We were in the deep in the heart of Dixie over July 4^th weekend and looking forward to celebrating the holiday southern style.  As you can see, southern glampers really know how to do it right!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

But first, can we talk about the weather?  This California girl is just not used to this sweltering heat.  I was a dog on a hot aluminum roof!

It was so hot the birds had to pick up the worms with potholders.  It was so hot that when I chased a cat we both walked.  It was so hot the chickens were laying hard boiled eggs.

And finally… it was so hot the squirrels were fanning their nuts.

And the thunderstorms?  I didn’t even know how much I hated thunderstorms, or as they are now called after this summer – Derechos, a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms.

Our first campground was deep in the woods at Skidaway Island State Park.  The first thing we did was set up the mosquito room.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

Then we rushed into town to join the July 4^th festivities. The waterfront area of Savannah is lovely but it was so hot I thought I was going to swoon Scarlet O’Hara style.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

We got there mid-afternoon and quickly learned that when in 100 degree heat with 100% humidity it’s best to let the sun go down before going outside!

Savannah was stunning and is America’s first planned city.  General James Edward Oglethorpe (who had previously founded the colony of Georgia) founded the town in 1733. He designed his new capital as a series of neighborhoods centered around 24 squares.  They provide such a cool respite.  See if you can find Forrest Gump’s bench!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

We also visited Warmsloe Plantation.  General Oglethorpe leased 500 acres of land to Noble Jones, a carpenter, constable and doctor to the colonists who had also laid out the city of Augusta.  Jones then began work on a combination plantation/fort along the Skidaway River, one of a myriad of Georgia’s coastal rivers.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

We loved Charleston, SC but we just couldn’t bear the heat during the day and it’s hard to take pictures in the dark.

We happened along these kids, who had the right idea about how to beat the heat.  I tried to join in but no dogs allowed!  We did enjoy a nice breeze at the rooftop restaurant at the Vendue Inn in Charleston.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

Because of the heat we stayed close to the coast after Charleston.  Next stop Myrtle Beach!  They have the biggest campgrounds I have ever seen!  They were so big you can see them from  space!  But seriously, there were a least 5 humongous 125 acre compounds with over 2000 sites each.  Cray!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

Hungering for isolation after that mass of humanity we hightailed it north to The Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Ahhhhh!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

We were so excited to finally get there, but unfortunately we had more bad weather.  The storms seemed to stream directly over us for days.  But we did get a few good pics of the Hatteras Lighthouse and had time to see the Wright Brothers museum.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

© Richard Broadwell

Next stop was the very isolated east coast of VA. We actually dodged another tornado (we are the blue dot emerging from that purple red cell) on the way north to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

And this monster was lurking inside that storm cell (picture courtesy of the local newspaper).

We arrived shaken but alive a half hour later at Tom’s Cove Park Campground in Chincoteague and hunkered down for some more storms.  Can I talk about the weather again?  I watched my radar app and that red cell stayed in the same exact spot for the next 5  hours even though other cells were racing by.  It never moved, just dumped rain and flooded the entire area.  Never saw anything like it.

The next day was 100 degrees and sticky but no more storms and luckily we snagged this great waterfront campsite where we could watch the wild Assateague ponies graze across the water.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

I fell in love with them.  Virginia really is for lovers!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell

Next up was Annapolis, MD.  We had the best time visiting friends and family there.  I loved catching up with Wyatt and his wonderful human, but we got no darn pictures because it rained the entire time.  But I really loved that town.  Not too small, not too big, it has a gorgeous setting with sailboats galore.  It really is a mini Newport.

So let’s see, I count 10 times I’ve talked about the weather.  I guess I’m done now.

Coming up next:  Lobsters and (more) Lighthouses