Down South
- Leanne Haughian
- Dec 17, 2017
- 4 min read
After leaving Carolina Beach we have decided to spend some time in National Forests, these areas often provide free camp areas, usually very primitive but free. A chance to unwind after difficulties navigating and finding nightly incognito camp spots. We haven't really experienced true camping with a fire in a long while. Fixed camping gives us opportunity to explore on the area on the bike.
Every day that we travel further south the scenery and the dynamic of the area is quickly changing. Large oak trees dripping with spanish moss line city streets and country roads. The southern drawl is more prominent than a full set of teeth! Turkey vulchers flying over head provide roadside clean up to possum, deer, raccoon and armadillo. The local radio gives a variety of music. Country to RnB and hip hop and biblical talk radio. Americans LOVE Christmas. As soon as December arrived so did all Christmas radio and the christmas sweater. I swear every other lady owns a christmas sweater and santa hat if not two of them. Churches dot the corners of streets in towns and in the country.
Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina
Dispersed camping provides people with free camping usually for 3-4 days for free. Obviously these are pretty basic camping areas. A fire ring and a pit toilet are the amenities. Honey Hill in Francis Marion provided us with some great memories and even greater friendships. Charlie is a retired physicians assistant who has decided to live nomadically. When facing his retirement he asked himself when was he happiest in his life. His answer when he was camping out in nature. Fast forward 2 years and here he is. I was shocked to see this guy sleeping in a tent full time, but he claims he is comfortable and warm. We spent many evening around the campfire swapping stories, serenading us with his mandolin. Charlie has gave us great tips on things to do and see in the area. He is a big history buff, so he'd give us history lessons often. Everything he owns he pulls behind his Ford Explorer, which includes a Harley and a pedal bike. Interestingly our last mornig with Charlie we made him a pancake breakfast from the sourdough starter that was gifted to us from Newfoundland and the maple syrup that was gifted to us from Montreal! His eyes showed his enthusiasm for homemade pancakes.
The other couple we met at Honey Hill are from Indiana and surprisingly on the same type of advetnture we are on. They have a pull along trailer and have been on the road for 3 weeks, but are travelling for 6 months. We have been right on their heels for the duration of their trip. It was reassuring talking to them, a lot of their struggles are similar to ours. We swap cheap travel tips and navigational woes. Our last night with Tim and Stacy we decided to split a bushel of fresh oysters. Oysters and shrimp are in season right now in South Carolina. None of us had expected what was to come from this idea. Here's the low down....if you buy oysters from the marina in McClellan ville they come right off the boat. $15 a pint shucked, which is a typical solo cup size with juice. Or $30 for a bushel unshucked, okay how much is a bushel we ask...she says enough to feed three people. We settle for the bushel. Tim and Stacy pick them up, Paul and Iare out on the bike and will be back around supper. When they gets these oysters they are sold in a large plastic burlap sack and dirty and in clusters. They decide this may take longer than expected and get started before we get back. It takes a lot of time just to clean the dirt off of them. When we arrive they had started shucking and figure they were about 2 hours into these oysters. Stacy has a bandage on her finger from stabbing her hand with a knife. So they quickly explain how to get into these babies. We use screwdrivers, hammers, knives whatever we can to seperate and shuck these things. We are shucking into the night. To our surprise a bushel gets you a big cooler full to the top. In the end it ended up being 6 pints of oysters. We ate then raw, barbequed them in the half shell with hot sauce, garlic, lemon and mozza cheese, or raw on a cracker with horseradish and hot sauce. This may have been one of our best experiences, sitting around working and drinking by the camp fire to then eat these delicious little shellfish.
I took these pictures the following day. You'll notice the same burlap bags in the boat, they are full of oysters. This also shows how they live, this picture the tide is out.
McClellan ville and Charelston South Carolina
All along the south east coast is historical town after another. According to Charlie there is still a lot of segregation and racial discrimmination.
Our next stop is Savannah Georgia. We got a tip of a great way to stay in Savannah on the cheap. The visitor center allows RVers to park overnight for a $8 fee, $14 for 2 nights. It is walking distance to the touristy downtown area. Once downtown prepare to either walk a lot, take a trolley tour or the free transit. Savannah has a huge amount of parks throughout the downtown, not sure of the exact amount but something like 25. We also found out you can drink openly as long as its in a plastic 160z cup. Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in America. THe night life is bustling with buskers playing Christmas carols and stores to intice your taste buds and your wallet. I think Savannah was one of my favorite places thus far.
We spent all of our time in Savannah walking the streets taking pictures, seeing the parks and then doing it all again at night. Savannah is enchanting and mysterious and a little heavy on the wallet....Leaving Savannah's downtown to drive out was shocking. Its amazing how beautiful the heart of the city is and how impoverished the outer communities are.
Next stop is Florida....
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