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A Short Tour of Scandinavia in our Oliver...


SeaDawg

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Gotcha on that one, didn't I?

Really, we did drive through Denmark, Sweden, and Norway (twice) in our Oliver in the last two weeks. We didn't ship the Ollie overseas, though. We towed the Ollie through these small towns in a lovely agricultural area of South Carolina, along Rt 321.

Denmark was named for a Captain Denmark, I can only guess the other two got their names from someone with a sense of humor. Tiny towns (Norway has a population of less than 300 at the last census), close together, geographically correct south to north... Denmark, the biggest, then really tiny Sweden, then Norway. Found out there is also a town called Finland off to the east on 70. Didn't go there, though.

We drive the route from Florida to Asheville several times a year. A friend in Banner Elk suggested we take the 321 cutoff, to get off the interstate 95/26 route for a hundred miles or so, and see some of the real South Carolina. He couldn't have been more correct. We enjoyed the drive on the way up, and took the same route home.

Leaving Norway on the way up, we followed a pickup truck loaded with beautiful canteloupe for thirty miles or so, till we both stopped for gas at the Piggly Wiggly in Neeses, SC. While Paul fueled the truck,I walked over to ask the driver if he'd a canteloupe for sale. He reached over (tall guy, 6'4" or better) picked a good one, and handed it to me. I reached into my pocket and asked him how much, and he drawled out "walk on..." I handed him a few dollars, telling him I couldn't accept when I'd asked first for the melon, and he thanked me kindly. Best canteloupe I've had in a long, long time. Really sun-ripened, like my grandfather used to grow. Selected for me by the man who planted and tended it.

We traveled on, and the sense of humor in naming towns continued, at a town called North, South Carolina. Really. Cute town, all old buildings along the railroad that was the lifeblood of small farm towns back in the day. I told Paul it reminded me of a town we stopped into in Australia a few years back. A main street lined with turn of the last century buildings, now most of them empty, but still grand, though a little sad. Looking out at the rail line.

The path of the interstate leaves these little towns in its wake, not so grand as they once were. The rail line is probably still important to some of the industries along 321.. Georgia Pacific, and others, but not as important as it was back in the day.

I, for one, miss those days.

Sherry

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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Wow, another great "off of the beaten path " story ! Thanks Sherry. Those small jaunt's away from the main artery's of our Nation's freeway system are always such a pleasant relief and always the high point of our travels. Thanks for sharing !

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth 08' Oliver Legacy Elite HULL NUMBER 0003(sold)

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At the same gas station on the trip home, a guy was waiting for our gas pump loaded with watermelon... both the pickup bed, and the trailer he was pulling. Overloaded, actually. We saw broken watermelon on the road, about every 100 feet, for a mile in his trail when we left. Darn, they looked great, too.

I was tempted to buy a watermelon from him at the gas station, but I already had a case of Cherokee Purple tomatoes for the neighbors, purchased the day before at the Western North Carolina farmers market. We routinely visit the farmers market on our trips to Asheville. Love the produce, and local jams, honey, mustard, pickles, and cheeses.

The South Carolina state farmers market is just up the highway from the Neeses Piggly Wiggly. Guess that, and their low gas price, is why we encountered produce trucks at each visit.

Sherry

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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I will get on your road trip into South Carolina, hopefully this year soon. My son, daughter in law and the worlds greatest 4 year old granddaughter live in Denver.......that's right.....Denver, North Carolina. Will talk them into taking a drive looking for fresh melons!

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It's a ways out of the way to Denmark, but, Denver is only an hour and 45 east of Asheville. Stay in touch. Maybe we could camp together if we're up that way? We're planning at least two more trips to NC this year.

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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Finally found the photo I took of the Denmark, SC water tower.

DSCF3572.jpg

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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