Fun & Games Across America: Charleston

Secret Dead Blog is writing you from a hotel room in Charleston, South Carolina. Yesterday was a long haul behind the wheel, 13 hours total (left Philadelphia just before 5 a.m.; rolled into the Greater Charleston Area just before 6 p.m.), whizzing down I-95 just fast enough to stay in the game, yet not quite fast enough to attract the attention of the many, many highway patrolmen in unmarked sedans. Saw a lot of people pulled over yesterday, which makes sense, this being a holiday weekend. Also saw a car that had apparently rocketed off the highway with such velocity that it had spun around and landed backwards in a cluster of trees, headlights facing us. Miraculously, the driver seemed to be okay, standing on the side of the road with a dazed What the hell just happened? look on his face. Anyway, be safe out there.

When you travel down I-95, you're pretty much secluded from seeing much of the eastern seaboard. Saw the Baltimore skyline, but nothing of D.C. or Richmond or nearby Raleigh or any other city or town of note... except for the infamous "South of the Border," a Mexican-themed tourist trap that starts assaulting you with billboards a good 100 miles out. South of the Border is just south of the border between North and South Carolina; I can't explain the Mexican thing, because, um, it's freakin' nowhere near Mexico. But they did have a RoboCop arcade game in the ice cream shop, which thrilled me to no end.

Also visited with friends who live next to a creek and saw two lazy alligators, a gang of angry fire ants, and a lot of mosquitoes who enjoyed dive bombing me. So yeah, the South so far: Packed with creatures that are all bitey.

Postcard Update: While at South of the Border I picked up some fairly goofy and surreal postcards will be going out to Mike O. in Eureka, IL; John S. in Santa Clara, CA; Sharif Y. in Chicago, IL; David F. in Montclair, NJ; Jeff M. in Fairfield, CT; John H. in Walnut Creek, CA; Luke B. in Lansdale, PA. Enjoy!

Going to check out Charleston proper today. If you know of any good bookstores in the area (or suggestions in general), let me know in the comments below. Also would welcome suggestions on how to avoid creatures that bite.