Traveling as far south as we did yesterday turned out to be an exceptionally wise decision … and made our Christmas Eve Day drive much easier and safer than if we'd had to start out from the Wade/Fayetteville area which experiencing heavy thundertorns and winds gust to over 40 MPH.
After taking my first hot shower in since leaving home … while our hot water heater is working fine, none of the warm water is reaching our faucets or our shower, a problem I plan to have looked at by someone who knows more about motorhome plumbing systems that I do when we get to Sarasota … we got underway about quarter after eight. almost immediately after getting back ion I-95, less than 1/4 mile as the crow flies from were we spent the night, were engulfed by a thick fog crossing Lake Santee.
However, as quickly as it came up, it was gone once over the lake
other than in a couple of roadside depressions off the highway.
Then we were caught in a brief rain shower … and passed by an obvioulsy wet motorcycle rider whose wide red and white scarf remnded us of comic versions of Snoopy and the Red Baron.
Another first, an ambulence being given a lift.
and,last but not least …
A now discontinued South Carolina state flag
A little less than an hour later, we approached the South Carolina / Georgia state line.
We always wonder what inspired this out-of-place lighthouse.
This fountain was the first indication of some of the stronger winds which we anticipated, although no where as gusty as those we'd avoided to the north.
Does he want to be Santa or Frosty?
Anyone what a fire engine?
Debbie is again watching the rear of vehicles in front of us
I don't recall ever seeing a fuel oil truck this dented
I'll bet we've photographed this crumbling smoke stack more times than we can count
With only 17 miles to go once entering
we saw the first road clean-up crews on this trip,
another flipped over semi's trailer being recovered
and a Winnebago "retro" travel trailer … a newly built version of a 1950's year unit.
We still like the Pecan Park RV Resort
with the one reservation that the sites we invariably end up in are directly in line with and just 1/2 mile from the end of the Jacksonville Inernational Airport's runway "26" … and when the plans are on their final approach we can damn near reach out and touch the aircraft.
However, we get used to the occaisonal roar of the jet engines.
This now being Christmas Eve, we walked around before dark, as rain and high winds were predicted for shortly after 6:00 PM, to see some of the Christmas decorations short and long term visitors to the Park had on display …
and shortly after dark and before the heavens opened up, an attempt to capture some of them actually lit up.
