Author: Easin' Along

We knew it would happen, but it happened sooner rather than later.

In April of this year, after we returned from our trip across the country in a rented RV (Sherman), we purchased a travel trailer that we named Bertha.  Both Helen (adorable wife) and I agreed that the laid-back RV lifestyle was something that we both enjoyed enough to want to pursue it further. We love traveling, seeing new places, and being outdoors as much as possible.  We enjoyed planning our cross country excursion as well as the anticipation of making the trip.  For future trips, we would have the privilege of using the wonderful (and inexpensive) campgrounds on military bases throughout the country and, finally, we felt that traveling by RV would be a great way to stay active during our “Golden Years”.

We found Bertha on the lot at Camping World. She had been used, but well cared for by her previous owners. Bertha was a small trailer (16’) but had all the essentials for comfortable travel such as a bathroom, queen bed, refrigerator, microwave, sofa, a television, and air-conditioning. Being small and previously owned meant that we did not have to make a large investment while making certain that RV travel was “our thing”. It didn’t take long to decide that this was meant for us.

We took a couple of short trips at first to get the hang of our new trailer. In Nashville, we met some very nice people that we enjoyed getting to know and we loved sitting by the lake and having the time to relax. In Cherokee, NC we discovered a small campground by a beautiful creek that has become our favorite “go to” place, and we have returned twice since the first visit. Helen enjoyed decorating and equipping Bertha with small appliances, bedspreads, space-saving organizers, and the like and did a great job with all of it.

I had fun outfitting Bertha with gear although she didn’t require much more than a Coleman Roadtrip XLE portable grill…oh, and a Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi to pull her around. Sophie, my Dodge Dakota got the job done, but she was at the outer limits of her pulling capacity. Sophie was traded for Bert and I became a happy camper.

After three short trips, we decided that we were ready to take Bertha on an extended journey. We made reservations at several campgrounds and state parks along the coast of North and South Carolina and extending to Tybee Island, GA near Savannah. This trip would run for a little over three weeks. The trip was a large amount of fun and only served to increase our enthusiasm for the RV lifestyle, but one thing did become apparent to us…we wanted a larger RV.

Our original plan was to keep Bertha for a year in order to determine the features we wanted in an RV and then decide if we needed to upgrade. We saw a lot of trailers on our trip that had some really nice features and even got somewhat nosey about asking if we could see inside some of the trailers around us. We learned a lot and met a bunch of great people along the way who were willing to put up with us and our questions. Helen and I settled on the features that were “must-haves” if we were to trade Bertha for something else. We both wanted space for at least two grandchildren on future trips. We felt that we needed a larger refrigerator. More sitting space on the days that rain or heat (or bugs) forced us indoors would be nice. Helen demanded two items–plenty of windows and a large bathroom with a vanity. I agreed to all of that, but didn’t want to increase the size to the point that I couldn’t pull it with Bert…another truck was out of the question.

While staying at Kure Beach, we met a nice couple who owned a 24-foot trailer that they pulled using a Ford F-150 with less pulling power than Bert.  We didn’t go inside his trailer, but I did look up the floor plan online. That started the ball rolling.  Over the next few weeks of our trip, we looked over many floor plans and found several to our liking. We agreed that once we returned home we would just go out and look around. Once again, with the help of the internet, I scoured the local dealerships and found several with the models and floor plans that we were interested in and printed off those plans.  Three days after returning home we visited those dealers.

The first visit was to look over a previously owned trailer with a very attractive price. The floor plan was great, but not enough windows. At the second dealership, no one came out to greet us so we walked around on our own and couldn’t spot the model we were interested in. By this time, we were a little tired, but since we would be passing Tennessee RV, the third dealership on our list, we agreed to look around. I had spoken with one of their salesmen earlier in the week and I asked for him when we arrived.

Kelly was in the lobby and greeted us with a warm smile.  I showed him a printout of a model we liked and he took us right to it. It had everything we wanted—big windows, including one in the rear next to a spacious sitting area; a nice, large refrigerator; a very roomy bathroom with a vanity; a couch that folded out to a bed large enough for a grandchild, and a dinette that also made a bed; two televisions, plus an air-conditioner and an electric awning. At 22 feet and only a thousand pounds more than Bertha, we could tow it with Bert easily.  Kelly walked out of the trailer and I took one look at Helen…this was it.

Among the many things we learned during our research was that the time to buy trailers was in the fall when camping season slowed somewhat, but we had agreed that we would wait a year before buying another trailer.  Sometimes the best-laid plans have to be altered.  We went back to the office and negotiated the purchase.  Three days later Bertha would be traded for Betty. Less than a week later we were back at our favorite Cherokee campground to get acquainted.  Helen’s smiles below say it all.

Easin’ Along the retired road just got a little more comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Helen and I both agree that our experience with Kelly Cubbedge, Roger Sellers, and Nancy Harvey, as well as everyone at Tennessee RV, was one of the most pleasant sales experiences we have ever had.  They were wonderful to deal with and we left certain that we were treated fairly and that they truly cared about our business. I would recommend Tennessee RV to anyone.

After leaving the beautiful surroundings of Huntington Beach State Park in Murrell’s Inlet, SC we went Easin’ Along to the south to our next destination, the Marine Training Center at Parris Island, SC. We were looking forward to exploring the installation as well as nearby Beaufort, SC.

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and although we made it shortly before the check-in time of 2:00 pm, the office closed at noon. We were assigned to campsite nine when we made reservations several months earlier and found it with no problem. To our delight, the campsite was adjacent to the shower and bathroom facility and we had it pretty much to ourselves. The other eight RV’s in the camp were either unoccupied or so large that the occupants showered in their RV.  Bertha’s shower is a little tight for someone 6’4” and I use campsite showers whenever possible.

After a run to the commissary and Exchange for a few essentials, we set out to explore the Marine Base a bit. My first impression of Parris Island is that for a military installation, it certainly is a scenic one. There are vast stretches of the marsh with birds soaring overhead, much like Huntington Beach.  It was near the end of the day and the setting sun over the marsh offered a lovely view. Back at campsite nine, I prepared a simple dinner of hot dogs and grilled onions and Helen (adorable wife) set up her puzzle table and went to work.  I settled into Bertha and watched my Tennessee Volunteers squeak out an overtime win over Georgia Tech.

On Sunday morning we decided to do some exploring away from the Marine base.  Helen had written postcards to the grandchildren so our first mission was to locate a post office as we drove off the base.  We didn’t find the post office but we did encounter hundreds of Marines assembling for a day of training. I grabbed my camera and jumped out into the street to take pictures of these dedicated young people. My eyes were drawn to a platoon of female trainees marching to class.  They were erect, in step, with eyes forward, and filled with purpose.  No could watch them without feeling a sense of pride and deep gratitude for their service.

Helen had done her usual research and determined that our destination for the day would be Hunting Island State Park Beach, about 45 minutes away.  Our route would also take us through the town of Beaufort where we planned to catch a meal on our return to Parris Island. I was ready for some shrimp and grits.

The campground at Hunting Island was located right on the beach.  Since this was Labor Day weekend, the campground was full, but we made a mental note that this would be a good place to camp on a future visit. An overnight storm was creating some water problems in the area so we quickly passed through the campground office for some brochures and drove on toward the beach.

Hunting Island Beach was as busy as the campground, and we were fortunate to find a place to park. After purchasing a pass we took the camera and made the short walk through the woods to the beach.  The day was a bit muggy and buggy, but the scenic walk made everything bearable. Huge live oak trees covered with resurrection ferns filled the forest as did low-lying palm fronds.  I’m glad I had a camera.

When we reached the beach I was struck by the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew the year before.  There were uprooted trees scattered all over the sand as if they had been plucked up and discarded by a giant hand. Even more interesting was how beach visitors were using the trees. One family found the root ball useful for a canopy, while another visitor used a tree as a balance beam. Helen and I walked the beach for a while looking for shells, but soon succumbed to the heat and the bugs and decided that it might be best if we found a cool place for lunch.  The road back led us to the Foolish Frog in Beaufort.

This charming restaurant was recommended by our friend Mary, a Beaufort native, as her favorite place. The parking lot was full (always a good sign) so I found a place across the street and we settled in.  The host led us to our seats beside the Bloody Mary buffet and pointed out that the days special was Oysters, Crawfish, Shrimp, and grits. It didn’t take long for me to decide.  Helen had a meal of Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. Both selections were delicious.  The grits concoction was full of flavor and the crawfish were cooked to perfection. This was a lot of food, but I had little trouble finishing it off.

On Monday we were off to meet our friend Mary for a day of learning the history of Beaufort.  Mary’s knowledge of the history of Beaufort is unequaled and made for a fascinating tour of South Carolina’s second oldest city, founded in 1711. We met her at her charming home on the marsh to begin our tour.

Beaufort has done much to preserve its history and historical structures and we began our tour along some of the older streets and homes as Mary gave us a detailed of many of them including the home of Robert Smalls, civil war hero and first black congressman from South Carolina. Our tour took us by a home named the Castle, a large beautiful antebellum that was used as a hospital during the civil war.  Helen and I stayed in this home with a group of friends about five years ago.  At that time it was owned by the brother of someone in our group.  Supposedly the house is haunted by ghosts of the hospital’s deceased, but we never met any of them.

We passed the home where Pat Conroy wrote some of his novels as well as the locations where movies such as The Big Chill, Forest Gump, The Prince of Tides, and The Great Santini were filmed. The old homes are stunningly well preserved and the Spanish Moss that surrounds them adds a touch of the low country to each.  We ended our day confident that we were now better educated than before we arrived. Our day also ended with another visit to the Foolish Frog followed by a trip to Beaufort’s famous Chocolate Tree for some awesome dark chocolate.

 

 

We gave Mary a big hug for being so incredibly generous with her time and her incredible history tour then waved goodbye. Unfortunately, our time in Beaufort and Parris Island was nearing an end. The next day we would drive south toward Savannah and Tybee Island, GA. Once again, we’re Easin’ Along.

Note: Our trip along the Coast was interrupted by Hurricane Irma during our stay at Tybee Island, GA.  We were able to make it home with no difficulty, but Irma dictated a break for Easin’ Along while we made the return trip. Thanks to our readers for coming back. We join our trip in progress.

The Kure Beach area gave us a wonderful beach vacation. While there we enjoyed fantastic meals at Jack’s Mackerel Grill and Freddie’s Italian Restaurant and both were as good as we remembered from our visit two years ago. Those dining experiences will be covered in a food post at a later date. The Kure Beach pier, built in 1923 and the oldest fishing pier on the Atlantic coast, is a great place to walk off those evening meals and we loved chatting with the tourists attempting to catch fish. The view of the picturesque beach at dusk can be stunning.

Speaking of fish…Helen (adorable wife) wanted to pick up some fish to grill on our last night at Kure Beach. While we waited for our table at Jack’s Mackerel, she asked the friendly bartender to suggest a seafood market in the area. Our bartender said she always went to Blackburn Brothers just down the street. It was a good suggestion. We went the next day and were told by everyone in the market to try the Hog Snapper, something we had never heard of.  Helen was intrigued so we bought a piece, hand-cut by the lady behind the counter.  I chose a fresh piece of grouper.

Back at the campsite, we fired up our Coleman Road Trip Grill and cooked the fish, brushed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with Old Bay Seasoning.  The grouper was delicious, and to this day, Helen swears that the Hog Snapper was the best fish she has ever eaten…ever. For the rest of the trip, she asked at every fish market we entered if they had Hog Snapper, but it was not to be found.  Thanks, Blackburn Brothers. We enjoyed a great meal and one not to be forgotten.

We are certain to return here but, after five very pleasant nights at Fort Fisher AFB Recreation Area, it was time to tow Bertha to the south and make our way to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrell’s Inlet, SC, a three hours drive.

After check-in, we backed Bertha into a secluded campsite in the woods. As is her usual custom, Helen was getting antsy to see the ocean so, after setting up; we took the five-minute walk to the beach. What a treat…the beach is wide and there were only a few people about. We looked forward to our morning shell search and coffee walk.

Back at the campsite, we could barely make out a small parking lot through the woods to our rear so we decided to take a narrow path and see what was attracting people to this spot. What we saw were birds…lots of beautiful birds soaring over a very scenic marsh. Extending out into the marsh was a long walking pier. Although it was late and we were ready for dinner, we walked out for a better look.

Over the next few days, we probably spent as much time in the marsh as we did on the beach. The assortment of cranes, ibis, wood storks and the very rare Roseate spoonbills flying overhead made for must-see entertainment and I took lots of pictures.  These birds obviously didn’t mind being photographed and remained committed to feeding in the marsh while we snapped away.

I’m certain that I’ve never seen a spoonbill prior to this trip and, with their unusual bills, they are both peculiar and impressive. According to the Park Ranger, their natural habitat is in the Florida Keys, but a few had made it to South Carolina in 2009 to take up residence here. We saw three on our first walk and again on every day after that. One morning we spotted two of them among a group of wood storks and began taking pictures when an alligator shoved his nose above the surface in the middle of the gathering. He swam up to the spoonbill before taking a leap at him.  I missed the picture, but the alligator missed his target also and swam away to begin his morning nap. The spoonbill was remained unruffled by it all and continued to swirl his wide bill in the shallow water.

Our morning beach walks were also a treat. We caught the rising sun every day and had the beach almost to ourselves.  There was not an abundance of shells, but we found some tiny shark’s teeth to add to our collection. Adjacent to the dunes, a turtle nest was fenced off and awaiting a big coming out party.

I have been coming to Murrell’s Inlet and Pawley’s Island for over forty years and Helen for much longer than that. We love the area and much prefer the laid-back lifestyle offered here over the heavy commercialism of large beach cities. Also, I have a love of fresh seafood, and I love it best when it’s fried. Murrell’s Inlet is home to one of the best seafood restaurants on the Carolina coast—Lee’s Inlet Kitchen.  I couldn’t stay away so we checked in there during the second evening of our stay for fried flounder and fried oysters and some of the best hushpuppies in the world. It was divine dining.

On our last evening in the Huntington Beach area, we met Cheryl and Bill, good friends from Knoxville at Bovine’s Grill in Murrell’s Inlet for dinner and drinks.  We were seated on the deck with an awesome view of the marsh and enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing evening with great food and great laughs. This trip was getting better by the day.

The next morning we packed up Bertha for the drive down the coast to Parris Island Marine Training Center near the town of Beaufort, SC. Before we departed, we took the time to have our picture made in the large rocking chairs at the Park Visitor Center. Helen cornered a Park Ranger to show him a picture of the snake she nearly stepped on that morning to see if he could identify it. He identified the striped reptile as a harmless Ribbon Snake, native to the marsh of South Carolina.

We’ll long remember our time and the birds of Huntington Beach State Park.  For now, it’s time to fly south. This is retirement living at its best and we’re glad you’re Easin’ Along.