GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Santeetlah Lake and purple blossom tree they said was Cottonwood but not convinced

In Cherokee

in Cherokee

Sequoyah

in Cherokee

We travelled from South Carolina to North Carolina in a day and arrived at our pre-booked campsite near the Smoky Mountains for our stay over Easter. The weather settled again after a thunderstorm which dropped temperatures from 29oC to 11oC next morning (the first time I have worn a fleece jacket since we left Flagstaff in February!).
As we drove into North Carolina we saw hills, then bigger hills - after almost 10 weeks of being at sea level it was lovely to see the tree clad mountains. They looked stunning in their spring colours, greens of every hue, golds and yellows together with beautiful Dogwood blossoms.

We had a wonderful day driving into the Smoky Mountains, we passed through the Cherokee Indian reservation, where most of the tribal members are descendants of those not forcibly removed in the 1830's. We wandered around a Mountain Farm museum near the Visitors Center and Roy said that he had found his Shangri -la home, it seemed a bit far from M&S to me!
 We drove as far as Clingmans Dome, highest point in the Smokies at 6643ft and walked the half mile steep trail to an observation tower giving a magnificent view of the North Carolina and Tennessee Smokies.
Next day we visited Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and did the 2 mile trail around a beautiful forest - one of the few remaining tracts of virgin hardwood in the Appalachians, many huge trees over 20 feet around the base and more than a hundred feet high with a rich variety of wildflowers. I cant say I'd heard of Joyce Kilmer but when I read the poem "Trees" written by him I knew it well. He died aged 32 in the First World War in France and the area was dedicated to his memory.

We moved north towards Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. We left the campsite and continued along the 129 - Roy said to me that the sign saying "prohibited for trailers over 30ft" didn't apply to us - we would be fine!
The road was narrow,slow, steep, pretty and very bendy! Only after driving into Tennessee and getting some information did we read we had just slayed the Dragon!

 Drivers and bikers from across the US come to Tennessee to slay the Dragon, an 11 - mile section of mountain road with 318 curves and elevation changes from 1962 ft to 877 ft above sea level. Also known as the “Tail of the Dragon” it is considered America’s number one motorcycle and sports car road!  It was also the location for scenes in movies such as “Thunder Road”, “Two-Lane Blacktop” and “The Fugitive”. Good job it was quiet! That man of mine does get me down some roads!

Add caption

mountain farm museum in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mountain farm museum - Roy's shangri - la

Great Smoky mountains

view from Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome view

Clingmans Dome view

this is the photo Roy took after scrambling down a gulley and walking back over a tree trunk - see next photo

At the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

painted trillium

trillium

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

crested dwarf iris

hug a tree time

big trees

CHARLESTON & FORT SUMTER

We made up for our disaster with Savannah and spent a great day wandering round Charleston with the highlight being a boat trip to Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War happened. We have learned so much about the Civil War - it took a kindly Ranger at the Fort to explain things clearly to me. He told us lots of neat facts including Fort Sumter's battle flag was made in England!

We are still not city folks and Charleston was fine but 18 churches in one small area is just a bit over the top, the houses were really no better than New Orleans and not a patch on Oak Alley Plantation. We much preferred the smaller St Augustine.

We do like the ocean so always gravitate to the water, we enjoyed what we saw but now don't feel so bad about missing Savannah.
The traffic in Charleston was dreadful, we were camped 10 miles away on a beautiful Plantation house campsite and we were queued the whole way back!
Tomorrow we go north for the Easter period to the Smoky Mountains - Ooh mountains!

Aitken - Rhett house c.1820

Add caption

Sawgrass baskets - very intensive work and expensive

Old Slave Mart

the site of Craven Bastion

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter's battle flag - made in England

can you see the bearded man's face at the side of the star - on the battle flag

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter

waiting to return to Charleston from Fort Sumter

USS Yorktown and a yacht race

FORT KING GEORGE, SKIDAWAY ISLAND & NOT SAVANNAH!

Fort King George

Fort King George

British soldiers

Roy playing at soldiers

Headed north through Georgia on the quiet backroads of 17/25 and came across Fort King George State Historic Site - from its construction in 1721 until it was abandoned in 1732 it was the southernmost outpost of the British Empire in North America.
An authentic replica, saw-milling activities destroyed any remains of the original fort, it was an interesting visit and lunch spot. Adjoining the fort was one of the oldest British military cemeteries in the southestern US. It contained 65 graves including 15 marked as the final resting place of British soldiers who once served at the fort - quite sad to see.
Further along the road we spotted the smallest church in America - built in 1949 - same age as I am!
Headed into Savannah, I would like to point out we had no map at this stage, only what we had googled that morning - so the road we wanted was one way - wrong way! Roy, with his built in compass found us the way out of lost!
We then spotted a sign for Skidaway Island State Park, headed there (fingers crossed) and were rewarded with a campsite for the night - the last one, someone had just cancelled.
We spend a lovely evening riding our bikes around all the trails on the island park. Looking forward to seeing Savannah next day!

So here we are just outside Charleston - how was Savannah I hear some of you ask - Savannah to put it mildly sucks! Great evening at Skidaway Island State Park, they kindly gave us a map stating free parking at Visitor center, we arrived, parked sideways on in RV section, they obviously only have small RV's here - Roy went to ask if OK - No she says, we drove round for an hour tried to get somewhere with no luck so left Savannah - totally disgusted, annoyed and sad. All I saw as we drove through was a big white church, Lafayette square and a view of the waterfront from the bridge we drove over. Savannah - please cater for big RVers. Skidaway - don't put out false information and lastly - drivers in the east - just give us a break and let us in sometimes! Moan over!
We did see the Giant Ground Sloth of Skidaway - see photos, and also some spectacular action from a Box turtle! Who needs Savannah!

Skidaway Island

Skidaway Island

Skidaway Island

Great ground Sloth of Skidaway

Box turtles having fun!

smallest church

Frampton House

ST. AUGUSTINE - NORTH TO GEORGIA

bottle brush plant

Our visit to St Augustine was pleasant although slightly hot at 34oC. It's the oldest city in the USA and sits in a beautiful setting at the side of the water with Castillo de San Marcos guarding it.

 We wandered round the streets, saw the oldest drug store, oldest house and oldest wood school house. Explored the castle, watched musket firing, enjoyed lunch then headed north into Georgia after trying to get into a Florida state park again with no luck! 

Sad to leave Florida - it has been amazing!

Roy waiting for some "drugs"

Oldest wooden schoolhouse

oldest house

Castillo de San Marcos

BANG!!

bang bang bang bang

King of the Castle

Queen of the castle

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

St Johns ferry with our rig

NORTHBOUND VIA DAYTONA & FORT MATANZAS

 

After our 5 day rest we finally moved north driving along the coast road past Daytona beach. Nothing but a glorified Blackpool with sunshine and cars allowed on the beach. Tacky shops and nowhere at all for a trailer to stop. We finally got a parking place at Flagler Beach and had lunch on the beautiful and quieter beach.

We then came across Fort Matanzas National Monument, we viewed it from across the water, declining the free ferry as we were running short of time and needed to find a campsite in St Augustine. We saw an amazing Great Horned Owl and its baby at the park - never seen one before!

Daytona beach

more Daytona beach

Flagler Beach

Flagler beach

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl's baby

Fort Matanzas National Monument