April 5-8 Ridgeville SC

We drove about 90 miles and camped at Givhans Ferry State Park in Ridgeville SC.  This place was isolated--no phone or internet despite being 33 miles as the crow flies to Charleston.

Our campsite at Givhans Ferry State Park

We visited another Del Webb retirement community about 45 minutes away. It was actually our favorite until we learned they do not allow fences. (Ray wants a dog and a fenced back yard is a necessity.)

We want this sunroom to look out into a fenced yard

The trip to Del Webb Charleston was not an entire loss. On an excursion to Cypress Gardens we took a boat tour of the Cypress swamp and viewed animals in their natural habitat. We also toured the swamporium and butterfly house.

This bridge was built for The Patriot, a film starring Mel Gibson

We rowed right by this alligator

I'm not sure why I find turtles so photogenic

See if you can spot the mother alligator and baby.  (Click on photo to expand)

We almost didn't see this frog

A catfish in the swamporium

One of the butterflies in the butterfly house

I was expecting a whole garden in bloom but we just missed the azaleas. We did, however, catch sight of other blooms.

A lemon scented water lily

Is this an hibiscus?

April 2-5 Hilton Head Island SC

Our first stop in South Carolina was at the Hilton Head Island RV Resort. We picked our site via golf cart! (When we parked our RV to register, they handed us the cart keys—a first in two years of traveling.)



Our chariot awaiting



Our shaded site--welcome in unseasonably warm 90 degree weather.



We visited two Del Webb communities but eliminated both from our list of retirement possibilities. We did affirm that the Copper Ridge was our home model of choice.





The small but sweet Copper Ridge.  We'd jazz up the exterior.



Back at the campground we enjoyed having a drink at the on-site restaurant and returning to the RV via the adjacent dock.



The restaurant is above the pool



The view to the west was magnificent



The view to the east was less peaceful but still pretty

The dock through the trees

March 30-April 2 Flovilla GA

A little over 60 miles and we arrived at Indian Springs State Park in Flovilla, GA. Because we arrived early we got one of the best sites in the campground.



Our campground at Indian Springs State Park

The next day we drove to Griffin GA to tour the Del Webb there.

Here I am in front of a Del Webb model home

Del Webb does landscaping right

On Sunday morning the camper next to us suggested we visit Dauset Trails Nature Center which was only 3 miles away. It was well worth the trip. Inside the center Ray and I watched with wonder as a turtle propped himself up on the head of an alligator. (The overhead lamp must have been warm.) The lizards were fascinating.

The fearless turtle at Dauset Nature Center



Getting a picture of this lizard's tongue was a challenge

Outside the center we enjoyed feeding a snapping turtle and watching the yellow belly slider turtles sun and the otters swim.

This snapping turtle has a face only a mother could love.

These slider turtles were really relaxed.

This river otter just emerged from the water.

On the way back to our campsite we stopped at a neglected cemetery and read a few headstones.

The cemetery, although on state park land, was not maintained by the park,

We also joined other tourists enjoying the water at Indian Springs.



Our RV crossed the bridge in the background.



One of those tourists let me take a picture of her kitten. Too cute.

March 26-30, Bishop GA

We arrived at Pine Lake RV Campground and set up camp in the woods.

Our campsite at Pine Lake

With Bishop as a home base we visited two Del Webbs on two different days, Deaton Creek and Lake Oconee.



The entryway to Del Webb Deaton Creek



The entryway to Del Webb Lake Oconee

The following day we went into downtown Bishop and crossed the Elder Mill Covered Bridge (our only sightseeing excursion).



Me in front of the Elder Mill Covered Bridge (built in 1897)



The bridge was constructed using a lattice design

When we returned we took a walk on the campground’s nature trail to see some of the local flora and fauna.

Ray and unknown berry bush



A well camouflaged squirrel



A fork-tailed lizard



Me toward the end of our nature walk

We ended our stay at Pine Lakes playing Euchre with fellow campers Frank and Arlene--great cards and conversation.

Frank and Arlene



March 23-26 Pelham AL

After a drive of over 260 miles, we arrived at Birmingham South Campground in Pelham AL.



Our campsite at Birmingham South



The next day we toured Oak Mountain State Park. We fed the farm animals, walked through the bird rehabilitation center, had a picnic by the lake and went to the top of Oak Mountain to see the view.

Ray and a happy Oak Mountain goat



That's a white vulture on the right



Our picnic spot



Me on top of Oak Mountain

To get back to our campground, we took an alternate route through the state park. We came to what we at first thought was a boat ramp, but it was actually one of the main roads out of the park. (After watching others drive through the standing water, we did too.)

The next day we drove into Helena for a drink and enjoyed the adjacent town park complete with waterfall. Very picturesque.



The park in Helena