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Trail Riding - South Carolina
SOUTHERN HOSPITABILITY
I don’t like spiders and snakes but that’s not what it takes to have fun.
by Janine Wilder
 Life in the southeastern states of the country are known for its cordiality, warm nights, swamp lands, and crawling creatures. However, what most people don’t know is they have some great horse trails. In fact, they have hundreds of trails in this beautiful state and we have ridden many of them.
I must admit I don’t believe I would be interested in riding there in the middle of one of their smoldering summers. However, it is a great place to ride in the spring, fall, and during the winter months. South Carolina can offer something for every trail rider in this state with wonderful trails.
On previous trips to his beautiful state we have enjoyed their national forests and state parks. On our last visit to this great place we decided to try one of the distinctive private facilities and Lake View Plantation was it.
 Talk about a great horse camp, wow! As soon as we arrived Hayward and Dona Simmons, the owners, met us and gave us their first rate treatment. They explained the way around the campground, where everything was located, such as the lodge, the dining area and the trail heads. They were the perfect hosts.
The next morning, we tacked up our horses and were off on one of the many trails. We found the trails very well marked and maintained. The red, blue, yellow, purple, black, and white trails each gave us a different scenic view, a diverse atmosphere, and above all a very good ride.
One night after a long ride and too tired to cook, we decided to go to the lodge for dinner. The hunter’s who were out in the forest hadn’t returned to the lodge for the night so Jim and I were the first to eat. The cook was very gracious and we were treated to first serve on the food. We were invited into the kitchen, given a plate and told to help ourselves to the food, still cooking on the stove. I spotted something in the big cast iron skillet that was unfamiliar to me. I soon found out it was tomato gravy. Well, that was something new to me and I thought I was familiar with all southern delights.
 We took our full plates and meander out to the dining table, I was very anxious to get started on the southern fried chicken and all the other goodies awaiting me. As I sat back in my chair and savored the most wonderful fried chicken I’ve ever ate and the delicious tomato gravy. I couldn’t help but notice the hunting trophies on the wall all around the dinning hall. Then I saw it. I gulped as my eyes followed the long form from one end down to the large rattles at the other, all five foot, ten inches of the largest rattle snake I’ve ever seen. Whew! I could feel goose bumps on my body and a shiver travel up my spine.
It wasn’t long until I got up from the table, picked up my plate and drink, walked around to the other side of the table and sat down so I wouldn’t have to look at that huge snake anymore.
I’ve seen a lot of snakes in my life especially while riding in the woods. However, I’ve never seen a snake that big other in a zoo, and it was not a rattle snake.
The next day we rode another one of the Lake View Plantation trails. Needless-to-say, this ride was a lot different than the one the day before, instead of looking at the beautiful scenery and the gorgeous fall colors I spent all my time looking for the King Kong of rattle snakes. Each rustle of brush, a wind blown leaf, or as I spotted a lump on the ground my mind turned to thought of a humongous rattle snake I just knew was there waiting for me.
 I was relieved as I got back to camp and was safe in my camper. Gosh, what a day. Later that afternoon Jim and I walk up to the lodge, Haywood and Dona was outside by the fire. I couldn’t wait to find out from the Simmons was where did the snake skin mounted in the lodge come from? He explained that it was drug up by the tractor while plowing down by the swamp. Dona finished by saying that it was a long way from where we ride. What a relief. I must say I slept a lot better that night.
I put the snake thoughts behind me and moved on. After a few days of riding and camping here is South Carolina, we decided to head south to a new destination. Saying our goodbyes to the Simons we drove off for another adventure. As the day wore on we stopped at the town of Jesup and found the county fairgrounds where we hoped would be a place we and our horses could spend the night.
 We saw a sheriff’s car on the other side of the fairgrounds so we headed in that direction.
As we stopped at the empty squad car, a truck pulled up behind us. It was the sheriff and a deputy who told us that the National Guard was coming in for exercises and with the tanks, aircraft, and flying bullets it may not be a very hospitable place for us. They told us there was a RV campground down the next road that may let us stay there. So, off we went.
As we drove around the fairgrounds in an effort to reach the road with the RV park we spotted sheriff’s truck setting at the entrance of the fairgrounds waiting for us. The sheriff told us that they thought of an arena on the other side of town that might works better for us. The deputy would get the squad car and we could follow him over there and we did.
The deputy was very nice and took care of making the arrangements for us to stay at the arena. One of the community cowboys stopped by to check on us later that evening and made us feel very welcome and very much at home. These wonderful southerners went way beyond the call of duty in their time honored pursuit of their Southern hospitality.
If you are ever traveling through South Carolina I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Enjoy your ride and……Happy Trails, - Janine
Janine is a freelance writer and photographer, author of her first book “Trail Riding”, a lecturer, clinician, and a Long Rider.
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