Devil Went Down To Georgia

26 Comments

Here’s the problem with Georgia—there are all these great State Parks with camping right on the lake, or on the river, and then there are the alligator signs. Oh, how I wish I could dismiss those signs. I mean, look at that water. Think of the hours of play my kids could have. Damn alligators—can’t just share nicely with others.

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Mustache trimmin’ and Coors Light drinkin’. What? This is Georgia, out in the country, it’s totally acceptable. Well, maybe not to my wife. And hey, you try and find an IPA in this state.

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I’m told that south of Macon is where the bugs show up.

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Speaking of bugs. Ali thought she had gotten some poison ivy on her arm, until we were talking to a couple of locals who spotted her arm and said, “See you found yourself some chiggers.” Chiggers—lovely microscopic bugs.

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In all seriousness, Georgia has been a lovely state to roll around in. Pleasant towns, quiet backroads, and nearly empty campgrounds located in beautiful spots. We’re not complaining one bit about it here, even with the gators and chiggers running wild.

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26 Comments on “Devil Went Down To Georgia”

  1. Do not miss coastal Georgia, St. Simon’s Island, Jekyll Island, McIntosh County, Sapelo Island. So much to do and see.

  2. Coastal GA, NC, SC, FL are nice – if you can find the water. Lots of trophy mansions.

    Oh, don’t drink the H20… especially in coastal GA. Bottle only. Trust me on this – I know hydrologist and geologist in the area, and they don’t drink the water either.

  3. We have a cabin in rural Arkansas – chiggers are just hellacious. Ugh. It’s a miracle the kids aren’t covered in their ‘bites’, bites being a polite term for what they actually do. Stay out of tall grass and leaf piles.

    1. I’ve been trying to figure out a true purpose in life for chiggers or ticks. I don’t think there’s anything that can’t actually survive without them. Yet they exist by the kagillions……

  4. Did you figure out how to use the FM tuner? Mine in my ’62 Corvair looks identical. I have to tune the AM radio to 910 (I think) and the FM comes in like an AM station.

  5. Although I think Ouest looks just like you, Pat, in the picture looking out from the airstream of the kids back on, on the blanket, I can’t get over how much she looks like Ali! Thought it was Ali for a moment! I always enjoy your blog and your photos wonderfully capture whatever you’re doing at the moment.

  6. The cure for chiggers – fingernail polish. Cover the little red dot and it cuts off the air supply to the little devils. You could also buy Chigger-Rid, but it is basically the same thing only much more expensive. Fall is the worse time of the year for chiggers, so make sure you keep your ankles covered when walking through grass and never, ever, sit on a fallen log!

    1. Nope on the fingernail polish thing. Chiggers are microscopic larvae with a little tube thing. They secrete a chemical that liquifies your flesh and they suck up the liquid through the tube. When they are done, they leave. It takes 3-4 hours for the ungodly itch to set in and by that time they are looooong gone and it’s too late. Anti-itch creams have very short term, limited success before the itch breaks through. The concept that they burrow under your skin is not accurate.

  7. Additionally, if you’ve been exposed to chiggers you need to shower and wash all those clothes and shoes in hot water before they are exposed to anything else. They can survive on your clothes and shoes for weeks. And when you put them on, they just do their thing 😉

  8. Hwy 7 in NW Arkansas is a designated scenic route that runs beside the Buffalo River – itself a scenic and popular paddling destination. Somewhere along Hwy 7 there’s a bump in the road called Chigger Hollow, with a country store where you can buy homemade pies and stuff. The name Chigger Hollow is either a marketer’s dream or nightmare; I still haven’t decided which.

    1. Our place is in NW Arkansas – near Parthenon and the Little Buffalo. Hwy 7 is amazing to drive. Soooo beautiful and so windy, curvy, upsy, downsy. It’s a wonderful, wonderful area. Serious motorcycle riding road.

  9. Try walking *really don’t* on the prairie during the summer in Kansas. I’ve chiggers in places I didn’t even know I had places. I’ve chiggers on top of chiggers. I’ve had one huge chigger bite with several smaller chigger bites on top of that.

  10. Just like everything else, from viruses to us, their purpose is to make more of themselves. Beware of the whole southern belt for chiggers in long grass. I once counted more than 50 per leg after a naive walk in Sam Houston national forest (I think it is a national forest) in Texas. Two days later I was covered in blood from scratching them. I was new to the states and had no idea what was going on till a local explained.

  11. On St Simon’s Island GA, not only do they have gators, but it is one of the most densely populated rattlesnake places in the world. And, these aren’t your average run of the mill rattlesnake. They are eastern diamondback rattlesnakes. To reptile enthusiast, these are the king of rattlesnakes. Stay out of the long grass.

    Mark and Cindy

  12. I’m sure you know, but if not …clear nail polish for the chiggers. Paint it on each spot and it will kill them. Great pics!

  13. We like to use Chiggerex which can be found in Walgreen’s in the South. It may take an application or two but it stops the itching and works like a dream. Good Luck!

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