The Traveling Ducheks

  • Briarcliff RV Resort (Feb 22-March 13)

    We moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, to Briarcliff RV Resort. The campground is quite nice. It is located right off a main road, so the road noise is a bit much, but we settled in the middle of the campground, so it wasn’t too terrible. Location is good for access to most of the area attractions. Sites are concrete which is always nice. There is a cute little chapel on site.

    There is a cool place right next to the campground called Barefoot Landing. We walked over and explored. There are lots of shops and restaurants.

    Ed has been to the area with James in the past, so he had a few places he wanted to show me. One is Broadway on the Beach. We went on Thursday. It was a bigger version of the area next to the campground. It wasn’t too busy, due to being the off season.

    On Friday, we went to Pawleys Island.

    I flew to Dallas on Saturday the 25th and stayed until Sunday March 5th. James helped his Gramma by cutting down some tree limbs that were hanging over her roof and spent time cleaning up the mess from that. He’s such a great guy! Fancy helped out as much as her tiny self could! LOL! The last photo is the day James drove me to the airport for my flight back to SC. Payment was made via his stomach…the boy loves Taco Bueno, so I got him enough to eat on for a few days. It’s always bittersweet visiting, as I love to see everyone and it never seems long enough.

    On Monday, March 6, Ed planned a boat tour to Shell Island, as I have been lamenting for weeks now that I never find any conch shells on the beaches! So Ed booked the first morning cruise to ensure that we would get a conch. I had to laugh because as soon as the boat docked, Ed was OFF! He took off down the beach and gathered plenty of conch! LOL! He was determined that I be happy. One of the primary reasons I love him so…he loves to make me happy. On our cruise back, we saw a few eagles…I tried to capture a photo, but they were a bit far from the boat. We had a great time!

    On Wednesday, we spent the day at Myrtle Beach. There is a place called Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, it was huge and a fun place to browse! I didn’t take many photos.

    We spent the last couple of days just chilling and preparing for the move to Chocowinity.

  • The Oaks at Point South (Feb 8-22)

    We moved to Yemassee, SC to The Oaks at Point South campground. This campground is a bit tight and small, but we got a decent site and the location is right between Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. This made it nice for being able to visit both cities/areas. We got an end site on the row, which I always like, as they are usually more spacious and you also only have one neighbor to contend with.

    There was a nice walking trail around a little lake in the back of the campground. It has alligators in it, so we had to keep Scooby nice and close. We saw several gators, but they never seemed to mind us…they were just chill.

    The first week, we just kinda poked around the area a bit, found some cool places by happenstance and explored. The first area we stumbled upon was the Old Sheldon Church Ruins. It was a cool place and we spent a while exploring the area and the tombs/gravesites there.

    We also went to the Hunting Island State Park and walked the beach, saw the lighthouse and man, was the pollen out in force! The photos of the road, the yellow stuff is the pollen…Allergy Haven!

    We found another ruins, Chapel of Ease, which was a cool place also. I am always intrigued by historic ruins.

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    This last photo was taken as I was driving across the bridge, Ed saw this guy having his supper, nice catch!

    We went to Folly Island on the 13th and I had to post these photos of Ed getting into the big adarondack chair, because he had me cracking up! He slid all the way to the back of the chair and then let out a big sigh. LOL!

    On Valentine’s Day (our anniversary) we decided to go to Savannah for the day and rode the tourist trolley. It was a really beautiful day and we have decided that we will have to return again and take a few days to really enjoy the city.

    The buildings are really interesting! I love all the architecture and various styles that have developed over the years.

    The Cathedral of St John the Baptist was stunning! I could have spent hours in there! While we were there, a man was giving a tour and explaining all the intricacies and I hope that the next time we are here, we can take a tour to learn more about the cathedral. There was so much to look at and admire!

    We ended the night with an anniversary dinner at Ruth’s Chris in the wine cellar. It was a wonderful meal and just the right topper for our day!

    We visited Edisto State Park on the 15th and the shells were in abundance! I find it cool that the beaches almost always have some kind of artistic display such as this remembrance tree.

    We discovered that the walking trail at the campground connects to the neighboring KOA, so we went to check it out. It has a pizza kitchen, so Ed was quite excited to get a menu for ordering pizza! LOL! They had a cute caboose you can rent and we saw another gator and a squirrel on our way back…hopefully they get along!

    On Thursday the 16th, we visited Tybee Island and saw the lighthouse there. I love going to places like this in the off season when there are no crowds!

    We also visited the Oatland Island Wildlife Center. It was a pretty neat place and wonderful for walking on a nice day.

    We ended the day by visiting Bonaventure Cemetary; woah, this place is amazing! I had no idea how huge it was and how many interesting monuments/burials are here. We will be returning here some day. We were letterboxing and discovered that you can get a map to follow that tells all the great places to see and the history of the sites. We found these quilted hearts hanging from the trees and thought it was a really neat project! I found one and Ed found one, I took one home to Mama when I visited.

    On Saturday the 18th, we drove to Augusta, GA to meet up with Vickie and her mom, Kathy! We had a wonderful visit! We talked and talked and talked…. LOL!

    On Monday the 20th, we visited Hilton Head

    That does it for Yemassee. Next we are headed to Myrtle Beach!

  • Blythe Island (Jan 25-Feb 8)

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    We moved to Blythe Island in Georgia. Ed isn’t feeling well and I have been letting him rest while I explore the campground. I really love this campground! It has lots of hiking trails and BUNNIES!!! The bunnies greeted us right away and I fed them, so they really like our site.

    Ed did not feel good for about 5-6 days, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the downtime. After such a busy Florida stop, we needed the recharge. We had a campfire one night and it was lovely!

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    When Ed started to feel better, we ventured out to St. Mary’s Dungeness Beach and Fort Clinch. The fort was a really interesting place with lots of artifacts and it was a huge place. The beach was foggy but had lots of sand dollars. We had a really good time.

    On Tuesday the 31st, we went to the Golden Isles. We visited the St. Simons Lighthouse, went to Glory Beach and collected more sand dollars and visited a spooky place on Jekyll Island called driftwood beach. We had lunch at a great place called Totuga Jacks….wonderful veggie tacos there!

    Our last stop that day was a place we just happened upon. It was the Georgia Sea Turtle Hospital. We were greeted by a volunteer walking a (non-sea) turtle who had been injured on the road. We visited the center and were able to watch the sea turtles being fed. It was a really cool place and fun experience.

    We spent many days at the campground, enjoying it’s beauty and tranquility.

    We visited St Simons Island and visited the beach. We also hunted the carved trees of St Simons…it was a fun time! The trees are like spirits of the islands. I really enjoyed hunting and finding all of them.

    On Saturday the 4th, we rode the Georgia Coastal Railway. Honestly, it was pretty pitiful. I realize we are spoiled, but while the train was in good shape and clean, there were no views, certainly no coastal views and the musician was literally sitting in our personal space. He was a nice guy, but I was not too into the music he played and hated being squeezed into my seat so uncomfortably. Luckily, it was very affordable.

    We spent a lot of our time at the campground. I really loved the area. We will stay here again for sure!

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    These are the sand dollars and shells I collected from the Golden Isles

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    • Thousand Trails Orlando (Jan 11-25)

      We moved to TTO and the check in process is run like a well oiled machine! We arrived at the gate and were directed to a staging area where we lined up with other arriving RVs. When it was our turn, we were escorted by an employee on a golf cart to different sites that met our expectations and when we found one we liked, we claimed it and settled in.

      We got a great site and made a new buddy right away who we decided was part of the welcoming committee!

      We spent our first full day in Orlando at The Magic Kingdom (Disney World), of course! I mean, let’s be real, the ONLY reason we go to Orlando is to go to Disney! LOL! It was a great day and we even spent the entire day there instead of going home to rest mid-day like we usually do. The weather was perfect and we were really having a good time.

      We spent the second day at Animal Kingdom.

      I was super happy to discover that the Lion King and the Nemo and Friends live shows were operating again! They are a highlight of a visit to Animal Kingdom and had been suspended during COVID. Some of the cast has changed, which was a bit disappointing, but understandable. I hope the previous cast members are somewhere using their talents…as they are certainly missed. Now, the new cast is great, so I don’t mean to take from them.

      We did something different to our usual ‘Disney’ visit. We decided to break up the days, since we had plenty of time in the area this time. We took the weekend to just relax and enjoy the campground. We tend to lay low on weekends these days, as it gets too ‘people-y’ out for us on weekends! LOL!

      I had to post this photo, because Scooby and I were sitting outside one day enjoying the beautiful weather and this kid rode up on his bike. Scooby started whining and shaking…I kept saying to him ‘what is your issue?’ until I looked up at the kid. It was then that I was taken aback also…he looked so much like James from the back! It is kinda weird, too, as the tattered flag image on his shirt looks similar to James’ tattoo.

      On Monday the 16th, we drove around Orlando to visit a few of the Free Little Art Galleries in the area. We also went to Trader Joe’s where I had an interesting situation occur. As with most TJ’s, this one had a ridiculously small parking lot that was packed. I drove around several times and a spot opened up. I pulled into the spot and parked. (Short diversion for clarity…both Ed and I have disabled parking rights/plates, due to our individual disabilities…I won’t go further, because it is our private medical business, but it is part of the story). As I was getting out of the truck, an elderly man backed up from about 10 spaces away, got behind my truck and started screaming at me that I took his spot. I didn’t get a chance to respond and he said “AND it’s a handicapped spot, IDIOT”. Well, since he was elderly, I simply said “I’m sorry you think I took your spot, but I did not.” I started walking to where Ed was and the man got out of his car and I hurried to where Ed was while the man screamed behind me “YOU STUPID PIECE OF WHITE TRASH!” I was equally mortified and amused. I have been called many things, but this was a first….white trash….imagine if he knew I lived in a camper!!! He could have called me white TRAILER trash. Anyhoo….this kinda exemplifies why I don’t like to be in places that are too ‘people-y’. I probably would have moved if he had been nice, because I do have a soft spot for the elderly, especially ones who are disabled, but being old doesn’t give anyone the right to verbally assault someone. **Disclaimer-I’m gonna be preachy until the next photo, so skip if you prefer. Both my husband and I have an invisible disability. Both of us have received our disability parking rights, as everyone who has them must, from a medical physician who determined our needs. When you observe someone utilizing the disabled parking that you think ‘doesn’t look’ disabled, pause a minute and think. There are SO many invisible disability battles that the people around you are fighting. Those people don’t owe you any explanation. If you truly believe someone is breaking the LAW by parking in disabled parking, call the police and report it. It is NOT anyone else’s job or business to ‘police’ disabled parking. Also, while I am ranting, if you happen to park next to a disabled parking spot, don’t ride the line or park partly in their space or the lined area. People with wheelchairs or ability devices need that space to safely get out of their vehicles and get situated. I know this sounds like common sense, but sometimes we do things that we don’t realize might be infringing on others. **RANT OVER**

      We went to Universal Studios on Tuesday (17th). As always, it was amazing.

      We went to Hollywood Studios on Wednesday (18th). We ate at a 50’s themed diner in the park and the waitstaff is hilarious there! I think this is also the first time we have gotten our photo with the dino that it wasn’t Christmas, so he looks funny to me without his Santa hat and wreath on his neck!

      Thursday the 19th we went to Epcot. We were there during the Festival of the Arts. I always enjoy the chalk art that is done during the festival! It amazes me that such talent is just washed away after a while. The forced perspective one was stunning.

      The photo below cracks me up. It makes me think of an 80’s couples photo LOL!

      Friday evening, Ed and I got to meet up with my niece, Miryam whom we have not seen for around 12 years! It was so wonderful to catch up and share some time with her. AND, of course, I am consistently terrible at taking photos of people we visit! I tend to enjoy visiting so much that I forget to take photos with them.

      On Monday the 23rd, we spent the day at Magic Kingdom again. I am fully aware that lots of people do NOT like It’s a Small World, but it is one of my favorite rides at MK. I love to Facetime James while on the ride, because it makes him and Ed both crazy! LOL!

      We went to Downtown Disney on Tuesday the 24th and went to Gideon’s which was awesome! I have been wanting to go since they opened, but when we were here before, the lines were crazy long. We still waited about 30 minutes, but it was well worth it. I loved the decor and the cookies were divine! This will be a must every trip now.

      As we were packing up and readying ourselves for the next journey, these guys came to tell us goodbye. We really enjoyed this campground and area. We will return for sure!

    • A Stone’s Throw RV Park (Jan 9-Jan 11)

      We moved to A Stone’s Throw RV Park in Monticello, Florida as just an ‘in-between’ for 2 nights on the way to Orlando.

      I thought this sign was hilarious…it was a small road that lead only to the campground…

      Their mailbox is adorable!!!

      The campground is nice and we would certainly use it again when traveling through the area!

    • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Jan 2-Jan 9)

      We arrived in Pensacola, Florida! The campground we stayed at is an old naval base that now has several loops of campgrounds, one being all cabins. It’s a campground for active or retired military only, which is really nice. The campground is very clean, roomy and well maintained. It is located on Perdido Bay. We got a great site with wonderful neighbors.

      The ‘beach’ near our campsite
      On the trails
      Going on a walk around the base campground

      On Wednesday, we went to NAS base to go to the Aviation Museum, the lighthouse and the Exchange. If there is a base around, you can bet we are going to explore it!

      A plane….they had lots of them LOL
      The Lighthouse & Museum…no longer accessible to the public, only accessible to those with base privileges.
      A diagram of the lighthouse and those 177 steps to the lens & external walkabout
      The Light & the House. We toured both.
      Ed evaluating the climb
      Looking up the stairway
      I would have much preferred solid steps
      A window about 1/2 way up…
      We made it to the top!!!
      Going down was much harder than going up…center of gravity was way off thanks to those stairs
      I earned this one! My legs felt like jelly after going up & down all those stairs!

      On Thursday, we drove to Mobile, Alabama to tour the battleship & visit a Free Little Art Gallery downtown.

      USS Alabama
      I collected the art on the far left…titled Festive Parlor
      I left 2 ATC’s…I hope someone likes them!

      After visiting the F.L.A.G., we walked around the square where we parked. It is called Mobile Mardi Gras Park…it is a cool spot!

      They still had their Christmas tree up

      Friday, we stayed home and did some chores around the house. Ed repaired some drawers that needed some stabilizing & reinstalled a cabinet door that has fallen off a few times.

      Ed at work IN the cabinet! 😝

      We spent the weekend cleaning, organizing & prepping for the move on Monday.

    • Bogue Chitto State Park (Jan 1)

      This is another one night stay on the way to Florida. The campground is very nice! The sites are roomy & good for big rigs. This is also one that we will put on the return list. The town was a bit sketchy, but it was fine.

      We got a great site that was a V shape, with lots of room on each side!
      This was the view in front of our site.
    • Hello 2023!

      We are going to try out a new blog host, as it seems the old one is a bit hard to navigate.

      Our first stop of the new year was Cypress Bend Park in Many, Louisiana. The campground is very nice & the sites are great sizes for big rigs.
      The view from our site was wonderful!
      Scooby approved!

      We only stayed one night, but we will keep this one on our list to return to!

    • Prairie Lakes Ranch, Farmersville, TX (Dec 5-31)

      Prairie Lakes Ranch, Farmersville, TX (Dec 5-31)

       

      We got the RV back and we are now settled at the ranch! It is so nice to be back home.
       
      I had to decorate Johnny and June for the holidays.  I love Christmas so much and really do miss all my wonderful Christmas goodies.  I make due with what we can use in an RV spot…Ed keeps me in check.
       
      We saw the grinch on the side of the road!
       
      We took Mama with us to the Farmersville Christmas Parade.  There is just nothing like a small town Christmas parade!!  Especially MY small hometown!

       

       
      We spent Christmas with Mama.  Everyone made it, but I am terrible at taking photos.  I have decided it is because I am enjoying time with my family and too busy soaking that up to think about taking a bunch of pictures!
       
       
       
      We had supper with James the night before we left Texas again.  It is hard saying “See ya later”, but so wonderful to spend time with him and we are so proud of him!

       

       
      OK 2023, we are ready for ya!

       

    • Drury Inn, Richardson, TX (Nov 14-Dec 5)

      Drury Inn, Richardson, TX (Nov 14-Dec 5)

       

      Well, we are RV-less for the next couple of weeks.  We dropped off the rig to have some repairs done (stemming from the wheel debacle and a few other issues). We are going to be at the Drury Inn in Richardson at Cityline.  It is a great hotel. 

       
      While here, we caught up with family, doctor visits, vet visits and just tried to take it easy for the most part.  We drove out to Lake Lavon to check out the campground there… it is not one that we will likely use, but good to know it is there if we ever need it.
       
      On November 23rd, I went and got my floral bracelet tattoo with the ‘Love, Mom’ on my right wrist. It is gorgeous and I really love it. 

       

       
      Spent Thanksgiving Day with my Mama, Ed and James….Michael and Joshua popped in for a bit, too!  It was really nice!
       
      Michael sent me a photo of him eating a piece of his pumpkin pie…every year I make a whole pumpkin pie, just for Michael…it’s his favorite! LOL
       
       
      I had botox done for my migraines and Ed said my horns were popping out!  I had to laugh….and document the occasion!

       

       
      I love this guy!