Blogs, random thoughts, travel

  • All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

    by Dave McAda
    As I sipped my Thursday morning coffee I wondered what I would write about this week.  Nothing had really stood out to me thus far, but I knew Jenni and I were headed into town for a luncheon at church that day and a trip to town is ALWAYS fodder for a good blog.
    Posted in Life, Retirement

  • My Heart and Elmer Fudd

    by Dave McAda
    For almost seven years I have had PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) which basically means my heart would throw an extra beat into the mix after every couple heart beats.  (This could explain my serious lack of rhythm when singing in church.)  
    Posted in Greenville, Life, Retirement

  • Birds of a Feather

    by Dave McAda
    They say it is a very thin line between retirement and becoming a birdwatcher.
    Posted in Life, Pets, Retirement

  • Great Planners

    by Dave McAda
    All this activity had Annie super excited!  She followed every step we made.  About 2 PM we loaded her up and left.  She was panting and trying her best to put down the window as we drove out of the driveway.  After the first twenty yards we looked at each other and remarked that we had forgotten our wedding rings.  We decided it wasn’t worth turning back for them.  But that must have gotten Jenni thinking about other things we forgot.  Less than a mile from home, she asked if I had packed Annie’s leash.  I had not.
    Posted in Hiking, Pets, Retirement, Travel

  • Pilot Cove

    by Dave McAda
    Pilot Cove is a 20 cabin complex tastefully constructed at the gateway of the Pisgah National Forest in Brevard, NC. In fact, their website describes them as the “Gateway to Adventure” and that they are.

     

    Jenni and I, along with our dog Annie, had the privilege of spending a few days in one of their two-bedroom units.  (They also have efficiency and one-bedroom to meet a variety of needs.)  We used the cabin as a springboard to the hundreds of waterfalls in the Pisgah Forest and Transylvania County, as well as exploring the fabulous City of Brevard.

    Posted in Hiking, Life, Retirement, staycation, Travel

  • Decisions, Decisions

    by Dave McAda
    Before going to sleep that night at Hunting Island SP, we tried to make plans for the following day.  It was our intent to backtrack a little and visit Edisto Beach which is back towards Charleston.  As the crow flies, the distance from Hunting Island to Edisto is relatively short, but crows can cross water and Wanda cannot.  It would be close to a two-hour drive to get there. 
    Posted in Hiking, Life, Living With Wanda, Retirement, Travel, Van Life

  • Oaks and Palms

    by Dave McAda
    As we first turned on the dirt road we were met by a young man driving a BMW and I remarked to Jenni that he had probably just completed a drug deal because beamers don’t camp on dirt roads like big white candy vans.  At the campground there were already several established campers.  This was a campground primarily used during deer and turkey hunting seasons.
    Posted in Life, Living With Wanda, Retirement, Travel

  • Cherished Places

    by Dave McAda
    Huntington Beach State Park was the go-to beach destination for our family when we lived in the area.  Sunday evenings were a perfect time to visit.  All the tourists had either checked out of their hotels at 11 AM to drive back to Ohio and New Jersey or they had just arrived for a 3 PM check-in and were now looking for a place to eat their first all-you-can-eat seafood buffet of the week.  The beach was always deserted on Sunday evenings.  
    Posted in Hiking, Life, Living With Wanda, Retirement, Travel, Van Life

  • Back to the Ultimate Outsider Challenge

    by Dave McAda
    When Jenni and I purchased our state park pass in February 2021, we never imagined we would only be a third of the way through the forty-seven parks after two full years.  Of course, in those two years we logged nearly 30,000 miles visiting another forty states.  But it was time to get serious about checking off a few more South Carolina state parks.
    Posted in Hiking, Life, Living With Wanda, Pets, Retirement, Travel, Van Life

  • Miss B

    by Dave McAda

    There was a family reunion at her farm as well as other reunions in other places.  I reminded her of the time Jenni and I were watching the Conway Christmas Parade and she drove an antique tractor down Main Street.  (That’s the kind of Southern woman she is!)  That brought whole new tales of the tractor club she and her husband had enjoyed.  With each story she told, she would lovingly say “Thank you for reminding me of this memory.” 

    Posted in Life, Living With Wanda, Retirement, Travel, Van Life

  • Gut Punch

    by Dave McAda
    We just sat there, in the middle of a street hardly anyone would need to travel.  We stared at the empty lot, trying to visualize where the sidewalk ran, where the steps began, and where the white picket fence once stood.  
    Posted in Life, Living With Wanda, Retirement, Travel

  • Day to Day Interactions

    by Dave McAda
    Last time I was in my local post office, the Post Mistress rounded the corner and greeted me with “Hey! Are you the one they’re looking for?” 
    Posted in Greenville, Life, Retirement