Day 132 - SC Lowcountry, black water and black soil

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Last evening was a good one......although it rained pretty steadily much of the night. The tent stayed reasonably dry, but there was a little leaking where I hadn't tucked the ground covers under the tent. The rain kept the temperature mild throughout the night. The rain fly was wet this morning, so I left it out to dry. I was packed and ready to go by about 715. My destination today is get at least to Andrews, and maybe beyond. I'll be in Georgetown tomorrow, and start North toward Myrtle Beach on Monday.....assuming all goes as planned.

Leaving Salters I walked over an arched bridge that spans the railroad track. The road then flattens, and is straight and long, framed by tall pines. As I walked along, the end of the road started glowing orange, then this giant orange sun started rising at the end of the road, exactly in the center. The light at the end of a long tunnel, maybe? I didn't expect much in the way of stores between Salters and Andrews, so was pleasantly surprised when I saw the sign for Cooper's Country Store.......1.5 miles farther on Hwy 521. That was a quick walk, and when I pulled up to the store and walked inside, it was like stepping back in time 100 years.

I asked the guy behind the counter if they had sandwiches? His reply, "if it's in the meat counter, we'll make a sandwich out of it." Enuf said about that. I ordered a sandwich, got a drink, and sat down in one of the rocking chairs there. Looking around, I could see most anything from honey to hog hearts, saddles to shoe laces, hair wax for the crew cut, iodine (thought that had been outlawed a while back?), honey, hams hanging on a rack, and bottles of J.R. Watkins White Cream Liniment. Maybe the liniment would cure some aching muscles? I could have sat there all day and just looked around and watched the people come and go. The store was built in 1937 and called Burrow's Service Station. The original owner died, and the Cooper family bought the store and someone in the family has run it since.

A group of hunters came in to stock up before going out into the field. One guy, along with his son of about 13/14, came to the counter to pay, and the man asked he son, "boy, don't you want something else, we can't leave the field every time you get hungry? Maybe you should go back there and get you a couple cans of sardines." SARDINES? Why not a honey bun or something? The boy politely declined the offer. If I would have had some of the turtles with me I would have slipped several to the boy. I asked what they were hunting, and was told it's all small game now......quail, squirrel, rabbit, etc. Deer season is over. I picked up a few supplies for the trip to Andrews, including a piece of homemade pound cake.

Leaving the store, I passed a guy coming in bringing more homemade cake. He introduced himself as Jerry McDaniel......his wife makes it, he just delivers. We talked a while and then I had to get to moving. Along the way I saw what appeared to be a small, red fox running along a fence. He disappeared into the woods, so I just made a note of seeing it. I walked a little farther and saw the "fox" in a yard. I now identified it as a Pomeranian dog.......is that not an honest mistake? Their faces and color look similar. I also passed the first of two cats, dead beside the road. Not house cats, and not bobcats (I don't think), but about the size of a bobcat. It had a tail about 4" long, and I don't think a bobcat has a tail. Someone will know what that was.

Around noon I stopped to rest a while and dry the tent some. Jon and Laura Childs called to talk a few minutes......they went to Myrtle Beach for one night after leaving me, and had just arrived back in Gastonia. Jon seemed to enjoy the walk, and it was lots of fun having him along. As I get nearer home, maybe this will happen more often. I started walking again, and found a nice glove with a Clemson logo on the back. Should I pick up one, and hope to find the 2nd.....or just leave it? I picked it up, and hadn't taken more than 10 steps when I found the other. I passed a sign for a small community named Trio. I passed a large strawberry farm, Black River Berries. I also saw another dead otter. These animals are so big and beautiful, it's easy to see why people trap them for the fur.

Much of the land I'm passing today contains those black water swamps, beautiful in their own way. You know there's gators and cottonmouths in there somewhere. As I walked on, I began to hear roaring in the sky all around. Jet fighters were up there somewhere, but hard to spot. Obviously they were having combat training from the sounds. Occasionally I could spot one, with maybe another not far behind giving chase. An F-16 fly right across the road in front of me.......not treetop level, but not very high either. I assumed they are from Shaw AFB in Sumter. This roaring must have continued 30 minutes or more. I also passed a large "live oak" tree. I stepped off the diameter of the main trunk......3 full steps, or near 10 feet. Some of the branches must have been 4-5 feet in diameter. It was in a private resident's yard. I also pass many "hunting" clubs.......usually just a road into the woods with a sign out front. Guess it's private land that a club owns or leases.

As I neared Andrews, (Chubby Checker was born here) a car pulled alongside, and the guy asked where I was going. I told him, gave him a card, and he went on his way. In a few minutes he returned, introduced himself as Jeral, asked if I'd sign the card, thanked me, and handed me some money for the trip. (Does taking money make me a professional walker?) Around 4 I was in Andrews, a nice, small town. I looked around for a while to locate some potential camping sites, found one I liked, and called the owner for permission......which he gave. I then walked down the street to a McDonald's, found a table with an electrical outlet, ordered something to eat, and still sitting here working on the blog and email. It is getting very cold outside, maybe McDonald's stays open all night? Or the Food Lion across the street? On to Georgetown tomorrow, to meet Laura and Brion.

About the pictures:
Jerry McDaniel, only delivers cake, not makes;
A welcome sign for a walkingman;
My route for a couple of days.....it's been a good one.