Day two of touring

3-3-12

Middleton Place.

What can I say?

Some of our group. There are 50 of us.

After all these years, still beautiful.

Some of these trees are 600-800 years old. This one is longer than a bus at its base.

What's the peacock for?

These guys were almost tame. 

A person could live here except for the bugs.

Today we drove to Middleton Place, a plantation near Charleston dating back before the revolution. It has the distinction of being the first landscaped plantation in the U. S. The crop was rice and yes slaves were used for labor. It is beautiful and we enjoyed looking it over.

Lunch was a delight, also on the plantation. We had a buffet but the service was almost like a full-time restaurant. After lunch we needed a nap but sucked it up and drove to see the Citadel. This is a military college, that rivals West Point. These lads (then) it's co-ed now, fired upon Ft. Sumpter as the first shots of the Civil War.

The Citadel

Our guides

The quad and dorms.

The honored guests.

The happy campers.

After we toured the place we sat in review of a military parade. Then went home tired and happy. Weather was warm and sunny all day.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Finally we all get together for Civil War Caravan 2

On 2-29-12 we all gathered at Ladson, SC near Charleston. Which is near Ft. Sumpter where the war began. We all knew we would be seeing one another again this year so leaving last year was the easiest we have ever had. It was like old home week. Hugs, and parties broke out all over. Such fun!

Here we are all set up at Ladston,SC 

Most of the group.]

After we all chattered and met, we had a drivers meeting and met those who were new to us (not many), had our pictures taken and prepared for the next day.

Gathering to go to Ft. Sumpter

Boarding the boat

As usual, it's us

Not much left, as the Yankees shot it up pretty well getting it back.

One of the few remaining guns

Not too much to see at the fort, but you have to see it to get the feeling. It was raining and the island was added to by man to make room for a fort. Probably never dreamed it would be the site of a civil war.

More tomorrow. Strange weather, rain, but hot and muggy. Everything is blossoming out and our truck is yellow from pollen.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

After leaving Mac and Mary's we headed for the vacation spot of Georgia. Jekyll Island, people from all over the east coast flock here to spend the winter. It is so popular that we actually got the very last place to stay for the evening. We met people who had been there since Thanksgiving and rented the same site for years and years. Well, we got there and it rained. We meant to leave the next morning and join friends headed for our caravan. We instead, did laundry and watched it rain. We did go for walks to visit folks and between showers walked the area. The wind blew and it rained some more.

By the 28th we left in fog and headed for Skidaway Island St. Park to finally join our friends. We re-met with Harold, Sandy, met Fred and Searcy, HV and Pat, Bob and Vaughnette who were on last years caravan and a new couple Jack and Bev. Naturally we had a little party.

Just before leaving Jekyll Island

Looks Sunny but lots of fog

Below is what we did at Skidaway Island.

Harold cleaning his rig

HV, Pat and Dixie

Beverly, she and Jack are new to us

Tomorrow on to Ladson, SC

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Passing through Florida to Georgia

Since Florida was not our main goal we just spent the night at De Funiak, Fl. It is a resort-like place that snowbirds choose to utilize. People are some of the friendliest we have ever met. They seemed to go out of their way to say hi and make you feel accepted. But we drove on the next day and arrived in Pelham, GA to spend a few days with Mac and Mary.

We met Mac and Mary on our very first caravan and became fast friends, we have not seen them since then but being with them again was like having never been away. We took off just as we had never parted. Mary fixed us one of the best dinners we have ever had. When you visit in the south you are asked if you have eaten yet and then fed a feast. Better show up hungry is all I can say.

We stayed at their place, they had hooks-ups for us but all we needed was some electricity. Next day we toured Pelham, where they live, Meigs, GA where Mac was raised, Thomasville, GA where we had lunch and gossiped and just had fun. Mac and Mary are as enthusiastic about Georgia as we are about California. Therefore we had a great tour. We visited a plantation named Pebble Hill and drove by several others. Just never enough time.

Our first night it was warm, not nearly as cold as we had had up 'til now. Second night it was flat hot and by our third night it was cold. The whole trip has seen warmer than usual weather. Seems the whole nation is in a drought.

By evening Mac had arranged a "Red-neck" BBQ for us. I think we California folks were on display.  Well, we met kinfolks, lifelong friends and family. Since, I don't think, anyone will ever think we are not red-neck material I hope we held our own. These were some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet and all made "Southern Hospitality" a verb!  We loved it and had a great time.

Next day we drove to through Tallahassee, Florida on our way to Shell Point where M & M have the cutest little beach house you have ever seen. For interests sake, Tallahassee is like Sacramento but with hills. After we got back we had supper. Dinner is supper and lunch is dinner in the south.

Next day, the 25th we headed for Jekyll Island, which is where this is being typed.

Shirley, Mac and Mary

How's this for a tree? At Pebble Hill.

Gotta have flowers even in Feb.

Ussens.

Spanish Moss is all over the south.

All y'all.

Couldn't resist this shot.

Pebble Hill.

M & M in front of their "farm."

Mary, Sue and son Glenn

Some of the "red-neck" girls.

This is one of the boars that did not get away.

This is for sure a hunting lodge.



See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Coast to CoastI

February 17-19

After we left Ed and Susan's we drove to Schlulenburg, TX in the rain. About the time we arrived it just poured. The whole RV park was flooded, but we hooked up and just hunkered down for the evening.

Is it still raining, dear?

The plan was to spend one night here and two nights at Livingston, TX at the next stop and get our rigs weighed, and look the place over. Harold and Sandy, however, had to continue the next day, because Harold had business in Chicago. Their plan was to leave Sandy in Tallahassee while he flew to Chicago.

Long story short, they left the next day hoping the weather would allow their trip. We decided to stay and wait for better weather because severe thunder storms were predicted along I-10 eastward. So Shirley did laundry, and I cleaned off more mud from the day before.

By afternoon, the worst weather was over and we walked to "Franks" and had brisket. At home in CA we have almost given up on eating beef. They have done something to it....it tastes plastic. On our trips it tastes wonderful in other states. They make pies there too and we returned in the evening for our share.

So we went to Livingston, TX with the idea of staying two days and getting weighed. Livingston is the headquarters of Escapees and has lots to offer folks, but was not for us. They have care facilities or those who are infirm, mail service, etc. etc.

Also their showers were the first I have seen telling you to deposit your "Depends" in the trash. Makes me want to add this to my essay on "Bathrooms I have known."

Yep, that's us.

So we left after one day and headed for Baton Rouge, LA. What a drive! Traffic, accidents, you name it! Nightfall found us on the wrong freeway, headed the wrong way and it was getting dark. So we pulled in to a Cracker Barrel, not Crate and Barrel as I said before, had dinner and spent the night right next to the busy freeway. Busy, because of the three day weekend and today was the official day of Mardi Gras.

After a not too restful night we left and had a really pleasant day of travel we drove 330 miles, which is the longest drive we have had on this trip and arrived early enough in De Funiak Springs, FL to walk around and enjoy our evening.

Tomorrow we head for Pelham, GA to spend a few days with Mac and Mary who we met and enjoyed on our very first caravan in '07. Some great stories here.

We realize we have not taken many pictures along the way, but we have seen this area before. There was a highlight today however. Shirley was driving and we crossed the Pearl River in LA which is really a swamp and I saw a real live alligator! Want to fight a Civil War in that?

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Ft. Stockton to Junction, TX

We drove to Junction, TX to visit some California friends, Ed and Susan. We had not seen them since a Rally in 2010. Ed, we learned got a foot infection and was in the hospital as we drove toward Junction. Well he got home the day after we arrived so all ended well.

None of you knew that I had had a sinus infection before we left and had some side-effects from the antibiotic I took for it. Well, ever the optimist I thought I would improve. I didn't. So while at Junction I finally got ahold of my doctor and got some meds for the problem. It is a whole story, drives to "town" because his phone could not reach us. Yes, I'm much better, thank you.

Anyway, it rained the night of the 16th and if I had not had 4 wheel drive we may have been stuck in the mud 'til summer. Actually Ed has a tractor and could have pulled us out.

We had some good rain all the way to Schulenburg, TX our next stop.

The day we arrived.

Some of our view.

The Higgins trailer and shed for Ed and Susan's trailer.

The site of Ed and Susan's new house, to be built.

Happy Hour site.

Harold, Ed and Susan.

We made tracks, the mud dries like cement.

Oh yeah, the door mat.

Mud was washed off at an auto-wash.

Don't take that!

Now we are off to Schulenburg.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Las Cruces, NM to Ft. Stockton, TX

Feb. 14, Valentines Day. I remembered to get at card before we left home. Good thing too. My complaint when we went to bed was no coffee in the morning because there was no electricity here. For those of you who don't know, coffee is a big deal. Mornings, I just can't wake up without it. I wonder around with my cup in my hand, bumping into walls stumbling over things, and muttering to myself until I get enough coffee in my body to fully awake.

Well, unknown to me, Shirley had loaded up an old percolator coffee pot and there was coffee awaiting me with a card when I stumbled to the table. One year I had forgotten our anniversary so I was wary this time. Anyway this got the morning off to a good start. Also, a good thing, because it was to be a long driving day. Breakfast was at Crate and Barrel with not so good coffee.

Us and the Higgins at Ft. Stockton just before we left for Junction.

Not much here and not much to see.

Next onward to Junction, Texas.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley