Travel from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Chocowinity, North Carolina

We drove our coach 201 miles, about four hours of driving, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Chocowinity, North Carolina. Another new state.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north:

Route map

An interactive map:

Leaving the campsite:

Our coach

A little narrow:

Our coach

A tight turn:

Our coach

Toading up:

Toading up

Goodbye beach:

Goodbye beach

Exiting the state park:

Exiting the state park

Myrtle Beach Welcomes You:

Myrtle Beach Welcomes You

A plane flying low over the highway; the airport is right next to it:

Plane flying low over highway

Plane landing at airport

Blue water at mini golf:

Blue water at mini golf

Wax museum:

Wax museum

Another mini golf:

Another mini golf

Yet another mini golf:

Another mini golf

Crossing the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW):

Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)

Welcome to North Carolina:

Welcome to North Carolina

We stopped at a Hardee’s for lunch, as they had RV-sized parking spaces:

Hardee's

Hardee's

Hardee's

Hardee's

Hardee's

Hardee's

Back at our coach, Paladin in his nest:

Paladin

Exit:

Exit

Hey, there’s Jenn’s brother, Leland:

Leland

Northeast Cape Fear River:

Northeast Cape Fear River

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

New River:

New River

We stopped at a defunct car dealer parking lot; very few stopping opportunities (“stopportunties”) on this route:

Parking lot

Parking lot

Paladin took my seat when I used the bathroom:

Paladin

An abandoned house:

Abandoned house

Neuse River:

Neuse River

Neuse River

A fire lookout watchtower:

Watchtower

Arriving at our destination for a couple of weeks:

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Travel from Rutledge, Georgia to Columbia, South Carolina

We drove our coach 187 miles, about three hours of driving, from Rutledge, Georgia to Columbia, South Carolina. The first of a series of new states for us.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading east:

Route map

An interactive map:

I was a bit concerned about leaving our site, as it was kinda steep:

Leaving site

Leaving site

But we managed without too much difficulty:

Leaving site

We left the park via Knox Chapel Road, to avoid a bad railroad crossing in downtown Rutledge:

Knox Chapel Road

We still had to go over an unlevel railroad crossing, but this was the best of the three options:

Railroad crossing

Nice new road surface:

Nice new road surface

Joining I-20 East, with an Eisenhower Interstate System sign:

Eisenhower Interstate System

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

A Southern swooper; we’ve noticed that Southern drivers tend to swoop in front of us, way too close for safety. Give some space before moving over, people!

Southern swooper

We parked at a Love’s truck stop and went to the adjacent Waffle House for lunch:

Waffle House

Truck parking

Coach parked with trucks

Waffle House

Waffle House

Waffle House

Paladin waiting on the dash for us to return:

Paladin on the dash

Entering South Carolina:

Entering South Carolina

Paladin asleep:

Paladin asleep

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Fun with zoom

Exit to route 1:

Exit to route 1

Sesquicentennial State Park:

Sesquicentennial State Park

Entrance station:

Entrance station

Splash pad:

Splash pad

Campground entrance:

Campground entrance

Our site:

Our site

Paladin on the dash while getting leveled in the site:

Paladin

Travel from Red Bay, Alabama to Rutledge, Georgia

We drove our coach 332 miles, about six hours of driving, from Red Bay, Alabama to Rutledge, Georgia.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading east:

Route map

An interactive map:

Water streaming off our slide topper as we brought in the slide, from recent rain:

Water streaming off slide topper

Toading up:

Toading up

We left Red Bay via downtown:

Red Bay

Red Bay

SR-19:

SR-19

On to I-22 East:

I-22 East

A bathroom break at a truck stop:

Bathroom break

Our coach in travel mode:

Coach in travel mode

Paladin in his nest on the stacked dining chairs:

Paladin in his nest

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

I-65 South:

I-65 South

Birmingham:

Birmingham

I-20 East:

I-20 East

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

I-20 East:

I-20 East

A large load:

Large load

Fuel and lunch stop:

Fuel and lunch stop

91.717 gallons:

91.717 gallons

Heading to the parking area, with Paladin on the passenger chair:

Heading to parking area

Parked:

Parked

We had Popeyes for lunch:

Popeyes for lunch

Popeyes for lunch

A branch on the roof; we found it on the truck when we arrived:

Branch on roof

Talladega Superspeedway; apparently there was a NASCAR race on:

Talladega Superspeedway

Talladega Superspeedway

Eisenhower Interstate System sign:

Eisenhower Interstate System

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Welcome to Georgia:

Welcome to Georgia

Eisenhower Interstate System

Entering Eastern Time Zone, where we’ll be until July:

Entering Eastern Time Zone

Another bathroom break at the Georgia Welcome Center truck parking:

Rest stop

Atlanta:

Atlanta

Atlanta

Fun with zoom

Fun with zoom

SR-11:

SR-11

I chose this route to go over this railroad crossing, as the one in downtown Rutledge has a very high crown:

Railroad crossing

Horse properties:

Horse properties

Hard Labor Creek State Park:

Hard Labor Creek State Park

RV check-in area:

RV check-in area

RV check-in area

Trading Post:

Trading Post

Trading Post

The camp host happened to be in the trading post when we checked in, so she offered to guide us to our site; that’s the driveway on the right:

Guided to our site

Paladin surveying our steep driveway:

Paladin surveying our driveway

Yeah, doesn’t look very level:

Our site

Travel from Scott, Arkansas to Red Bay, Alabama

We drove our coach 278 miles, about five hours of driving, from Scott, Arkansas to Red Bay, Alabama.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map:

The tow bar was at a strange angle, due to toading up on a curve, but that’s fine (just need to pull forward slowly until it locks in place):

Tow bar

Don’t need the dump station on the way out this time:

Don't need the dump station this time

I-440 East:

I-440 East

I-40 East:

I-40 East

Paladin in his safe spot next to the passenger chair… and saying get that phone out of my face:

Paladin

Wide load:

Wide load

Paladin asleep:

Paladin

A lunch stop at a large Petro truck stop:

Lunch stop

We were going go in to an IHOP, but decided we didn’t have time for that, with a long drive still ahead, so just ate in our coach:

Lunch stop

I-55 Alt South:

I-55 Alt South

Crossing the Mississippi River:

Mississippi River

Tennessee welcomes you, unless you drive a truck:

Tennessee welcomes you, unless you drive a truck

Tennessee welcomes you

Bass Pro Shops pyramid:

Bass Pro Shops pyramid

Only in Tennessee briefly in Memphis, then on to Mississippi:

Welcome to Mississippi

“Orange You Going to Slow Down in Work Zones?”

Orange You Going to Slow Down in Work Zones?

I-269 North:

I-269 North

I-22 East:

I-22 East

Paladin asleep again:

Paladin

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Paladin one more time:

Paladin

Rest break at a truck stop we often visit on the way to/from Red Bay:

Rest break

Fun with zoom again:

Fun with zoom

Fun with zoom

Our fourth state of the drive, Alabama:

Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama

Our destination, Red Bay Acres:

Red Bay Acres

Our site next to a sibling coach (a 2018 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40AP; one year newer, and a different floorplan):

Our site next to a sibling coach

Travel from Paris, Texas to Scott, Arkansas

We drove our coach 243 miles, about four hours of driving, from Paris, Texas to Scott, Arkansas.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading east:

Map

An interactive map:

Depressions in the grass from our neighbor’s jacks and tires, due to rain making the ground a little soft:

Depressions from our neighbor's jacks and tires

Our coach:

Our coach

I put a couple of tiles below the AquaHot exhaust, but the surrounding grass still got a little singed:

Singed grass from AquaHot exhaust

Our jack pads got embedded in the soft ground; not too difficult to pull out. The larger pads help spread the load, though, and better than having the jacks get stuck in the ground:

Jack pads embedded in ground

Leaving the full hookup area:

Leaving full hookup area

Solar section:

Solar section

Onto I-30 East:

I-30 East

A fuel stop:

Fuel stop

As usual, we paid less than this, due to our fuel discount card:

Fuel stop

Back on I-30 East:

Back on I-30 East

The Texas overpasses had the Lone Star and state outline:

Texas overpass

Texarkana water tower:

Texarkana water tower

Welcome to Arkansas:

Welcome to Arkansas

The Arkansas overpasses had a less distinctive state outline (reminded me of a Solo cup):

Arkansas overpass

A lunch stop at Southfork Restaurant in Gurdon, Arkansas:

Lunch stop

Truck parking:

Truck parking

Paladin on the passenger chair:

Paladin on passenger chair

Our coach parked with trucks:

Coach parked with trucks

Into the restaurant:

Restaurant

Menu

Menu (they also have burgers and such, but we were in the mood for breakfast):

Menu

Super slow service, but over an hour later we got our breakfast for lunch:

Breakfast for lunch

We’d ordered biscuits with our breakfast, but they only had one, so provided extra potatoes and lots of toast instead:

Toast and biscuit

Back to our coach:

Back to our coach

Back on I-30 East:

Back on I-30 East

Arkadelphia water tower:

Arkadelphia water tower

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Oversize load:

Oversize load

Rough road:

Rough road

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Narrow road due to roadworks:

Narrow due to roadworks

Slow truck:

Slow truck

Overpass:

Overpass

Arkansas River:

Arkansas River

Exit to Scott:

Exit to Scott

An unmarked turn to the park:

Unmarked turn to park

Residential road:

Residential road

Entering Willow Beach Park:

Willow Beach Park

Park entrance station:

Park entrance station

Campsites:

Campsites

Our site (the back-in with the shelter):

Our site

Our site

Our coach after untoading:

Our coach

Our site; a bit of a slope on the driveway, but a flat concrete pad:

Our site

Our site

Travel from Red Bay, Alabama to Scott, Arkansas

We drove our coach 282 miles, about five hours of driving, from Red Bay, Alabama to Scott, Arkansas.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading west:

Route map

An interactive map:

Toading up:

Toading up

Welcome to Mississippi:

Welcome to Mississippi

I-22 West:

I-22 West

Passing by Natchez Trace Parkway:

Natchez Trace Parkway

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Bathroom stop at a truck stop:

Bathroom stop at truck stop

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Entering Tennessee:

Tennessee

Vintage trailer:

Vintage trailer

Bass Pro Shops pyramid:

Bass Pro Shops pyramid

Emergency vehicles:

Emergency vehicles

The fourth state of this travel day, “Welcome to Arkansas”… hopefully the people in this accident took the advice to “buckle up for safety”:

Welcome to Arkansas

Small sternwheeler:

Small sternwheeler

Fuel stop:

Fuel stop

52 gallons of diesel (we paid less than the pump price due to our fuel discount card):

Fuel stop

Rough road:

Rough road

Rest stop:

Rest stop

Paladin:

Paladin

He reached out to touch my foot:

Paladin

Paladin

Towns named Scott and England:

Scott England

Willow Beach Park:

Willow Beach Park

Campsites:

Campsites

Our site:

Our site

Travel from Pine Mountain, Georgia to Red Bay, Alabama

We drove our coach 279 miles, about five hours of driving, from Pine Mountain, Georgia to Red Bay, Alabama.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading northwest:

Route map

An interactive map:

Leaving the campground:

Leaving campground

A very narrow road in the campground:

Very narrow road in campground

Very narrow road in campground

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Historic LaGrange:

Historic LaGrange

LaGrange park:

LaGrange park

LaGrange College:

LaGrange College

We drove over an object on the road (couldn’t avoid it), and saw in the rear-view camera that it was dragging from the rear of the coach:

Item dragging from rear of coach

So we stopped at the next opportunity, and I went out to investigate; it turned out to be a bag like for a folding chair, hooked on to the rock guard; I quickly removed it:

Bag stuck on rock guard

I-20 West:

I-20 West

Fuel stop:

Fuel stop

Then we parked for lunch:

Parked for lunch

Popeyes for lunch:

Popeyes for lunch

Popeyes for lunch

I-20 West

I-22 West:

I-22 West

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Bathroom break (in our coach, of course) at a truck stop:

Bathroom break at truck stop

Paladin mid-yawn:

Paladin mid-yawn

Welcome to Mississippi:

Welcome to Mississippi

MS-76:

MS-76

Highway:

Highway

Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama:

Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama

Arriving at Red Bay Acres:

Red Bay Acres

Our site:

Our site

Travel from Adel to Pine Mountain, Georgia

We drove our coach 191 miles, about four hours of driving, from Adel, Georgia to Pine Mountain, Georgia.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading northwest:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops marked:

Departing the state park:

Departing

A stop to take out some garbage:

Garbage stop

Bye lake:

Lake

Joining I-75 north:

I-75 north

A cute small fiver:

Cute small fiver

“Georgia for Peanuts”:

Georgia for Peanuts

Separate minimum speed signs really confused our Mobile Eye warning device:

Minimum speed sign

A large rest area:

Large rest area

Paladin sat on the dash during the rest stop, and stayed there until we got back on the freeway, then jumped down:

Paladin on the dash

“Cotton” water tower:

Cotton water tower

A stop opportunity that we didn’t use, but would have worked for us; a business parking lot:

Stop opportunity

Waiting for a train:

Waiting for a train

An interesting building in Reynolds, Georgia:

Interesting building in Reynolds, Georgia

Fun with zoom:

Fun with zoom

Entering FD Roosevelt State Park:

FD Roosevelt State Park

Uphill in the park:

Uphill in the park

The visitor center:

Visitor center

Road to the campground:

Road to campground

Lake:

Lake

Our site:

Our site

Travel from Clermont, Florida to Adel, Georgia

We drove our coach 235 miles, about four hours of driving, from Clermont, Florida to Adel, Georgia.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading northwest:

Route map

An interactive map, with potential stops marked:

Rain coming off the slide topper:

Rain coming off slide topper

A line to leave TTO:

Line to leave TTO

Line to leave TTO

Citrus Tower:

Citrus Tower

Heading north on Florida’s Turnpike:

Heading north on Florida's Turnpike

Rest stop:

Rest stop

A busy foodcourt:

Busy foodcourt

The Villages golf cart bridge:

The Villages golf cart bridge

I-75:

I-75

A nice colored Prevost bus:

Prevost bus

Motorcycles and wildflowers:

Motorcycles and wildflowers

This car was going very slowly, with a flat tire. Just pull over!

Car with a flat tire

Our coach in traffic cams:

Our coach in traffic cam

Our coach in traffic cam

Our coach in traffic cam

Paladin at a rest stop:

Paladin at rest stop

“Thank you for visiting Florida”:

Thank you for visiting Florida

“Welcome to Georgia”:

Welcome to Georgia

Reed Bingham State Park:

Reed Bingham State Park

Dam:

Dam

Arriving at our site:

Our site

 

Travel from Fort Lauderdale to Disney World, Florida

We drove our coach 213 miles, about four hours of driving, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground in Disney World, Florida.

Here’s a map showing our route:

Route map

An interactive map:

Paladin was happy to have his nest on the stacked dining chairs:

Paladin

Leaving the resort:

Leaving resort

Leaving resort

A drawbridge:

Drawbridge

On the Florida’s Turnpike toll road:

Florida's Turnpike

“Sample Road” — someone forgot to give it a real name?

Sample Road

Accident:

Roadworks

It was nice to see a bunch of wildflowers alongside the road:

Wildflowers

A stop at a service plaza for lunch:

Service plaza

Service plaza

Service plaza

Back in the coach, having a snuggle with Paladin:

David and Paladin

Another service plaza stop for a bathroom break (and yes, a truck in the RV-only sites):

Service plaza

Paladin on the passenger chair:

Paladin

Yeehaw Junction:

Yeehaw Junction

Florida's Turnpike

More wildflowers:

Wildflowers

Approaching Disney World:

Disney World

Entering the Walt Disney World bubble:

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World

Fort Wilderness campground:

Fort Wilderness

Security gate:

Fort Wilderness

Reception:

Fort Wilderness reception

Unhitch area:

Unhitch area

Following the coach to our site:

Following coach to our site

Our site before parking:

Our site