It’s no surprise to those who know me that I am an Ultimate Outsider. I do enjoy being outside, whether it is kayaking, camping, hiking, gardening, or just tramping through the woods looking for cool stuff. But really: “Ultimate”? And, grammar police that I am, why did I capitalize both words?
Actually, “Ultimate Outsider” is a term used by the South Carolina State Park system to identify those of us who have experienced all 47 of SC’s state parks. I have, and I have the tee-shirt to prove it. And as a member of the Ultimate Outsider club, I qualified to take part in the park system’s Goose Chase, an online scavenger hunt with clues to various sights throughout the state, a point system, and prizes for those who achieve a certain level. And I don’t need a tee-shirt to tell me that I’m an Over-Achiever!
Last year’s Goose Chase was perfectly timed. With the Covid virus lurking inside every inhabited building, being outside was the ideal pastime. I was finished with the entire game by the time summer came around. Not so this year. The first half of the year I was intent on hiking each passage of the Palmetto Trail, taking me from the SC mountains across the state to the ocean. By the time I finished that challenge, the summer’s heat had ratcheted up to uncomfortable levels, sending me into summer-hibernation mode.
By the time cooler weather came, I was seriously behind in my Goose Chasing. I studied the map and concocted a plan, stitching together clue locations into a quilt of several trips that would have me finished by December. The following is a glimpse into a two-day goose chase.
Thursday, 8:15 am… Left home in new 24’ motorcoach. Fingers crossed that all the issues (especially the electrical one) are finally fixed.
11:02 am… Arrived at H. Cooper Black Field Trial & Recreation Area. This state park wins the prize for most unusual facility. On this 7,000 acre property are equestrian campsites, 20 miles of trails, and ponds for retriever training. Regional and national retriever and equestrian events are held here; the Palmetto Retriever Fall Field Trials were underway when we were there. I can only hope that our dogs were paying attention through the RV windows as these well-trained retrievers took off at full speed through the field toward their goal.
11: 26 am… Stopped at a park in downtown Cheraw (nicknamed “The Prettiest Town in Dixie”) to view statue of hometown boy-made-good Dizzy Gillespie. The youngest of nine children, John Birks Gillespie (nicknamed Dizzy for his penchant for horseplay) would grow up to become one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all times. The town of Cheraw is worth another look: its history goes back pre-Revolutionary War, plus there’s a lovely bakery that needs investigation. Next time I’ll take the Historic Cheraw Cell Phone Tour, whilst munching on a sweet treat of course.
11:48 am… Entered Cheraw State Park. During previous camping trips here, I had immersed myself in the piney woods with its large population of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. I’ve also walked the half-mile boardwalk on the edge of Lake Juniper and kayaked through a forest of Atlantic white cedar trees. On this day, a cold blustery wind was blowing, so our activities were limited to walking to the water’s edge, where some brave pitcher plants shivered, no doubt hoping an errant insect would take refuge within. Back in the RV, we were fixing our lunch when my husband Brian looked out the window and spied some park employees. “Don’t you need an employee with at least 20 years experience?” Out the door I ran, where the park manager Robert Mahoney patiently posed, earning me an extra ten points for my Goose Chase.
1:03 pm…Unscheduled stop in Blenheim. On the way to our next stop, we were passing through the tiny town of Blenheim when I spotted a sign pointing to its famous spring, the genesis of my very favorite soda, Blenheim’s Ginger Ale. (I love the spicy heat of their Old #3 Red Cap. Try it if you dare.) Of course we had to stop. And of course I had to taste the water. Not as good as the ginger ale, but interesting nonetheless.
1:55 pm… Pulled into Little Pee Dee State Park. This quiet little park has some interesting features, including a sand rim left over from an ancient coastline, a petrified log (take that, Arizona!), and Lake Norton, a 54-acre lake stocked with bream, bass, and catfish. The last time we were here, a flood had washed out the dam; today it is rebuilt and the water levels are back to normal. And it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from the beach!
4:01 pm… Myrtle Beach State Park! The sky had cleared up and the sun warmed our backs as we strolled onto the beach. This being a Thursday in November, we had the beach almost to ourselves. Except for what must have been a herd of horses, judging by all the hoof prints in the sand. And although this popular state park has a lot to offer, I don’t think I’d like to camp here: in the short time we were there, at least three jets flew by to a nearby airport. And with every step, our dogs divined a new adversary: sand spurs.
5:56 pm… Drove into our campground for the night. Bucksport Marina Campground was conveniently located and billed as a resort. Not. While the view of the Waccamaw River out back was gorgeous, we were camping on a gravel parking lot. Right beside a construction site. But it did have electric and sewer hookups, and for once our RV was behaving itself and not emitting that annoying beep-beep that indicated a shore power problem. Yay, we had electricity! There is hope for a brighter tomorrow!
Friday, 10:13 am… Arrived at Huntington Beach State Park. This clue on the Goose Chase required a visit to the new Nature Center, but when I asked at the gate for directions, I was told it was currently inaccessible because the road was flooded. Just our luck to arrive at the peak of a King Tide. We were told that the water might recede in about an hour, so we decided to wait it out. Fortunately, Atalaya Castle was begging to be explored. Built by the sculptor Anna Huntington and her husband Archer during the Depression at the same time as they were building nearby Brookgreen Gardens, the amount of brick contained in its 30 rooms staggers the imagination. While I explored, Brian plotted a path to the Nature Center. Noting the proximity of the campground to the Nature Center, he deduced that there must be a trail connecting the two, which indeed there was. It is not by accident that Brian transposed is Brain. With nature trails, lagoons, boardwalks, a castle, and Brookgreen Gardens nearby, Huntington Beach is my favorite beach campground in South Carolina. In the words of The Terminator, “I’ll be back.”
12:22 am… Stopped at Hampton Plantation State Historic Area. This interpretive site tells a balanced story of plantation life, from the mansion to the slave dwellings to the lives of the freedmen who made their homes in this area. George Washington not only visited this rice plantation, he saved an oak tree from being cut down. The planters and the enslaved are long gone, but the 220 year-old oak remains. And it stood patiently while I took its picture.
2:11 pm… Located the Charleston Hat Man Mural (and sorely tested my husband’s love). Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to do what we did, which was to drive our 24’ motor coach through the historic district of Charleston. The streets are narrow. Traffic is heavy. And horse-drawn carriages plod along, stopping for indeterminate amounts of time, even when the light is green. But we had a plan: I had my phone ready to snap the photo I needed and would pass it to Brian if it were on his side. The mural was on his side, but unfortunately facing away from him on a corner. Thinking quickly (something I’m not particularly good at) I jumped out of the RV in the rain, waved my phone at my astonished husband, and told him to keep going and we’d catch up somehow. That, my friends, is called Trust. Oh, and did I mention that many of the streets in Charleston are one-way and don’t allow left-hand turns? I snapped my photo and called Brian. I could hear the stress in his voice as he tried to navigate unfamiliar narrow streets amidst carriages that stopped right in front of him. I pulled up Google Maps on my phone and as he called out street names I was able to guide him back to me. I often call him Brian the Beast, but on this day he was Brian the Best. And we’re still married.
2:56 pm…Landed at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site. According to my calculations, this was where I could check off three items from my scavenger hunt. I took off at a run to the farthest point of the park to photograph an old log shipping wharf at low tide. Except that it wasn’t there; this wharf with the replica ship Adventure was a new one. Oops. Dang. The only other place it could be was Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site. Oh, well. On to the next: a memorial to the Children of the Revolution. Except it wasn’t where I thought it would be. Shoot. Speed on to the “elusive puma.” Not so elusive: it was pacing the fence in front of me. Poor thing! Back to find the memorial, which I had apparently passed twice in my hurry. Got it. Now to tell Brian we need to get to Colonial Dorchester before the tide changes. Poor guy!
4:57 pm… Detoured to Colonial Dorchester. Got to the riverfront just as the tide started to cover up the logs from the old shipping wharf. With Halloween just a few days ago, I could imagine the ghosts of the 1697 trading village hovering over the remains of this town, brick bell tower, and tabby fort. Hauntingly beautiful.
7:05 pm… A fortuitous stop at Givhans Ferry State Park. We were finally on the way home when I passed a sign for this state park. It was not on my original trip plan due to the Dorchester detour, so a quick look at my clue sheet told me that I could get a quick ten points with a stop here. Brian barely rolled his eyes. This laid-back state park on the Edisto River had been the scene of several of my favorite kayak trips. Having been here before, I knew exactly where this clue would take me. Sure enough, it was the easiest ten points of the entire trip. And now we really were headed home.
9:15 pm… Home!
In 37 hours, I had amassed 91 points for my Goose Chase, 20 more than I had hoped for, and had visited nine South Carolina State Park areas. This trip felt not a little like speed dating, and my head was swimming with all I had seen. But it also felt like visiting old friends, each time learning something new. And I’ll be back to spend more time with them, I promise.
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