Oh, so that's Where the Money is...

I’ll just say it. The roadways (Interstate 95), in South Carolina are horrible. The neglect is apparent… that is until you're in the Myrtle Beach area, or as we headed from Savannah to Hilton Head. That’s where we saw dramatic improvement in road age and condition. Although, Hilton Head is where the money is. Communities are being constructed as we neared Hilton Head, as are plazas for shopping. And there’s the traffic. We got to Hilton Head and one of our plans was to visit the famed lighthouse. There was a $9 charge, because you drove through private neighborhoods says the nice woman who stood next to a guard shack that rivaled the comfort and lavishness of our home.

We didn’t have enough cash (no debit cards accepted), so we shifted gears, turned around and headed to the beach. It was the main access to the beach, where a lot of stores selling beachie things and souvenirs. We stopped at the local Piggly Wiggly (I’m big with the pig), got some munchies and some cash and then walked the beach. The beach, is unaware of the country club like public facilities for restrooms, changing areas and yes, a chorus line of chairs that line the beautiful walkway leading down to the beach. And that boys and girls leads to mats that cover the patio surface and sand onto the beach. They seem to be about 15’ wide and spanned about 50 yards. Yup, South Carolina’s money is in Hilton Head.

The beaches are gorgeous white sand that feels like silk on your feet. You know, that squeaking sound under your feet as you trudge along. It was cool that day and didn’t help that the winds were brisk. Julie photographed sand that blew over the surface creating the illusions of misty waves. Beautiful. Despite the hour long trip to get to Hilton Head from Savannah, our time on the beach lasted less than the drive time to get there.

We then paid the $9 and headed to the lighthouse. We toured the lighthouse with several of our closest friends, climbing the 114 stairs to reach the observation deck. It offered a view of the marina, hotels and the fabulous 18th fairway and green of Harbour Town golf links. I know friends back home that would love to play a round here. It is visually stunning. It is, after all, a public course. We had lunch at the lighthouse, at a place called the Quarterdeck, which offered views of most of the area we’d seen from the lighthouse. We wandered around the shops, then headed home. I suppose there are a lot of people that are enamored with Hilton Head, but we’re not on that list. In fairness, we didn’t see it all, but my guess it is a golfers paradise and home to the wealthy. Hell, the local RV park we stopped at to explore gets a nightly rate that rivals quality hotels. Yeah, Hilton Head is where the money is.

Sunday was a bit warmer and we headed to Ft. McAllister State Park. A Civil War fort that recounts what life was like there during the horrendous time in the nation’s history. It was interesting and well done, as there were things learned there we never knew. There was a museum with a lot of relics from that period and then a walk that took you to areas, where soldiers tented, non-commissioned officer quarters bunked in fours, palisades in deep ditched gulley’s to impede advancing attackers. There’s also RV camping on the property, although we didn’t visit the sites.

Afterwards, we drove to Tybee Island to see what the area is all about. We’d heard it’s a beautiful location and it is a beach community, a vacation spot, that is bustling in the summer season. It is a low key spot that does not afford a lot of people who work there the ability to live there. We ate a late lunch at Fannie’s on the Beach, which serves up delicious food and beverages. Our waitress was a regular there who told us the drive to and from Tybee during the off season was a real drag. But in the summer, she banks a lot of money, so it was worth the hassle. Just down the road was the entrance to the Tybee Beach Pier and Pavilion. It was huge and stretched well out into deep water. At the end, fisherman manned their poles. It’s a serious place, complete with a fish cleaning station. All in all, a good weekend!

Turning around and slowly heading home... some curious thoughts about Savannah...

What's with all the lawyer commercials?

Whether watching early local news programs or some after dinner network show, the law firm commercials are on at every break. Sometimes they repeat on the same break, or compete against other firms. It is non-stop. Every firm says the same thing; trust them to get you the most money you deserve. And they use every conceivable gimmick in the book to capture your attention. Whether a rapper, corny comedy sketches, serious all business legal firms. You have to wonder if there are statistics compiled on the the most litigious places in America. The Savannah area would surely by a top contender for the title.

One of our last nights in Savannah was spent at another RV Resort where we had a cocktail, an appetizer and a nice relaxing view. It's a really nice spot, with manicured sites, a bar, restaurant, river pool and activities of all types for kids.

We're off to the sequel of Roanoke Rapids....