The Sunset

This past weekend we drove out to the St. Stephen area again to check on our Swamp Fox cache. Two different caching teams recently logged DNF's (did not find) notes on it. Since one of the teams had a member with 4000+ cache finds I assumed the worst... that the caching vigilante was at it again. I temporarily disabled the cache and added a note that I would check on it ASAP. I made the decision that I would replace the cache even if it were stolen a hundred times. After the rigmarole I went through to get it approved from by the land owner, there was no way I was going to archive it.

We drove out there on Sunday and when we arrived I prepared another cache to take its place. I walked over to the hiding spot and was totally shocked to find the cache... it was still there! How is it that someone with 4,000+ caches could not find a difficulty 1/terrain 1 cache? I was baffled. I pocketed the other cache for future use and we hung out for a bit and took a couple photos of the cemetery.


I didn't mind driving out there that day because there was actually something I have been meaning to check out in the area. I kept forgetting that 200-year old Pineville Chapel was just up the road from our cache! It's such a neat, little country church.


This is such a sweet and simple chapel that I wasn't surprised that the inside was stark and plain.

I wish I had known they were going to open it this past October for the 200th anniversary celebration. I love to go inside these historical places - especially old churches!

Just next door to the chapel was a cotton field. There are actually a couple of fields of cotton in the area and they all seem to be a mess. I'm not sure who harvests the crops, or what time of the year they do it, but it's definitely time to start pickin'! The pods were bursting and some of the cotton was flying loose across the field.

The fabric of our lives... :)

I had no idea that cotton has blooms!

I love driving around these old country roads. If only gas were cheaper! Way back when, in the days when I had a more cost-efficient vehicle, I would drive around for hours. I might be convinced to do that again when I have a new set of tires and finally figure out why my "check engine" light has been on for over a year. Oh, to be rich!

On one of the side roads we passed this treasure:

Look! Ladies are welcome!!

When I drove by I slowed down to about 5mph and stared in amazement. At the time there was a "gentleman" getting out of his car. He was looking at us. Robin was looking at him. I was still looking at the entire scene. He walked slowly into the social club and left the door ajar. We knew he was still watching us, but I HAD TO get a photo of that sign! I drove up the road, turned around and positioned myself on the road in order to snap my shot. When I was snapping away he came back out. Uhhhh... He approached the car and got within 20 feet, or so and stopped. He said "Can I help you?" and I said "I'm just taking a picture of your sign. I like it." He looked at us funny and said "Are you with a magazine or somethin'?" I was laughing inside, but answered with a straight face. "No, I just take photos for my own use. I just liked your sign. It's cool!" He said "okay" and I said "Thank you!" In the meantime he was slowly walking backward toward the club while we drove off. Robin said "Pam, one day you are going to get us killed!" Yeah, Yeah...

When I look at that photo I always wonder what the hell that is on the door. Is that from people's shoulders as they budge the door open? And what are the two arrows on the door for? The place needs some serious pressure washing. Also, if you look in the window on the left, there is a sign that says "Food Stamps". You might be able to see it better here. I'm not sure what to think about that. What does that mean? Is it a joke? Also, what's up with all the cords and wires? Why the big extension cord hanging on the window. Ugh. I have so many questions. I think I might have to go back. Maybe I'll bring him a copy of the photo!

It was starting to get dark so we headed home and I noticed that the sky was turning this amazing red and orange color from the sunset. Around that time we were approaching Bonneau Beach. I asked Robin if Bonneau Beach really had a beach and she said she thought so. I mean, who would put "beach" in a town name if there wasn't one... right? I thought that if there truly was a beach we might get to see a cool sunset. As I drove down the road the sunset was becoming more spectacular. We ended up on a dead end road with gigantic Lake Moultrie in front of us.

It was probably the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.

It was definitely one of those times I was glad to have taken the detour.

While we were enjoying the sunset we decided to place a cache in hopes of bringing others to the area - especially around sunset time! We called the cache "Bonneau Beach Sunset". When it was reviewed and approved I received an email from the cache reviewer that said that someone used to own a cache around the same area, but had a lot of trouble with someone stealing it. They got tired of replacing the container so they archived it.

Oh brother! Here we go again!!!

(Here is the whole set of photos from Sunday)