So I had 2 days off, which when you combine me with free time, camping gear and a dual sport motorcycle you get trouble...
So I decided to take off, general destination Florida, just so I can say I pee'd in 3 different states.
I took off down 17 and saw a sign for Edisto State Park, and having not been in my adult life and hearing about it on here a time or two, I figured I'd swing by. Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed, as there was no group accommodations (always looking for more group hang options for us!) and no beach side spaces available even tho there was a ton open. Oh well. I also spoke to a few rangers with less than stellar results overall but, what can you do? But they did suggest that I check out Hunting Beach, so I headed that way.
Soon, I blew through Beaufort, thinking of Capt Smiley the whole way and keeping a hand on my knife the whole way thru, then hit some sort of stupid traffic going to (I think) Lady's Island. Being on a bike and smarter than most tourists, I quickly jumped over one street and shot up to the bridge, bypassing all the traffic that was at a standstill.
I got to the park and was quoted the second expensive camping price of the day, somewhere around $35 for ONE night on a site with only water. But it was right on the beach and next to the bathrooms, so no worries, or so I thought...
I finally decide on staying, and realize that I didnt bring quite enough stuff with me and I didnt stop at any stores along the way since I had planned on stealth camping. No towel, no food, and no wood. FML, oh well. I end up buying a $30 Grand Trunk camping towel, soap and container for said soap, can of soup, box of graham crackers and peanut butter long with some "fat wood" fire starter wood in a bag to use in my Element stove (more on this in a bit).
The site I picked I thought was perfect, save for the fact the bathroom light (the womans "dont rape me" light) was aimed right at the hammock and I was in direct path of the incoming cars headlights, which sucked until about 10. I setup the hammock in the last bit of daylight and made some of my purchases here and there, and ended up finishing the setup in the dark. All was well until the ranger pulled up (and I mean THE ranger, the ones that have guns...) because the sight of a 6ft tall tattooed guy wandering shirtless around camp with an axe is a startling sight and he needed to "check me out", which means run me thru the cop database....fun. Anyway, he finds out I'm NOT an axe murderer and all goes well.
I cooked my can of soup right before he got here using a few limbs someone left behind and some "fat wood". A word of advice...dont use the wood burning stove on a wooden picnic table top. Ask me why....and then go look for the burn shaped like an Element stove on the table of site 2 at Hunting Island park... I ended up pouring water under the stove to put out the fire....
Also no one told me about the 3 am raccoon feeding....that I was the only person doing apparently. I had a whole, 4 pack box of crackers and I stuck the plastic knife that had just a little peanut butter residue on it and the furry *******s tore the box in HALF to get them out. So when I got up to try to scare them off, they just looked at me. One of the three left, but the other two sat there, and actually begged for food. So I ended up with one sitting at my feet doing the begging motion and the other, well, on my lap! I gave them a few crackers then shooed them away, put away the food in my saddle bags and then "marked my territory" as it were... No rain all night even tho it called for it, and busted out my 20* UGQ UQ and was nice with no top quilt and my BIAS Buginator.
The next day, I headed to Florida. For some reason I was looking at the GPS with a "crooked" eye and thought that Florida was 15 minutes away. Well I was wrong....
But I got there anyway. My goal was to go to the Florida Visitors Center, then try to find a place I used to go to as a kid which I think is the Citrus Center but m still not convinced....
I picked up a shark in a jar and a huge paperweight then headed back to SC, but only got so far as Hardeeville before my butt gave up and told me to get a hotel. Now, I knew I wasn't in the best area, but when it was cheaper to get a hotel then to camp, and the prospect of a nice private room, I was all over it. Well, the first room had a hole in the bathtub the size of my boot, so I got another which smelled like wet carpet, but whatever. The biggest issue was there was NOTHING to eat! I had to cal Georgia to find pizza, but no one would come, so I ended up with Burger King (and yes, I thought about cooking on the stove again...) and dry popcorn chicken and bottles of drinks. Not the worst way to spend the day.
Now comes Saturday, and I have to get home and get ready for work, so I hit the road earlier than I would have otherwise and hauled it back up 17 to Charleston, with no other major hiccups. The bike did develop a starting issue while I was out and about, but it didnt let me down and I had a great time.
I love impromptu trips like this! Great for the mind and soul. Oh, and that towel, it weights 6oz (1oz more than my stove!!!) and is SUPER absorbent, albeit kinda rough (think tacky). And can be worn as a skirt/sarong.
and these were to recreate a trip that changed my life
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