Winter Escape! Day #2 Land of Palm Trees!

After a better than average night's sleep, I woke up this morning in Asheville, North Carolina to an outside temperature of 28 degrees.  Brrrrrrr! Winter coat weather!  Asheville is surrounded by mountains.  The tall pine trees remind me of Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada.  I find a half-full soft drink can left in the car is totally frozen.  Note to self: don't leave liquid in the car!  What if something had frozen and burst?  What a mess!

Mountains, from Asheville, N.C. (1/31/14)

The sun felt warm and there was no wind.  I was daring and took off my coat to pump gas and do some shopping.  Can't believe I'm actually getting used to winter!  At last I found I-26 (Interstate #26): 138 miles to the next turn, my trusty GPS informed me.  I enjoyed all the unusual names on the road signs: "Bat Cave," North Carolina.

Oh, there was a dreaded "deer" sign!  One year ago, at 6:30 on a Sunday morning, I was on my way to the hospital to work.  It was pitch black dark and I was on one of the few country roads in the city of Lexington.  A deer jumped out of the bushes and hit the front side of my car!  I was lucky to be going slow.  The car sustained over $5,500 damage. (I didn't think it was worth that much to repair but the insurance company thought otherwise.)

South Carolina at last!  Be sure to stop at all the Welcome Centers when you first drive in to a new state.  They are very helpful suggesting attractions in your destination city, will make motel reservations for you, and besides, you get a free, up-to-date map of the state.

Welcome to South Carolina!  Note the snow lingering. . . (1/31/14)

The mountains in South Carolina really scale down to big hills.  The photo above shows the mountains northwest of South Carolina, in North Carolina.  At 11:25 a.m., the outside temp was 46 lovely degrees!  I've seen a few - not as many as usual - parts of recycled tires strewn about the highway and sides of the roads so far on this trip.

When daughter #5, Mary, had her orientation to Boston University in the summer of 1990, daughter #2, Carole, and I drove nonstop from Kentucky to Boston, Massachusetts.  In the distance on a highway, I saw a big dark blob on the side of the road.  I commented, "Oh, look, a dead deer!"  When we got closer, it was just a big tire part!  Now, if I'm in the car with either of them and we see tire parts in the road, I know I'll get teased again: "Look, mom, a dead deer!"  Groan!

Passed "North Tyger River," South Carolina. . . strong skunk smell!  I hadn't smelled a skunk in the road for years.  Daughter #8, Jeannie, and I commuted from Danville, Kentucky to Lexington, Kentucky, for several years - 99% country roads.  Jeannie always brought brought perfume with her to spray about the car in case of a skunk.  Somedays, it would just be a 'one skunk trip.'  Other days, it would be a 'two skunk trip.'

At 12:10 p.m., I passed "Little Mountain", South Carolina. I was getting hungry and found a McDonalds restaurant just outside Columbia.  Then it was 48 degrees!  And I saw my first palm trees!

Stately Palm Trees grace a McDonalds Drive-Through (1/31/14)

I found it hard to see that snow was still in the shady forests beside the highways, with even 55 degrees weather. "Old Sandy Run," South Carolina: I'm all for the beachy sand!  At the next Rest Area I actually took off my outer sweatshirt!  Spanish Moss - everywhere - a sure sign of the South!

At 1:46 p.m., I was on I-95 south, heading toward Savannah, Georgia.  It seems that beyond I-95, the land is very flat with green grass, scattered swamp land and NO MORE SNOW!!  I passed "Tullifinny River."  At 2:45, I'm a mile from leaving I-95.  The sign said, "Coosawhatchie."  Who named that!

Off I-95 is a two-lane road.  It is 59 degrees.  I put the A/C on! When passing "Spanish Moss Road," the sign said, "31 miles: Hilton Head Island! - my destination today!  The first major high bridge crosses over to Pickney Island, over the Atlantic Intercostal Waterway.  The last and tallest bridge goes to Hilton Head.  There seems to be water everywhere here!  I love the marinas, all the boats!  At last I reach my friend, Peggy's, condo, where I will spend the next two weeks. Tomorrow we'll make a few plans and, of course, take a very, very long walk along the beach!

The Island of Hilton Head is perfectly groomed in every place.  More tomorrow! (1/31/14)