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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Border Wars

I was under the impression that states got along with each other.  That cooperation was one of the foundations of our great nation.

Here at J. Strom Thurmond Lake, South Carolina and Georgia have squabbled back and forth over the name of the lake made by the Thurmond Dam which is located between their borders.

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On the South Carolina side of the lake, it is called J. Strom Thurmond Lake.   Cross over the dam to Georgia and suddenly the lake’s name becomes Clark’s Hill Lake.  Even the maps in the states have their name choice on them.

It makes it interesting when you are trying to find your way around the area that you’ve never been before.   Today we finished up our grill banging tasks and were sent on to a new one.

All around the lake are day use areas and boat ramps.  Fees are charged for folks to use the areas, but to save the COE money by not staffing the entry points, there are cash boxes where envelopes for payment are available.

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Despite the government shutdown, money may not be flowing out of Washington, but they still want that fee money to flow in.

We spent the day driving around restocking these heavy steel boxes with payment envelopes.

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The user pulls an envelope out from the side, puts in the money and deposits the envelope in a slot after tearing off a proof of payment tag to hang on the mirror.

The payment boxes needed to have the envelopes restocked.  After unlocking a heavy padlock and removing the box top, we were able to reach inside and place in a new stack of envelopes.  Well, reaching inside after removing cobwebs and the icky spiders that seemed to inhabit most of them.  They must like these dark spaces. Certainly a look before you leap issue.

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After “work”, Mike, Terri, Marti and I went over to the one COE campground that is still open.  We went to site 19 where some special friends just arrived.

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It is George and Laurie Owen, whom we met at the 2010 RV Dreams Rally and have been friends since then, meeting up several times on the road.

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Hopefully, they will be able to stay to the end of their reservation, despite the government shutdown.  We’re all keeping our fingers crossed.

Of course, since Laurie, Mike and I all have blogs and are always on the lookout for new “Blog Fodder”, we were all snapping pictures of each other.  I guess our faces will be showing up on each other’s blogs.

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I guess it must be some kind of shared RV DNA.  :c)

As for which name I think the lake should have, I’m sticking with J. Strom Thurmond Lake.  After all, he’s watching me…

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Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.

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17 comments:

  1. I hope you wear gloves when reaching down into those boxes! We met Laurie and George this summer. Super nice people who drove from Hebo to the Portland area and had lunch with us near where we live. Glad you are getting to spend time near them.

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  2. States fight over anything having to do with water. I like Clark's hill lake better-

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  3. I still can't figure out where they "found" the money to keep those parks open?? I am just glad they did and Laurie and George were able to visit:o))

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  4. Nice that your friends could visit in that park and its not closed yet.

    Enjoy their company again.

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  5. I'm not a Storm fan so I'll side with Georgia. But then, he's not watching me. Actually I am tired if things being named after dead white guys. How about a name that has something to do with the actual place itself?? May e both parties could agree. Any suggestions??

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  6. Nice to see a group of friends gathered together at a COE park no matter what the lake is called! Enjoy the next few days.
    Syl

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  7. Looks like you all are in for a good time!!

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  8. You have a mini reunion going on there :) AND, at possibly the only COE park open in the entire country! You surely must have done something right :)

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  9. We hated to see George and Laurie leave this area, but I guess you're glad they did.

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  10. We've visited several places where they collect money in envelopes and locked boxes instead of people. I'm guessing it won't do any good to vote on the name. It's more fun to squabble about it.

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  11. Good thing we recognized you without your red vests on and hammers in your hands. Now about our grill here... :-)

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  12. Does Marti still get to hang on to her hammer to keep you in line? ;-)

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  13. I like the name Clark’s Hill Lake rather than the Thurmond one. But, then again, I don't have to sleep in the park with those 'Strom-Eyes' burning into the back of my head.

    You mentioned the envelopes going into the lock boxes but what about the money coming out? Did you get to keep that?

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  14. Watch out for black widows of the arachnid kind!

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  15. The work for you two just keeps getting harder every day! LOL

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  16. Since we are currently in Georgia, we may have to chose sides in this war:(

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  17. A COE campground that is open? That's lucky for George and Laurie. Watch out for the Brown Recluse Spider.

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