Much to tell since our last post. We've covered some ground (somewhat) since we last posted at Okefenokee. From our campground there we traveled to Crooked River State Park, GA and on to Reed Bingham State Park, GA.

We enjoyed both: cycling in the park,

walking on the trails, and visiting local historical sites.



While at Reed Bingham we met some campers with a really cool cat enclosure - more on that later!

After our sojourns at the State parks, we hooked up with an Airstream Caravan at Kolomoki State Park. Caravans are tours organized by members of the Airstream Club International (ACI). They each have a theme and the caravan organizers pretty much plan everything. At some point last fall we saw an email blast saying there was space available in the 'Georgia in My Mind' caravan in March. We figured we were in the area anyway (AKA south), let's sign up!

We joined the group on March 5 at Kolomoki State Park. It is the site of the oldest and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern United States, occupied by Native Americans from 350 to 600 CE. While in the area our travel itinerary included a visit to White Oak Pastures - a regenerative farm focused on a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems.

It was exciting to learn about their work dedicated to both animal welfare (their beef is both grass fed and grass finished) and responsible land use practices.

We visited the town of Colquitt where we did a walking tour of their murals and caught a performance of the local theater troupe, Swamp Gravy, whose mission is 'to involve as many people as possible in a theatrical experience that EMPOWERS the individual, BONDS the community and STRENGTHENS the local economy while crossing the boundaries of race, social class, age, sexuality, religion, and gender."

From Kolomoki we traveled to a field by Bradley's Country Store.

While actually physically located in FL (another state for our travel map), we visited some locations right over the border in GA, including Pebble Hill Plantation where we had a delicious lunch in the former cow shed (cleaned up and charming).



From there we traveled back north to Americus, GA where we are currently camped.

Here, the biggest news-worthy update is that we could get mail. Remember earlier when I mentioned the really cool cat enclosure we saw at Reed Bingham State Park? Being the totally besotted cat carers that we are, we couldn't resist. We saw it and bought it.

While on this trip Jack has been learning to actually go for walks on the leash.

Luna has been (very slowly) learning to be in a harness and on a leash.

Now Pepper has a way to be outside safely!



Today we visited a glass blowing studio where we both created our own masterpieces.


Once they've annealed and we can pick them up, we'll share the photos.

So, from Americus GA - life is good!

Our next stop was Okefenokee Swamp - soon to be declared (if things go well) a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the world's largest intact freshwater ecosystems, the largest blackwater wetland in North America, and the largest National Wildlife Refuge east of the Mississippi. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS - not a National Park), it really is a unique and special place.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we camped at a private campground which is literally across the street from the entrance to the refuge. The campground itself was fine - about what you'd expect from a private campground (small, sites close to each other, etc.), but the location was perfect.

Our first day there was rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, but rather than sit around in the trailer, we headed over to the refuge. After a visit to the Visitor's Center, we drove along the Swamp and visited the site of a homestead and walked out to the observation tower. There was an amazing view of the swamp and we decided to go back in the sunshine.

So the next day, we pulled out our new e-bikes and cycled up the drive to the park and along the Swamp Island Drive - this time armed with binoculars (although we didn't actually see much). We did see alligators



[a close up of the guy across the ditch]

and a beautiful 360° view of the swamp from the observation tower. (Unfortunately I can't include the panoramic photo I took in the blog, but the top photo gives you the idea!).


Our third day was originally going to be spent canoeing. They have designated kayak/canoe trails/paths so we were looking forward to exploring the swamp up close and personal (and the alligators, too?) That plan changed (more on that in a future post) and we ended up taking a boat tour of the swamp with Swamp Adventures, a concession authorized by the FWS. It was a good choice because we learned a lot on the trip (and we saw an Anhinga - a new life bird for Drew).

Before the boat tour, however, we actually set an alarm clock for an hour when it was still dark (heaven forbid) and got up to go bird watching. The refuge opens a half hour before sunrise (for the birders, I'm sure), and while we didn't get there a half hour before sunrise, we got there at an early hour for us. I wish I could say we saw all sorts of birds. We didn't. I keep reminding myself, just because down here the February weather is warmer for us, it doesn't change the bird migration patterns - they are still in South America.

We'd like to visit Okefenokee again - possibly from one of the other entrances (it is about 407,000 acres in size) and later in the spring, during migration.

Our month at Givhans Ferry flew by. We both enjoyed our stay there; the only drawback was the distance from, well, everything. It seems all trails, parks, stores, etc. were a 25 minute or more drive - just to pick up the emergency half and half for my coffee. We reckon in one month we put more than 900 miles on the truck, just going from place to place.

Still, we had fun, did lots of exploring, and were active the whole time.

From Givhans Ferry we drove a whopping 43 miles to Edisto Beach State Park. While on an Island, at least at Edisto we were able to pick up quick supplies with a Food Lion less than a mile away and several restaurants for dinner. (At Givhans our only dinner out was the Middleton Garden Lights prix-fixe dinner. While good for the bank balance, for two folks who enjoy eating out, we were glad to have options at Edisto!)

Edisto has two campgrounds, the Beach Campground and the Live Oak Campground where we stayed. While at Edisto we walked and cycled the Live Oak trails, biked to, and walked along, the beach, and went to the Environmental Learning center to learn about the salt marsh and hear a talk about alligators.


[Trail at Edisto Beach State Park]



[Jack enjoying the sunshine and the palmettos]



[Meeting the baby alligator at the Environmental Learning Center]

After Edisto Beach headed further south to Skidaway Island State park in GA. As state parks go - this place is phenomenal. The sites are spacious, there are trails to explore, it has multiple bathhouses, complete with laundry facilities, and provisions/supplies are a quick 6 -15 minutes away.

While at Skidaway we walked and cycled the park trails (do you detect a theme here?!); we headed into Savannah to visit the Bonaventure cemetery; and we used the close access to major shopping to re-provision.



[Bundled up to bike the Big Ferry Trail. There was a cold snap while we were there, but still better than CT in February!]


[I continue to be enchanted by the palmettos and Spanish Moss as we hike/bike the trails.]



[As an island, Skidaway was a favorite location for moonshiners. On one of the paths is an old still - note the hatchet marks where the authorities busted it up.]



[A visit to Bonaventure Cemetery - a stop we didn't make when we visited Savannah on our sailing trip]



Next stop on our travels is Okefenokee Swamp, one of the world's largest intact freshwater ecosystems and the largest blackwater wetland in North America. We'll be staying at a private campground (we much prefer state parks), but it has a 'star-gazing field' - perfect for viewing the alignment of the planets this week!

What a difference a couple weeks can make!

It's hard to believe we've been at Givhans Ferry State Park for 3 weeks already. We both feel we sort of lost the first week, between rain and the unexpected (and unwelcomed) snow & ice storm. It took several days for the icy roads to clear and now, 2 weeks later, we've got temperatures in the 70's and 80's.

Go figure!

We've been using the better weather to explore the local area. I use the term local loosely. We've discovered every place we want to go (including groceries) is anywhere from 25/40 minutes to over an hour away. We started a second trip on the truck to track our mileage, just to get out and do things.

Still, no complaints. It's nice to be out exploring rather than hunkered down inside the house in CT complaining about the cold and snow.

A quick snapshot of what we've been up to:

Fort Moultrie - From the first fort constructed of palmetto logs which were, surprisingly, highly effective at repelling British cannonballs in June 28, 1776 (hence the reason South Carolina is the 'Palmetto State," to its role during the Civil War housing both Union and Confederate troops, to its breech-loading disappearing rifles during WWI, and the Control Post coordinating harbor defenses in WWII, over the course of 171 years this fort defended Charleston Harbor.







Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site - site of a colonial trading town, along the Ashley River, settled in 1697. Abandoned at the start of the Revolutionary War, it is now an interesting archaeological site - nicely documented and maintained (without the need to recreate and build replicas).





Cycling on the West Ashley Greenway in North Charleston





Caw Caw Interpretive Center - A Charleston County Park - Caw Caw was once part of several rice plantations. Here enslaved Africans applied their technology and skills in agriculture to carve the series of rice fields out of cypress swamps. It is now a nature preserve. While there we saw a nest with two baby bald eagles.







Magnolia Plantation and Gardens - Dating from 1679, this is one of the oldest plantations in the South. In the 1840's Rev. Drayton created a 'Romantic Garden' - one designed to invoke the calm and serenity of nature rather than formal, structured gardens. It is renowned for its camelias, which due to the recent cold and snow, had experienced a bit of a setback. We went to see the gardens; a nice feature of admission, with your ticket you can return one more time within a calendar year. More on that later...


[Boiled peanuts are everywhere around here. While at Magnolia we tried them. - I think they may be an acquired taste!]



Audubon Biedler Forest - an Audubon wildlife sanctuary is located in Four Holes Swamp. There is a 1.75-mile self-guiding boardwalk trail that travels through old growth forest, including 1000 year old cypres


s trees.




Downtown Charleston - The day started off with thick fog - not quite the harbor view we were expecting to see!





Cycling on the East Branch Swamp Trail



Middleton Place - Another plantation with extensive gardens - these are the more formal, highly cultivated style.. For this visit we went at night - they were having a special 'Garden Lights' event coupled with a three course prix-fixe meal at the Middleton Inn. Very romantic evening and highly enjoyable.








Back to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and a visit to Drayton Hall. We returned to Magnolia (to use our second admission) on the day they were hosting a special event, Living Legacies - A Celebration of Black History. After another stroll through the gardens to see the camellias, now in full bloom.





We then wandered over to the area with four restored and preserved enslaved cabins where historians and artists from the Slave Dwelling Project, provided talks, demonstrations and story-telling to honor "the lives and legacies that shaped our community."

As an added bonus, as part of the Living Legacies event we were also able to visit Drayton Hall, a National Trust for Historic Preservation site. While there we did a narrated walking tour of the ground- interesting and well done. On the way out we stopped by the African American cemetery - used for enslaved Africans in the mid-1700's, it continues to be used by their descendents.



We wrapped up the busy day by returning to Magnolia to explore the Audubon Swamp Walk. We saw lots of white ibises, nesting herons, and a smiling, napping alligator.










Canoeing on the Edisto River. With our campground located right on the Edisto River, and the weather finally warming up, we took advantage of the opportunity to pull out the canoe and a paddle on the river. Upstream we pulled into a creek leading to a swamp - so quiet and peaceful!






Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site - This is the site of the original English settlement in 1670. We toured the museum and learned the history of the original settlers and their journey from England, to Barbados, to this spot at Albemarle Point on the Ashley river. This spot was chosen because the location was easy to defend, but as the settlement grew, they realized the peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers would be a better location. In 1680, the town was moved to its present site on Oyster Point.






There are more photos in the South Carolina photo gallery.

As you can see - life as retirees is far from boring!

Cheers!

And we thought we'd be escaping the cold weather - we woke up to this outside.

Needless to say, this is highly unusual for South Carolina, and folks here are either thrilled, or overwhelmed. We got about 1-2 inches of snow and without any snow removal equipment (in the state?) we'll have to wait for it to melt off.

At the campground we were asked to fill our water tanks and disconnect any water hoses. We were also advised that if the power should go out, the front gate would be locked and they gave us the key code. Not that we'd be driving anywhere right now - between the snow and freezing temperatures, the roads are probably not in great shape.

Meanwhile for us campers, this is no big deal. So far, we've met travelers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upstate New York, Maine.... We know snow.

We've got lots of food, water, and a genset in case the power does happen to go out.

Great excuse to spend the day with a good book! (My thanks, again, to my former colleagues for my retirement gift of a Kindle!)