A nice stroll

Today was a “walk and gorge” sort of day. The basic plan was a walk to Sullivan’s Island via the brunch at Gullah Cuisine, then back. When all was said and done, it ended up being about 27 miles – not a bad day’s work.

Getting there involves crossing the rather impressive Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. While it’s no Millau Viaduct, the scale is still pretty serious. Lots of folks from the Citadel out jogging the 2.25 mile length of it in the morning.

Relatively pleasant walking – immediately after the bridge, it seemed very subdivision-y, but quickly gave way to quiet paths.

The reason I wanted to go to the Gullah Cuisine sunday brunch was (in addition to their strong Yelp rating, etc) that the buffet format afforded me the chance to try a whole bunch of low country and soulfood items. The vast array of choices for sides down here is a bit overwhelming. Two rather massive plates later, and I’m feeling like I’ve at least got a good sense of the options available. But, further research is required.

From there, it was only about 6 miles to Sullivan’s Island. Very much a beach-resort, there are cute cafes and fancy cars in volume. I can only imagine what it’s like in the summer. I wandered the beach a bit – intense wind, but always nice to enjoy some salty air.

The walk back, with a side trip into downtown for an espresso, brought me to the Tattooed Moose. A bit north of a city, and in the sort of neighborhood that I might think twice about wandering around too long after dark, it’s a cute hipstery bar and restaurant. Honestly, while hunting for a casual dinner place open on a Sunday night, I came across their menu, and when I saw a sandwich that combined pork belly with homemade kimchi, I knew I had to go. It did not disappoint.

So, now I’m back at the hotel. Tired, but satiated. A gorgeous day, lots of podcasts, plenty of time to think. I suspect this was the most walking I’ve done in one day since the Camino. On the plus side, not having to carry a full backpack or traverse mountains made it a lot easier. On the downside, infrequent espressos and a lack of other pilgrims made it a bit less fun. Tomorrow brings rain, so I’ll switch to indoor historical site mode. And perhaps eat a bit less.