This morning we thought we’d be a little more proactive about finding some accommodations. Now, we had 2 days of data & knew where we wanted to end up today. We were averaging about 200 miles a day before we were done with the car ride. We planned to finish up in Augusta, GA when this day was done. I was looking at the atlas and Don was going to try to find us a reasonable room on line. Somewhere in the recesses of my memory, something stirred. Augusta, GA in Spring? There was something significant about it to me. Then it hit. My grandfather and uncle were avid golfers and I watched a ton of it on T.V, during my formative years. Isn’t The Masters golf tournament held there? Don shrugged, as he had no such golf background. “Google The Masters,” I demanded. Lo & behold, this is Master’s Week down in Augusta!
Any hotel room within 75 miles of Augusta is going for over $200 a night. I know this because the hotel I booked is 75 miles south of Augusta and I am currently surrounded by folks attending The Masters.
Note to self: sometimes a little advance prep is good.
We left Lugoff, SC and headed for Columbia to the Botanical Garden & Zoo. Columbia is called “one hot city” and with our temperature today topping off at 96 degrees, they aren’t kidding. Driving toward the state capitol you start to see all the palmetto & other palm variants and you really start to get that tropical feel. All the azaleas and roses are also out down here.We arrived at our destination and after consulting the map we headed through the zoo toward the botanical gardens.
The part of the gardens we were interested in had a nice trail through the woods that wasn’t vehicle friendly. There was an alternate route for the tram, stroller or wheelchair bound so they could get up to where our trail ended up. We crossed a bridge over a large creek. The original bridge had been burned by the Confederates during the War of Northern Aggression ( I AM in Georgia) and then rebuilt by the Union so Gen. Sherman could get in a reek havoc as he marched toward the sea. (Think Gone With The Wind) There were nice shaded rock croppings and stairs built into the hillsides.
The trail ends up in the Rose Garden. Lots of varieties and colors interspersed with annuals and amaryllis.
The main path is lined with these fountains and on either side are all different gardens. There is a visitor’s center at the end of this path and you go through that and into another set of gardens that has a playground integrated into it. After being so good about being dragged through all these flowers, I rewarded Don with some playground time.
This building houses the government for the state of South Carolina including the State Senate, House of Representatives and the offices of the Governor and Lt. Governor. It sits in a complex that surrounds it with numerous memorials.
You can enter the State House and all the Chambers once you go through the security check. Today the Legislature was on recess and we literally had the place to ourselves.
After Don was removed from “The House” and I finished lobbying “The Senate” we decided to recess for the day and grab some lunch.
“Don, what are you doing?” “Just talking to some jackass”
We leave Columbia, SC and head off to Augusta, GA. Too tired to continue with that tale today. Stay tuned.
Trip Log Day 3: 201 miles
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