80 Miles To A Wonderful Island

Friday...


I took the path less traveled today, avoiding the interstates, doing 80 miles.  I only got lost once.  Hey, am I getting better at this or what?  I checked gasbuddy.com before I left but forgot to pinpoint a good cheap place for gas. Prices were all over the place from $2.99-$3.20, then I saw this crappy little place, littered with garbage, their decrepit sign read $2.98 for regular gas. I pulled in, and it really was $2.98.  


While the gas was tanking up, I took Harley for a brief walk. We were literally stumbling through garbage that was just scattered everywhere. Since he is so tiny, he seemed bewildered, trying to avoid the refuse in search of the grass, weeds and earth that was hidden somewhere beneath the mess. 


What?  Y'all still littering?  


I so wanted to just spend the next day, cleaning up that filthy business. I guess the owner has no pride, but his gas was the cheapest I saw all day. 


South Carolina is a great place for a small RV budget, the gas is about the lowest in the country,  The SC State Parks have fairly reasonable camping fees. It's the taxes and transaction fees that is annoying. How I wish they could just give you one complete price and round it up or down to the next dollar. 

A-Hartwell Lake, where I workamped from April 1-September 30th
B-Toccoa Geogia for supplies, then across highway 123 to Greenville, SC for dinner with friends (C)
D-Mauldin, South Carolina, camped in friend's side yard from October 1-6, actually managed to repair my faucet and hot water, furnace still flaky and inoperable, but I have high hopes I will repair it myself
E-Drove to Dreher Island State Park in Lake Murray, South Carolina, spent the night October 7th


That place was heavenly, quite gorgeous. I had a lakefront lot with steady breezes, my wheel estate bedroom overlooked the lake. The funny thing is they don't consider my lot to be lakefront, no idea why, so my rent was slightly cheaper. 


Today (Saturday)  the 8th, I set out to do 100 miles to Colleton State Park in South Carolina (not on above map yet).  First I made a stop by Dollar General because today was another $5 coupon day. Spend $25 and get $5 off, only pay $20. Since they sell groceries, this was a really good deal for me.  Then 55 miles into the trip, I suddenly felt super weak and confused, my eyes seemed blurry. 


I pulled over into a big parking lot, pretending to be a shopper.  Ironically there were 3 big spots marked for buses.  I guess angels were watching out for me. No buses in sight, but I took up a bus spot anyhow. 


I laid down on my bed with the puppy, after pulling the shades down.  I was asleep in 3-4 minutes.  About 45 minutes later, I woke up, super tired, made a sandwich, fed the puppy, splashed cold water all over my face, pulled myself together and drove to the campground, about an hour away. 


Harley was miffed when I began to exit the campground without stopping, but I decided tomorrow the line at the dump station (draining sewer tanks from the camping vehicles) might be long, as it would be Sunday, folks might be going home again. I was riding around with a week's worth of sewer in my holding tanks, so I was more than happy to relieve the wheel estate of that cargo, while there were no lines. It was also next to the garbage, so I cleaned out the motorhome.  


We entered the campground, this time parking in lot 12.  I barely got the electric cord hooked up, when Harley set up begging and pleading for a walk. He clearly remembered this place, so off we went to trot around. I was hoping a brisk walk would perk me up.  


Harley was ecstatic to tour the place, meeting other dogs and campers. Both Dreher Island and Colleton had lots of friendly southerners camping in tents, pickup campers, trailers, fifth wheels, motorhomes, RV's and boats. 


I am dead tired, not sure where my energy went!  I shouldn't be this exhausted over a 100 mile trip.  


Now that I am ready for bed, Harley decided he wanted a moonlight walk. I put on my miner's headlamp an old sailor gave me, then he died a few week's later. Every time I wear the headlamp, I think of what he was doing when he wore it. He also gave me some tools that I enjoy using. Neither of us knew he  would part this earth so soon.  Which reminds me, I have to fix the furnace soon. But at least the kitchen faucet is working again, the hot water is working again, either on propane or electric, so hey, that's good news. Occasionally I do actually get a project finished on my own, and it feels great.


Who says  a girl can't fix things?  

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