Last Day in Charleston

Not much going on today, heading out tomorrow.  We did go for a 4 mile bike ride, and I think I might have pushed the one hill a little to hard, now just need to walk and ride to keep it from getting stiff.  We got back and opened up the Weber Q stand we bought yesterday, doesn't fit in the storage bin we wanted to put it it.....I guess we'll just stick to using a table. 

I did get on the internet in the mean time and looked up the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives web site.  I found this restaurant, not that far away for us to try, not in a part of town you would normally venture to, but recommeded so after the trip to Lowe's

We went to the Tattooed Moose.  The food was great..I had the Lucky #1" Sub: BBQ Braised Port Belly, Seared on the Grill, Topped with House Made Kimchi, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Crispy Onions, Cilantro, Wasabi Mayo, & Sweet Red Chili Sauce, All on a Roll!                   Brad had his normal Reuben.....needless to say mine was much better!!!!  All that stuff together on the sub just went together great.

Back to camp, more laundry and start to pack up.  We are headed to Fort Fisher, Kure Beach, NC tomorrow.  I'll be back to let you know how the new camp is.  Diane

Charleston AFB

Saturday we decided we are going to look for the 1,000 acre park for hiking, fishing, etc. on one of the other military sites.  We do manage to find it, there is a small park with picnic tables and a playground, 1 boat launch, a fishing pier and the rest of it just looked like an over grown woods and the bugs were so bad, we couldn't even get out of the car or keep our windows down.

Oh well,we took a different way home and found a place called Cypress Garden.  It has a butterfly house and a few other tour things, but it is 4:30 and it closes at 6:00, not enough time to do the whole thing, so back home.  We stopped at the commissary and picked up a few things (lemon juice being one of them) then back and made dinner. 

Sunday was a do nothing day....but I did go get a much needed pedicure.  We stopped at Lowe's on the way back, got a Weber stand for the Q120....then to Home Depot (across the street) and Brad got a brush for scrubbing the RV.  We ended up stopping at a Denny's to eat, since we missed lunch and it was 4:30....early dinner, late lunch which ever you want it to be.  Back to camp, some bike rides, strolls and laundry.  Talked with some of the neighbors, then headed inside for the night.  Oh well, what a lazy weekend.

Charleston AFB



USS Yorktown

Thursday we headed over to Patriots Point to tour The USS Yorktown.  I never climbed up and down so many ladder/steps in one day, an air craft carrier is rather large.   It was very educational walking around with Brad, I got a lot of stories about the ship and how it compared to the ships he was on.  The USS Laffey was there, but you really couldn't get through too much of it and then there was a little Vietnam Memorial that we also walked around. 





Vietnam Memorial



 

We got done there and headed home for dinner.  We both called it an early night.

Friday May 4



A lazy day planned after Wednesday and Thurday, so what do we do.....a 4-5 mile bike ride.  Back to the RV for breakfast, shower and we are off again.  We are looking for the 2 other military campgrounds in the area.  The first is 'Foster Creek', an older park that looks as if there are more full timers than part timers.  There is a 'river', swampy, but fishable according to Brad .

Tent Site

We left there....now off to 'Short Stay Navy Rec.' OK, beautiful campground, just the kind of place we are looking for. Right on Lake Moultrie, boats to rent, fishing docks and mostly shaded sites.....



RV Site

Oh no, something is missing.....no sewer.  Now what do we do, I guess we need to learn how to camp with no sewer hook-up.  It seems from the peole that we have talked to, that seems to be a norm for full-timers. 



OK heading home.....hey there's a Camping World, so we pull in, about an hour and $20.00 later, we head out, this time to home.  Ham steak for dinner....no lemon juice, ok we settled on hot dogs...off to the store tomorrow...Ham Steak tomorrow for dinner.



Charleston, SC

We went back to Charleston again today with no plans, but to park on Battery Street (the only free parking) and then walk through town.  We walked around the White Point Gardens, up on the raised river walk area and down through the rainbow house street (very colorful).  We walked around until about 1:00-1:15 then it's time to have lunch and ate at the 'Fleet Landing'.  Good food and brought back a lot of old memories for Brad.

The food was good, we both enjoyed our lunch, I had a salad with grilled shrimp and Brad had Shrimp and Grits (I liked mine better). 

We planned on doing a couple of tours today, but we got distracted walking 'Market Street', and then all the other streets, reading the history plaques, touring cemetaries and walking into the old churches or buildings that were open.  The next thing we knew it was time to think about heading home.
 

We did go to the 'Roof Top' bar/restaurant for a drink and then headed to the car.  OK, one more stop.  We actually decided we were going to have Tapas (Appetizers) for dinner.  Dinner consisted of  "Gargonzola Fig Terrine with fresh fruit" and "Portobello Mushroom, Ham and Cheddar Cheese Quiche with a side salad", a little different for us, but we enjoyed them both.

View from the 'Roof Top Bar'

We finally got home about 7:00, long day of walking but that will never hurt either of us.  Be back later.

Charleston, SC

We left Mayport yesterday about 9:30 and got here, the Air Force base Charleston,  about  3:00.  Didn't do much other than get set up and walk around the campground a couple of times.  Dinner and a lazy night for us.  That was really a long drive for us, 250 miles!

Monday, we get up and go for a bike ride, lasting about 45 min to an hour.  Back to the RV, I showered while Brad looked up a few things to do.  We finally headed into Charleston about 11:00,  a 15-20 min ride, and of course we started to look for a place to eat.  Two side by side restaurants looked good, but Brad left me pick, so we went to Poogan's Porch.  The food was good and the place was beautiful, and some great pictures of Charleston during the Civil War.

We walked around town until our parking meter ran out then we drove to the point of the city, making plans for the next 2 or 3 days of visiting.  More later, Diane and Brad

Mayport to Charleston

Yesterday was a hang out at camp day, first load of laundry in at 8:00, then had breakfast over at the club house, $2.50 for pancakes, sausage, bacon, oj and coffee, not a bad deal.  Finished laundry, then headed down to the beach.  We were there for about 2  hours, walking in and out of the water.  A beautiful day with lots of people, kids and dogs. 

Back to the RV where we both showered then gathered up every piece of dirty laundry threw that in, then sent Brad off to get gas in the car and a few other things while I called dad.  Coming back from the laundry we spoke briefly with the neighbors behind us, found out they have been full timing for over 5 years.  OK.  Back to the neighbors, time for us to ask lots of questions, and they gave us some advice, camp clubs to check out, and a lot of general information.  It is always fun getting information from people who have been at this a lot longer than us, and to find out that it actually takes a good year or so for you to make the full adjustment.

Well time to pack the computer and get ready to hit the road.  Next time I'll let you know how it is in Charleston, South Carolina.

Mayport, Fl 4/28

OK, we did go back to St. Augustine on Thursday.  Stopped at ITT and got tickets for 'Ripleys Believe it or Not' and the 'Pirate and Treasure Museum'.  Both were great, a lot of reading, but a lot to see.  It took us about an hour and a half to do Ripley's and about the same for the Museum.  The Museum would be great for kids as it has a lot of hands on things for them to do and a treasure hunt to do as they go through it.

Of course now it's time for lunch, found the 'Columbia' that had been recommended.....liked Harry's much better.  Not bad, but I guess I'm not all that fond of Spanish Cuisine.  After walking a bit on St. George street, again, we ended up by the dock where the tall ship the "Bounty" was parked, so down we go to see it.  They have 2 tours a day, but we aren't going to be there for one, so we just took a couple of pictures.

Back to walking through town and headed towards the museum.  It is about 3:45 when we get there and finished the tour a little after 5.  We were headed back to the car, then turned around and had a beer on the patio of a little bar on the front street, over looking the water.  Back to the car and headed home,stopping at the 'Reef' again, then left overs when we got home.  Both of us exhausted after 3 days of walking.

The USCGC Eagle

Friday we hung out at camp.  A load of laundry in the morning and then off to the grocery store.  ....Something must be going on, cars parked all over and more people down at the water than we have seen in the last 2 weeks.  OK, I'm nosey and walked over to ask somebody what was going on.  It seems the the Coast Guard Tall Ship the 'Eagle' was scheduled at 11:00, but here it is about 1:00 and should be here soon.  Once owned by Adolph Hitler, check out some of the history, pretty interesting.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Eagle_(WIX-327)

Well it is about 3:00 til we finally head to the stores, first to Wal-Mart, ugh, and then to the 'Fresh Market'.  Back home and an long walk on the beach, pork chops on the grill, and to bed early for me.  Today, pack-up and get ready for tomorrow,  our long 5 hour drive drive to Charleston, SC.