Wednesday, July 1, 2015

On Station, On Duty - Darlington, SC

We  enjoyed another morning without alarm clocks, awaking a bit before 8 AM.  Once again, we steadily but unhurriedly prepped for getting on the road for the final leg of our journey to Darlington, SC.  We pulled out of The Barnyard RV Park in Lexington, SC at about 10:45 AM and hopped back on I-20 East.

With a 90-mile drive ahead of us, we took advantage of the one rest area on today’s route about 30 miles down the road.

South Carolina rest stop 07012015

This rest area was not far on the east side of Columbia.  The Barnyard’s address is listed as Lexington, SC, but GPS showed us as being in West Columbia; therefore, Columbia itself was just a wee hop down the interstate.  Getting through Columbia was a breeze.  I-20 doesn’t go directly through it, I suppose, and that helps.

Ever notice how these rest stop photos all kind of look alike?  Guess they do.  Really it’s to document our rig being there . . . me indulging in taking photos of our rig on the road.

Ahhhh . . .  coffee!  I confess I have missed my late-night one cup of java.  We have use of an office again this time for which we are grateful.  Sure helps a lot since we are sleeping in shifts.  We have our laptops set up on a table facing each other, Maggie’s bed in one corner (although she prefers a towel-covered chair when she and I are on duty together) and our coffee station set up on another small table.  It also gives Dave a place to put the bikes . . . in a closet in this office.

Darlington office 07012015

That black lump in the chair to the right is Maggie

I have to say I miss our washer and dryer.  We sold them to the facility manager when we left here in March; he jokingly offered today to sell them back to us for twice what he paid for them.  Hahaha!  Ah well.  I know where at least one laundromat is, so no big deal.  If we are ever somewhere long-term again, we’ll get another set if it is feasible.

With about 50 miles to go after the rest stop, we arrived at the facility a bit before 1 PM.   After the guys watched us trying to back the rig into its spot, one of them stepped up and offered to do it for us.  “I sure appreciate it.  I would have gotten it; it just would have taken a while.”  “We didn’t want to you be trying to do it in the dark.”  Haha! 

Darlington 07012015

Home until October 1

We spent the rest of the afternoon getting set up . . . plants out, frog whirligig in place, solar lights and some other lights set up, macerator hooked up, etc.  Sure was glad to have that leftover chicken noodle casserole for a  meal. 

There’s something about returning to a familiar place.  We know where the stores are, what the job entails, what the environment has in store, the people with whom we work. 

Yeah, temporary insanity leaving here.  Oh well.  It seemed like the thing to do at the time, we gained some  experience in campground work, we traveled a bit, we took care of some personal biz in Texas and we learned valuable lessons.

Dave and I each have a  Road ID bracelet that we wear when traveling, cycling, whatever.  It has contact info on it in case we are involved in an accident.  Dave was unable to locate his when we left here . . . we thought it was still here somewhere and we’d never see it again or perhaps stowed in the basement someplace we had not yet looked.  Well, guess what I spotted shortly after we arrived this afternoon . . . perched on a stepladder in the guard building?!

Dave bracelet at Darlington 07012015

Well, there’s an affirmation that we made the right decision in returning here! 

Okay, so it’s almost time for my midnight patrol rounds . . . driving the property in a facility truck.  Then it’s only a couple of hours until I wake up Dave for his shift.  Amazing how quickly the night goes. 

This evening I am thankful for an uneventful trip, not only today’s section  but the all the days of travel we have racked up these past few months.  We have been very fortunate to have had no mishaps or mechanical issues.  I am also thankful to be back doing the type of work which we enjoy and to which we seemed suited. 

Thanks for stopping by!

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