Nov 8/2012

After a couple of days off in cloudy wet weather, we left Pigeon Forge at 11:00 in bright sunshine. Lots of copper-coloured trees and lots of 6-7% up and down grades with Great Smoky Mtns on the west, , New Found Mtns on the east, Blue Ridge Mtns on the North/South Carolina border. We crossed three states today -Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina. We hit heavy rush hour traffic around Columbia, SC. Checked into Mr.Z's RV in Gilbert, SC at 6:00 (PA) in the pitch dark. The park is very tight with only 11 sights and no public facilities but off the road safely.

Nov 9/ 2012
We left Gilbert at 9:30 under clear blue sky and 56F taking secondary highways 6 and 21 through farming country -broccoli fields, cotton on the field and in large loaf bales. Spotted our first palm trees south of Branchfield and bamboo and pampas grass. Lots of Spanish moss in the large oaks. We checked into Savannah Oaks, an Encore park at Yemassee, SC which came with rave reviews but after finally arriving there (it was really hard to find) we cancelled our reservations as the pool was closed, all the trees were hanging down with Spanish moss, the roads were rough gravel, the clubhouse was a canvas gazebo. So down the road to Hardeeville a half hour away where we checked into Hardeeville RV (PA) which is only 10 miles from Savannah, Georgia. We immediately met Lynn and Wayne from Victoria, he a retired teacher from an alternate school and she retired from the government so ended up having happy hour together, getting all kinds of local information from them.

Nov 10/ 2012
We spent most of the day touring around on Hilton Head Island. Lots of U-turns as most of the roads leaving the main street lead to locked gates of HUGE gated communities. We stopped for shrimp/fish basket lunch at Scott's Fish Market Bar & Grill on the Intercoastal Canal. 70+F on the dock patio. Lots of very large yachts. Many golf courses with famous names. Once back to the park we joined Lynn & Wayne for happy hour, and met another couple, Joanne and John Guy, a paper maker from Whitecourt, AB. They own a lot on Westside Road in Vernon -small world. Was a fun get-together.

Nov 11/ 2012
We drove back out toward Hilton Head checking out some golf courses for later in the week, then we drove to Beaufort, the second oldest town in the state (1711), a picturesque old port town about 30 miles northwest of Hardeeville. Its many pre-Revolutionary War and antebellum homes surrounded by quiet gardens stand along narrow oak canopied streets, the oldest being the 1717 Thomas Hepworth House. We took a guided horse drawn carriage tour through the historic part of town. St. Helena's Episcopal Church was founded in1712. In the churchyard are tombstones used as operating tables during the Civil War. In 1863 the Beaufort National Cemetery was established and today the remains of more than 7500 Civil War soldiers and 6500 other servicemen killed in action in subsequent wars are interned there. Several movies have been filmed here -The Big Chill, The Great Santini, Forrest Gump. Happy hour with the group after dark around a cozy campfire.