Leaving New Bern, NC – Van Repairs In Myrtle Beach, SC

After leaving New Bern, North Carolina I continued my southward trek.

My destination was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where I’d spend a couple days before heading to Kingsland, Georgia over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Why Myrtle Beach?

Myrtle Beach is primarily a tourist town. Most tourist attractions don’t interest me and most public places can be too toxic.

Even though it’s touristy, I felt a need to go there anyway.

Before Mom passed away in 2004, she and Dad visited Myrtle Beach several times.

Actually, in 1999 Mom became permanently attached to a ventilator and wasn’t able to travel as easily (she could walk, talk and do many things – except breath on her own). So, she and Dad visited Myrtle Beach several times prior to 1999.

While taking care of Dad these past couple of years I got to hear stories of their times in Myrtle Beach – as well as many other places they visited.

Maybe my desire to go to Myrtle Beach was simply a way to connect with my Mom and Dad.

Bella Goes To The Repair Shop in Myrtle Beach

As I was packing up to leave the campground I noticed what looked like grease or oil on the leveling blocks under the rear right wheel of the van.

After running my hand over the greasy substance to verify what it was… I did the only sensible thing I could think to do.

I walked away and pretended I didn’t see anything as if it would magically go away.

But my conscience got the better of me. I snapped back to reality rather quickly and walked back to the tire to inspect it further.

Upon further inspection, I noticed sprays of grease on the tire and in the wheel well.

Instinct, couple with a dose of common sense, told me this wasn’t something I should ignore.

Finding A Repair Shop

A quick Google search yielded a list of local repair shops.

I picked one and made the phone call.

They couldn’t get me in until the next day but they recommended another shop that might be able to get me in sooner.

The second shop could get me right in!

The Repair Shop’s Verdict

In mid-October, before leaving the Homeland, I had gotten new rear brakes.

According to the Myrtle Beach repair shop something got damaged when my new brakes were put in and caused grease to leak and, eventually, spew everywhere.

The repair shop also said my lug-nuts weren’t put on correctly and had come loose.

That explained the recent clunking sound I’d been hearing.

A couple hours later… Bella was all fixed up and we were back on the road heading towards Kingsland, GA.

Spending The Night At Cracker Barrel

It was a long drive from Myrtle Beach to Kingsland so I stopped off in Pooler, Georgia (a suburb of Savanna GA) to spend the night at a Cracker Barrel.

The Cracker Barrel is just off of I-95. The interstate runs right behind the parking lot but I wasn’t worry about traffic noise as it never prevents me from sleeping.

The Next Morning I Was Sick

I woke up with swollen eyes, brain fog, nausea, one heck of a headache and other bodily aches and pains.

Was it the flu?

No.

I knew exactly what this all to familiar sickness was.

It was a reaction to the fumes from all the interstate traffic that drove by while I was slumbering away in the van.

When I spend the night at places like this I close my driver and passenger windows and only open the roof vent for ventilation. Since the windows were closed, the fumes entered through the roof vent and had no where to escape.

This type of flu-like reaction can last several days until my body detoxes (which is not always pleasant).

Thankfully, I was only an hour and a half away from the campground I had reserved in Kingsland, GA.

I hit the road again with all the knowledge I gained the first time I was on the road. But, for some reason, I’m having to relearn some things the hard way.

Thanksgiving In Kingsland Georgia

I made it safely to the campground in Kingsland.

Much to my surprise, while checking in at the office, they remembered me from 3 years ago!

Flashback To Thanksgiving 2017…

The last time I was at this campground, in Kingsland, was Thanksgiving 2017.

It poured down rain the whole 2 days I was there. It never stopped raining – until I was time for me to leave.

I got to listen to the pouring rain pound on the van’s tin rood for two whole days!

It poured so hard I never got out of the van other than to unplug on the day of departure.

During my 2 days inside the van… I cooked Thanksgiving dinner, talked with friends and family via my laptop and phone, played games online with friends, occasionally did some exercises to keep the blood flowing, washed up, slept and enjoyed being snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug inside my van for 2 days.

Other than the rain’s constant pounding on the tin roof I had no problem being cooped up in the van.

But that’s how an introvert rolls!

Flash-forward to Thanksgiving 2020…

This year in Kingsland, it was warm, sunny and uncomfortably muggy the first 2 days I was there.

Those first 2 days were also the days my body was trying to detox and it was quite miserable.

My last 2 days in Kingsland it gently rained off and on. There were brief periods of sunshine and I was thankful it cooled off a tad.

Parting Thoughts

When I leave Kingsland I’ll be heading to St Augustine, FL for a couple of days. I haven’t been to St Augustine since March 2018 when I was heading back to The Homeland to take care of Dad.

It will be exciting to finally be back in one of my favorite east coast city’s.

Thanks for checking out my blog!

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About The Photo

The top photo and bottom quote photo are the same image.

I love taking pictures of curvy roads. Maybe it’s the explorer in me wanting to know where the road leads or wondering what’s just around the bend.

This colorful autumn photograph was taken during my trip through Tennessee this past October.