What a Long Day

By the end of the day of March 11, I had purchased 6 new tires. I was glad to see that day end. When the first tire went, it really BLEW. The second one wasn't as dramatic. It took more than 30 hours before everything was finalized and I was back on track, but there were many things for which I was grateful: wide shoulders on the highway, AAA, and truck stops with my size tires for sale -- among other things.

It literally blew apart.

The second tire did not look so bad, but the result was the same.

Will not hold air.

I was a day late getting to Stephen Foster State Park in Fargo, GA, but it was worth the wait -- if only because it is so far out in the middle of nowhere that wifi is unavailable -- and you only occasionally get a Verizon phone signal. It is part of the Okefenokee Swamp. Remember Pogo saying "We have seen the enemy and he is us." Maybe you have to be old to remember Pogo, plus you had to be a comic reader, but his wisdom is no more true than it is today.

Thanks for reading.

charlotte1215@yahoo.com

Edisto Beach State Park, Edisto Beach, SC

I love this place – Edisto Beach State Park at Edisto Beach, SC. That is pronounced ED-iss-toe, a Native American word. I could stay here for a long time, but 4 days is all I could get. It was all booked up after that.

Also, I met several lovely women at Edisto, all of whom I wish I could get to know better -- and one of whom I wish I knew her well enough and long enough to call her my best friend. 

  

The Environmental Learning Center is beautiful. It was built in 2004, but looks brand new. It was built with many green ideas, such as water-collection barrels and geothermal heating and cooling.

I took part in several classes, all led by Ranger Ashby Gale. (He was a graduate of Appalachian State.) He taught “What’s on the Menu for Lunch,” “Ravenous Reptiles,” and something about birds – I can’t remember the name.

Ranger Ashby Gale teaches a child.

Ranger Ash with a horseshoe crab.

The walking trails are lovely, wide, and firmly packed; but instead of painted blazes marking the trails, they use diamond-shaped metal plates, some of which are missing. Ex-Governor Mark Sanford was a hiker on the Appalachian Trail (snark), so you would think he would have known about painted blazes. 

On one of my walks, I saw vultures eating a deer -- the cycle of life continued.

They waited for me to pass.

Vultures eating.

  Various scenes from Edisto:

The causeway

Fiddler crabs -- just spots until they all moved -- and that took me by surprise.

Salt marsh

Sunrise

Thanks for reading ---- charlotte1215@yahoo.com

Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach, SC

Staying on the nature center theme, the Nature Center here was interesting from the outside, but it wasn’t open while I was here. A schedule seemed to be nonexistent. If it’s open, it’s open, if not……well….. 

The nature center is attractive

On Saturday, they had a “great race” patterned after the great race program on TV. I went to see the start and then saw a few of the racers going up and down the road in front of my motorhome.   

Ready for the race to begin

This park was one of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) projects built in the 1930s (as was Hungry Mother State Park). I think the CCC was such a great idea that we should have something similar now. Everyone (male and female) should spend a year learning practical skills, as well as leadership and cooperation. Sort of a year in boot camp – everyone is equal, no rich or poor. For example, work a few weeks in a hospice; then a baby nursery; then learn basic cooking, cleaning, carpentry, and mechanical skills. 

The CCC camps were part of the New Deal

The weather was really windy, which makes 60 feel chilly. If it is too cold to do whatever one does in the summer at Myrtle Beach, there isn’t much to do. They sell Hershey’s Butter Pecan ice cream at the gift store. I enjoyed that. There aren’t many trails to walk, but I walked the few that there available. The most interesting thing to do is just watch people in their big campers bump into trees – and there is a lot of that going on.

Looking north toward Springmaid Beach

I know that having multiple vehicle accidents is one of the big signs of dementia, and I believe I saw several people who were well along in the process. The insurance on recreation vehicles is quite high, and I can see why – there are lots of accidents. My guess is that many accidents aren’t reported. I feel sure that the person who was parked beside me didn’t notify his agent about the results of whatever left two big dings in the tree. Another man hit two trees in the process of making a turn and caused a hazardous-waste spill.

Driving – or more important – not being able to drive is a serious problem in our vehicle-oriented society. Driving equals freedom and independence. However, there are many people driving who can’t see, can’t react quickly enough to avoid a wreck, or can’t mentally process all that needs to be thought about while driving. As far as I know, the police can’t make someone stop driving. In Tennessee, they have made it easier to keep on driving as one ages – to save money, you don't have to have an eye exam when you get older; just keep renewing your license through the mail or on line.

I texted my granddaughter, Amy Lauren, telling her that if I should have a couple of “unexplained” accidents, they need to have an intervention. Driving is a privilege, not a right.