May 14, 2008

May 14, 2008

We continue north in South Carolina to Congaree National Park. The park is a preserve of the last old-growth hardwood bottomland forest in the US. It sits on the floodplain of the Congaree River and mostly consists of tupelo and bald cypress trees. We hike the 2-mile boardwalk loop off the visitor center. The park seems to be more swamp-like than flood plain. The stands of bald cypress with their wide bottoms and “knees” (conical roots sticking out of the surrounding ground) are both pretty and eerie. I am not sure if I would drive out of the way to see the park however. Looking for small birds that nest atop the knees, we instead discover a 2-inch long “Fishing Spider” that dives into the water in search of minnows to eat. Aimee is more enamored with a bright green Anole lizard that does push-ups to attract the ladies.

From Congaree we continue north to King’s Mountain National Military Park, just south of the North Carolina border. The battle here was fought in 1780, the fifth year of the Revolutionary War. Hoping to split the colonies and break a stalemate, the British invaded the south hoping to gain support of Tories (Americans still loyal to Britain). Instead their brutality alienated the population. An enraged militia reinforced by Tennessee sharpshooters surrounded a British-led Tory militia atop the steep ridge here. Unfortunately this “high ground” was heavily wooded allowing the American Patriots to advance Indian-style from tree-to-tree and win the day. The battle was a turning point in the war. It stopped the British advance into North Carolina, setting up their ultimate defeat the next summer at Yorktown, VA. After watching a film about the battle, Aimee and I walk a trail around the hilltop battlefield. Along the way Aimee tells me we have to stop switching wars; it is too confusing. I tell her to just think of this as America’s first Civil War, pitting Americans loyal to England against Americans wanting independence.

We spend the night at the adjoining King’s Mountain State Park in Blacksburg, SC.