B & D's USA Hideout: Congaree National Park, SC

Brian and I spent the past couple nights camping in Poinsett State Park just south of Columbia, South Carolina. It was a great deal, it was $18 per night with power and water hookups. That is almost unheard of in world of state park camping. We were aiming to stay in Congaree National Park, but the campgrounds are limited to primitive tent sites.

Congaree was a very different park compared to the other we've seen so far. This is the reason why we enjoy visiting each park so much, they all have something unique to offer. The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the USA. Some of the tallest trees are the Loblolly Pines, reaching 17 stories high. And some of the widest trees are the Bald cypresses, some 25' in circumference. Everywhere in the forest you can see their "knees" - small, knobby wood growths that rise around the trunk's base. Legend is that they are really wood elves who come to life at night to dance through the forest.

Brian was in his element yesterday as we practically bush whacked through the trail. We hiked 11.7 miles from the Kingsnake trail to the visitor center and back. I will say the trails were very well marked, they just don't seem to be used all that much. We witnessed a bunch of snapping turtles basking in the sun and spooked an enormous owl out a tree.

I thought ahead and set up the crock-pot while we were out hiking so we came home to one of our favorite dinners, BBQ Beer Chicken. I made about half the recipe below.

Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken

serves about 8-10

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs or a combo!

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can of beer

1 bottle of barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)

Season chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add to crockpot, then add beer and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours, tossing once or twice if desired. After 8 hours, shred chicken. Serve on toasted bulky rolls or your bun of choice!