27 July 2022
Wednesday
If you know me at all, you will probably have anticipated I would return home a day early. I was still very sore from the 8+ mile hike at Smithgall Woods State Park and even a little nauseated last night. I didn’t even eat any dinner. I went to bed at 7:30 pm at Laura S. Walker after taking two Advil and an antihistamine. Even with that, it didn’t knock me out and I tossed and turned for most of the night.
Though it had cooled to 76F during the night, I didn’t feel like fighting the trails when the sun came up so I cleaned the cottage, packed and was on the road by 7:15 am. I made it back home around 1:30 pm. I’ve learned to get audio books for long trips and both on the way up to Georgia and on the way back, I completed two audio books. It certainly makes the trip easier.
The office at Walker opened at 8 am and I called while on the road a little after that to notify them I would not be staying the second night. To my surprise, they refunded me the cost of the second night. I didn’t expect that because you had to reserve a minimum of two nights. I assumed they would not offer a refund. I wish I had known that for the eco-cottages where I left a night earlier – but then they may well have said no refund. I suspect it depends on the person who is in the office at the time.
There was one new trick in coming home on I-95. The express lanes in Palm Beach County are now open and I cruised through that area that normally backs up traffic. The regular lanes were backed up but not the express lane. It made getting through that nightmare much easier.
I stepped outside the jeep in the driveway to 93F heat but it wasn’t as bad as Georgia because there was a nice breeze blowing through the yard. Everything was in good shape at home, even the pool (usually has a lot of debris in it).
Everything is unpacked and stowed for the next trip – which will definitely be when the temperatures moderate a little. The heat at my first stop in Georgia really affected me but I seemed to have adapted a little until I did the brutal 8.8 mile trek. In retrospect, I think I came pretty close to heat stroke. I probably had heat exhaustion. When I took the camel back out of my day pack, there was virtually no water left in a 3 liter bag.
The highlight of the trip was the Garden Cottage at Smithgall Woods. So much so, I would definitely entertain going back there in the winter and firing up the wood burning stove. The hot tub would be fun in winter also. Any takers to join me? I assume the prices will be cheaper in the winter.
Stay tuned!