Columbia SC,

We left Fort Lauderdale at 11:45 PM and headed north to SC and the Straw Poll being held there by the GOP. With a few hours sleep we made it in time to be there bright and early. Parking was not a problem, we just pulled up as usual in the loading area in front of the Convention Center only to be told to "MOVE" by a official from the GOP. When asked why we had to move since there were obviously going to be no deliveries made he informed us that simply " You Cannot park here" No real reason. We then moved up a bit and when he came again we said we had moved. He didn't think that was the least bit funny.

Actually I would have ordinarily been more upset at having to move had we been anywhere else but the parking place was not really a good one as there was a lot of construction there and hardly anyone using that entrance. We finally moved to the parking area and no spaces were there. We finally went back to the front of the building and were told the only place to park was around the corner down the block. Steve the sign guy was already parked there and it was beginning to rain. We went to the front again and simply parked in a bus loading zone across the street, the guy had thoughts of telling us to move again but evidently decided he should leave it alone. He stood on the median with his hands on his hips for a few minutes and then just left. It drizzled all afternoon and evening so people were rushing to shelter. Not much chance of setting up a table and letting people see our wares. But there were lots of people stopping by and visiting in the RV. Lots of people just driving by stopping and looking at us and wanting to know what we were and what we were doing. We did hand out the rest of the slim jims and DVD's we had on board. Not a total waste of time in any event.

With help from some local people we got tons of Ron Signs out, hung everywhere and making sure our guy had his name out on the roads with the others, actually I saw no other supporters hanging signs. What we did see was the campaign people putting out signs. The RP Campaign guy did have a lot of the small white signs to put out but didn't make a move to do so but did ask Troy to put some out which he did.. I think he put out about a box of them in all.

Ron had lots of support at the banquet, how he lost the poll I will never understand. Coming in second was good but not good enough for the amount of support that was shown at the polls. I know his supporters were not welcomed by the GOP but..... South Carolina folks sure seem to like him

While driving we had to meet up with Melinda's son and return a laptop we had been using and while at the truck stop we talked to a couple who were totally taken off their feet by our Ron Paul information. Another two supporters to pass along the word. They left with a arm load of flyers and a bag of DVD's to hand out to other truckers and we were on our way home.

All in all SC was not what we would call a total success except for the individual supporters for Ron. The Republican party actually sucks there with their staunch support of anyone other than Ron. What do they know? We will over come their interference as there are more of us than there is of them. Let them know now we will have Ron as a candidate in South Carolina.

Thank you all for your support.

For those of you that have a problem seeing the photos go to the website:

www.grannywarriors.com/col2.htm

Again thank you all for your support in this effort.

(home) 828-683-2009 (cell) 409-673-4891