Traveling Home - Days 1 and 2

Day 1

Well, evening one, that is. After finishing the ride up I got the bike taken apart and loaded up with all my gear, we headed north into South Carolina.

The goal was to get a few hours of driving out of the way, and position ourselves for a short leg to Congaree NP in the morning.

Stopped at a restaurant near the hotel, Santee Steak & Seafood.

Ordered alligator bites and a fried catfish platter. Turned out delicious.

Day 2

Breakfast at the hotel, and then off to Congaree National Park.

The park was gorgeous. Beingin the south and a river flood plain, it was a strange blend of forest and swamp that I'm not used too.

Bugs were abundant, but at least it wasn't a “war zone.”

Very diverse vegetation that, from the walking tour pamphlet, changes throughout the park even with just a foot or two of elevation change due to the nature of the area. It was neat to see essentially dividing lines where the undergrowth changes species

We got to see all kinds of wild life.

Dragonflies, snapping turtle (was hard to get a good picture mostly submerged) and yellow-bellied slider turtles, alligator, and deer.

After our hike we loaded back up in the car to drive to Charlottesville, Virginia, our rest stop for the night.

Pizza for dinner, and then off to bed.

Tomorrow we stop at Shenandoah NP then, sadly, back home.