Encountering Hardships

The Corps of Discovery encountered numerous hardships on the journey. Perhaps the most difficult calamity was that brought on by weather during summers and winters. Summer heat often brought unmanageable heat waves and, with it, fatigue, exhaustion, and heatstroke. Winters, too, were hard to survive. Blistering cold temperatures meant frostbites, snow-blindness, and even malaria. Each extremity brought a number of ailments and diseases that were unpredictable and hard to treat.

People told us that New Orleans would be hot and sticky. They said we would get to know this thing called "humidity" real close and personal. People told us that going to Atlanta and Savannah in August was quite possibly the worst idea in the world, weather-wise. They said it got to be so hot that phones and cameras were known to stop working due to high heat. People told us that to visit Charleston, South Carolina during the height of summer would be to test mortality. They said it could be so fierce that one would prefer bathing in hot chocolate all day than sitting outside for 5 minutes. Oddly enough, I have a friend who did that. It turned out to be a bad idea. But anyway...

People weren't kidding.

We survived New Orleans. We survived Georgia. They were hot, they were humid, and we got sticky. But even that couldn't prepare us for Charleston because to be completely honest, I unfortunately don't remember much about Charleston at all... except that it was morbidly hot :/ Imagine the following and think about the hottest weather you've experienced, times 3. Plus humidity.

We began our tour of Charleston in the historic district. I think I remember it being really cute and bright, but then, it was so crazy hot that it could have all been a mirage. We walked around there for about 5 minutes before neither of us could handle the heat anymore. I saw a sign for the historic, but still in-use, courthouse that said "open to the public." So in walks a sweat-drenched Lizzie and Clark with glazed over flushed faces and panting breath. The security guard, who appeared to be the only other person in the building, looked at us with curiosity and a raised eyebrow as he had us step through the metal detector. He didn't say it verbally, but it was immediately clear that tourists didn't typically step into that courthouse. Neither did they typically stay there for awhile and use water from the bathroom sink to cool down. But we did.

Eventually, we made our way through the historic district and down to the battery — a defensive sea wall important to America's Civil War. From there, we could just barely see Fort Sumter off in the distance (behind Clark, below... it's there, I promise).

Fort Sumter was a sea fort in the Charleston harbor most famously known as the site of the first shots and first battle of the Civil War.

On the other side of that sea wall was a plethora of gorgeous antebellum homes. Antebellum means "pre-war"and, in regards to architecture, refers to American homes constructed between the birth of America (Revolutionary War) and the Civil War. These homes were easily over 150 years old and still as beautiful as ever! Reminded me of the "Gone with the Wind" era. Here's one example:

From Charleston, we continued north to our last stop before home: Williamsburg, VA. 

Williamsburg was one of the first towns of the new America colonies. In fact, the town, named after the reigning monarch of England (King William III) at the time, became the capital of the Virginia colony in 1699—nearly a century before America would become its own country! The College of William and Mary, founded there in 1693, quickly became a center of learning for America's early political leaders including Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler. 300+ years later, Williamsburg is preserved as a center of American colonial history and the College of William and Mary continues to thrive. 

Clark and I enjoyed walking through the colonial town and catching a glimpse of what life was like in the early stages of America. Colonial-like houses lined the streets of Williamsburg and were filled with costumed interpreters telling the stories of 18th century men and women of the new colonies. Only wish we'd had more time to hear their stories!

Walking the beautiful streets of Colonial Williamsburg...

The sunset in Williamsburg is gorgeous!

We also got to meet up with my good friend from Biola, Ann Marie, while we were there! Ann Marie is going to law school at William and Mary and showed us around the campus a bit. What a beautiful place to learn!

Though both Charleston and Williamsburg treated us with some of their less favorable weather, they were both beautiful places and so full of American history! They both served as great introductions before our ultimate arrival in our country's capital...

Washington D.C., here we come!

*Though I elaborate on the "hardship" of extreme weather we experienced, please note that this does not compare to the severe hardships experienced by those living in the south so many years ago nor belittle the pains that were brought upon so many—in regards to the actual Lewis and Clark Expedition, yes, but also to those that were enslaved, fought for our country, and lost loved ones to war.