December 1st, 2021
Our trip to South Carolina came at a great time. Frankly, we were getting fat after being so spoiled in Georgia, so we were very excited to explore a new state and try to hike off some of that good Southern comfort food. Or, in my case, the sweet tea.
Our first stop on this mini road trip of ours was to Aiken, SC. Lisa, Sam’s mom, actually worked and lived there for a good amount of time just before she retired. During her time there, she made some wonderful friends named Matt and Denise Sherrard. They actually came to visit Los Alamos the weekend before we left on the Gap Year. In between working on the teardrop and other trip related errands, we actually got to hang out with them quite a bit.
They were so kind and generous, it honestly took Sam and I by surprise; they offered to let us stay in their Airbnb, free of charge, for a few nights when we found ourselves nearby. For Matt and Denise, the offer seemed to be nothing out of the norm. But for a couple of road hermits like Sam and I? We felt incredibly thankful and lucky to have this opportunity to be taken care of like this.
And trust me, they really, really took care of us.
Their property is situated right next to a small lake, separated from neighboring subdivisions by a thick stand of trees. The main house and rental property are a stone’s throw away from each other, but not so close that it’s claustrophobic. Outside the main house stood a stout pup quietly staring at us from the edge of the driveway as we drove in.
Denise came out to greet us, smiling broadly in the warm sun. Her soft voice and tight hugs mirrored the warmth of the sun. Usually Sam and I feel anxious when meeting up with people on the road, but it was hard to not feel at ease when Denise was around. There was just something about her and the way she spoke that just oozed kindness.
Fun fact about Denise: she actually follows these posts pretty closely, often commenting on her favorite photos along with thoughtful responses. As she was giving us the tour, she referenced some moments from the blog that not only made me smile, but it made it easier for Sam and I to share those moments with her. Laviska the Laundry bag, for example, definitely made an impression on her. Her heft has made quite the impression on me, as well.
After discussing some of our adventures, she said, “Wow, I feel like I’m talking with famous people right now!” Gosh, I know it sounds bad, but when she said that, it felt so good to know that all the work I put into documenting our trip hasn’t fallen on deaf ears.
Denise left us to our own devices as we began to unpack and acquaint ourselves with our new, temporary home. Much to our absolute surprise, we discovered a bowl full of various fruits and nuts as well as a fridge stocked with more than just the essentials. Food, everywhere we looked. Our eyes went wide in shock. If we thought we’d stop being spoiled once we left Georgia, we were dead wrong.
The air was really warm, so we decided to hang outside on the porch as we waited to join the Sherrards for dinner. I painted as Sam read beside me. I’ll say that I’ve really discovered a love for landscapes after working on the teardrop.
Matt stopped by the rental house when he got back from work. He was so excited to see us, his smile was the first thing I saw from the edge of the driveway. After a few hugs, we chatted for a while, Sam and I listening intently as Matt shared some of his crazy stories.
Matt actually records a lot of his own Christian music. When we first met him, I was surprised when he whipped out his own album and gifted it to us. I just haven’t met many Christian rock stars. On the porch, he was emphatically telling us about recording those songs and even being recognized for the first time. One of his more popular songs, Neecie, was inspired by his wife’s sleepy face, illuminated by the early morning light. In that moment, he was struck with how deeply he loved her and couldn’t help but write a song about her. It’s stories like these that stuck with me.
Not too much later, we all met at the Sherrard’s for dinner. Denise made turkey chili, but she didn’t stop there. When I came into the kitchen and saw Chicago dog fixings, my mouth began to water. Back in Los Alamos, Denise and I discovered that we share a love of these delicious hot doggies.
Even though Sam and I felt slightly undeserving of such a huge home cooked meal, I’m glad I could give Denise a reason to make herself a Chicago dog, too.
Matt somehow convinced Sam and I to try peanut butter and pickles for dessert. To this day, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted such a taste in my life . . . It wasn’t too bad, though.
(Please forgive the bad quality of the video)
The room we stayed in had a wall full of eastward facing windows. Sleepily, I caught sight of the sun rising in a brilliant blanket of color above the lake. Hot pinks, sea greens, and baby blues painted the sky, reflecting off the water. I briefly considered getting up and enjoying the sunrise while upright, but I gave into the heaviness of my eyelids. At least I got a glimpse.
Thinking back on it, I probably should have woken up with the sun. We woke up a bit too late and had to rush to get ready for our hiking date with Denise. Thankfully, we didn’t make her wait too long.
Sam rode in the back with Holly, the guard pup from earlier. Don’t let her “fight dog” appearance fool you -- all this dog wanted was to sit on Sam’s lap and leave her slobber as a symbol of love.
At the trailhead we met up with Linda, a friend of Denise’s. She acted as our forest tour guide, pointing out important landmarks and retelling stories about the trails we were on. After all the food we’ve been eating these past few weeks, it felt good to be able to work some of that off. Linda made sure of that.
Early morning hikes are so wonderful and worth it, if you can actually get out of bed for them.
Along those five miles, we meandered through the forest trails and enjoyed getting to know each other better. The thick layer of leaves crunching beneath our feet made listening a bit hard at times, but it just added to the ambiance. With the sun shining brightly above us and Holly exploring to her hearts content, it was impossible not to feel the energy of the moment. If I had to choose one word to describe those few hours, it would be happy.
At one point, Linda asked for a few photography tips. I was taken by surprise, but really enjoyed sharing some pointers. That moment reminded me of how much I enjoy teaching. Who knows, maybe one of these days I’ll end up doing something like that.
By the time we finished our early morning hike, Sam and I were unexpectedly exhausted. We got back way before noon and didn’t really know what to do with ourselves. After munching on some food that Denise left us, we pondered what we’d do next.
I took one long look at Sam. I’m fairly certain he could read the words, “please, let’s take a nap” on my forehead. Thankfully, I saw the same thing in his eyes.
So, nap we did, and it was a splendid nap indeed.
We woke up who knows how long later. You see, the delayed beauty of early morning hikes is that you can take a nap and still wake up with half the day left. Once we shook off the lingering haze of sleep, we excitedly got ready to kayak on the lake.
I considered taking my camera on the kayak, but Sam convinced me that was a horrible idea. Knowing me, that was a good call.
At least I had my phone on me! I couldn’t resist despite the danger.
The oddly warm December sun was a welcome digression from the cold we kept running into weeks before. Without thinking about how unseasonable that warmth was, I let myself soak up as many rays as I could before we finally got back onto shore.
To kill some time before dinner with Matt and Denise, Sam and I predictably decided to paint and read on the porch again. As I grew closer to finishing the painting, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I knew I should do other things, like work on this blog, but there was no hope of getting anything done while that page was still unfinished. I think Sam was having a similar experience with his book, because I don’t think we said a single word to each other for a couple of hours, each lost in our own worlds.
So content we were that we lost track of time. A phone call from Denise told us they were waiting for us to get ready, all while my paints were scattered across the entire table. To my credit, I cleaned like a machine.
Finally ready and only a little sweaty, we piled into the car and drove to downtown Aiken.
Downtown Aiken is actually really cool. It reminded me a lot of Fort Collins, where you have old buildings filled with new-age shops and restaurants. My favorite part about the area were the alleyways. Without a road to hinder foot traffic, a festive energy permeated the walkways. People were grouping together, chatting amongst friends new and old. Children played with each other, their laughter echoing off the brick buildings. Yes, you could say it was a little overwhelming at first, but I relaxed into it.
While waiting for our table to be ready, Denise caught me eyeing a sign for a nearby art gallery. I sheepishly said we don’t need to go in, but she insisted we take a look. I’m so glad she encouraged us to do that, because holy cow I love art. We checked out not one, but two galleries while waiting for our seats. I was a happy, happy Kestrel.
I didn’t know it at the time, but that night gave me an answer to a problem I’ve been struggling with for a while now. The Gap Year is mostly focused on the natural areas of the US, but there are just some cities we can’t ignore. My problem? Cities are kind of made to take your money in one way or another. Chicago was a painful reminder of that. But that night in Aiken made me realize that we didn’t need to spend money to have fun in the area.
Nope, the cheapest and arguably best way to get to know a city is through the artists that live there. Through their eyes you’ll get a chance to see a thousand different perspectives in a thousand different styles. History, humanity, and beauty will always shadow art. It’s also really easy to tell yourself you don’t need that when that costs $350.
Dinner finally arrived in the form of a pizza from the Magic Mushroom pizzeria. Sam and I vaguely knew of the chain and were painfully curious about such an odd establishment. All the intrigue we had was not ill placed. Everything from the wall decorations to the menu was artistically designed.
And, oh goodness, do not get me started on the pizza. I’m not lying when I said that those few slices had to be the best I’ve ever had.
We lingered in that magical place of mushrooms. Good food, fun ambiance, and even better conversation really made for yet another wonderful moment with the Sherrards. Eventually, we made our way onto the streets again and simply meandered for a while. We slowly made our way to the car, the food coma setting in with each step.
On our way back to the car, we had to stop and listen to these two play. One had a guitar and the other was playing a mean fiddle.
Our last stop of the night was the Sherrard’s kitchen for fudge pops. Denise accidentally bought too many and really wanted us to eat them all. As willing as I was to complete that challenge, there was no humanly way I could ingest that much fudgy goodness. So, we just sat there, quietly enjoying Matt’s stories until Denise kindly reminded us that Matt was a talker. As he put it, “If you wait for the big man to stop speaking, you’ll be here all night.”
There I stood, dumbfounded as to how these wonderful people could be so generous, despite only having met us once before. “How can we repay you for everything you two have done for us?” Sam asked Matt. With a smile that stretched ear to ear, he simply asked for our friendship in return.
Now that’s something we can definitely do.
Matt and Denise, thank you for being such gracious hosts, hilarious dinner companions, and dear friends. Your support means more than you know.
I hope you two had as much fun hanging out as we did.
Denise was kind enough to make us an entire loaf of sourdough to take on the road with us. She is truly an angel.
Congaree National Park
It’s hard to believe that Congaree will be our first National Park since going to Shenandoah all those weeks ago. I really hate to admit it, but my expectations for parks in the East are always lower than those in the West. Of course, every natural area and national park deserves love, but history has a way of tarnishing some of these gems. Let’s talk about that for a second.
The East is where Pilgrims and early Americans settled. Back then, they were just trying to survive. Their relationship to nature wasn’t like ours is today. For these early settlers, nature was where sickness, danger, and death lurked. Alongside that thinking, nature was also seen as an inexhaustible source of resources. As a result, there were no reservations held when changing entire landscapes to better suit their needs.
Years after the American West was opened up for settlement, people were beginning to take issue with this for a few different reasons. According to the National Park Service, the beginning of the modern-day conservation movement began from three schools of thought: “utilitarian conservation (natural resource management), preservationist conservation (preserving scenic nature), and wildlife habitat protection.” To paraphrase poorly, people were beginning to second guess the status quo of take and never give back.
As westward expansion continued, Congress was beginning to take note of nature’s marvels with the help of photographers and artists. Yellowstone, the first national park, was established in 1872 to preserve its astounding beauty. Theodore Roosevelt, worried about the trajectory of this take and never give back sentiment, protected “approximately 230 million acres of public land” and established the National Park Service, among many other important agencies and federal protections (NPS).
Now, if you’re wondering where I’m going with this, I can’t blame you. If you can’t tell, I’ve fallen into quite the tangent. The history of conservation is so interesting and its importance cannot be understated.
My point is that the East didn’t get the same treatment as the West. All of the above plays a heavy part in why the East has smaller and fewer National Parks, hence my low expectations. Thankfully, I’m always wrong.
The Congaree National Park brochure above mentions the park “protects the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest in the United States.” I felt an odd sense of loss for the 99.5% of forest lost. Call me whatever you want, but knowing that only 11,000 acres remain of this unique environment weighs on my heart. I may never know how this land lived just 300 years ago, but I can imagine what it was like thanks to our visit to Congaree.
We pulled into the visitor center at Congaree National Park a few hours before dark. I almost didn’t bring my camera because we only meant to walk around for a moment. One long look at the clear sky and golden rays of sun shining through the forest quickly changed my mind.
Not bringing my camera? What was I thinking?
These stalks of wood are called knees and help give the Cypress trees stability.
I love the contrast between the warm sun rays and the cool reflection of the sky.
Reflections have really sucked me in lately, can you tell?
This panorama is probably one of my favorites. It's so much fun to follow the trees.
The boardwalks lead us away from the visitor center and above the forest floor. Yellowstone is the only other place where we’ve walked across boardwalks before, and I have to say, I really love the experience. Boardwalks have a way of reminding you of your role in the park; you are, first and foremost, a visitor. There’s also the added bonus of being wheelchair accessible.
The infamous mosquito meter was blissfully low during our visit.
One night spent at a nearby Cracker Barrel later, and we found ourselves back at that same visitor center. Instead of sticking to the boardwalks, though, we set out for a long hike through the forest.
Please, imagine yourself walking along with us when you see these next few photos. Imagine the warm air sticking to your skin as you follow the path ahead. Imagine losing the path and relying on the marked trees to find your way, all while you listen to the loud silence of life in the forest. Imagine taking a break to snack on a bridge and watching seeds fall from the sky and plop into the water below.
This is probably one of my favorites from Congaree. I took some liberties while editing and really like how the colors turned out.
MORE MUSHROOMS.
Just look at how beautiful she is! Please ignore the mosquitoes.
I really love how dark the water is compared to the brightness of the leaves.
The bark of this huge Loploli tree was so deep that moss began to grow between the cracks.
With the reflection, this tree looks like a portal to a dark and deadly dimension.
Near the end of our hike we walked among a restoration area. Park Rangers would do control burns to allow native trees to grow back.
I was pretty shocked to see the different colors of moss covering these massive trees.
The branch directly above the water is curving all over the place, standing in stark contrast to the straight trees along the bank.
Santee Coastal Reserve
Our next destination was Charleston, SC. Nearly everyone we’ve met on the road in the South has told us to visit Charleston, that it’s an “epitome of the Old South.” Of course, my knowledge of the Old South is less than limited, so I really had no idea what to expect from a city with such deep history.
Before I got the chance to find out, however, Sam and I decided to take a day off from exploring. We found a free campsite on the Santee Coastal Reserve, which was about an hour outside of Charleston. Huge Southern Live Oak trees welcomed us with open arms, reaching above the road in a protective arch. We pulled in right as the sun began to set, but I could still admire the trees through the dim light.
When looking for this site, there was mention of mosquitos being really bad. Of course, that review was written during the summer and, after seeing the low levels of the Skeeter Meter, Sam and I knew there was nothing to worry about.
Nope. We were wrong. Very wrong.
The second we stopped the car, we could see the mosquitoes attempting to break through the windows. You haven’t really lived until you’ve experienced those bloodsuckers try everything in their power to get to you.
Okay, maybe I’m being dramatic. Sure, the mosquitoes were bad, but they weren’t bad enough to keep us from enjoying ourselves. Not yet, at least.
The next morning we slept in and sought to explore this neat little area we found ourselves in. After some scouting, we decided to finally take out the bikes and ride them around a few of the nearby trails.
The first ten minutes of our ride were stunning. I’ve never been so up close and personal with a swamp before, and I couldn’t help but stop every thirty yards or so to take another photo. The bikes were a welcome way of traveling the trails; they allowed us to see so much more in half the time.
The next ten minutes were confusing. My numerous stops apparently caught the attention of a nearby horde. Soon enough, each stop for a photo op came with more skeeters. I didn’t think too much of it until I realized it didn’t matter how far I biked before stopping. They always caught up.
In the midst of our getaway, Sam thought he heard an alligator rustling in the tall grass beside the road. I rode ahead, focused on beating the mosquitoes hot on our trail. Sam lagged behind, widening the gap between us, when I saw a small alligator just to the left of me. Right where Sam was about to ride.
I yelled behind me as loud as I could to warn him, but I was too far ahead. Apparently, he hadn’t looked in front of him the entire time, because I watched him squeal as his front tire came just an inch away from running over the poor thing. The gator didn’t even move a muscle.
I would have gone back to take a picture, but I was laughing too hard to remember to stop.
After our near hit-and-run with the alligator, our lighthearted bike ride turned into a run for our lives.
You can’t tell in these photos, but we had to bike at a high enough speed to keep the mosquitoes from catching up. It was exhausting. You'd be surprised how fast those suckers can fly!
Our fear of being eaten alive overrode our sense of direction. We soon found ourselves on a paved road, nowhere near where we were supposed to be.
These men were really friendly and tried their best to give us directions, but their accents were so thick it was nearly impossible to understand them. This was the first moment on the Gap Year where I really felt like we were in another country and struggled with a language barrier.
Charleston, SC
The next day, we left the teardrop at our campsite and drove to Charleston.
We tried our hardest to spend as little money as possible during our time in the city. Thankfully, the historic district has so much to see that we didn’t need to pay for anything other than parking. When lunch came around, we had a few close calls and came close to buying food, but our better senses prevailed. After our bellies were safely filled, we sought out a few of the numerous art galleries that dotted downtown Charleston. From classic paintings to mosaics to glassworks, we found a rich diversity in the art inspired by the city.
After a few attempts, I’ve decided that my photos will do more justice than my words in describing this beautifully aged cityscape. The architecture had incredible architectural styles that I couldn’t hope to name. The city parks featured towering Palmettos and arching Southern Live Oaks, along with statues commemorating Confederate causes and Revolutionary heroes. Everywhere I looked was another piece of history, tucked away in the corners of this long lived city.
So many houses were chock full of color, my little heart was so excited to see the vibrancy!
One small moment near the water.
The sun shining through the clouds colored the sky in a soft rainbow. It was so beautiful.
I know this photo lacks a subject, but the colors are just so soft that I still really enjoy it.
As beautiful as the area along the water was, people still found a way to litter and ruin it.
I was taking a photo of the bridge when I just so happened to see a small pod of dolphins pop out of the water! I was so shocked and happy, I love dolphins so much.
I wonder if they're local or tourists.
Look at all those Christmas presents coming in on that gigantic cargo ship.
The residual fall colors contrasted beautifully with the cyan building.
Charleston was still pretty big all the way back in 1711, before the Revolutionary War. That's so crazy to think about it.
Massive mansions just like this one dotted the road beside the ocean.
The park just down the street from those mansions was littered with these statues commemorating soldiers and important Southern figures.
This structure really caught my eye, I've never quite seen anything like it before.
Green, pink, and yellow, all standing together. It's like I'm looking at my own little painter's palette.
The dog in the window watched us admire her home.
Badges like these were found everywhere on buildings throughout the historic district.
The more you look at this building, the more odd it is. I love it.
Rainbow Row had the most colorful buildings of them all. Oh, what I would give to live in such a colorful neighborhood.
One of the many galleries we saw had this painting. Given the city we were in, I couldn't help but think these people in the cotton fields were slaves. The chandelier in the room reflected in the glass, a harsh juxtaposition against the life these subjects must have lived.
The most important part of history we saw that day was the Old Slave Mart, where thousands upon thousands of people were sold as property to the rest of the country. Within the maw of this historical beast lay a museum devoted to the education of this era.
We stopped by Folly Beach to look at the water and take a shower.
Just outside the city stood an absolutely massive, sprawling tree called the Angel Oak. The subject of many painter's pieces, I was happy to capture this man with his work in progress.
It's nearly impossible to fathom how something could grow in such a chaotic yet strong way.
Sam for scale.
The warm street lights bathed the Southern Live Oaks in this city park with a warm glow.
We spent the entire day exploring this beautifully colorful city. Despite all the fun we had, though, it felt so good to be back with the teardrop. Sam and I savored our last few hours at the Santee Coastal Reserve as we mentally prepared ourselves for yet another day in a different city.
Savannah, GA
In contrast to Charleston, the lines between Savannah’s history and modern life were blurry. Charleston’s architecture had a way of drawing in your interest to the shop inside, whereas the buildings’ structure in Savannah felt overshadowed by the businesses within.
I don’t mean to say I didn’t enjoy Savannah, but we definitely chose one of the more touristy areas to walk around. The weather definitely didn’t help the city shine; the sky grew overcast as winds began to quicken. As a result, the lighting was too bad to take the kind of photos I would have wanted, so I don’t have too many.
Nonetheless, it’s always fun taking time to waltz around unfamiliar areas with your best friend. Sam and I had a lot of fun popping into whichever shops caught our fancy. Just as we decided to head back to the car, one shop in particular caught my eye. There was a booth filled to the brim with beaded jewelry of all kinds. From huge, draping necklaces to belts with beads sewn into leather, my eyes couldn’t grow any larger.
This photo makes me laugh every time I see it. Sam wanted to eat every single one of those oysters. He probably could have if our wallets were thicker. Instead, all he could do was wistfully gaze at what could have been.
Fun fact about Kestrel: I am obsessed with beaded jewelry. For one, I’m a huge fan of minimalist accessories. But, more importantly, it’s nearly impossible for this style of jewelry to be mass produced. After talking with the very nice lady behind the booth, she confirmed that she and a handful of others get together and make everything by hand. She also shared that she learned how to make this style of jewelry in her home country of Kenya. Man, let me tell you. Handcrafted goods that are made locally are my number one weakness. Of course, I couldn’t help but buy myself a pair of earrings.
If you love these as much as I do, I insist you check out some of their other pieces. Not only will you be directly supporting incredible artisans, but your money will stay inside of the U.S. What more could you ask for?
Giddy with excitement from my new purchase, we slowly made our way back to the Jeep and, soon enough, our next campsite.
Jekyll Island, GA
The next stop on our mini road trip was Jekyll Island. In order to enter the island, you need to pay close to $20 just to pass through the gate. Too rich for our blood, we found an unexpected work around: the bikes!
Biking around the island was a lot of fun. We stopped at any signs that looked interesting, walked through an art gallery or two, and resisted any urge to purchase food despite our grumbling stomachs.
He always needs to feed the urge to touch cold water.
In the early 1900s, Jekyll island was used as a winter getaway for the rich and wealthy. Many of the old buildings left on the island were a part of an exclusive club used by Eastern men and their families to detach themselves from the drags of “society.”
Eventually, the hunger grew too strong, and we decided to leave before spending too much money on food.
Cumberland Island, GA
Just south of Jekyll Island lay Cumberland Island.
This next stop was exceptionally exciting for me and Sam. Not only were we going to see a more undeveloped side of Georgia’s barrier islands, but we were going to spent a night backpacking there, too!
The wake of the ferry created a really cool effect with the sign in the water.
To get to the island, we needed to take a ferry. On the 45 minute ride, we saw more dolphins and even got to meet a Mycologist! A mycologist, if you didn’t know, is an expert in mushrooms, so you can imagine my excitement. Once we started our hike in the maritime forest of the island, I understood why he would take a trip out there: there were. So. Many. Mushrooms.
Here are just a few of the fun guys I saw on the trails:
This one is my absolute favorite. Can you guess why?
There were even sand mushrooms!
This fungi was the weirdest of them all. The gooey black inside looks so dark and ominous.
Our hike to the campsite was a leisurely three miles. Along with ample mushroom admiration, we encountered feral horses and were even spooked by an armadillo rustling in the bushes. You heard me, an armadillo!
Just look at how cute this guy is. I knew we might encounter one or two, but I never thought we’d see so many! Apparently no one told them they aren’t native to the island, because they seem to happily fit right in. We saw so many, I got in the habit of calling them Armadillies.
Walking through the maritime forest made it easy to forget the Atlantic Ocean was less than a mile away. If we were quiet enough, I could hear the waves crashing through the trees.
Our campsite was situated right under a huge Southern Live Oak. Before setting up, we decided to quickly eat and check out the ocean. The low tide exposed thousands of shells and it took every bit of my willpower to not collect every single one.
The rest of our time on the island was spent messing around and hanging out. We set up camp and went right back to the beach. Sam even took my camera for a little while and took some great photos. He always compares himself to me and likes to think he doesn’t take good photos, but let me tell you, this kid is getting better and better every day. I’ve even gotten him started on editing the photos he takes. If he wanted to, he could easily surpass me. Thankfully, I think he prefers to leave the photography to me.
I might just be the most photogenic person in the entire world.
This is my favorite photo that he took. The placement of the footprints in the frame paint a peaceful picture of a walk on the beach.
With a little direction from me, he also took this one. Look at us, the Little Bubble Buddies!
My favorite part of the whole trip had to be our shell painting.
Right when we left on the Gap Year, our good friend Kim challenged me to make a portrait out of foreign objects. No pen, no paper. It took me a while to finally figure out what to do, but I’m glad Sam helped me decide on making the face out of seashells.
This time lapse makes me smile so big. Sam likes to deny his artistry, but he really shines in unconventional moments like these.
How do you think we did? The mouth makes me laugh so hard.
Our night in Cumberland marked our first backpacking trip during the Gap Year. I loved seeing the sheer diversity of such a small area. The next day, we broke camp and decided to walk back along the beach.
I never really pictured myself backpacking along the ocean, but there we were, stomping on the beach with our fat hiking boots and heavy backpacks. The hardest part was navigating along the beach when there were so few landmarks to judge distance. To keep our minds occupied, we played a few word games for a long time. Nothing beats moments like these with your best friend and partner.
These birds are so weird looking, but I can't stop looking at them.
Soon enough, we reached the visitor center where the ferry would pick us up in the afternoon. Since we still had a few hours to kill, we decided to explore the south end of the island.
Just as Jekyll Island was used by the rich and famous as a spot for their vacation homes, Cumberland Island had its fair share of wealthy occupants. The most notable of those occupants were the Carnegie family. Andrew Carnegie was an American Industrialist who revolutionized the steel industry and, as a result, became absolutely stinkin’ rich. In the late 1800s, he and his family had their sights set on using Cumberland Island for their vacation home and slowly bought land to build on. Sadly, Andrew died before they finished construction. Instead of giving up and cutting her losses, however, his wife Louise Carnegie took charge of the construction of their mansion, which was unusual for women at the time. By its completion, the mansion was more of a castle, with a total of 59 rooms, a pool, golf course, and smaller housing for their servants (source)
Eventually the Carnegie’s abandoned their Cumberland home in the early 1900’s. A fire of unknown origin consumed the old building, and its old bones were all that remained of the grand structure.
By the time we got back from exploring the south end of the island, I was officially pooped.
The ferry came right around sunset. As we watched the island slowly recede into the colorful horizon, Sam and I were sad to leave. We made a lot of fun memories on Cumberland Island, and I’m so excited to visit again in the future. Not only is it simply a beautiful area to lose yourself in, but the history is rich enough to keep you asking questions.
We originally planned on getting back to Grandma and Bappa’s in another few days, but we found ourselves in desperate need of clean laundry.
The lack of any clean socks was what finally made us decide to drive the five hours from Cumberland back to Sam’s grandparents’ house.
Merry Christmas!
My present to you is this very long winded post chock-full of our adventures in South Carolina and Georgia. I hope you enjoyed seeing the diversity of photos I took in the cities and forests. Which was your favorite?
Oh, and can you tell I had a lot of fun writing this? Retelling our stories through prose and photos was so enjoyable.
It’ll be a few weeks before you hear about our adventures again! But worry not, I have a surprise for you in the coming New Year. Make sure that you’re subscribed to my email list, because I’m really excited about what I’ll be sharing. If you’re new and aren’t on the list, all you need to do is sign up at the top of the page :) Trust me, you’ll want to see it.
Until then, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.
May your food be tasty, your time with family be splendid, and your presence a gift in itself.
All the best,
Kes the Photobean
For more moments of our adventures, follow us on Instagram!
@thephotobean & @robitrailers
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