My ride today from St. Augustine, through the state of Georgia to Hardeeville, South Carolina was uneventful. Well, not quite. Of all things to happen when a) you have a great distance to travel; and b) your vehicle is brand new with only 6,000 miles, the last thing you want to see is your check engine light lit on the dashboard. The wheels and scenarios immediately began racing through my mind along with that phrase, "what are the chances." Here I am about to enter Georgia driving a Mercedes Sprinter. Nah, never happen. "Check Engine" light. In the manual there's probably four pages on what could possibly be wrong. I had just fueled and checking the fuel cap could possibly cause such a thing to happen but upon checking and removing and placing it, the icon remained. I have an 8:00 a.m. appointment at Mercedes-Benz of Hilton Head the day before I leave and they'll do the diagnostics necessary to determine the cause. (There is no Plan B, no "What ifs", or "Supposins'". Fast forward to Thursday and the results of the diagnostics. Seems there's an "implausibility issue with a DPF, Diesel Particulate Filter". This is a diesel engine's equivalent of a gasoline engine's catalytic converter. They cleaned the sensors, took it for an "extended road test" (13 miles) and the problem was corrected. Cost for Mercedes, $114, for me, $0.00.
My three-day stay here has been an annual
event. Either on the way south to Florida Bluffton , SC Hendrick Hudson School District
It's Tuesday and their favorite
entertainer, singer/guitarist, Christopher
Paul, performs from six to nine. The link above will give you some background on his inspirational outlook on life that allowed him to overcome a personal tragedy. I enjoyed his music and
want to share two of his many selections. These links will take you to my YouTube
uploads. Don't forget to use your back arrow on the browser to return to the
blog. Listen to Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline and his tenor voice will remind you of John Denver's with his rendition of Rocky Mountain High.
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| Baked Brie with raspberry sauce, topped with almonds and served with pear slices and baguettes. |
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| Cajun Fish Bites: Fresh seasonal fish served with homemade tartar sauce. |
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| Clubhouse Burger: 8 oz Angus beef with bacon, cheese, jalapenos, fries, pickle and homemade cole slaw |
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| Margherita Flatbread: Olive oil, tomato, basil and mozzarella |
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| Vegetable Margherita Flatbread: Pesto sauce, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, black olives, tomatoes and mozzarella |
If you know R & W, you know they don't sit still very long. Their calendars are always full and whoever you are and whenever you visit, you get the royal treatment...places to eat (including dinners they prepare), always things to see, places to go and neighbors to meet. I know Bluffton as well as any tourist. I also enjoyed the company of neighbors, Mary Jane and Michael who live next door. Tales of careers, children and grandchildren as well as their future travels are always interesting and fascinating.
On this trip we visited the National Museum of The Mighty Eighth Air Force in Pooler, GA. If you're into WWII planes, air combat and the men who ruled the skies during that incredible era, click on the link above. Some of my photos follow:
Outdoor exhibits....
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| As seen from I-95 (background) |
...as well as the indoor restorations are beautifully maintained.
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| To hear either by docent or archival films what went into the war effort in terms of men and machinery, continues to boggle my mind. |
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| A "briefing room" where you were introduced to three films depicting the planning, preparation and actual flights over enemy targets. |
Another reality struck me after hearing that the average age of these pilots and airmen was 22, I thought about today's 22-year old and was depressed. Anyway, we enjoyed lunch there as well provided by Miss Sophie's Marketplace. It was outstanding.
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| Pot roast w/potatoes & carrots served over rice, sweet potato crunch, broccoli casserole and a biscuit. |
On the way in, my personal docent, Roger, pointed out a danger common in South Carolina...fire ants. Accidentally introduced into Alabama in the 1930's, fire ants have spread and are a real danger. They are present in all 46 counties of SC. They bite and sting leaving red welts that will be uncomfortable or painful. If you're allergic to bee stings, etc, results can be fatal. One hundred people each year die from such attacks.
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| What a typical fire ant nest looks like |
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| Disturbed |
Roger "disturbed" this nest and if you cannot see the video above CLICK HERE to view their agitated state. They attack en masse and bite/sting in unison. But that's just one hazard living in these parts. Let's have dinner at home tonight.
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| The sounds of birds and night creatures are most relaxing and peaceful. |
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| Their beautiful home is situated on a peaceful man-made lagoon. |
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| Your eye may catch a fallen log or debris on the opposite shore... |
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| ...which upon closer examination is their "pet"alligator, Broom Hilda. |
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So, as Roger prepares dinner...
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| ...a wary eye is kept to make sure he doesn't become one. |
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| But what a terrific dinner it was. Once again, timing was such that I would get to see fellow Sun City residents, Margie and Henry who joined us. Margie is also a retired and one time BMMS teacher. |
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| With roasted vegetables, potatoes, wine and followed by tiramisu for dessert, the meal was magnificent. |
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| A beautiful meal. Thank you Roger & Wendy |
And like all my other stops, the final day arrives--all too soon--. It's Thursday but do we sit and relax? Au contraire, mes ami. I cannot. At 8 am I drive Winnie to Mercedes-Benz of Hilton Island to fix the lit "Check Engine" light. Service manager, Greg, makes it painless. 8 am goes to 3 pm and thank goodness for R&W who came pick me up, I was not a prisoner. They'll call when Winnie is ready. So, off we go to the weekly Thursday Farmer's Market in downtown Bluffton. Luckily, we found a nice parking spot nearby and walked through the closed off street to see and experience the wonders of fresh veggies, fresh baked breads, the smell of freshly popped kettle corn, and "quaint" shops (you always see "quaint" with shops). Be they B&Bs, galleries or small cafes/restaurants, it's a comfy place to be. Knowing we were going out for dinner and that I have a forever supply of food in my RV, I held off buying what I wanted: baked goods and a huge bag of kettle corn. As I mention in my FB post, I was a good boy. (grrrrr)
As a very pleasant change of pace, dinner was at Ruan Thai.
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| Coconut Shrimp Appetizer |
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| Veggie Mussaman Curry with black and white rice |
My dessert was a fried coconut ice cream presented flambéed. CLICK HERE is you cannot see the inserted video:
Tomorrow, an interesting trip to my next stop, Williamsburg, VA, then to East Stroudsburg, PA. I'll tell you about Plan B and Plan C in the next blog because you know what the weather is going to be like--maybe. Looking forward to sharing it with you. Stay Safe and thanks again to Roger & Wendy for the usual great time, good company and the chauffeuring.