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Richard Camerino's avatar

This is so funny and so appropriate to me. We have done the same for many years, and the North Myrtle Beach/ Cherry Grove area is where we always stayed. You and I may have crossed paths somewhere along the way Edwin and didn't know it. As for me, I begrudgingly went along (maybe griping along the way) because of the 'family' time. Since the kids were out of school for the summer, that was the best time to spend that all so elusive family time. My problem was that I was an Industrial HVAC tech and spent so much time in the heat working rooftops and energy plants where the temperatures are regularly above 100° that the beach didn't seem so much like a 'vacation' to me - I would have preferred the mountains. We had a large crowd, most of my wife's family was there including those from other states, and we took up 2 or 3 of the houses on stilts. Back when they allowed it, my brother's in law and myself would get up at the 1st crack of daylight, carry and set up a semi truck load of shelter covers, beach chairs etc. so there was a place for everyone to get out from under ol' yellow ball. So I still had to get up every morning & go to 'work'. Of course that did give me a place to visit the beach during the day with my mirrored sunglasses and observe the view. We always took one evening/night down to Myrtle Beach and let the kids have fun at the Pavillion and the rest of the tourist traps down there. Sadly all that is gone now, as you probably know.

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Nancy E Owens's avatar

Been here 55 years. Things have changed, but the heat has not. Treated many cases of beach burned feet and blistered bald spots!

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Annelise Spees MD's avatar

Great read, Ed, thanks so much. We go to a Lake and had a big family reunion a few weeks ago - sun and water but rocks instead of sand and no salt residue. The family is the best part of course.

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Edwin Leap's avatar

Absolutely! I’d endure it anytime!

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Quail Hunter's avatar

On point with all things Cherry Grove (even the oreos- double stuffed ain'twhat they used to be though). We were there last week and going back in a couple weeks. Every year since '95... before then it was MB (Bowery >MF on the T-shirt hierarchy in my day)

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