Travel Day To Modoc COE Campground - (Modoc, SC)

It was a foggy morning at Cheraw State Park.  But it burned off well before we got moving.

I called the Modoc Corps of Engineers Campground on Strom Thurmond Lake on the South Carolina/Georgia border about a half hour north of Augusta, GA.  I chose that campground because all the sites are walk-in sites during the month of November, and we wouldn't have to deal with trying to get reservations over Thanksgiving.

Although they have 70 sites, I knew that only one loop was open this month, and I just wanted to make sure we had options among the 22 available sites.  I spoke with JoAnn who gave me some choices based on the length of our rig.  I told her we would be arriving between 3:00 & 3:30.   

It was after 10:00 when we kicked things in gear - low gear.  :)

After hitting the dump station and doing lots of back-flushing while Linda went to top off the gas in the Jeep, we were on the road around 11:30 - much later than we planned for our 175-mile drive.

We drove 50 miles south on U.S. 1 to Camden, SC where we picked up I-20.  We could have taken I-20 to Augusta, but I re-routed us so we jumped off the interstate in Columbia and took U.S. 378 most of the rest of the way to U.S. 221.  It was only 3 miles farther, but took about a half hour longer.

We pulled into the campground, drove back the paved road, parked the rig and explored the open loop with the Jeep.  JoAnn had mentioned there were only four of five rigs in the campground.  When we arrived it was more like ten or twelve.  The prime spots out on the point of the peninsula were all taken, although JoAnn had warned me that the wind can get pretty bad out there.

Many of the sites were crescent-shaped pull-throughs some of which were long enough and some of which were not.  There are some funky layouts and mini-spurs off the main road for access to two or three or four sites.  We had a lot of trouble choosing a site based on view, privacy, access, and ease of parking.

We wanted Site 27 for the view, but it is a double site and goes for $42 a night.  Normal sites are $22 per night.  Other sites we liked wouldn't be that easy to access.  We selected Site 20, a long pull-through which was an easy in-and-out.

But once we were in the site, we knew we couldn't get satellite with the rooftop dish, and we didn't think we would be able to get TV even with the tripod.  So we moved over to Site 22, a smaller back-in site with an opening to the southern sky.

It's very close to Site 21 on our driver's side, but the awning side opens up to a cove on the lake.

The lake is a little low, but it's still pretty.  There is a path from our site down to the water where we can launch boats if we want.

The campground closes for the season at the end of November, and we'll be here at least a week.  Linda usually does a little bit of cleaning upon arrival before she gets the inside all set up, and today she did a little extra.

I got the utilities hooked up (50-amp electric and water), got the outside set up, and sent up the rooftop dish.  We were able to get both satellite internet and TV.  We are over a third of the way to our 5GB limit on the Verizon "tethering" with over two thirds of our billing period to go, so we need to use the satellite internet while we are here.

When I was finished outside, I noticed the sun sinking fast.  I think during the summer we could probably see the sunset from our site, but now the sun is blocked by the rest of the peninsula.  I hustled down to the lake and around our cove where I could get a better look.

Yeah, I think that shot will do.  :)

We're looking forward to our stay here and getting to know another RV-Dreams couple that has a site out on the peninsula.  They recognized us as we were parking and briefly stopped to say "hi" and that we were a "bad" influence on them as they are now full-timing.  :)

More details to come.  :)

Well, another thankfully uneventful travel day with a lovely ending.  If you're in the area, come on over and we'll have a little RV-Dreams Thanksgiving.  :)

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Comments

[Marci]

Well, I think the site you "settled for" is very nice! It looks beautiful there! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

[Jan]

You are only a half hour away from my parents house in Aiken SC, which is beautful horse country. I hope you enjoy the area. It is my dream to move my homebase down there, and travel around in our camper.

[Nancy and Bill]

Wow, the site and the sunset picture both look spectacular!!

We'll be interested to hear more about Modoc. That sure looks like a place we could spend some time.

Have Fun and Happy Thanksgiving...

[Ron Standiford]

Have you thought of going to a droid phone and using it to tether. According to Geeks on tour you are unlimited with tethering with that phone. Just what they say on their blog Might be worthwhile checking

[Sherry]

Sure wish I could "come on over". I know what you mean about the 5GB limit, as you know. Have to do something about that PDQ.

Site looks great. You really are a master of planning. I was quite surprised to find that lots of folks go camping over thanksgiving. I would never have suspected. I thought it was gramma's house!

Have fun!!

[Barry]

The Corps parks in that area are georgeous. We stayed at Calhoun Falls State Park, built by the USACE on Lake Russell. Looks very familiar. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!