Another day of just hanging around the campsite. Even though nothing was accomplished (and I mean nothing), it continues to be so peaceful and satisfying just watching the squirrels and robins as they go about their business, or walking down by the lake and seeing turtle after turtle sunning themselves on logs. Where as the squirrels and birds seem pretty used to being around people, the turtles are a lot more skittish, and you have to go into stealth mode to get close enough to observe. It doesn’t take much and plop, off they go into the water.
Usually they could care less about people, that is until you try and take a photo of them. Ah, the life of a turtle. These guys are one of my favorite birds, they just have a way about them.
I spoke too soon when I said I did nothing today, I did go into Chapin to mail a letter, and I stopped for a bite to eat at a local restaurant which turned out to be really good.
Yesterday turned out so well I decided to do it again today, which means that again, I did very little. The weather was beautiful and having the birds, squirrels, turtles, and all the rest just going about their business was so enjoyable. Ya know what, it never gets old. I had a new sighting today. Driving down the road into the park I came across a young doe, it was just so cool.
I think I could grow old here (Oh yea, I already am).
Not much accomplished today but that’s part of the lure of setting up the trailer in a State Park campground. I’m working on it to feel OK doing nothing (within reason) and as I’ve said before, I’m really good at it, in fact I excel at it.
My front street at Dreher Island State Park.
I like that there are so many squirrels, robins and cardinals just going about their business, paying little attention to us humans. I’m getting a lot of enjoyment watching the robins as they go about their routine, they are such cool little birds, and I gotta say, one of my favorite.
the cardinals are a little more skittish towards humans but they get close enough so you know they’re around. Everytime I see one with their brilliant red color, it really gives me a charge.
Finally got to get a photo of this little fellow.
One thing I did so today was to find out about my tax status for 2018. It’s a new and different experience having to do my taxes via email. but being over a thousand miles from home, doesn’t leave me with many options. Thankfully, it’s not as bad as I feared it would be. Yes, I do owe Federal and State but it’s an amount that I can handle. I didn’t actually file yet, what I did get was an extension. I still have to sign and send in the returns when I get back to Osakis, and I have to pay what’s owed by April 15, but I’m good to go tax wise for another year.
First full day on the island. Took a ride into Chapin, SC, to do some shopping at the local Publix (I do like Publix) and do a quick once over of the park and the surrounding area.
A lot of folks have packed up and headed home making the campground a bit more serene. The sites are close together and not a lot of undergrowth to tuck you into the site, but the trees are large and diverse and with spring underway, budding and bursting with color. The lake surrounds the campground, and a big lake (reservoir) it is. Judging by the number of boats I’ve seen being towed down the road since getting here, this lake is mega popular with fisherman. The park is big, taking up a large peninsula of the lake, and has two campgrounds. After checking the other campground out I think it provides sites that are a bit more secluded but hey, I can live with where I’m at.
Chapin, SC, is a nice place. It’s more an extension of Columbia than a stand alone town these days. I get the feeling that it sits on the line between exurb and rural and judging by the growth of housing and commercial in the area, it won’t be long before that line will be gone and Chapin will become just another suburb of Columbia.
It’s nice coming back into the park, you really feel like you can escape the encroaching development and get back to where nature is still the boss.
Slept in late this morning, while the room was as I pointed out a kind of dive, the bed turned out to be comfortable and along with the TV, were the best things about my Motel 6 experience. Checkout time was 11:00 am and since I hadn’t heard yet from Gander RV, I didn’t leave until the last minute. I emailed the service advisor at Gander when I left and thankfully, she emailed me back letting me know things were coming along.
Before going to the RV place, decided to stop for lunch. Stopped at a place called the ‘farmhaus’ and had a decent burger and fries (far and away better than a fast food place). I do prefer patronizing local spots and this ended up being a good one.
I didn’t do any roaming around Augusta which I kind of regret. It’s a big city and combined with the overall situation, I was feeling out of synch and somewhat lost. I guess my interest and motivation had become temporarily zapped.
After lunch, made my way over to Gander RV and hung out in the truck waiting for the service to be completed, I was more than ready to finally be on my way. The delay now was not in getting the work done but rather, letting the caulking cure (dry), which takes four hours.
As I was waiting, I decided to do some research into the caulking (sealant) on trailer roofs. What I found out didn’t make me feel much better. It seems that the warranty on roof sealant is only for ninety days. I checked the owner’s manual (online) and yea, that’s the case. Also found out that this is considered normal maintenance and should be inspected at the very least once a year. I’ve had the trailer for just under a year and not sure how long it sat before I bought it so it wasn’t unreasonable that the leaks occurred. I guess one could consider this a lesson learned (the hard way) in the life of owning a travel trailer.
Finally, at around 2:30 pm the job was done and all that was left to do was pay the bill ($546.45) and I could hit the road once again. While the experience was certainly not a positive one (to say the least), the folks I worked with on this were decent and helped make it a little less painful. They seemed to have looked out for me (as best they could) on this issue.
Back on the road with my newly sealed roof and I gotta say, it felt good. Drove a little over an hour and half and made it to Dreher Island State Park.
Checked in with the ranger and proceed to my sight. After setting up I noticed that the trailer again had a bit of a lean to the right. I could have, and in hindsight should have tried to adjust it, but I was lazy and fooled myself into thinking it would be alright. Time would prove me wrong.
I was ready to spend some time here in South Carolina.
The Journey. 