11/12/2015

Getting Hitched: “Flat Tow” our “Dinghy” or TOAD

Our motorhome and toad, fully hitched.

For those who were following our journey last May and June, you will know this is a big deal for us. If you do not know what we are talking about in this title, it all has to do with driving a motorhome and towing an automobile behind it.

Our home is 40′ and is on wheels. When we park in a new location, we need a vehicle (referred to as a dinghy or toad) to drive around in, such as to the store, to church, to go sightseeing, etc. We bought our motorhome in May and until we came to Myrtle Beach in October, we couldn’t find anyone to hitch us up! So I’ve followed Bill while he drove the motorhome for about 2,200 miles: from Cocoa, Florida; to Troy, Alabama; to Red Bay, Alabama; to Jasper, Tennessee; to Bristol, Tennessee; to Waynesboro, Virginia; to Milford, Virginia; to Florence, North Carolina; to our current destination, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That means we put 2,200 unnecessary miles on our car.

I was upset when I saw this ugly bar on the front of our new (used) car!

There are several ways to tow a vehicle: Trailer Tow (i.e. put a car in a utility trailer), Dolly Tow (two front tires on a dolly while back wheels spin) and Flat Tow (our choice to have all four wheels down). There are many professional and good quality articles on this subject. Trust us, we’ve read them all and watched many YouTube videos on “how to.” We did our research. We knew what we were getting into…but until we actually did it, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. (Understand?) So we hope by sharing our experiences, it might help someone else. We hope you’ll laugh with us, now that it’s over. During the process, a few tears were shed. 😂

We also watched a number of videos which helped us learn more about towing. We also have talked to so many people about their hitches and how they like how they are towing their vehicle. But no one shared a story with us like what happened to us. One thing we have learned in this RVing lifestyle is that everyone has a story of something crazy happening to them. This is one of our crazy stories.

First, just to let you know how the name “toad” came about: Tow-ed = toad. And dinghy is affectionally what little boats are called. So it’s a play on words.

The hitch is on the back of our motorhome. It’s a Falcon by Roadmaster. It came with our motorhome.

Once we knew we were buying a motorhome, we formed an opinion, we would “flat tow.” That means we would have an (ugly) tow bar on the front of the car, attached to a hitch on the back of the RV. By flat towing, we probably would have to make modifications to our car. But the downside to a dolly or trailer, is that you have to “store” them and possibly have to hoist around, park and stash when you are on a campsite. Not every campsite has the room for them. But somehow, everyone makes it work. Bill has a back issue, so we just decided we couldn’t handle having to hoist either around. Yes, Bill does the heavy lifting in our family. Plus, I have a few back/neck issues, too.

Hooking the hitch to the tow bar.

We did test drive a few jeeps (probably one of the most popular Toads) a few months earlier when we first thought about changing from a truck and 5th wheel RV to the motorhome. We loved the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was everything we needed and more. Spacious (we wanted to carry four adults and two children), comfortable and more than anything, easy to flat tow. BUT, we later learned, they don’t get the best gas mileage and for long trips (which we’ve done three times since owning it), and it’s really not “luxury” comfortable. With our back issues (and aging bodies), we need a comfortable ride. So we compromised. The vehicle we bought, a crossover SUV and car, Cadillac SRX, will only fit four adults and one child. Or three adults and two children. But we first eliminated all the other flat towable vehicles before we even thought about the SRX. There is a yearly on-line publication that says which cars are flat towable. The slogan for our motorhome is “Roughing it smoothly.” And that fits us with our little Cadillac!

We stayed in Myrtle Beach for a full month, not only to enjoy a month at the beach but to get our car and RV “hitched.” Parts have to be ordered but we learned, no one wants to hook up a used “hitch.” Except Camping World. And Myrtle Beach was our first location since buying our motorhome that had one. We also needed to have our washing machine replaced, which they did. We were very happy with that install, so thought the hitch would also go smoothly.

Lots of wires.

Not an easy job.

Well, we were a bit concerned when it took twice as long to rig the car up to tow. We had “face plates” installed, modification to the bumper and grill, installation of a bracket for the “invisi-brake,” made connections for the air brakes, installed a wiring harness, and probably a few more things I don’t know about (or understand). In the end, it took a day and a half on the car and 1/2 day on the RV. So all in all, we spent four days of our 35 days in Myrtle Beach in the waiting room at Camping World, which includes the washing machine install and then to fix that which didn’t work properly on our car. And that is what this post is about. Something had to go wrong, right? Or this would be boring – although it probably is unless you want flat tow one day.

We have learned a lot from other full-timers, but especially one young couple. They not only live in an RV full-time, traveling all over the US and Canada, they are also working professionals. In fact, they inspired us to give ourselves a catchy nickname: The TumbleLees. They are Jason and Nicky Wynn or “Gone with the Wynns!” Here is their video to learn from my (Jason’s) mistakes, and “How to Properly Connect and RV Tow Car.” We watched these several times, when we started our education on what we were going to do and then while we were getting our hitch set up.

So we now have the set up we’ve wanted. We’re educated. Bill is confident in his ability to hook the toad up. I’m learning and watching….and praying all goes well! When it took them so long to rig the car, we both had a few misgivings. But Camping World guarantees their work.

Hitched and on the way out of the campground!

We do try to travel without pressures and for this to be adventure travel, right? Well, not all adventures are fun. It was time to leave and our daughter has made a lot of preparations for us to come visit. She has our grandson counting down the days (he’s learned to count to 10! Smart guy). And we are ready to go.

So once we are all hitched and rigged to go, we tested the lights. Humm, the blinkers are not working. But the lights are on. Then we tested the brake, brake lights not on. And there is a beeping noise in the RV. We called Camping World and they said to bring it on in. So off we go.

We arrive and Bill is exhausted from the 10 minute, five-mile drive. He doesn’t say anything to me, but he is wondering if our 360 diesel engine can tow. 😖 Upon arrival, we looked at the car and see smoke pouring out of the front tires (brake area). YIKES! We begin to panic. Bill says get me a cup of water, it looked like a fire could start. I grabbed our cups of water, then he throws the water on the wheels like it was a campfire. It hardly affects the smoke, so I ran back and got a pitcher of water. Slowly, the smoke stopped. Our Service Writer then tells us to unhook the car so they drive our RV into a bay.

Wouldn’t you know, it won’t unhook! (We have since learned, that is a common problem. You just need a drift pin and a hammer to knock out the pins.) The hitch seemed frozen and the brakes appeared to be gone, pedal to the floor. We are thinking worst case scenario. I posted a plea for prayers on FaceBook. This can’t be happening!

We were prayed up, praying daily for the Lord’s protection – oh, I’m sure that is what happened…HE did protect us! What if the blinkers worked ok and we just thought the beeping sound was how it is supposed to be? What if we just went on the nearly 200-mile drive we planned to travel? That would have been a disaster. So in reality, disaster was averted.

Camping World was very busy, every bay tied up when we arrived. But the Shop Foreman took our job to get ‘er done. It turned out that the air brake flow was one way. When the RV brakes were on, the car brakes were off. And when the RV brakes were off, the car brakes were on. It took about 5 hours to diagnose it and repair it. Fortunately, the car brakes were fine, just overheated, and we are now on the road to our daughter’s home. She’s a bit sad as her maternity leave is ending and she wanted to hang out with us a few days before she returns to work. It’s so great to be loved and your only child wants to spend time with you!

So in the end, what lesson did we learn? Expect the unexpected! And what does the Bible say about planning? We have to have faith, we may have been spared something worse. It just wasn’t our time to leave Myrtle Beach.

You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail. Proverbs 19:21

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Sunset after we settled back into the campground, on this Veterans Day! Loved seeing the flag flying.

11/08/2015

The Wind on Myrtle Beach

We’ve had so many “lookers” at our last post about the Horses On Myrtle Beach, thought we’d also talk a bit about the wind and more. Especially, since early this morning, we were wakened up to wind gusts to 32 mph! The wind is not the friend of recreational vehicles.

What beach doesn’t have the wind? Actually, it’s a good thing as it keeps the mosquitoes away, for the most part. It helps with a cool breeze on those really hot, sunny days. But for our four times now in Myrtle Beach, granted, during the fall and winter, the wind has kept us from actually sitting on the beach and reading a book.

After our first time here, the post is located here, Bill actually considered settling down here in Myrtle Beach when the time comes to move back into the brick and sticks lifestyle. In fact, we know a couple from our former church in New Jersey who bought their “retirement” home here. The wife is still working, but they bring their children and grandchildren here from time to time on their vacations and holidays. The husband comes periodically alone. We met up with him on once such time. He gave us an inside view of living here from a retiree’s perspective.

What we have liked: for the most part, moderate temperatures; walking on the pristine, white sandy beach (we can easily do five miles a day); the Brookgreen Gardens and state parks; the professionalism and helpfulness of various businesses we have interacted with such as bank tellers, clerks at Walmart (sorry, but us full-time RVers have no choice but to be faithful Walmart shoppers….), twice we had to visit a “doc in the box” which gave excellent service, and most recently, Camping World really stepped up to the plate for us! But even more importantly, we have really liked the various churches we have attended.

What we have not liked: As our most recent post says, the 1,200 horses on the beach over a five day period. In January, they post what the dates they will be here. It is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association, so we don’t like to slam the cause. But we make sure we don’t stay here during that event as it impacts the campgrounds.

While it isn’t all that annoying, the constant helicopters riding along the beach for only $20/ride and the airport. But our friends love having the airport here, it’s just that occasionally, the planes fly low. I can never get my camera up in time when a low one flys overhead during our walks. But here is the best I could get:

And another thing we aren’t so keen on are the weather extremes! Granted, we’ve only been here in the fall and winter, so what should we expect? Maybe not such high highs then low lows! We’ve been here twice in October, once in January and once in March. I decided to take a historical look at just THIS month, our current stay. What is cool is this website will let you look at any dates, months, years or customize it. Granted, there is NO snowfall in this, but remember, we are home based out of Florida. That means we don’t like snow….

We were awakened at 4 am this morning, which made me want to write this post. Bill had to go outside to put in our little window awnings (we only have two). I checked the weather app at that time and it said the wind was 22 mph from the north. But see what the averages were:

We were actually delayed in arriving here for this current stay. We wanted to be here a few days earlier than October 7, but we had to wait for the remnants of Hurricane Joaquin to settle down. Our neighbors here arrived the day before the rain started. They were then rained in for six days. When they checked the “flooding” outside their camper door, it was 10″ deep. But that was an unusual weather event. What location doesn’t have those?

So to be fair, let’s compare this same month to our favorite beach location when we lived in Florida, Vero Beach. And note, the highest wind gusts were 37 mph! YIKES!

So I guess, all in all, we don’t have THAT much to complain about. We have decided this is NOT where we will settle down, however. Why? We’re too far from the reason we now do what we do….

(Spoiler alert: We actually settled down and moved here, February 1, 2019.)

These two rocked our world! Two years old and six days old

Big brother feeding little

11/06/2015

Horses on Myrtle Beach!

The very thought that I could ride my horse on the pristine white sand beaches along the gently rolling surf gave me goose bumps. I snapped this picture Thursday morning.

Ah, that sounds so romantic, doesn’t it? There is an allure to beaches and horses. When we went on our second honeymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, we decided to go horseback riding. But decided against the beach ride for some reason. Instead, we ended up on the side of a mountain on a very narrow path. But that’s not related to this post….

Honeymoon in Ocho Rios

Did you know 1,200 horses take over the beach for five days to raise funds for the American Heart Association Beach Ride? We didn’t either, but we did know there was some horseback riding on the beach. This is the 34th year of this fundraiser. And allegedly, they have raised over $3 million dollars. There is no question, this is a worthy cause. Who hasn’t been affected by a family member or friend who has suffered from heart disease? I know we have lost a very dear relative to an early death due to a heart attack.

In the promotional information for this fundraiser, a woman shares her “testimony” in the left-hand column, “A Rider’s Perspective” in part when she first heard of the event:

The very thought that I could ride my horse on the pristine white sand beaches along the gently rolling surf gave me goose bumps.

We wanted to stay in Lakewood Family RV Campground this year. We visited it last time we were here and learned they have a nightly price of $25 if we stayed 30 days or longer. This is for full hookup (water, electricity, sewer and WiFi). While that is a bit higher than our desired per night price, to be on the beach, you expect it pay more $$$. We generally don’t make reservations until the day before or day of our arrival. We are pretty astute about “prime time” and we know October is considered off season here. So what a shock when we were told they were booked solid over the last weekend we wanted to be here. Little did we know what a HUGE blessing it was that we were not able to get that reservation! We don’t want to be negative about this event, but there are a few problems.

We are actually “next door” to Lakewood, staying in PirateLand RV Campground. As it turns out, they also have the same price for 28 days or more. And then we quickly learned this campground is actually better for our needs. For one, the campsites are bigger. And that is important now that we have a 40′ motorhome! But even better, the beach is so much wider and flatter. We’ve walked up this beach for 2 1/2 miles, then back for a 5-mile walk nearly every morning. And this is worth paying a bit more per night!

This is at the very end of PirateLand’s ocean front.

The horses began to arrive on Wednesday, a very rainy and dreary day. But Thursday morning, it was a glorious day as you can see from the above picture! We didn’t really think about walking with horses when we got on the beach, but realized quickly, we were glad we were there early – only because we are watching high tide. And not many horses were, yet. You can see the horses do affect the beach. For a few horses, it wasn’t bad, until you begin to see horse manure! And they do like to poop on the beach….So the romance was over….But who can blame them? Doesn’t this look like fun?

This was on our way back Thursday. The sun disappeared. Doesn’t this look like fun?

We stopped and talked to two women at one point. They were from New York and were appalled that the riders didn’t have to clean up the manure. Or that the horses didn’t wear bun-bags! They have to in New York apparently. And then they weren’t the only ones who were concerned. Other people we saw said it didn’t seem right dog owners are fined if they don’t pick up after their dogs.

This was interesting to see on the beach! Can you see all the trampling caused by the horses now? The beach is really affected.

So now you may have guessed, all these horses can cause a bit of a disturbance to non-horse back riders. So aside from the trampling, which really impacted our ability to walk comfortably on the beach, and dodging all the manure, there were a few other issues. So much for the “pristine white sand.” We loved her thoughts for us as we walked barefoot on the beach….

If you read the info on the AHA website, they tell the riders a few things to do to make this a good experience for everyone. For one, they HAVE to clean up the manure at their campground sites…but not on the beach. Interesting.

Then they are told to not “cowboy” on the beach. Which means running the horses, etc. And as groups approach people on the beach, to all go to one side of them, not to put the people in the middle. The horses may not know how to properly react in this new situation. So we had a few “confrontations.”

These riders were our first “scare” as they were at a slow gallop and a bit too close for comfort.

Not being horse people, it was unnerving. The first day, we heard the sound of galloping approaching us and one of the horses neighing. While there were only two riders this time, they were a bit too close for our comfort. So now we are being cautious. We managed ok until our 4th mile. And then we hear galloping again, but this almost sounded like a stampede! There were more than two and I glanced behind to see them heading right towards us! So I tried to jump out of the way (I am a bit of a jumpy person anyway) but in the soft, trampled sand, I couldn’t. I actually “fell” into Bill. I was glad he could handle all my weight! Then the horse back riders nearly come to a stop right in front of us! What’s going on???? This was very upsetting. But the last straw was the cowboying. One rider, as you can see below, was running his horse in “circles.” We were trying to stay in one path, but the horse, seemed to want to get in our path, so we moved, then he followed….Are you getting the picture?

Cowboying!

Ok, we’re not happy campers. In the beginning, we were very friendly, but by the time we finished our five miles, we didn’t even want to look at these riders. So we vowed the next morning to get out earlier and not have to share the beach. So today, we did better, got out before the herd…and it was better.

We talked to a neighbor of ours as we came off the beach. He said he was in Lakewood last year during the event. He said it was so crowded, he couldn’t leave the campground to get groceries. And even worse, he couldn’t even walk around the campground for five days! He told a few other stories about what a nightmare it was to be there and not be a horse person.

We don’t want to be negative about this event, but think about it! When they started this 34 years ago, Myrtle Beach in 1981 was a little-known destination. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that it began to grow. However, according to the Myrtle Beach Tourism website,

The Myrtle Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area was listed as the ninth-fastest growing area in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released in March 2011. The area has grown 37 percent over the past decade.

We’ve decided that 1,200 horses on a little beach area and all us beach goers don’t really mix very well. And we aren’t even addressing the potential ecological problems of all the manure and urine. One person said he wouldn’t go in this water for at least 6 months!

We hope and pray common sense begins to reign and this event is moved to a more remote location. So our recommendation, do your research if you are not a horse person. Don’t be here during this event! We’ll plan to not be here next year if they are at the same time….

If you are a horse person and want to attend, please read the literature and follow the instructions!

This is their day two, beautiful weather. High tide was coming in at 4:00 pm so we thought no horses would be on the beach. So we are in beach chairs as this group ride by….

11/06/2015

Wanderlust

More about Debbie L.

Source: Wanderlust

11/05/2015

The Blogger Recognition Award

Blogger Recognition Award

Once again, we are so honored! Thank you again, our dear friend, Anand of Blabberwockying. Anand has turned into such an amazing blogger, spreading love and light around the blogosphere! His nickname is “Thinker” and to spend any time in his “comments,” you will see he is a very insightful thinker, willing to share his knowledge, to create beautiful posts and to bring out the best in other bloggers!

But what can we say? We drafted a page to say we are now Awards Free….but it was never published. These are such great honors and great ways to really get to know new bloggers, to find new bloggers to follow and to increase the number of followers. Now that I’m (Debbie) taking Blogging 101 (again), we are exposed to lots of new bloggers. And this award is a good one for them!

Today is our last day to accept such an award. Just due to time constraints, we just can’t continue with these. But we also can’t resist sharing the love!

Here is the intent of this award:

I know what you may be thinking: “But (insert name of nominator)! There’s already awards like this out there. Ever heard of the Liebster Award? Sheesh.”
Yes. There are plenty of other things like this out there. But, in my opinion at least, there can never be too many. Why? Because these little awards are a small gesture of goodwill that have a big impact on the people who receive them.
When you say, “Hey! I’ve nominated you for so-and-so award! Congrats!” and give one of these simple little pictures to a fellow blogger, you’ve probably just made that person’s day. You’ve inspired them to keep writing posts. You’ve given their confidence a little boost, and helped to make them feel that they are a part of this community. You’ve made them happy by being generous and showing your appreciation. There’s nothing better than that.
So, when you start thinking these awards are silly, or that they’re just annoying chain letters (they essentially are chain letters, but with a good purpose), remember that they aid in keeping the spirits of bloggers high, and they can also help get them just a little bit more exposure. They’re also great for establishing relationships between blogs and their authors. All in all, these simple pay-it-forward awards do a lot of good for the community.
With all of that said, how can you participate and do your part?
If you are nominated…

Here are the rules once you accept (and you are free to ignore, decline or just acknowledge) this award:

Select 15 other blogs you want to give the award to. (Many modify this and only nominate 5 or so).

You cannot nominate yourself or the person who has nominated you.
Write a post to show your award.
Give a brief story of how your blog started.
Give a piece of advice or two to new bloggers.
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Attach the award badge to the post (right-click and save, then upload.)
Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them.
Provide a link to the original post on Edge of Night.

How did this blog start? We had a story to share, how we divorced and remarried. It was truly a miracle from the Lord! It breaks our heart as we hear of couples divorcing or being miserable. We were there and now we are so grateful after 40 years of being married, to now be together as grandparents to two adorable grandsons. Once our first grandson was about to be born, we had to change our lives to be closer to them. Our solution was to become full-time RVers. And now the blog focuses on our minimalist lifestyle and how we “travel” full-time!

New Bloggers (this is too good to try to recreate. From Anand):

Give and you will be given. Don’t hold back words of appreciation and kindness ever. Hesitate to criticise. Don’t judge, we are all fallible and learning from our mistakes.

Blogging is socializing. No difference whatsoever. Take a genuine interest in people. Blogs are dead-weights without bloggers.

Participate in discussions in comment sections of blogs you like. Address people with names. Participate in discussion forums and give sincere feedback to your fellow friends. If you do this you will neither run dry on inspiration, nor fall short of motivation and support. The Alumni forum is one such forum where active engagement in discussion, feedback and light-hearted chattering happens. Feel free to drop by and join as an author over there!

Follow the followers. If someone follows you, they deserve to be followed. With trial and error you will come to know which blogs appeal you more and more. There is no harm in creating a blogosphere where you have lots of followers but a few visitors who comment. Expansion is out of love, contraction is out of fear. Exposure isn’t possible unless you expand!

Participate in the Blogging University Courses–especially in the Blogging 101 and you will get to meet many good blogging friends. Blogging and life will become better if you keep interacting actively!

And the nominees are these amazing bloggers, many of them new:

Elihus Corner. I may have nominated you before, but I couldn’t confirm this! You are one of my favorite bloggers. You are a daddy to three children, you love your wife, but more than anything, you love our Lord Jesus and you blog to share His influence in your life – to help others know and see Him!

Thoughts of a Train Wrecked Pineapple. Carlos is another favorite blogger. I am intrigued by young bloggers and he is young, in college! He is a fabulous writer, thinker and artist! I know him more as the first two….but his training and desire is to be an artist first and foremost, but not without the other two (or 10) talents he has!

My Dappled Path is a new blogger I just found, per suggestions on how to find bloggers with similar interests. Her blog is just beautiful! I’m looking forward to getting to know her more as I begin following her!

The Truth Lover I don’t remember how I found this blogger. But she/he is like-minded – and very anonymous! This person really wants to focus on our Lord, God, the Creator of the Universe, our Savior, Jesus. This is one blogger I try to never miss a post reading.

The Bottom of a Bottle This is another blogger I somehow stumbled upon. I love his testimony and his dedication to his Deliverer! I just love it when someone hits rock bottom, at the bottom of the bottle in this case, and then RISE up to learn to LIVE! Hallelujah! This is an inspiring and talented blogger! He has something for everyone!

What have we done now! Such an interesting couple from two small towns in the heart of Alaska. They have a desire to travel and see new things as well as taste really new, and sometimes weird, things! They’ve been to at least 21 countries. Check out their blog and join their amazing adventures.

Earthly Traveler is a new blogger I’ve discovered. He shares the same passion I do about the Bible. I really connected with him when I read this statement:
“I realize that no matter how many times I read the Bible, I can never fully exhaust the truths and treasures that lie in it. Just like the grace and mercy of our God, His love, care and compassion, and the blessings He’s poured out on us His creation. But as I read my Bible each time and meditate on God’s Word, I always come to know more about my Saviour, God’s will, God’s plan. And all the more I know of these, the more I feel at peace. The Lord is Lord, He is in control—of this generation, and of the new earth to come.”

Deeper Roots. I recently started following Beth’s blog. She is another person who has the same passion for the Bible, for God’s Word. After she retired from 30 years in church administration to now attending seminary and devoting herself to the study of God’s word while she also writes and teaches. Her goal is to grow deeper and stronger roots! Sounds like my kind of journey!

Honest Me. This young mom is revealing her inner narrator! I love her honesty and creative writing skills. She has a weekly feature, Tuney Tuesdays. What a treat as she combines music to what is going on!

Culturally Curious This is a classmate from the current (November) Blogging 101 course. This naturally curious mom and teacher wants to learn the story about every person she meets as well as the story behind inanimate objects! Like me, she has lived in and traveled quite a bit.

Journey to Blessings. Another classmate, David, is all about sharing the blessings of our Lord. I really like his tag line: “Life, its challenges and how we can touch others.” His blog is relatively new, but he seems like a pro. Such a beautiful and polished blog. I look forward to following him.

Third Culture Wife. As I move along with my Blogging 101 assignment to visit new blogs, I found this lovely wife! I’m so excited to have spent some time reading her blog. Only to learn something so cool: I’m a TCK! That’s right, it helps explain my wanderlust! She explains about being third cultures, wives, kids, etc. I won’t give away the answer, you’ll have to read her blog!

My Travel Middle East. Oh, my, another woman I will learn from. I’m loving the Blogging 101 assignment to try to find new blogs to follow. I’m looking for International Travel posts to reblog on my one blog….so I had to re-blog one of hers! She has fabulous pictures and is really capturing the beauty of the middle east!

Party of Five is another blog by a mother! She is a blogging 101 classmate. I love her tag line: “Life at home, in the Woods and wherever we travel ~ it’s always a party of five!” So you can see why this wanderlust would be attracted to her blog. And the mothering part, is the greatest role in the world!

Wisdom from the Harts! I’m not sure why the Lord has given me a desire to learn about Autism. But I’ve stumbled on a few blogs that have helped me see this is not a “horrible problem” as it seems mainstream media plays it up to be. Granted, I’ve been ignorant and saw a documentary that terrified my husband and I as our daughter has accepted her pediatricians recommendations to vaccinate her two sons. I now have great peace about it and am loving the blogs I read about amazing parents learning how to help their children be the best they can be! Isn’t that every parent’s goal? This is a blog to follow along and learn how amazing her son is, explained in her tag line: “The Unexpected Joy of Raising an Autistic Playwright.”

Well, after all of this, how could I not want to continue to participate in Blogging Awards? Well, I guess it is time management. So for those of you who wish to decline, I would recommend you post this some place obviously on your blog! And follow Anand’s and my advice, visit other blogs, comment often and encourage comments on your blog!

With that said, how about giving me some feedback about this award, as this was a real labor of love, love of the blogosphere! May God bless each and everyone!

11/02/2015

The scoop on Myrtle Beach!

We took our grandson to Brookgreen Gardens

We took our oldest grandson to Brookgreen Gardens in October 2015

There is more to Myrtle Beach than the beach! But it’s taken us a while to figure that out. For us, the beach is the main attraction. If it wasn’t too far from Fredericksburg, VA, this is a location we would consider living in once we get off the road. But as far as I am concerned (Debbie), that (getting off the road) won’t happen anytime soon!

We’d love to hear your thoughts about Myrtle Beach. Have you been? What did you like besides the beach? If you haven’t been, what have you heard about it, or what do you imagine it is like?

This is our fourth stay in Myrtle Beach in an RV (recreational vehicle). We wrote one post about our first time here, and two short posts here and most recently, here. Although we have mentioned it in a few other posts, we have never really shared more about the essence of this town.

Usually, where ever we go, we love to learn about the history of the area. For some reason, Myrtle Beach is one area we initially didn’t after a quick search of Trip Advisor for Myrtle Beach didn’t show any cultural museums of interest to us. Little did we realize we could have expanded the search to surrounding communities. But we were focused on the beach as it is amazing!

What an eye opener when we decided to learn more about the area to write this blog. I’m not sure why we didn’t discover this website before. Here’s a summary from the website, but do be sure and visit it and watch the five-minute video of a quick history of the area.

Early History. The area’s first inhabitants were the Waccamaw and Winyah Indians, who named the region Chicora, meaning “the land.” Kings Highway – a major thoroughfare through the Myrtle Beach area – began as an Indian trail long before Europeans settled along the Grand Strand. Later, this trail became the route from the northern states to Charleston and Savannah. These first inhabitants are the subject of the oldest and perhaps most elusive stories. While much has been written about Native Americans, documented facts about local tribes in the Myrtle Beach area are scarce. Physical evidence of their existence and way of life has been more forthcoming, however, as arrowheads, pottery, and other artifacts continue to turn up.

Spanish Settlement. Early attempts by European explorers to settle the Grand Strand were disastrous. Spaniard Lucas Vasques de Allyon founded the first colony in North America here in 1526, but the settlement was ravaged by disease, and the inhabitants perished within a year.

English Settlement & Colonial History. A new chapter in the area’s history and lore was introduced after English colonists settled in the area. Suddenly, goods and supplies needed to be imported and exported across the ocean. By the 1700s, scores of pirates had taken to the high seas to intercept cargo vessels and make off with the goods. The South Carolina coastal waters were especially productive for pirates – and the coves and inlets along the Grand Strand provided great hiding places for these marauders. Pirates who became local legends include Edward Teach, called Blackbeard because of his coal-black beard, and Drunken Jack, who was left behind on an island with a huge stash of stolen rum – and was rumored to have died with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, English colonists formed Prince George Parish and laid out plans for Georgetown, the state’s third oldest city, in 1730. Surrounded by rivers and marshlands, Georgetown became the center of America’s colonial rice empire.

Initial Development. Until the 1900s, the beaches of Horry County were virtually uninhabited due to the county’s geographical inaccessibility and poor economy. Near the turn of the century, the Burroughs & Collins Company – a timber / turpentine firm with extensive beachfront holdings – began developing the Myrtle Beach area as a resort. In 1901, the company built the beach’s first hotel, the Seaside Inn. At that time, oceanfront lots sold for $25, and buyers received an extra lot if they built a house valued at $500 or more. Previously known as Long Bay, Withers, or Withers Big Swamp, the fledgling beach community was simply called “New Town” – until the Horry Herald sponsored a contest to officially name the area. Mrs. F.E. Burroughs – wife of the founder of Burroughs & Collins – won with the name “Myrtle Beach,” which she chose for the many wax myrtle trees growing wild along the shore.

Further Development & Expansion. In the 1920s, a group of businessmen began building an upscale resort called Arcady, at the north end of the community. Arcady featured the present Pine Lakes International Country Club — home of the Strand’s first golf club and birthplace of the magazine Sports Illustrated — as well as the legendary Ocean Forest Hotel. Several major developments took place along the Grand Strand during the 1930s and 1940s. In 1936 the Intracoastal Waterway was opened to pleasure boats and commercial shipping. During the 1940s, an Air Force base was established and used for training and coastal patrols during World War II. The base was closed in 1993. The Myrtle Beach Pavilion was built in 1949, and the historic band organ and carousel were installed in 1954. Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938 and became a city in 1957.

Hurricane Hazel & Reconstruction. In 1954, Hurricane Hazel demolished buildings and trees along the Grand Strand, clearing the way for new hotels and homes. During the rebuilding phase of the 1960s, a golf boom began, with new courses being built each year. The number of golf courses along the Grand Strand now totals around 115.

Modern History & Development. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center, which houses the official South Carolina Hall of Fame, opened in 1970. During the 1970s, new construction in the area topped $75 million, and the permanent population tripled. In the 1970s and 1980s, construction of attractions, homes, retail shops and other amenities increased steadily, paving the way for another boom in the early 1990s. The Grand Strand currently attracts over 14 million visitors and thousands of new residents to the area, each year. The Myrtle Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area was listed as the ninth-fastest growing area in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released in March 2011. The area has grown 37 percent over the past decade.

It took a few days when it just wasn’t “beach” weather to finally research the area and discovered there is much more in the surrounding areas. So far, we have really only explored four areas:

We visited historic Georgetown when we were here in March 2014. We arrived in summer clothes, coming from Florida, so quickly had to bundle up. We were excited to discover there was the Georgetown County Museum (our favorite type). We drove the nearly 30 miles. It was a very brisk and cold day. We parked a bit far from it, imaging limited parking. Not smart as we had to fight the cold wind, trekking our way there….only to learn, it was closed on Mondays. And so are most county museums. Fortunately, we remembered there was another even smaller museum which gave us tours of three historic houses as well. The main thing we learned was the history of the rice plantations. We didn’t know that this area was the rice capital of the US until after the Civil War. We enjoyed strolling around town and waterfront as the wind didn’t seem as strong by the time we were visiting the other locations. This is a very small town and historic district. We did enjoy it but haven’t ventured back to the county museum. Click here if you would like to see a photo album of our pictures.

2. We love gardens and Brookgreen Gardens doesn’t disappoint. If you don’t mind a few nude statues mixed in. The initial cost may seem high, $15, but that is good for seven days. And we recommend visiting it over a few days. We spent two leisurely days here twice when we were in the area. Our grandson was oblivious to the statutes but loved the open green spaces, water fountains and the zoo. The gardens are also known as a public sculpture garden which displays the figurative sculpture works of American sculptors, including many pieces by Anne Hyatt Huntington.

Registered as a National Historic Landmark, Brookgreen Gardens is a wonder of native flora, fauna, and American sculpture. Considered by many to be the jewel of the Grand Strand, Brookgreen Gardens has been delighting visitors since its creation (and donated land) in 1931 by Anne and Archer Huntington. Located off Highway 17 in Murrells Inlet, the entrance is conveniently marked by a larger-than-life statue of a horse and rider.

Among the nine-thousand lush acres of South Carolina history and lowcountry landscapes you will find the most significant collection of outdoor figurative sculpture by American artists in the world. At Brookgreen Gardens you will learn about the rice plantations of the 1800s and the Gullah culture of the enslaved Africans who worked them. Guests are able to see animals in scenic enclosures that respect the animals and the surrounding environment at the Lowcountry Zoo and Native Animal Habitat. The little ones will love the Butterfly House and the Peace Garden Room for Children along with the fountains, reflecting pools, and hidden pathways. There are plenty of open, green spaces to enjoy a picnic or lay back and watch the clouds go by at Brookgreen Gardens. Guests can explore all Brookgreen Gardens has to offer on foot, by boat tour or by the Trekker tour vehicle.

3. Across from the gardens, on the beach side of Kings Highway, is Huntington Beach State Park. The Huntington’s donated this land as well and helped to create Brookgreen Gardens. A portion of Brookgreen Gardens is a nature reserve, and another section is leased to the state for Huntington Beach State Park. The gardens, historic plantation sites, and their adjacent residence ‘Atalaya Castle‘ are a National Historic Landmark, and on the National Register of Historic Places. Sadly, it was a dreary day when we visited and we don’t have any pictures. But this is a lovely and quaint place to explore the lives of the Huntington’s. They were kind and generous people.

4. We explored the area by driving around. Looking at condos and villa’s for sale (we really like the area), drove around North Myrtle Beach and to the Boardwalk and Flywheel.

We’ve only been here in off season, October, January, and March. We can’t imagine what it must be like during the summer season. There is very little traffic except at some shopping and highway intersections. After looking all around, we really like staying in the area we have stayed the most, Pirateland. We are between Surfside Beach and Myrtle Beach State Park. There is also a nice hike in the State Park. The beach is just wonderful, but we do have to watch the times we go walking. The beach does “shrink” during high tide.

Since we are here in the off-season, many restaurants and activities are closed. We aren’t golfers. But did you know this area started the “golfing packages?” Hotel stay plus golfing? It’s also a fisherman’s paradise. And now we have learned there is kayaking, so we do hope to try that next time.

The biggest disappointment to us, as non-foodies, are the restaurants. We don’t eat out much, but when we do, we would like a good meal. That has been lacking here. Except we did have to eat breakfast out when we took our motorhome in to have our washing machine installed. We ate at the Omega Restuarant and it was superb! It is open for breakfast and lunch.

One other distractions are the $20 helicopter rides along the beach and near the airport. We hear the helicopters and jets flying over when we are out on the beach. Our grandson loves to shout and point AIRPLANE, so we noticed them more when he was here.

At Brookgreen Gardens, our grandson pointing and shouting AIRPLANE!

Finally, we have enjoyed the church services we have attended here. Last winter, we met up with a man we attended church with in New Jersey. We attended his church and had lunch. We did like that restaurant but can’t recall the name of it. We really do feel close to the Lord here because we are outside and on the go most of the time here. We love hearing the ocean slapping the beach!

Psalm 96:11-13 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for He comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His truth.

Follow the Tumble Lees!

Personal blog by former full time RVers-Still looking for adventure!

Month: November 2015

Getting Hitched: “Flat Tow” our “Dinghy” or TOAD

The Wind on Myrtle Beach

Horses on Myrtle Beach!

Wanderlust

The Blogger Recognition Award

The scoop on Myrtle Beach!

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