On February 13, 2026, we hitched up at JCO Campground in North Carolina and headed southwest toward Poinsett State Park in South Carolina. The goal was simple: warmer weather. We are sick of the cold and will keep heading south until we find it.
We could see a couple of open campsites online, but the reservation system would not let us book them the day of arrival. Apparently, same-day optimism is discouraged. So we did what seasoned RV travelers do — we showed up in person with hopeful smiles.The ranger at the visitor center took pity on us and assigned us Site 20 for three nights. Victory.
Backing into Site 20, however, was less victorious. It was one of those angled, tree-enhanced sites designed to build humility. After one attempt that did not inspire confidence, we devised a creative alternative. We drove the campground loop in the wrong direction (which caused visible concern for the camp host), dove truck first into Site 3, crossed a modest stretch of open grass between site 3 and 20, and then entered Site 20 from the backside. Unorthodox? Yes. Effective? Also yes. We were in.
Valentine’s Day began with brunch at Eggs Up Grill in Sumter. Nothing says romance like brunch. Properly fueled, we drove about 45 minutes to Congaree National Park — the only national park in South Carolina and home to some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Congaree protects old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, which sounds technical but basically means “big trees and swampy beauty.”
From the visitor center we drove to the Cedar Creek canoe launch. We slipped our kayaks into the dark, tea-colored water and paddled downstream beneath bald cypress and tupelo trees draped in Spanish moss. It felt quiet and primeval — like we should whisper. Wildlife, however, had apparently scheduled the day off. We heard and saw a few birds. But no turtles, no fish, and not a single alligator. The weather was perfect — cool enough to be comfortable, warm enough to paddle without complaint. We drifted for an hour or two, then turned back and explored upstream past the bridge near the launch before loading up.
That evening we celebrated Valentine’s Day at Willie Sue’s in Sumter. It was a relaxed Southern dinner — a fitting end to a day that included both eggs and kayaks. We returned to the trailer tired and content, which is generally how you know a day was well spent.
On Sunday we attended the Sumter Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is something grounding about worshiping with people you’ve never met and immediately feeling at home. We met the missionaries, visited with members, and enjoyed the spirit of the meeting.
That afternoon we walked around the small lake near the Poinsett State Park visitor center. By evening we made a strategic decision: extend two more nights so we could attend the Columbia South Carolina Temple. Tuesday evening availability seemed like a spiritual nudge.
Tuesday we attended the temple and then celebrated with Thai food afterward. We returned to the trailer, did a little pre-departure staging, and turned in early.
The next morning we wanted to get on the road in time to reach Florida’s Space Coast, set up camp, and — if all went according to plan — watch a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 40. After a few peaceful days among cypress trees and pine forests, we were ready for a little controlled rocket fire.
| Nights | Total Nights | Miles | Total Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 352 | 218 | 30896 |