Huntington Beach State Park Part 1 (June 16-20, 2004)
“All you need to know about South Carolina is Myrtle Beach.” That’s what a guy told Camille at the SC Welcome Station while I was getting new improved directions.
Mrs. Garmin wanted us to go through Columbia, Florence and all the Myrtle Beach traffic. The nice lady at the Welcome Center showed me a better route. Good, almost deserted two lane highway. Mrs. Garmin took it hard. She computed six or eight ways for us to get back to the interstate before she gave in and accepted the alternate route.
I had called Huntington Beach State Park on Monday at about 2 PM. All the reservable sites were reserved. They had 15 open first come, first served sites. I figured that if we could get an early start we have a pretty good shot at a site.
We got an early start, 11:30, and arrived at 5PM. They still had 3 sites, one of which was site 110.
Another back in site. We did good. No help except for the passing bicyclist warning me just before I demolished the site sign post. This seems to be a reoccurring problem.
Went for a walk on the beach then out for takeout pizza. Another pattern developing?
Riccardo’s Pizza. 3552 Business 17, Murrells Inlet, SC. 843-651-7499. Declared by Camille to be the best pizza she ever had.
Thursday we went shopping for essentials. There is a new shopping mall, Coastal Grand at the intersection of 17 and Harrelson Blvd. Very nice. They have a Dillards. We had lunch at the food court and Camille got a bathing suit. I went shopping for light bulbs at Sears and made a new buddy. He has an RV. Lives in Garden City Beach. He said that when he leaves home he comes to Business 17 and then has to make a decision to turn either left or right. He also told me that there was a Camping World here. We went for a walk on the beach that evening.
Friday was Beach & Alligator Day.
Hunting Beach State Park was the estate of the Huntingtons. They were conservationists. They built a dam to provide a fresh water habitat for the alligators.
One side of the Causeway (Dam) is a salt water lagoon, the other side fresh.
One alligator was basking on the rocks in the fresh water lagoon.
At least a couple of others showed up on schedule for the Alligator Program.
Seen in the campground.
Saturday was “do” Myrtle Beach day.
We explained to Mrs. Garmin that her “off course, recalculating” was becoming tiresome and distracting. She agreed to just show us the map with the route and be quiet about any deviations. It was much more pleasant.
We drove Oceanside through the communities south of MB. Interesting mixture of buildings on stilts and conventional ground floor construction. And of course, the “Hurricane Evacuation Route” signs at almost every westbound street.
Then we went to Lakewood. The security guard waved us through. I guess he saw the HBST Pass on the rear view mirror and vacant 5th wheel hitch & figured out what we were up to.
They have 1200 sites!
Beach is nice, if a little more crowded.
There was this fellow there in his pickup truck, handful of chain saws and a few logs. He was mumbling something about the firewood business being slow.
Then we drove down into the heart of Myrtle Beach tourism. All the shops, rides, shows, people. We looked at each other. Do we want to park, walk around? No. Must be getting old.
Off to Camping World and an Outlet Mall of opportunity across from Camping World. About 2/3s of the stores were closed. The Pottery was having a 40% off store closing sale.
Back to Kroger where the sea food salesman was going to tell us where we could go to eat seafood and hear him do Johnny Cash imitations. That gig fizzled out and his next one is next weekend. Oh well.
Huntington Beach State Park Part 2 (June 20-24, 2004)