Part one of my series of traveling with introverts! My husband and I are both introverts. We are different levels of introvert but find we share many things in common when it comes to our introversion. The first being our own space. As much as we enjoying seeing our family the question always comes down to; where will we sleep? Where could we have time to decompress, relax and recharge? We don't like taking over someones' space; so, using a guest room is nice but not ideal (especially if it's one of our family members rooms they are very nicely giving up for us). That is where having an RV would come in. You can define your own space in an RV. You would have your own bed and area that allows you to recharge after a hard days interactions. Beds come in all sizes from single to king and the living area is just as nice.
The second thing we share in common with each other is the amount of time we are able to be around others. We both have a max of about two hours. With an RV we have a separate area that allows us a quiet space to do whatever we need to recharge. Even when parking in a close area to those we spend time with, it's an obvious separation that allows us the comforts of home and the joys of seeing family and friends on our terms.
An RV that I like:
Now lets talk space. Rv's can be small pop ups that you can pull behind your 4-cylinder car or larger ones that need a truck. Depending on what you want to do and where you want to go, either of these can be ideal. I personally like the brand Cedar Creek by the company Forest River. I can bring my kitties in this thing and we will all fit! I like the idea of being able to take everything I love, wherever I want and have my area when it's time to recharge.
Playlist of RVs' that I like. So many options for your home away from home!
If you are anything like us, it's not about staying away from people; but being able to enjoy the people we want to see. This way we have the best of both worlds and find more of a desire to travel. Go to your local RV store and check out what they have. You might be surprised at just how spacious they are!
It's November and every year this is the time to learn our history as a country. What keeps us free, what makes us great and the sacrifice that is required for these things. The Tuskegee Airmen are one such example of those who sacrificed and what we can accomplish when hate and bigotry are set aside for love and common sense.
Enjoy the video
While there the stillness of the air provided an atmosphere of contemplation. The plagues and information boards give a small window into the life and times of our boys. What has inspired me most about these men (and others before them) is knowing that as they fight they protect not only the lives they love, but the lives of those who would sooner see them dead.
When you fight in our armed forces you fight for not only those you love, but those who ideals are totally abhorent to you. This I think is something that is sometimes hard to remember. Our fighters, our boys; fight for us all. Never forget that these men draw lines in the sand and defend those lines. They make it possible, in a very real sense, for each of us to fight over ideals from our keyboards; rather than having to pick up weapons everyday and fight off those that would tear down the fabric of this nation. Remember to thank them for the freedom and ease that you have. It was won with bitter cost.
Granby Park has so much potential. My husband and I traveled there as a way to get out of our area after Hurricane Matthew. When we arrived it the area looked exactly as we expected a small park to be; bathrooms, resting area, water fountain for dogs and people, signs that give you information about the animals and plant life that you may see, the hours of the park and last but not least the rules of the park. What we did not expect to see there was a police call box. If you have never seen them before these boxes are typically placed in areas that are not safe. You press a button that calls the police directly and they come to you as soon as they can. We weren't sure what to expect after that, but we forged on to see for ourselves what the park had to offer.
Enjoy the video!
The first little jaunt was not long as they do not seem to have developed the walk way to the right. It ended at some very overgrown woods and it wasn't a long walk either. There were a couple of people there; one fishing from an area that appeared to be a dirt slide for personal water craft and a gentleman sitting on at a picnic table listening to music and watching the sun set. We ended up turning around and taking the concrete path to the left. Several steps in and we found a homeless man fishing for turtles. We greeted him and he told us this park had been here for a long time. I looked it up and it was started in the 1990's. We thanked him, wished him luck and kept walking. Here the trail gets very scenic and you have a few stopping points to view the river. A couple of these viewing points were rendered pointless, however, because of the overgrowth directly in front of it. You could tell by the tree and grass growth that it was not well cared for.
We continued down the way to the abandoned trussel finding broken beer bottles, graffiti and more police call boxes to the winding back end of the park. Passing a few people walking back to the front, we witnessed at least one drug deal going down and a possible deal waiting to happen as we passed. We also saw a few people using it as a spot to drink beer while sitting in their truck (a definite no-no according to the park rules) and proceeded to come down with a distinctly unsafe feeling about the whole thing.
Our final thoughts: It is unfortunate that a place with such beauty and potential is struck down with the plague of being so unkept and forgotten looking. We wish they would place a walking or riding cop in the park to help clean it up a bit. If you want to go to Granby Park, go with a buddy, some sort of weapon and not after 4 p.m., that would be our advice. It is also our sincere hope this park is cleaned up, organinzed and made safe by the people who use it.
Important tid-bits:
Granby Park is located: 100 Catawba Cir, Columbia, SC 29201
Bathrooms and water are available at the beginning of the trail area.
If you find yourself in trouble or hurt the police call boxes are everywhere and they can get to you without having to know a number or anything.
What is developed is handicap friendly, except for certain low lying areas in the development that could have water on them if it rained.
Go with a buddy and do not go there at night! If you want to go, we would not stop you. But please, do not go alone and do not go unprepared. You may find yourself in need of the police call boxes if traveling there unprepared.
I participated in my first heart walk this year. The walk itself is only three miles, 1.5 one way and the same 1.5 back all along some of the most well known areas of Downtown Charleston. This walk is dedicated to survivors of heart disease, raising money to help fight heart disease and stroke, and raising awareness for living a healthy lifestyle. I went with three friends and had a good time trying to beat their time from last year and waving at the volunteers that cheered us on while we walked. Film crews from local news stations and college students recording for film class were also present. We had several photo opportunities which included Batman, the Heart walk Heart and the Stingrays mascot. We got our picture with Batman! :)
Enjoy the video below!
When you go you want to get there early as traffic was crazy! You are allowed free parking in the parking garage of the Aquarium util 12pm that day, it is suggested that you carpool if you can. According to my friends there are a bunch of freebies that are also given away before you start the walk. Those include but are not limited to: free water for the duration of the walk, cookies and coupons provided by Subway, face painting and bounce castle for the kids and more! This event is open to everyone and is pet friendly. You don't have to pay to walk and it's a good way to see the iconic places of Downtown Charleston.
Important tips:
Water is provided free of charge to walkers and bathrooms are located in the parking garage
Parking is free in the Aquarium garage.
This is a pet friendly event. Your pet must be leashed and you must pick up after said pet.
This event is handicap accessible. Watching the video you will see everyone is included in this walk.
Get there early!! Traffic is terrible for this event as thousands of people are going. Plus you want to get in on these freebies :)
Be aware that there are many people filming and taking pictures.
To find out more about the Charleston Heart Walk visit there website: Charleston Heart Walk
Our final thoughts on this free event is that we will be back next year and early!
Mepkin Abbey is an active Trappist monk monastery located on the Cooper River. It has lovely gardens, a small contemplative maze and, of course; a reception center gift shop. The history of Mepkin is tied into the plantation land that it sits on. You can find graveyards, old oak trees that stretch across the water, statuary, a large pond and several picnic worthy areas.
Mepkin Abbey is a former rice plantation. At 7,000 acres there is more than enough room for anyone who wants a peaceful and reflective time in nature. People of all faiths are welcome to enjoy the grounds and hold discourse with the monks. It has been owned by three families and was eventually passed on to the church in the 1950's.
The first summer I went on this adventure, I went back four times. It's serenity and beauty calls me back every year. As I wander the grounds, look at the flowers, statues, visit the gift shop area and enjoy the rows of angel oak trees peace overwhelms my soul. When you go, you seem to be able to forget about the big wide world outside and just exist in that moment with nature. We can not wait to go back!
Bathrooms, waterfoutains and bottled waters for purchase are all available at the gift shop.
This area is wheelchair accessible for most of it. They have built up roads for a good portion and the views from the top where you can not access from the wheel chair are stunning. Everyone will have a great time.
Don't forget your sunscreen, water, and possibly even a hat if you are out here during the summer. You may be covered by trees, but it still gets plenty hot.
The monastary does have various times it is closed, multiple events during the year and tours you can take. Don't be shy and ask at the gift shop for a list of all of these events.
Final conclusion: we will return every year. There is always something small but different to see when you go, and the peace of the area never changes.
I recently had the pleasure to revisit Colonial Lake Park. Before it was redone by the Charleston Park Conservancy it was basically a tidal pond with some cement around it. There were a few palm trees here and there, but to my recollection there was no seating and the area around the pond was very hot. My husband and I found it by accident one day. We could find no sign for the area and had no idea what we had really come across. With the improvements made to the area by the conservancy I now think of it as a park, rather than the cement pond we found. Images of the pond in it's different forms can be found here. This park has been around since the late 1700's and has it's history wrapped up in the changing shape and ideas of freedom that molded Charleston since it's founding.
What I most liked about the revamp of the park was the greening of it. Now you can walk around this pond, get some sun, and then rest in the gathering cool of the trees that are on the corner and sides of the pond itself. In doing research for this park I came across several articles that showed the people of the area are heavily invested in what happens to it. They have, several times, stopped different types of beautification from happening siting many reasons it should not be done. For us this means the park is dearly loved by many people. It's not a place that was changed solely to attract to visitors, but, to be agreeable to those who live around it. I have read stories that people regale about coming to this tidal pond and swimming, taking picnics and just generally enjoying themselves outdoors at the park across the street called Moultrie Playground.
I would recommend this area for a good half hour walk to stretch the legs. It has some very nice green spaces, you are surrounded on all sides by the classic Charleston homes, and when the wind is right, you have the smell of the sea with the lapping of the water making for a very relaxing area. We plan to visit it again with our dog.
Now down to the important wonderings:
Colonial Lake Park is located at 41 Ashley Ave., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 {This is actually the address to Moultrie Playground, when I put in the original address, it takes you to someones home. If you are using a different GPS system change the 41 to a 42}
This park is wheelchair accessable. The park is level and well kept so no extra planning is needed.
There are no public bathrooms available. Plan accordingly.
Although the water is said to be swimmable, we can find nothing that says it's ok and nothing that says don't do it. Swim at your own risk.
We could find two water fountains, so no worries there.
Thank you for reading and joining us on this wander! If you want to learn more about this historic Park, click here.
If walls could talk Fort Moultrie would be the story teller who gets first place by the fire. The history of this fort spans from the early 1700 to the end of World War 2. I have been to this site many times and every time I go; I can't help but wonder what it must have been like in the heydays of this very historic fort. As I stand on the grass that was once a platform for soldiers to reveille I wonder to myself what loves lost were thought of here? Did commanders wonder if they would succeed? Did they mourn each other with the foreknowledge that some may not come home? These are things this old fort makes me wonder.
Fort Moultrie is a favorite for locals and visitors alike as it has cannons from the civil war and war equipment from the world wars as well. The place is said to be haunted by soldiers who fell on the beach, however, I can't find any stories to confirm this. Along with the main fort, there is an abandoned area that you can walk around but not into. It has been deemed unsafe and has many areas that are closed off to the public. Once you leave the forts there are two access points to the beach. One walk way leads out to a rocky out cropping which can be beautiful on its own. Then you can also visit the Sullivans Island beach. Neither of these are beaches for swimming. We still recommend them as places to watch the sunrise or set. As you can see in our video that can be very beautiful. You also have a chance to watch all kinds of boats float by and have a great view of the suspension bridge.
Fort Moultrie is part of a historic trust called, "The Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Historic Trust". This trust actually includes four areas of historical interest: Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Liberty Square and the Charles Pinckney Site. Each one has a learning area and then an area to walk around to experience a taste of southern history. Watch the video below for more details about that. Another note of interest for literary scholars or just those interested in horror/macabre: Edgar Alan Poe was stationed here during his short tour in the military. It has been recorded that the area was inspiring for many of his stories, namely: "The Gold Bug". If you get a chance visit Poe's Tavern about ten minutes away from the fort to have a great meal.
To enjoy even more photos taken at the fort check out our: Flickr Album
Now lets get down to the important tid bits:
Fort Moultrie is located at 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island South Carolina 29482
It is mostly wheelchair accessible. There are many areas that are well built and others that are dirt and grass.
It cost 3$ a person to get in. They do have times when it is free. Usually after the summer time.
Bathrooms are available as well as water and souvenirs at the welcome area.
Be sure to ask the ranger on duty for any pamphlets or information for wandering this site. They should give a packet that contain the history of the area and other ways to participate in caring for the history of this area. Watch the video below for more information about that.
