South Carolina Lowcountry and Upcountry

The beach area outside of Beaufort is known as the lowcountry--our destination after Jacksonville. I had been able to book two nights at Hunting Island State Park south of Beaufort, one of the most popular state parks in South Carolina. Getting there was a chore as one of the bridges from Beaufort to our destination had been hit by a barge and unavailable for us to use. The cars were backed up for miles through the downtown area--not for the lack of a bridge but due to an accident miles down the road. The slow pace allowed us to get a good glimpse of the streets of Beaufort, a nice coastal city where much of the movie the Prince of Tides was filmed. This is author Pat Conroy country--the miles and miles of coastal marshes and wetlands; and the barrier islands which protect the mainland of South Carolina.

Hunting Island State Park was filled to the rafters with families who wanted to sunbathe at the beach all day. It seemed to be the primary activity of most of the guests--and the sunny weather was there to provide ample opportunity. As we drove into the park the road had tons of traffic and no shoulder--which meant no serious bike riding. I did a little exploring down to the end of Highway 21 and over the bridge to Fripp Island--a private island. I circled back and rode through the paths and roads of the state park--a blend of palm trees beside oaks with Spanish moss. There is a lighthouse on the island which has been relocated inland due to erosion of the beach--they lose ground each year to the storms.

Speaking of which we left that area just in time! The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry hit the coast with strong winds and 5 inches of rain Saturday while we were dry most of the day in the Upcountry town of Fair Play (four miles from the Georgia border). I explored the roads of Oconee county (they don't believe too much in building shoulders on any of their roads) to the historic town of Seneca. The county is primarily rolling dairy land like you find up in the Petaluma area of Sonoma county--though much greener. It was a simply beautiful ride. I feel I connect and remember the area much better when I am able to explore on my bike; the motorists were very friendly and I actually saw other cyclists on the road!

A few more days here and then we head north to the mountains of North Carolina. More later...