RV Lifestyle The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas Originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly 70 years. Construction began on the present site in 1724. In 1793, Spanish officials secularized San Antonio’s five missions and distributed their lands to remaining Indian residents. More than 2.5million people a year visit the 1.7 ha complex known worldwide as “The Alamo.” Most come to see the oldmission, where a small band of Texans held out for 13 days against the Centralist army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Although the Alamo fell in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836, the death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolize courage and sacrifice for the cause of liberty. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders – the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, dunes have engulfed more than 71,000 ha of desert, creating the world’s largest gypsum dune field. It’s a truly awesome place whichmakes you feel as if you are in another world. Unlike dunes made of quartzbased sand crystals, the gypsum does not readily convert the sun’s energy into heat and can therefore be walked upon safely with bare feet, even in the hottest summer months. In areas accessible by car, children frequently use the dunes for downhill sledding. Fun fact: Three species of lizards, one pocket mouse and numerous species of insects have evolved a white coloration for survival in the white sands. Congaree National Park, South Carolina Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain, carrying nutrients and sediments that nourish and rejuvenate this ecosystemand support the growth of national and state champion trees. Prehistoric foragers hunted the area and fished its waters. Attempts to make the land suitable for both planting and grazing continued through 1860. The floodplain’s minor changes in elevation and consequent flooding stifled agricultural activity, but the intermittent flooding allowed for soil nutrient renewal and enabled the area’s trees to thrive. Bald Cypress, in particular, became a target for logging. By 1905, the Santee River Cypress Lumber Company owned by Francis Beidler had acquired much of the land. Poor accessibility by land confined logging to tracts near waterways, so that logs could be floated down river. In the perpetual dampness, however, many of the cut trees remained too green to float. Operations were suspended within 10 years, leaving the floodplain basically untouched. The Boardwalk Loop is a must when visiting Congaree. It is 3.8 km right through the swamps and jungle-like forests. White Sands National Park, New Mexico Peachoid, Gaffney, South Carolina The Peachoid is a 41 m-tall water tower in Gaffney that resembles a peach. The water tower holds one million gallons of water and is located off of Peachoid Road by Interstate 85 between exits 90 and 92 (near the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway). Usually referred to by locals as The Peach and by passing motorists as Mr. Peach or The Moon over Gaffney, the water tank is visible for several miles around these exits. An example of novelty architecture, the Peachoid is one of the most recognizable landmarks for travellers along I-85 between Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. According to official literature, the Peachoid boldly “sets the record straight about which state is the biggest peach producer in the South. Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT Georgia.” Without a doubt, it’s the best-known, most-photographed water tank in America. It is painted to match the kind of peaches grown in the area, using 20 colours and 190 litres of paint. CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 33
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