• 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

  • Laura S. Walker SP, Ga.

    Waycross Georgia was until the early ’60s where literally the ways crossed. US-82 from Brunswick to Albany, US-1 from Jacksonville to Columbia, and US 84 would take you from Valdosta to Jesup through Ludowici where you’d get a ticket and on toward Savannah.  Nowadays it’s just way out in the boonies. Fortunately for us RV-ers these are US highways, mostly four-laned, and there’s hardly any traffic at all.

    Laura S. Walker Entrance

    Laura S. Walker Entrance

    Just east of Waycross off US-82 is Laura S. Walker SP. It’s big; in addition to the 44 w/e campsites the park boasts a 180-acre lake you could ski on and an 18-hole golf course. Of course there’s the usual nature trails etc.

    Our campsite

    Our campsite

    The campsites are relatively level and it appears that some are being leveled with gravel. Some are rather soft and wet if it’s been rainy lately. This is one of those parks that at night is dead quiet. No airplanes, no trucks, no cars, just a few frogs. Nice.

    Nice picnic tables and fire rings!

    Nice picnic tables and fire rings!

    No wifi but Virgin Mobile / Sprint worked ok.

     

  • Bugers

    Mom’s gotten re-obsessed with genealogy. Some new DNA test or something became available a couple of months ago and now pretty much every conversation involves ancestors. For a couple of months. Ancestors. Relatives. Ancestors. Relatives. Did I mention ancestors? Morning, noon and night. Ancestors. Revered ancestors. Hated ancestors. And worse, ancestors and relatives on Facebook.

    I don’t see what the big deal is; her family tree is as straight-arrow as they come.

    One of the relatives on Mom’s FB group pulled a fast one and referred to the Buger family, even suggesting that you could get a Buger sample while the victim slept. (say that out loud)

    Not only did that send people scurrying to check the family trees for Bugers, one person even said he’d nail old Dad while he slept.

    And I thought owl sex on the gag shag was bad.