November 14, we left Virginia (the DC area and Gettysburg), and headed south through the Carolinas, looking over our shoulders at the cooler weather coming in behind us. We took a day trip from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and the North River campground, to the outer banks along the Atlantic coastline. Few people strolled the beaches, so we had the lovely stretch of sand to ourselves.
On November 17, we arrived to spend 4 days in Hollywood, South Carolina, at the Lake Aire, RV Park. We spent a day in Charleston, learning about the culture and touring the 1700 era homes that line the streets downtown. While we’ve been traveling, we’ve been listening to the local National Public Radio stations, and that’s helped us understand local culture and some of the priorities of the people who live in these locales.
Gullah sweet grass basket weaver in Charleston, SC
The Gullah people living in South Carolina and Georgia are descendants of enslaved Africans who have developed their own lexicon, music and art, including lovely, intricate sweetgrass baskets that they sell in markets, gift shops and even along the road. John and I had never heard of this group of people before, but the more we learn, the more interesting the culture becomes to us. A GREAT music group called Ranky Tanky (“work it” in Gullah) was interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air, while we were in Georgia, and the vocals and music on their recent album are outstanding.
I just finished a great new read, Michele Moore’s The Cigar Factory, a story of two women from Charleston, which takes place between 1890 and World War II. Moore gives us a realistic depiction of Charleston and the cigar-making process, which was brutally difficult, white women earning $10 a week, while black women working in the basement earned $4. The novel depicts the food, entertainment and lifestyle of Gullah culture. It’s a remarkable piece of historical fiction!
The Van Haalens and the Johns at Thanksgiving
We arrived at the Coastal Georgia RV Park in Brunswick, Georgia on November 21, a few days before Thanksgiving. Our friends, Jan and John (of 30+ years from Texas) joined us for Thanksgiving dinner on their way to the mountains of North Carolina to buy a new house. By this time, we’d put 10,000 miles and 100 days on the road trip, and it was time to play catch up with cleaning the rig and exploring the area.
Teresa and Cisco on the beach in Georgia
Lovely Lane Chapel, St. Simons Island
St. Simon Island was our favorite place to hang out on the beach, in the restaurants, and watching sunsets. Fifteen miles from our campground, the history of the island includes plantations, one of five surviving lighthouses in Georgia and the beautiful grounds of the Lovely Lane Chapel, an 1880’s era Methodist church.
On December 23, we drove an hour north to Savannah to spend Christmas eve in that lovely southern city. On every other city block there are small squares, or plazas, that people stroll, relax, talk or listen to music. We spent 2 nights at the Staybridge Suites, a dog-friendly hotel, just a block from the Savannah River. Spanish moss drips from the old oak trees, and historic buildings catch your eye around every corner.
Old tavern on River St., Savannah, GA
Savannah played a huge role as one of thirty defense locations up and down the Atlantic coast, established by the Federal government after the Revolutionary war. For much of the 19th century, masonry fortifications were the United States’ main defense against overseas enemies. However, during the Civil War, new technology proved its superiority to these forts. The Union army used rifled cannon and compelled the Confederate garrison inside Fort Pulaski to surrender. The siege was a landmark experiment in the history of military science and invention.
Georgia Queen on the Savannah River
John at Ft. Pulaski, Savannah. GA
Before heading back to our rig in Brunswick on Christmas day, we took a river boat dinner cruise on the Savannah River on Christmas eve. The river is a shipping lifeline with huge tankers coming and going in and out of the port of Savannah. In all, this trip has been so interesting and we’ve learned much about the southeastern seaboard of our Untied States.
Teresa Van Haalen Ventures 