A friend of mine from work asked me to go with her to SC very spear of the moment for for her daughters softball tournament. Luckily I was able to switch my vacation and go with her. Her daughter plays softball and she did not want to drive alone. I had not been to SC since June of 1995! We packed up on Monday night and left early Tuesday morning. Three girls and two adults in a sedan car for about 13 hours. fun, cramped and silly. The other girls were sisters and the daughters of another softball mom my friend knows. Their mom could not drive down until Friday
We made good time and arrived in Florence, SC that evening. The next day, Wednesday, I drove us to Myrtle Beach for the day. That was much needed beach time for me. We waded in the water (yes mindful of sharks due to the recent and prevalent attacks in NC and SC) and I took pictures, some of the girls took pictures. I grabbed some sand and shells for my collection also. We wandered on the boardwalk, shopped, rode the Sky Wheel, ate, visited the pier and shopped some more. The girls all got selfie sticks and had a good time using those. We had a memorable experience with a weird guy on the beach (laughing out loud!!)
I could have spent more time at the beach but I was content for what time I did get. I definetly started my tan while at the beach. We drove home, hung out at the pool at the hotel, had pizza and finally fell asleep.
We spent Thursday in and around the pool at the hotel. There were other members of the softball team staying there and they set up a tent and cooked out almost every night. Our room was really close to the pool. That afternoon, well evening I suppose, we headed to the softball fields for opening ceremonies and the activities. They had a HR derby, fastest runner, land ongest toss games for the teams. It stormed a tad bit but nothing too horrible. A large group of us ate at Ruby Tuesday after the opening ceremonies. It rained the rest of the night but that was the only day it rained. Florence was a nice place and pretty easy to navigate as well.
Friday the softball tournament started. The girls lost the first game but came back and won the second. Saturday they beat the number one seed and they were a SC team. They did not take it with good sports like attitude. The team or at least some of them were staying in the same hotel and they broke a light in the pool on Friday night. when we came back from the park Saturday the pool was still being filled. we chilled, grilled out, teased and joked around while that team caused havok while waiting for the pool to open.
Sunday, the final day of the tournament and the girls were doing well. They had to play the other team I mentioned and lets just say the tourament officials did not want an OHIO team winning. The girls had the bases loaded with 2 out, down by 3, batter foul tips out of catchers glove, rolls to backstop and batter goes to first un-challenged (catcher never made an attempt tp throw to first, run scores. Umpire says nope, batter out and game over. Oh there was an uproar let me tell you. It was a bad call and a horrible thing to do to the girls who would have at least tied if nnot gotten the lead. One parent got tossed. The girls got 3rd place and a plqque. We stayed to watch a bit of the next game between the winners out our game and the other team. It was already about 4pm and we needed t get on the road to make our way home. The last we heard from parents who stayed was the other team playing that team was winning, I hope they lost.
Ann Dawson's - Travel Blog 