April 15, 2024
Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 15)
By Simon J. Lau
This morning, we visited Wormsloe Historic Site, a former plantation. It traces its origins back to the early 1730s when Noble Jones, an English settler, established Wormsloe Plantation on the Isle of Hope. Over time, the plantation grew to over 1,000 acres and became one of the most prosperous in the region. During the Revolutionary War, Wormsloe played a strategic role in the defense of Savannah against British forces. The Jones family, descendants of Noble Jones, continued to own and operate the plantation through the 19th century, contributing to Georgia’s development. In 1973, the State of Georgia acquired Wormsloe, preserving its historic core for public access.
I’ve never visited a plantation, but this is exactly what I’d expect one to look like: large and grand. The entrance was particularly amazing, with over a mile-long tree-lined driveway. I also especially liked the estuary nestled far back on the property. It reminds me a little of the estuary that I visited in Baja. It’s not as beautiful, but it looks like a wonderful place to park myself and fish. There could be some good fishing here.
I learned that the Jones family used tabby, a precursor to modern concrete, to build their homes and other permanent structures. It’s a mixture of oyster shells, lime, sand, and water, which are combined to create a form of concrete. The oyster shells, abundant along the coast, provide the primary aggregate for the mixture. (If you look closely, you can see a ton of oyster shells in the walls.) This combination results in a durable and weather-resistant material ideal for constructing walls and buildings in the coastal environment. This process was brought to the Americas by the Spanish and localized based on the materials that could be found here.
Meet Jack! Bruno was too tired to walk the mile back to the parking lot from the main part of the plantation, and the tram was full. However, Jack’s mom offered to make room for us. Jack, her son, took a special liking to Bruno. It turns out that they used to have a mastiff/pit mix in the past. (This is the second family on this trip that I’ve heard has had one!) Jack’s mom said her pit didn’t have as large of a head as Bruno, but he was just as friendly. At the end of the ride, Jack kept following Bruno, and I took this as an opportunity to take their portrait together. Buddies.
In the afternoon, we arrived in Charleston. I’ll do a proper introduction to this town tomorrow, but the first thing on my bucket list here was to try some Carolina BBQ. Unlike BBQ in other parts of America, Carolina BBQ is known for its mustard-based BBQ sauce. I found this place, Quecology, that specialized in BBQ and served their own formula of Carolina BBQ. It was amazing and so delicious that I even purchased a bottle to share with Jean. She’ll love it!
I should note that the server here was fantastic. Without solicitation, he gave me the rundown: “I’d try the pulled pork or fried wings, but I’d avoid the brisket.” If only all servers could be so straightforward, maybe all my meals could be this good. After mentioning to him that we were on a road trip, he said he was preparing for a road trip himself, from Charleston to Montana! He had a job lined up for him at a fishing lodge. I was mildly jealous. I could just imagine myself at a fishing lodge, spending my days outside in the Montana wilderness. Sounds idyllic.
In the evening, we visited Little Palm, a very Instagrammable cocktail bar located inside a mid-century modern hotel. The host was surprised that I’d bring Bruno to a place like this, but he didn’t realize just how much Bruno and I love to fuck things up. 😈 I felt very Don Draper, plus a monstrous dog. This place also had the best cocktail I’ve tried so far. It’s called the Riptide, a whiskey-based drink with blueberry, ginger, honey, and lemon. When I travel, I rarely try the same thing twice. However, this drink was so delicious, I ordered two!
Not only was this place super hip, but there were a few lovely dates and bachelorettes in attendance. One date, in particular, I thought was going well. The guy was even slipping his hand down the back of the girl’s waistband. Some would argue that’s not appropriate in a public space, but all I can say is, good for you! Unfortunately, midway, the girl took a call, and the date started to go sideways. Before I left, it looked like things had turned around again, but I can’t confirm. I can only hope and pray that things worked out for them. 😅
Finally, our route from Savannah to Charleston (107 miles or 172 km).
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