Maiden Voyage - Barnwell State Park

September 6–7, 2025

The Life of Simon — A dog’s-eye view of life on the road

Ready…..set…..GO!!!!!

The plan was to depart for Barnwell on September 6th. But, as you will come to learn with us, a plan is usually more of a vague idea and what actually happens is often quite different. We could say a plan is more like a “figment” of the imagination.

So as it was, our RV was in the shop for inspection until late in the afternoon the day before our planned departure, and despite a whole lot of planning it was 1:45 in the afternoon by the time everything was packed, beds made, and snacks stowed.

We drove to town to get propane and gas, and of course we had to stop and pick up some burgers since the humans remembered them that they hadn’t eaten. Eating in the camper felt like a celebration, even though we hadn’t actually gone anywhere yet. Prudence and I got a few bites - small price for keeping morale high.

By the time the last fry was gone, it was nearly 4:00 p.m. Richard and Beth looked at each other, looked at the sky and then back at us. Everyone looked a little tired and the campground was hours away. Not wanting our first night on the road to begin in the dark, we made the best decision of the day: we went back home, parked Figment in the driveway, and called it a practice run.

On the morning of September 7th, we finally pulled out for real. The air was crisp, the camper was humming, and there was a buzz of excitement as the road stretched ahead for our first true destination - Barnwell State Park in the middle of South Carolina

The drive was long enough for two naps (mine) and a couple of “are we there yet?” looks from Prudence. When we finally rolled into the campground the tall trees felt like they’d been waiting just for us. Richard backed Figment into our spot like he’d been doing it for years. Beth opened the door, and Prudence and I leapt down to explore.

The air smelled of pine and leaves, and the ground was soft beneath our paws. Our first real campsite. Our first night in Figment. It wasn’t perfect — but it was ours, and it was the beginning.

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, SC

Gosh, what a beautiful place! The Sonesta Resort at Hilton Head is THE PLACE for a spoiled pup! From the moment we arrived until a week later when we departed, we were treated like royalty - canines and humans alike. Everything about this place is perfection, and it’s the people who make it SOAR! Every single person we encountered went out of their way to make us feel special and took the time for the extra greetings and the extra touches and comforts to make our stay absolutely exceptional!! Every person we encountered, from the bellman who greeted us at the door to the front desk personnel, to the cleaning and maintenance staff and every person who served us food and drink - they all went the extra mile and it made such a difference! You guys ROCK - and I truly hope you hear that a lot. It is not often found these days, so it feels like such a treasure when one does find it.

The lovely courtyard

Pet-friendly at its best, the Sonesta knows how to delight their guests with beautiful, manicured grounds for walks, with comfy seating amongst the gardens to include fire pits for relaxing in the evening. There is a wooden walkway to the beach, which is dog-friendly for leashed dogs any time of the day between labor and memorial days. It was heaven strolling on the beach and exploring for hours and so nice to come back to paradise where our every whim is met with expertise and joy.

Here we are at one of the restautants

What a sweet life!

Our room was lovely - on the first floor with a back door to easily slip out for a quick potty break. We were also not far from the door leading to the central courtyard garden for a longer walk and easy access to the social and restaurant areas. The bed was so comfy - made up perfectly with those lovely fancy hotel linens that make you feel extra special when tucking in for the night.

S’mores anyone?

We took a break from walking the beach and garden walk at the resort to relax by one of the firepits. The gift shop sells s’more kits that are complete with sticks for roasting marshmallows. The whole experience made a hotel stay feel more like an adventurous camping getaway. And when S’mores time is over, you get to prance back down the beautifully manicured path to your fancy-schmancy hotel room with the super lucious bed.

Headed to our room after another incredible day at the Sonesta.

Mornings, we went to the on-site coffee shop and got a coffee and breakfast sandwich. Depending on the weather, we grabbed a comfy seat in the lobby or on the patio and made our daily plans while enjoying breakfast. Since we loved the beach so much, everyday was spent enjoying walking along the surf and one day we got so carried away that we walked nearly 3.5 miles to a shopping center, Coligny Plaza. All I have to say is thank God for Uber Pet which we grabbed for a ride back to the hotel!

Simon wondering where we are going next.

We were sad to leave our bougie hotel, but after 6 days of utter spoilage, we packed up the Fig and got ready to head to our next destination, Edisto Beach, with a couple of interesting stops along the way.

Can we just take a nap already?!!

Marsh Hen Mill Edisto Island, SC

I never expected a drive through the Lowcountry of South Carolina to touch me in such a way I didn’t have any expectation actually, just had one stop on my mind that I truly didn’t want to miss and that was Marsh Hen Mill. This small mill is known to me for its stone ground grits and Sea Island Red Peas that I have purchased at Whole Foods. Yep, they are THAT GOOD that you want to make an extra effort to see where they come from and visit the store. My mind was on the mill and the grits and peas as we left the mainland, and some kind of magic just took over.

As the mainland starts to dissipate, you start entering the marshlands and the roads became a little narrower, bridge after bridge through the tidal marshes - each one bringing you closer to a feeling of calm, taking you away from the bustle of the mainland. The distinction between land and water get blurry as they get closer to the same level. Creeks wind between the salt marshes and all these things combined make you slow down whether you like it or not. The air seems to grow softer, and the live oaks draped with Spanish moss feel like they are softly stroking you as your hurried drive is transformed into an experience, a luxury - a journey.

Edisto Island is a less-developed barrier island, quiet with gentle ocean breezes that move through the marsh grass, quiet calls of shorebirds and a soft background hush of tidewater. The light is special with morning mists and golden hour in the evening - as the last light of the day bounces off the water and inlets and everything in view becomes a silhouette amongst shimmering light.

By the time you get good and relaxed, and you are officially on Edisto Island, you will come to the quaint and charming Marsh Hen Mill. It’s just on the right on Highway 174 and I suggest you have your cooler and plenty of room for more than just their famous grits and peas. The emphasis of this small family-owned mill is heirloom grains, rice and other local products including the most delicious Sea Island Red Peas. They use traditional techniques to preserve flavor and you’ve never seen so many varieties of cornmeal and grits. My favorite grits so far are the Unicorn Grits (of course it is). Not only is it a nice pause to visit the market, it is a chance to buy something authentic to Edisto and a taste of the Lowcountry. Then there’s the stuff in the coolers. Here’s where that room in the cooler is vital. There’s prepared frozen food - homemade casseroles, quiches, desserts and ice cream - even the semi-famous fried chicken ice cream. In the refrigerated cooler, they have a variety of farm-fresh butter and cheeses, specialty meats and lots of goodies that make for an incredible charcuterie

We got some of those peas and Unicorn Grits, butter and bacon and some other “health food” and continued our journey toward the campground and found ourselves pulling over a few minutes later at a farm stand to pick up some fresh veggies and by golly, there was another cooler. This time, Key Lime pie that I swear is the best dang Key Lime Pie I’ve ever had in my life. We should just pause here and think about that pie for another minute. I will seriously cry if they don’t have any when we go back.

Back on the road for a whole 5 or 10 minutes more and we found a roadside seafood market. Fresh-caught shrimp and flounder in tow - packed to the gills with a camper-full of gourmet delights, we were finally headed straight for the campground.

If there was a moral to this story, it would be “Enjoy the Ride” which is also a great song by Morcheeba.

Black Pearl Farms Harvest Host

When I was searching for a unique and interesting overnight stop on the way to the South Carolina coast, I found Black Pearl Farms in Branchville, SC. This place was an absolute win with its productive and sustainable organic farm with tons of charm and unique features. I don’t doubt that it will soon be the at the top of the glamping spots in the state, if not southeast.

Mike and Meg have built an incredible 180 acre farm on the banks of the Edisto River. Their main crop is blueberries and they also grow raspberries, figs, lavender and more, including honeybees. The farm store was conveniently located across the dirt road from the RV sites. Not only do they have blueberries when in season but also jams, jellies, farm fresh eggs, honey, lavender home and skincare products it feels like such a luxury purchasing such special things while on the road.