The first thing I noticed coming into South Carolina on 301 N is that the Visitor & Tourist Center is closed. All the entrances and exits are blocked with orange barrels and a sign reading Emergency stops only. Grass and weeds have grown up in all the crakes and it is as if you were in a episode of The Twilight Zone. What makes this worse is that about two miles back in Georgia on the southbound side of 301 is a grand Center welcoming traveler’s to Georgia. Times are tough in South Carolina.
It seems like each day is just a little hotter than the day before, however on the up side I am developing the farmer tan from hell! My destination is Ridgeville, SC to pay a visit to Diane S. who is one of the people on Eons.com she has also lost a spouse. Several of my stops on this trip are with people from the Eons family.
It was a very nice visit and we went to a local diner with one of her lady friends for brunch. During our conversation I learned many things about the local town and the goings on and that her lady friend was now available for dating and companionship. I mention this not to be mean or to speak out of turn, but rather to show how an honest exchange between people can sometimes be informative as well as very entertaining. We all enjoyed a good natured l
augh as I pointed out although she might see her choices as being rather limited being from a small town, there are larger towns close bye where the pickins would be a little better. They took me to an old general store in town that has been there since the early 20’s and I swear there was stuff still there from the 30’s a very cool place to see. She invited me to stay however I wanted to get another 80 miles or so under my belt to make the next leg of the journey a little easier.
Next stop baby sister Barb’s. Riding up I-40 through the twisty’s that the locals refer to as the Gorge, I was treated to the sights and smells of the Great Smoky Mou
ntains and it was great ride. The curves are just good enough to make the ride stimulating yet smooth enough to not be too nerve racking.
When I arrived at my sister’s house all my Nieces and Nephews and all their kit and kin descended upon us and you could not help but feel at home. With everyone talking at the same time, and the babies laughing or crying loudly bedlam ensued. It is good for the soul to touch base with your redneck hillbilly 
roots to maintain a proper prospective on life and not run the risk of becoming too full of yourself or your perceived accomplishments. It is in the bosom of your family that you will find true compassion and healing, not to mention who is fighting with whom and why, and what so and so thinks about so and so. All and all it was a very good visit, something that we just don’t get to do as much as we should.
From somewhere on the backroads,
The Demonmaster
