to stop and look around. Check out Wikipedia for more information: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah)
Anyway we arrived at Tuc-in-De-Woods about noon after motoring through a tunnel of live oaks and winding roads. Maybe a little tight for some but our rig and tow car made it through without a hitch. Once in the park it's all gravel roads and heavily wooded, but it was neat and well maintained. We were guided to our large pull-thru site and got set up in about 15 minutes. A big picnic table and fire pit were included on the site. The woods make for lots of shade, which helps when the temperature nears 90, but the humidity was rising so we cranked on the A/C and cooled off inside.
We showered and headed over to my sister's place in Beaufort; about a 10 mile trip. My sister's Grandson Ben (my great Nephew) and his girlfriend Vanessa were visiting from Germany so it was great seeing Ben and meeting Vanessa.
It seemed like only yesterday that he was a youngster and I was teaching to fish and now he's almost 21, has obviously lost his heart to the lovely Vanessa, and has his sights on a career. The two of them are headed off via train today for a tour of New York city and will be back in a few days before heading back to Germany the first week of May.
Brother-in-law Bob has turned his sloth-like former self into a modern day Andrew Agassi and Tiger Woods all wrapped into one. Either golfing or tennis almost everyday, he is fit and sharp and almost as handsome as me. Even though quite a bit older than me (480 hrs), he keeps a torrid pace and can still cook a mean steak. He remains my role model. My sister has too adopted a more athletic regimen and is more trim and more agile; and looks far younger than me. Somebody in the family had to get all the looks and by the time they got around to me ... well that's a story for another day. Bob and Judy are still the most gracious of hosts and we had a great dinner and spent the rest of the evening catching up on old times.
And so it goes ... another day livin' the dream and another day a little closer to heading back to Michigan.
Phil
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