April 10-14
Day 19.
We had full day of walking in Savannah – Joanna’s favorite town. We left our car at The Isetta Inn and just looped around stoping at countless squares with old oaks, lush greenery and antebellum mansions.
We tried to have lunch at famous Mrs. Wilkes, but line was waaay too long, so we restocked at Kroger, visited Bonaventure Cemetery and headed out to Best Western Inn in Charleston, with brief rest stop at Frampton Plantation.
Day 19.
We worried about parking in Charleston center, it was packed, but finding paid street parking was not impossible. We parked in three locations to explore different neighborhoods, waterfront and slave trading museum (Ryan’s Mart). A lot of history, from English colonial times, slave trade and antebellum, and Civil War.
Early dinner at Oyster House Seafood & O-Bar, southern style, very good. After dinner we started 1000-mile return home (via Knoxville and Cincinnati), with stops. First at Poinsett State Park Campground (recommended). Little time for short local walks.
Day 21-23.
We spent most of the following day at Congaree National Park walking 8-miles including open sections of Boardwalk, Sims and Oakridge trails. The park has the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in U.S. and many state and national champion trees.
We parked for the night at Brick House Campground (recommended). Nice, quiet and relaxing evening with campfire. Next day we crossed Smoky Mountains, wonderful scenery reminding us past visits and hikes in the National Park. Stopped for interesting lunch at popular Biscuit Head for more southern cuisine and grocery shopping in Asheville. Joanna could not resist to use Piotr’s driver break to walk a mile on Appalachian Trail (from Tobes Creek Rd). Motel stay at Berea Comfort Inn & Suites. To keep with our tradition we stopped at KFC while in Kentucky to get fried chicken. Chicago. The End.
