48stateroadtrip.com

I put together a video of the trip. Then YouTube took it down. Now it is lost to the ether. All praise the ether!

Crap — Day 100 is coming up. I better do something momentous.

Day 95 I went to Congaree National Park (south of Columbia, S.C.) and paddled around in the swamp. It was about as chill, relaxing an activity as I’ve done this trip. Apart from havin’ to wrench my kayak out of the cab of my truck, dig underneath my cot to find the keel and my PFD, extract my foot pump out of the nether-corner of the truck bed, and then inflate and assemble the whole thing. But, really, you know, once that was done, it was pretty dang relaxin’. Check it out:

I should probably take more photos of stuff like diggin’ under the cot to find my keel. Posterity might appreciate that kind of thing. Next trip. (Although, in my defense, it’s not always easy to take photos of yourself doin’ things like that.)

Sorry for all that paddlin’ noise on the video. Kind of kills the moment(s).

Trip lasted about three hours. By “the swamp”, I mean “Cedar Creek”. Technically, yes, the water is flowin’. Just very slowly. Made for easy paddlin’ upstream and still waters that yielded really good reflections. Photos are kind of off though — too dark to use normal ISO and a small aperture, which blew out the details. Plus there were too many snags to stop paddlin’ long enough to really compose anything. Oh well. Here’s what I ended up with.

Mmm: swampy!

My apparent consternation is unfounded.

Glass-like.

Another photo.

A fork in the creek.

Somewhat spider-like, imho.

Floatin’.

Fall color *and* spanish moss festooning the trees of Congaree.

Other notes:

• I saw no alligators.
• I saw no pythons.
• I saw no alligator-python fights.

For that matter, I didn’t see many animals at all — a few ducks and that was it. Still, a beautiful, easy-goin’ day.

bkd

A month and a half ago or so, it was requested that I share with all y’all how my rig’s outfitted for travel. Right after that, I shot this video. And now? Now I’ve bothered to post it. It’s from a while back and it’s kind of long (8.5 min.).

Ah, sweet memories of South Dakota. And by “Yellowstone”, I meant “Yosemite”. And the truck has never been that clean or organized in actual practice.

bkd

(LMK if the video doesn’t work.)

Check out the in-campground wildlife!

Good (we’re talking about the campground here):

• Only nine campsites.
• Pretty Good Privacy (although, honestly, encryption was lacking)
• A lot of shade and trees.
• Near at least one fun, short hike.

Bad (also the campground):

• No dog fights (I should probably do a write-up on my Big Sur campground…).
• No cops coming after drunks from Fontana.
• So much shade that my solar hot water heater had no chance.
• NOT VERY CLOSE TO YOSEMITE!!! — problematic in that I chose the site due to its (apparent) proximity to the park. Bad call. Hour and forty-five to the valley, including a half-hour drive to get to the campsite from Hwy. 49, a four-wheeled slog that I’ll be having nightmares about for weeks.

I probably won’t have nightmares about the drive. But it was a pain, especially when the sun was setting and therefore in your eyes. And the campground is way too far away from Yosemite to use it as a homebase for a park visit. It’d be a good place to stay if you’re from the Bay Area or something and just want an overnighter in a woodsy place near an easy hike, though. Which doesn’t describe my use of it: ah well.

bkd

[Note: Video *should* work now (7/16 @ 8:46 AM).]

Yes, this is how I live. (Although I’m staying tonight with V&T in Sunnyvale in much, much nicer — and roomier! — digs.) Also, yes, I went with the ultimate low-maintenance haircut to start the trip.

I have more photos to post, but the USB cable is out in the car and I don’t want to have to put pants on.

bkd

(BTW, lmk if the video doesn’t work — thx.)