• James Island (Charleston) to Huntington Beach (Pawley’s Island)

    The is just a little short bleep about the drive up the coast. I was never here in the past so I can only imagine how it was; what I imagine and see the occasional ruins of is so far different from the here and now that it might be a different planet. So it goes.

    The first trick is getting across the peninsula. Take Folly Road to US-17, hang a right and stay on it. If you have a good GPS it’ll help but otherwise the turns and ramps are clearly marked well in advance. You’re going to be on city streets and expressways. The bridge over the Ashley River is just a preliminary; the Ravenel Bridge is plain spectacular. It’s probably good that it was misty and rainy otherwise Mom would’ve had four cats and two cows. It’s that high.

    Down off the bridge and a few blocks further and we come to Houston Northcutt Boulevard, where we find Melvin’s Legendary and pig out.

    Fortified, we waddle back onto US-17 whereupon we enjoy traffic and traffic lights for another 12 miles. It’s not heavy traffic at noon and the traffic lights don’t catch us too often, but it does exist and our average speed was around 40 mph.

    Once into the Francis Marion National Forest it’s smooth sailing for 30+ miles. We’re on a US highway and there’s no traffic. Eventually we come to Georgetown, which is an unremarkable little mill town boasting a paper mill and a steel mill and we don’t care that it dates to 1734, we just want to get across the Pee Dee and Waccamaw Rivers and get out of town.

    And all of a sudden we’re onto Pawley’s Island and plowing through housing development after housing development, strip mall after strip mall. The good side is that there’s a grocery store, liquor store, Walgreens and CVS on every corner; the bad side  is that there’s a grocery store, liquor store, Walgreens and CVS on every corner. For miles. These developments are all “The Something or Other Plantation” and they’re all just beachfont and coastal McMansions.

    Chirrens, the Grand Strand ain’t so grand any more. Nothing that a Hugo-level hurricane wouldn’t fix.

    Editorial aside, we passed out of purgatory into Huntington Beach SP land. For about two miles on one side of the road is the state park and on the other side is Brookgreen Gardens. Peace!

     

     

  • James Island County Park, Charleston, S.C.

    James Island County Park is a huge Charleston County park on the western side of James Island S.C. just west of Charleston.  It features a FHU campground, miles of nature trails, freshwater lakes, access to a tidal creek and a waterpark for the kiddies.

    The first topic is getting there. Coming in from the west I outwitted myself by getting off US-17 and taking River Road and Maybank Parkway. Don’t do it! They’re narrow two-lane roads with overhanging trees; although we had clearance at 12’6″ the antennae on top twanged every limb along the way. Continue to Folly Road, turn south, then turn right on Central Park Road, left on Riverland Drive and there you are on the right.

    Lot # 84

    Lot # 84

    The CG itself is very spacious with plenty of room to maneuver and plenty of clearance. Campsites are widely-spaced with bushes and trees between camper. With some moving around the satellite tv worked and wifi worked fine. The sites are all level but some are a little high and some are a little low; unfortunately we were in site 84 and it was somewhat muddy and had standing water all around on a rainy day.

    Camp Store and office!

    Camp Store and office!

    Of course the point of camping at James Island is going into Charleston, and the park makes that easy. The park operates a shuttle bus that goes into the city at 9 a.m. and returns a 4 p.m. for $10 per person. Since parking a car downtown is impossible or even more difficult the shuttle is great. Don’t even think of taking an RV into Charleston.

    Bath House and Laundry!

    Bath House and Laundry!

    We’ll be returning to James Island County Park; there’s lots more we want to see and do in Charleston.

    871 Riverland Drive
    Charleston, SC 29412
    (843) 795-4386
    Call (843) 795-4386 for availability and reservations.

    http://www.ccprc.com

  • Melvin’s Legendary Bar-B-Q, Charleston, S.C.

    On a rainy Monday morning heading out from James Island County Park we dropped into Melvin’s in Mt. Pleasant. Who says we can’t have barbecue for breakfast?

    I figured it would probably be pretty good since Melvin was one of the Bessinger barbecue family. I was wrong; it was really good.

    We both had the chopped pork plate, today’s special, which came with around one-third pound pork, cornbread and one side. We got mac’n’cheese and added sides, hash for me and onion rings for Mom.

    Chopped Pork Plate!

    Chopped Pork Plate!

    The first taste of the pork was stunning for both of us; it’s what barbecue should be. Distinct smoke but not too much, bits of crunchy bark and moist but no greasiness.

    The mac’n’cheese was thick and cheesy with a little crunchy topping. None of the orange stuff.

    Mom got a couple of onion rings. That’s right, a couple of huge onion rings. Unfortunately they were a miss; she says they were very heavily battered with a cake-like texture and greasy.

    Free Pickle and Pepper Bar!

    Free Pickle and Pepper Bar!

    My hash was spot-on with lots of porky bits and that funkiness good South Carolina hash has. Recalling our visit to Shealy’s a few years ago, this was less mustardy.

    We did sample Melvin’s sauces although they weren’t needed on the pork. The mustard sauce is mild with a mustard and vinegar twang but it won’t knock you over, and the red sauce is a standard tomato-vinegar sauce, not sweet, and has a distince peppery finish. Both sauces are fine.

    View from out front!

    View from out front!

    Melvin’s Legendary Bar-B-Q is at:

    925 Houston Northcutt Blvd.
    Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
    (843) 881-0549

    538 Folly Road
    Charleston, SC 29412
    (843) 762-0511