Mobile Studio Travels of the Carolina Considered Project

Walking the Hunting Island State Park Lagoon Access Recreation Trail, SC

2012-01-31T13:00:00.001-05:00

Click here for the Table of Contents for this Series

I’ve never paid much attention to Hunting Island State Park’s hiking/walking/biking trails. There’s just so much else to do. Well, that was a mistake. Last visit, encouraged by Park Manager Jeff Atkins, I spent a morning walking the Hunting Island Lagoon Access Recreation Trail. That trail is remarkable. Ideal for ElderHikers with a love of nature and curiosity about things wild.

This screen capture of the Park trail map, available at the Park Office, Nature Center, and Campground Store, is a little blurry. But it’ll give you an idea of the trail’s location. Just click for a full-sized image. [And, click here to access the full map on your computer.]

ElderHikers take note: When you drive to the parking area you’ll see a series of parking spaces on the left hand side, toward the Lagoon. Keep going. Drive on until you see the trash and comfort station facilities indicated by the red arrow in the photo above. Then you’ll be near the trail’s access point.

It’s only a short walk across the road to the signs above.

There you’ll have a couple of choices. Turn right for the Magnolia Trail, and left for the Lagoon Access Trail. I chose the latter. And hope to walk the Magnolia Trail next visit.

This trail is beautifully planned from beginning to end. Here and there you’ll find picnic tables. Like this one. Also wooden benches thoughtfully scattered along the way.

Best of all, for those of us who aren’t quite as spry as we once were, is the surface of the trail. It’s just as you see above from beginning to end. No need for folks relying on wheels to turn around after a few hundred feet.

Here and there was evidence of what must have been a controlled burn through this area a couple of years ago. Can you imagine assuming responsibility for one of those operations in this environment!

That’s a good thing. It may help to account for the beautiful natural scenery along the way. What a way to see first-hand the unusual plants and trees that cover this South Carolina barrier island.

Here’s one of the many live oaks. These trees, with their unpredictable shapes, seem somehow to have individual personalities. You can see plenty of them here without leaving the trail.

Concise description of the woods seen on either side of this trail is beyond me. I won’t even try. Various types of palmettos and pines, live oaks, and other shrubs and trees that I couldn’t identify. The woods here are quite different than anything I’ve seen elsewhere in South Carolina. Including at the other ocean side State Parks.

Even the forest sounds here are different. The dry palm fronds slapping against the trunks of their trees make a thwack and rustle that distinguishes this from other forest areas. Just sit on one of the trailside benches and have a listen. What an experience! I encountered only two other people along the whole trail. A young couple on mountain bikes. Great for listening. But I’ll bet it’s a lot busier here on the weekends.

Oh, there also were two kayakers out on the lagoon. They were too far away to make noise. Fun to watch paddling along. Made me wish I had the Advanced Elements Expedition along this trip.

And then, far too soon, I reached the end of the trail. Walk out on the bridge for a nice view up the Lagoon if you have time. And then enjoy the walk back. Note that the wide, level, comfortably-surfaced trail extended clear to the end. Great for folks relying on wheels.

Throughout the walk I saw little wildlife. Mostly brown pelicans swooping along the Lagoon, diving here and there to collect a fish. A few deer tracks crossed the trail down toward the southern end. But that was it. Not even many birds. I probably was making too much noise as I went along.

So there you have it. The best ElderHiking trail I’ve encountered in South Carolina. Hunting Island’s Lagoon Access Recreation Trail. A trail that somehow manages to combine easy access with genuinely interesting views of the forest.

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Stay tuned, now, since we have an interview with Hunting Island Park Manager, Jeff Atkins, coming up next.

Hunting Island State Park Light House: Interview with current “Lighthouse Keeper,” Hank Carden

2012-01-24T12:57:00.001-05:00

Click here for this series’ table of contents

I’ve visited Hunting Island’s famous lighthouse before. Several times before, in fact. But never felt energetic enough to climb to the top. Well, this visit I was determined to do just that.

Standing over 132 feet above the ground, with I-can’t-remember-how many steps, that’s no casual undertaking for an ElderHiker. This ElderHiker, anyway. But temptation overruled caution. I paid my $2.00 climbing fee. And hiking staff in hand, mounted the steps.

I made it! Quite easily. The climb wasn’t bad at all. This lighthouse was made to climb, come to think of it.

Sometimes while carrying 50 pounds of lamp oil in one hand!

With a comfortably designed stairway, blessed with nine landings for those of us who might want to rest a moment along the way.

These landings, by the way, each have an informational plaque. They’re all worth reading. With just enough text to provide an excuse to linger a while …. So don’t speed by in your zeal to reach the top.

The view of the beach from the observation platform at the top, as you might expect, is spectacular.

But that’s not all. Move around to the other side of the observation platform for an unusual view of South Carolina’s coastal forest. From the top down! A pair of binoculars would be nice about now ….

And look at this. It’s not a telescope. No magnification. Instead, look through and you’ll see the original location of this lighthouse. Over a mile away. Out in the water now. It was moved in 1889. We’ll learn more about that in a moment.

If you want to learn more about this remarkable facility you can buy one of the many books that have been written on it. Some of them quite good. But none of them cheap.

Or, you can climb the lighthouse, pay close attention the informational signs, and study the exhibits on the lighthouse grounds.

But to learn even more, take a moment to chat with the folks selling tickets. They are the current “lighthouse keepers.” Volunteers all.

During this visit I caught up with one of the current Keepers, Hank Carden. In a weak moment Hank agreed to do a short interview. “It’ll only take five minutes, Hank,” I assured him. Well …. You know how that goes.

Hank turned out to be an ideal guide to the Lighthouse. He insisted before the interview that he was no “lighthouse expert.” But as you’ll hear below, he has just the right combination of technical background, knowledge of the facility, and ability to explain things clearly. Further, he’s a “natural” in front of a microphone.

As usual, we began with a personal introduction, including Hank’s career up to retirement. He understands how the things he’s explaining actually work! And, when necessary, can even fix most of them.

I then asked Hank how he and his wife happened to come all the way to Hunting Island from Fowler, Indiana. And about how they’ve adapted to living full-time in an RV. Hank explained that he’s “living his dream.”

By then, well more than five minutes had elapsed, so I asked about the Lighthouse, and what he and his wife do while on duty. Come to find out, together with another couple, they even do the cleaning, inside and out, as well as sell the tickets.

That involves morning and evening climbs to the top, to open and close the doors and windows. A task Hank said his wife undertakes.

Hank also described the Lighthouse visitors. As many as 400 a day can visit during the busy summer months!

Come to find out, the Friends of Hunting Island group has assumed major responsibilities for Lighthouse upkeep. Repainting the whole facility in 2009, and even providing the maintenance staff that keeps the place as spic ‘n span as a military installation. The $2.00 climbing fee goes directly to support their work.

We closed our conversation with some details about the operation of the Lighthouse, and an explanation of how it was moved from its original location to here in 1889. Can you believe that work was done in only 4 months!

Thanks again, Hank Carden, for your contribution of time and expertise to the CarolinaConsidered Project.

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Some readers have written to say their browsers don’t show the embedded audio links properly. Here are direct links to them. I’ll try to remember to include direct links at the bottom of future posts. Just click a link below and a new window will open with your default player. Be patient. It may take Libsyn, the audio file host, a few seconds to send you the sound.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/01_Hank_personal.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/02_Hank_Arrive_HI_and_RVing.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/03_Light_House_and_Visitors.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/04_Fee_and_Friends_of_HI.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/05_Light_technical_details.mp3

Click here for the next post, a walk along the Lagoon Access Recreation Trail

Return to Hunting Island State Park

2012-01-19T14:01:00.001-05:00

Table of Contents for This Series

Introduction
Hunting Island’s Lighthouse and Interview
Walking the Lagoon Access Recreation Trail
Interview with Park Manager Jeff Atkins [coming soon]

Yes, yes; I know. I’ve visited here before. Many times before. But, really, who can blame me. Hunting Island is one of the most attractive Parks in the whole State system.

More objectively, it’s the busiest, most visited Park in the System. Earning revenue well beyond its costs, revenue that helps to support many other South Carolina State Parks. I find it especially appealing as an RV camping destination during the winter months when it isn’t quite as busy. Even in the dead of winter, though, it’s busy enough.

If you want one of the oceanfront campsites, like the one you see in the photo at the top, you’d better plan months in advance. Even throughout the winter. They fill up quickly.

Speaking of Hunting Island’s oceanfront campsites, if you haven’t visited for a while, be sure to confirm that your favorite oceanfront site still exists. Or that it hasn’t been renumbered.

Long-time visitors may remember the beautiful sites on the ocean side of the road that were numbered, if memory serves, in the 50s. Where the red arrow points on the map above. Well, as you can see, they no longer exist.

The shoreline of Hunting Island changes constantly, some times faster than at other times. And you see the result. Still, though, quite a few RV campsites at Hunting Island with ocean views remain.

This trip we’ll re-visit the Hunting Island Light House, climb to the top, in fact, and talk briefly with Hank, who was substituting as Light House Tender when I arrived.

Then we’ll drive over for a hike, or walk, on the Lagoon Trail. The nicest Park hiking trail I’ve found so far.

Finally, we’ll talk with Park Manager Jeff Atkins, who will tell us more about his Park than is available from all of the brochures and literature.

So, stay tuned, and click the link below for a visit to South Carolina’s most famous lighthouse.

Click here for the Lighthouse visit

Interview with Caw Caw Interpretive Center Manager, Mr. Thomas Thornton

2012-01-18T10:33:00.001-05:00

Click here for the first post on the Caw Caw Interpretive Center

While looking through the Caw Caw Interpretive Center’s Exhibit Hall, I had the good fortune to meet Center Manager, Mr. Thomas Thornton. We chatted a moment, and I asked if he would be willing to sit for a five-minute CarolinaConsidered audio interview. In a moment of weakness, Mr. Thornton agreed, and we were able to chat on tape.

(Just click the triangular “play” buttons in these embedded sound files to hear the interview.)

Mr. Thornton was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, where he took a BA in history at the University of South Carolina. After moving to Charleston and teaching high school for a few years he came to Caw Caw with the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. He’s been here now for about eight years.

I’ve yet to meet a Park or Center manager able to describe their facility in just a few words. But Mr. Thornton came about the closest with his explanation of the origins of the Caw Caw Center. About one square mile of Colonial era rice plantations. Six hundred-some acres that includes nearly every natural environment of South Carolina’s coastal plain.

Rice, according to Mr. Thornton’s explanation, was grown successfully here from 1703 to the 1870s. Existing tupelo swamps had to be cleared for this, of course. How difficult that must have been, especially using only late 18th and early 19th century technology. But it was done, and the efforts of those early planters made possible today’s even more diverse ecosystem at Caw Caw.

Imagine: 256 species of birds and over 400 species of plants within walking distance! This is an incredible place. And I thought I could see it all in two hours! Oh my.

But the Caw Caw Interpretive Center is far more than an interesting natural environment awaiting curious visitors. Emphasis here is on interpretation, as its name suggests.

The Center runs programs open to public participation too numerous to list here. Everything from bi-weekly bird walks to their popular “Heritage to Habitat” and “Sunset to Moonrise” tours. I think the latter is even a canoe/kayak tour. Each tour includes participation of naturalists and historians who “interpret” the area to the tour participants.

They also offer programs for more specialized groups that Center staff customize to the needs and interests of those visitors. Schools throughout the State have discovered Caw Caw. It’s a popular destination for their field trips. Oh, and don’t forget the Master Naturalist and Junior Master Naturalist programs hosted here. I can’t imagine how they handle their busy schedule of programming with such limited staff! Click here for a list of the Center’s programs.

I then asked Mr. Thornton to describe his Center’s overall mission. He referenced the “Heritage to Habitat” signs outside, and said that “Heritage to Habitat” is integrated into every Center program. Emphasis is on a multidisciplinary approach to interpretation that provides depth and context. Mr. Thornton used the Exhibit Hall as an example. Natural history is on one side; cultural history is on the other; and exhibits along the dividing wall integrate the two. Sounds complicated. But it works.

By now we had gone far beyond the proposed five minutes for this interview, and I began to feel guilty for taking so much of Mr. Thornton’s working day. But I just had to ask about the tea plants that proliferate through the Caw Caw preserve. He said they remain from the efforts of the American Tea Growing Company to cultivate tea here between 1901 and 1907. The plants have flourished in the wild here, and make up much of the vegetation we see around the base of the trees.

In fact, ever-resourceful, the Caw Caw Center now hosts their own tea parties during the growing season. Complete with instruction on harvesting and preparing the leaves, with cookies and sandwiches provided on party tables out in the forest. Imagine that! An unrepentant tea drinker, I’ve got to come for that.

Thanks again to Caw Caw Interpretive Center Manager, Mr. Thomas Thornton, for his contribution of time and expertise to the CarolinaConsidered Project. I hope to visit this interesting part of South Carolina again in the very near future.

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Direct Links to Audio Files, in case your browser has difficulty with the embedded links above.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/01_Thornton_Intro.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/02_Thornton_General_Description_of_Center.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/03_Thornton_Descr_of_Diverse_Habitat.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/04_Thornton_Programs_at_Caw_Caw.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/05_Thornton_Heritage_to_Habitat.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/06_Thornton_Tea_at_Caw_Caw_and_Thanks.mp3

Charleston County’s Caw Caw Interpretive Center on Highway 17, SC

2012-01-16T16:04:00.001-05:00

Caw Caw Interpretive Center is one of those interesting places in South Carolina I’ve long intended to visit, but have never taken the time. The unusual name alone gives it appeal …. It’s located in Ravenel, on the west side of Highway 17, about fifteen miles south of Charleston.

Highway 17, or the Savannah Highway, as it’s also known, is a wonderful alternative to the I-95 superhighway. It takes a little longer, but it offers far more interesting natural and social scenery along the way. Last month I finally got a chance to visit Caw Caw. While camping at Edisto Beach State Park for a few days.

Now, Caw Caw Interpretive Center is operated by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. So, I assumed it was just a normal county park, and allocated only two hours for the visit. Well! That was a mistake!

The Caw Caw experience begins as soon as the visitor turns into the gate. See the red arrow above. A well tended gravel-surfaced road meanders about a half-mile through Caw Caw’s forest to the Interpretive Center buildings and parking lots.

The speed limit here is 15 MPH, but I drove along much more slowly. Looking right and left at the remarkable trees and undergrowth characteristic of this part of South Carolina. Well, characteristic when it’s allowed to grow naturally. Watch out for deer, hikers, and other critters along the way. They’re all unpredictable. Especially the hikers!

At the road end’s loop you’ll see two buildings. The one on your right is the Visitors and Exhibit Center.

The one on the left houses classrooms, like the one you see above. Click the photo and have a look at the exhibits along the walls.

There’s even a laboratory room equipped with microscopes. Quite a few school groups from around the State visit Caw Caw on field trips. It doesn’t cost the schools much at all, and as you’ll hear Center Manager Thornton explain in the next post, there are plenty of educational programs here for them.

But the real treat, at least for me, was in the Exhibit area of the building on the right. Admission is only a dollar per person, if memory serves. After paying your fee, take plenty of time to look through the exhibits.

They don’t have a lot of space here. But somehow they’ve managed to pack in all sorts of interesting information about this part of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

There are even a few exhibits designed for the younger set!

The thing that caught my fancy, though, was the detailed explanation of rice cultivation in this part of South Carolina. Come to find out, most of the 600-some acres now occupied by the Caw Caw Center was used to grow rice in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

After going through this exhibit, I now understand the system of irrigation used for rice cultivation here and at nearby Botany Bay. It’s not easily explained. Whoever created this Caw Caw rice exhibit has managed to do it with a combination of visuals and clear, simple text. It must have been an interdisciplinary project.

Once you’ve absorbed all of the information you can about this area’s geography, history, flora and fauna, step out for a walk along the Center’s trails. Note the concrete walkways in the photo above. Most of the trails here, of course, are more naturally surfaced.

But there’s plenty to see at Caw Caw even if you’re dependent upon wheeled transport. Places too in the parking lot to get in and out of cars and vans.

This is only the beginning, though. The trails here are marvelous.

Here’s a list of them, and a useful map.

These photos simply can’t do justice to what you’ll see here. You just have to visit!

Over near the marsh, I came across this unusual construct. Note the wheels! No one was around. So I meandered over and climbed aboard.

Oh my. A viewing seat for bird watchers. Had to be that! I sat for a while and looked at the bird life in the marsh, with little idea of what I was seeing. Suddenly, some distance out, a huge bird began an acrobatic display. It had a white head and white tail. A bald eagle. Even I can recognize them! Too far out to take a photo, but close enough to see clearly. He – or she – soon was joined by several colleagues. What a treat!

I had time only to walk less than a quarter of Caw Caw’s beautiful trails during this visit. It was nearly closing time when I got back to the car and reluctantly drove out the gate to Highway 17. I surely hope to return – allocating an appropriate amount of time! – during my next visit to the Coast. Caw Caw Interpretive Center is a must-visit destination in South Carolina.

Oh, while visiting the Exhibit Hall, I met Center Manager, Thomas Thornton. Mr. Thornton kindly agreed to a recorded interview for CarolinaConsidered. I told him it would take only five minutes, or so. Well … the “ … or so …” stretched into about 20 minutes. Thanks for your patience, Mr. Thornton.

Click here to access the Interview with Center Manager, Thomas Thornton.

The RV Campground at Hickory Knob State Resort Park, SC

2012-01-16T10:07:00.001-05:00

Click here to return to this series’ Table of Contents

The RV campground usually is the first thing I mention during CarolinaConsidered State Parks visits. Hickory Knob, though, turned out to be special. There’s so much to see and do here that the order of presentation got jumbled.

The atmosphere or environment of the campground at Hickory Knob is much like that of the Beaver Run Trail. Carefully maintained nature. This is no antiseptic, clean-swept sort of place, so typical of commercial campgrounds. As you can see in the photo above, RV campers here will have a sense of being out in the woods.

Each campsite has water and electricity. Best of all, many of them are wide and spacious. Plenty of room even for one of those huge Class A motorhomes. Leaves blanket each of the sites. No intensive electric blower program here. But. looking around, I didn’t see a single piece of trash. Camp Host Bruce Duffield sees to that, as well as maintaining all of the other campground equipment. Be sure to stop to say Hello to Bruce when you visit.

There were only a few other campers when I visited Hickory Knob. So only one bath house was open. It had been carefully winterized, and was well heated. The facilities all were spotless. A pleasure to take a shower here, even early on a chilly morning.

That portion of the campground with the most lake view campsites, described on the map as the “Main Loop,” was closed for the winter when I arrived. But I walked in to have a look around anyway. A few of those Main Loop campsites look as if they would be a challenge for anyone with a large motorhome.

But most are like the site you see in the photo above. Many of the sites in this loop include easy access to the lake shore for fishing and boating, and have great views of the lake. I may try one of them on my next visit.

So, there you have it. The RV campground at Hickory Knob State Resort Park. A great experience for those of us who like to get out in the woods. Not to be confused with the more sterile environments found at many commercial campgrounds. No paved sites; no big rubber jumping cushions; no cotton candy stands. Just a great opportunity to enjoy the forest environment of this part of South Carolina.

Now, if this genuinely natural environment isn’t quite your cup of tea, or if your party includes one or more Campophobes, then give the Hickory Knob Resort Lodge a try. There you’ll find all of the amenities, and at a surprisingly low price. Hickory Knob really has something for everyone. I’m headed back as soon as I can.

Hiking the Beaver Run Trail at Hickory Knob State Park

2012-01-15T16:04:00.001-05:00

Click here for the table of contents for this series

“Hiking”? Well, in the broadest sense of the term, I guess. Maybe ElderHiking. Just Ambling would be a more accurate description. But what’s the sense of rushing along at top sustainable speed when there’s so much to see along the way? I mean! Wish I’d learned that earlier in life ….

Here’s a convenient map from SCTrails.net that gives an idea of what to expect on this interesting 2.5-mile trail. SCTrails.net, by the way, is an excellent source of information about hiking and biking trails in South Carolina. Click one of those links above and have a look around. Here’s what they have to say about the Beaver Run Trail. But take time to click through their whole site. It should be a bookmark-able Web destination for anyone who follows the CarolinaConsidered Blog.

My opportunity to hike, or amble, Beaver Run Trail came last November 30th. A day that was sunny, with only a light breeze, and cool enough for a light jacket. How could you ask for better conditions!

The map above suggests a fairly straight path for this trail. But that’s not what I found. It’s been laid out through the woods with attention to trees, rocks, damp spots, and changes in elevation. It even includes the occasional switch-back to ease changes in altitude, as the SCTrail.net description mentions. This irregularity makes it far more interesting and enjoyable to hike.

Here and there you’ll catch glimpses of the Lake Thurmond shoreline. With traces of less formal paths down to the bank in places. See how low the Lake was! About 10 feet down at the time, if memory serves.

At one spot, about half-way along, I found clear evidence of an old roadbed that once led down to the shore of the lake.

Abandoned now, it was strewn with its share of the fallen timber found throughout the surrounding woods. This is the view on the other side of the trail. Heading straight for the main road. Built up in places. It must have been used fairly recently.

Here and there along the trail I found red tapes adorning trees, like the one you see in the photo above. Each red tape had the name of the tree hand-printed in black ink. Nice to have for tree identification! But these have to be temporary. I wonder what the Park Service plans to do with them. More permanent signs?

About two-thirds of the way to the skeet and archery ranges the trail passes the 1760 Guillebeau House. Now, this is worth seeing.

This house has been modernized inside and is for rent! But if it’s empty when you pass, go up and have a close look at its construction. Like most houses of that vintage, it was built in sections, over time. Likely in responses to changes in family size and/or economic fortunes of its owners. Interesting workmanship.

Long-time readers may recall the February 2011 CarolinaConsidered visit to the mid-18th century log house at Sesquicentennial State Park. Click here if you missed it.

Back on the trail, I noticed the pile of stones you see in the photo above. Certainly not natural. I suspect they’re the remains of a house foundation, doorstep, or possibly a chimney. Wish I knew more about the earlier inhabitants of this land. And what the area looked like before creation of the lake and the successive waves of timbering.

Well, there’s plenty more to tell about along this trail. But time is running out again. I turned around not long before the end of the trail when it got a little wet and headed back to the Visitors Center.

What a wonderful trail to walk. Easy enough for all but those of us limited to wheeled locomotion. Yet “natural” enough to give visitors a definite sense of being in the woods. That combination requires careful planning in layout, and then constant care. Go have a look for yourself!

But stay tuned here for the third and final post in this series on Hickory Knob State Park. We’ll visit the RV campground.

Click here for the next post in this series.

Hickory Knob State Resort Park

2012-01-08T10:50:00.001-05:00

Table of Contents for This Series

Everyone – well, at least everyone in the Carolinas and Georgia – has heard of Hickory Knob State Park. Including me. But I never paid a visit until late November last year. What everyone says is true. It’s a real treat, and I’ll be back as soon as I can fit it into the travel schedule.

Hickory Knob is right on the shore of Lake Thurmond. Just under 100 miles and about two hours west of Columbia. South Carolina’s “West Coast.” Sort of … A good distance to travel, even when not pulling a travel trailer. But the miles go by quickly on Highway 378.

I’ve mentioned Highway 378 before on this program. It’s a great drive. Parenthetically, I suggest you don’t stop in McCormick when you pass through. There’s so much to see there you’re bound to be late for your Hickory Knob arrival! Save McCormick for another trip! Just a suggestion …

The drive through the Park to the Visitors Center offers another treat. It’s worth making even if you don’t have Park reservations. Be sure to observe the speed limit, even down hill. On the way back from the Park restaurant one night three deer appeared suddenly at the side of the road. They looked to be deciding whether to cross the road in front of my car or behind it. I slowed to give them the option. And deer aren’t the only critters you’ll encounter here. Lots of wild turkeys, and all sorts of other interesting animals.

Much of this Park road skirts the 18-hole golf course. This is one of only two golf courses maintained by the State Park system. The other is at Cheraw State Park on the other side of the State. I’m not a golfer and didn’t take time this trip to visit the Hickory Knob Course or its Club House. But they have their own website. Click here to access it, if golf is your game. It includes a hole-by-hole video that should give you a good sense of the course.

Don’t be misled by the bargain rate prices. 18 holes, according to the website, is only $15 during the week, and $20 on weekends. A cart will cost you $15. But even a non-golfer can tell that this is no hardscrabble, minimally maintained public course. So have a look.

Not far from the Visitors Center, you’ll pass the Guillebeau House. A renovated 18th century log structure erected in 1764 by Huguenot immigrant, Andre Guillebeau. The house was moved here from its original site in 1983. It’s been renovated completely, with heat and air conditioning. And is available to rent! Nightly rates range from $87 to $135. Click here for more detailed information and a few photos of the original property.

The Guillebeau House is only one overnight accommodation option at Hickory Knob. They also maintain 18 large cabins, and a 76-room resort-style lodge like you see above. This in addition to the RV campground and tent campsites.

I didn’t get to see the lodge rooms this trip [next time!], but heard they are just what one would expect at a far more expensive commercial resort. Here, the price per night is only $50-$82, depending on the time of year. Hard to beat. A good place to bring those campophobic family members

And that entitles visitors to use all of the other Park facilities, including the pool and tennis courts. Ideal for an inexpensive family vacation.

I haven’t even mentioned the Visitors Center yet. I’ve never seen anything like it in any of the other Parks. It includes a full restaurant that serves three meals a day, seven days a week, with a serious award-winning chef. Be sure to try at least one of the soups. Folks drive in from the surrounding community just to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner here. I met a few of them during my “research” visits to the restaurant ….

The Great Room, or gathering room, also is something you have to see to believe. It’s huge, first of all. Large enough to accommodate comfortably several parties of several people at one time.

And even includes a small grand piano! Be sure to take time to look carefully at the paintings along the walls. There are quite a few. Each was done by one of Hickory Knob’s Artists In Residence. Another unusual touch.

Recalling Music Man Harold Hill’s admonition, I probably shouldn’t mention the two pool tables. Well, these may even be “billiard tables,” given the luxurious surroundings. But here they are. I haven’t played in years, of course, but it was a temptation …. Something to do on a rainy day.

There’s much more to see at Hickory Knob State Resort Park. But I’m out of time. Next we’ll take a look at the RV campground, and then, if time permits, enjoy an ElderHike along the Park’s Beaver Run Trail. So stay tuned.

Click here for the next post in this series.

Musgrove Mill State Historic Site Horseshoe Falls and Battlefield Trail

2012-01-05T10:54:00.001-05:00

Click Here for the Index of This Series

The Enoree River’s division of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site into two sections must complicate the lives of Park Staff. It’s also something Park visitors should keep in mind.

Here’s a map from Google that indicates the route from the Visitors Center [The A on the map] to the parking lot in the north section of the Park [The B on the map]. During my first visit I didn’t realize just how far north I had to travel along Route 56 before making the sharp left onto Horseshoe Falls Road, and missed it. The turn is just over two miles up Route 56. And then it’s 1.5 miles back toward the River on Horseshoe Falls Road to the Parking Lot. Lots of interesting things to see along Horseshoe Fall Road, though.

Here’s your destination. The parking lot and informational sign maintained by Park staff. All spic and span when I visited. Only one car other than mine in the lot.

In the last post I mentioned that the British Camp Trail isn’t wheeled-vehicle friendly throughout. The same holds for this Battlefield Trail on the north side of the Park. But look at this! A wide paved, completely smooth area intended for wheelchair exit and entry from cars and vans. The best such facility I’ve seen at any State Park during my travels. My wheelchair-bound mother would have been tickled pink to have seen this.

And that’s not all. The trail, clear up to the Horseshoe Falls overlook is just as smooth. Made from the same material. Talk about accessibility!

This project must have cost a pretty penny. The plaque to the left of the trail notes it was done with support from the “Recreational Trails Program,” the “South Carolina State Trails Program,” and the “Federal Highway Administration.” Imagine how complex that project grant must have been to write and administer! Better them than me. The results are wonderful, though.

Here’s what you’ll see at the end of this paved section of the trail. An excellent view of Horseshoe Falls. And here’s a short video that gives a closer look:

As you can see in the video, there wasn’t much water flowing down the creek when I visited this time.

The Falls must look quite different with a stronger flow. A good excuse to come back to check again!

Don’t miss the informational signs along this trail. They look quite new. Even their images and maps are clear, easy to see. Maybe they were included in the grant proposal described at the trailhead! The text on these signs is chuck-full of information. Easy to read, and beautifully written. Wish I could write that concisely! So, take the time to read each one if you can.

Here’s an example of what you’ll learn. It’s easy to become confused with all of this talk about “Loyalist,” Provincial,” and “Patriot” troops. Well, this sign, and a couple of others, offers an artist’s interpretation of how the various combatants at Musgrove Mill would have looked, and how they were equipped.

The Provincial troops would stand out, with their red coats. But it would be easy to confuse Loyalist and Patriot militia, I’ll bet. Certainly the Patriots had an advantage in that it would be easier for them to blend in when they sought cover in the surrounding woods. Pity the poor Redcoats. Even if they were better equipped.

Speaking of equipment, what sorts of weapons were used in the Battle of Musgrove Mill? Well, it seems there were several long guns. Both rifles and smoothbore muskets.

I’ve handled and used guns all my life. But didn’t realize the difference in firing rate between the long flintlock rifles we read so much about, and the “Brown Bess” muskets supplied to British troops. Accounts differ, but it seems that the Loyalists and Provincials fighting at Musgrove Mill were armed mostly with muskets. While the Patriot militia members had more of the longer, more accurate rifles. I’ll have to look more into this.

Moving along the Battlefield Trail, we encounter steps like those in the photo above. Definitely not convenient for scooters or wheelchairs. But a big help for walking hikers. None of the steps, or even the wooden bridges over boggy spots, were worn or broken. This trail is either quite new or receives regular maintenance.

Here and there along the trail the Park Service has kindly provided benches like the ones you see above. Usually only one bench beside the trail. But here we see three in a semicircle that could accommodate a fairly large group.

Stop and sit a while here if you have the time. Just to the left in the photo above the ground slopes off sharply into a gully. It makes a beautiful vantage point from which to enjoy these woods.

Not far from those benches is another informational sign. It marks the location of a short section of what archaeologists believe to be the roadbed of the original wagon road. I would have missed it had not a more knowledgeable fellow come along and pointed it out. Again, an indication of just how different this battlefield looks today.

This same fellow, by the way, knew all about trees and harvesting wood. I was surprised to learn how young the trees are. Even the big ones. The whole area, he said, has been logged and re-logged, probably several times.

Walking on, we approached the hill on which Patriot troops laid their trap for the Loyalists and Provincials encamped at Musgrove Mill. Here’s another of those excellent informational signs. The image on the right provides a simplified explanation of the order of battle. Patriot troops on either side of the road, awaiting the arrival of the Loyalists pursuing Captain Inman and his sharpshooters as they “fled” up the hill. Oh my.

And here’s the hill they had to climb. This hill may have been cleared at the time of the battle, since it is described in some of the contemporary sources as an “old Indian field.”

Patriot troops would have seen this view, looking down the hill toward the attacking Loyalists and Provincials. There’s some debate over the deployment of Patriot forces here. Did they construct barricades on either side of the wagon road? Or did they just rely on the surrounding woods for cover and concealment? It seems to me that the trap would have been more credible without the barricades. But that’s just an amateur guess.

We don’t even know the exact number of killed and wounded at the Battle of Musgrove Mill. But it’s certain that Captain Shadrach Inman was among the killed.

So there you have it. The Battle of Musgrove Mill. August 19, 1780. An important battle of the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War. One worthy of more attention, I believe, from our historians. I hope you will be able to visit the Site soon.

Musgrove Mill SHS Southside Trail and the Enoree River

2012-01-02T20:15:00.001-05:00

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You’ll find the entrance to the British Camp Trail just across the parking lot from the Visitors Center. Be sure to pick up a Park map while you’re there.

The image on the left shows how the Enoree River divides the Park into north and south sections. Keep that division in mind as you plan your visit. There’s plenty to see on both sides of the River, so budget time accordingly.

In fact, I found it impossible to cover both sections of the Park during one visit. Had to come back two more times. But your mileage may vary. Not everyone reads every word on every informational sign. Or stops so frequently to enjoy the scenery. Or walks so slowly. Or has as much time to devote to State Park visits!

A word about the trails at Musgrove Mill. They’re clear, and well maintained. But I wouldn’t recommend them for travel in a scooter or some other sort of wheeled vehicle.

Here and there it would be comfortable. Like the stretch in the photo above. But don’t plan a through-trip with a scooter. Let alone a wheel chair. If you require wheels to get around, check with folks in the Visitors Center to learn the location of accessible sections of the trails. There are a few, and they’re worth seeing.

These woods have changed during the past 230 years. Even the lay of the land. Gullies, streams, slopes, cleared areas. Logging, farming, and just plain weather all have left their mark. We can only imagine how things looked to Loyalist troops encamped here in mid-August 1780. Indeed, according to some of the source material, we can’t even be sure of the camp’s exact location.

It’s likely, as the photo from the Park’s informational sign above suggests, that Loyalists relied primarily on tents for shelter. This was a temporary encampment, after all. And troops had to carry whatever they used on their backs. During August in this part of South Carolina there would have been little need for shelter beyond the occasional rainfall. Tents would have made good sense.

Down toward the River, be sure to stop at the Mary Musgrove Monument. Mary Musgrove, like Issaqueena, the American Indian woman of Issaqueena Falls fame, [click link for more information] is a historic figure we remember largely through her appearance in a nineteenth century novel.

In Mary Musgrove’s case, it was Joseph Pendleton Kennedy’s “Horse-shoe Robinson.” She also sometimes is confused with an earlier eighteenth century Mary Musgrove, the daughter of a Creek Indian Mother and Charleston merchant father. A woman noted for facilitating communication between American Indians and Northern European immigrants in Georgia.

The legend of Musgrove Mill’s Mary, nevertheless, was adequate to inspire erection of this monument early in the last century. Whatever Mary Musgrove’s personal role in the War effort, she and other women contributed significantly to the ultimate Patriot victory. So, as the Park informational sign suggests, “Her legend does, however, stand as a tribute to the countless women who served as spies, messengers and even combatants during America's fight for Independence.”

From the Mary Musgrove Monument, continue across the cleared field toward the river. Somewhere along here is the location of the north-south wagon road’s ford.

We don’t know its exact location. But according to period maps, it has to have been along here somewhere. Indeed, we’re not even sure of the exact path of the wagon road that played such an important role in the Battle of Musgrove Mill. Somewhere not far from here, though, Loyalist troops must have looked out on the morning of August 19th to see Captain Inman and his band of Patriot Volunteers ride across the ford shooting. Only to appear to lose their nerve, turn tail, and flee back they way they came. Their relief was short lived.

From here the trail follows the bank of the Enoree west, toward the site of the Musgrove Mill itself. This is a fascinating walk, through the Enoree’s flood plain with its wildly-shaped trees, vines, and plant life.

Archaeologists are more certain of the location of Edward Musgrove’s mill. If only because it was built and rebuilt in the same location until the early 20th century.

Here’s a 1908 photo of the last mill to occupy the site.

Don’t be fooled by the ruins of the bridge just above the site of the mill. As I was during my first visit! This is what remains of a much later span, washed away long ago by the Enoree at flood, and never replaced.

Speaking of which, here’s a short video of that beautiful river taken while it was in a better mood.

From here the trail loops back up behind the Visitors Center, past an inviting fishing pond, and then back to the parking lot.

Before you leave be sure to inspect the ruins of what is thought to be the foundation of Edward Musgrove’s house. Burned, then rebuilt, according to one of his descendants, by the Loyalists in spite of his earlier generosity at the time of the Battle. Neutrality sometimes isn’t enough, it seems.

Stay tuned, since next we’ll visit the north section of the Park to walk the trail through the battlefield.

Click here for the final post in this series.

The Battle of Musgrove Mill and Its Revolutionary War Significance

2011-12-26T12:52:00.001-05:00

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The August 19, 1780, Battle of Musgrove Mill isn’t among the major Revolutionary War engagements we often read about. But it certainly was important.
For one thing, Patriot forces won decisively. Routing a much larger, better trained, and better equipped Loyalist force through courage and unconventional tactics. This battle demonstrated decisively that Patriot forces could defeat their better equipped and better trained adversaries. Certainly a morale booster for the Patriot side! More on that in a moment.
Timing too was critical. London’s “Southern Strategy” seemed to be working in early August 1780. Savannah, an important Southern port, had fallen to British forces at the end of 1778. The British, on their second try, had even occupied Charleston by mid-May 1780.
Then, on the 16th of August, just days before the Musgrove Mill engagement, British General Cornwallis and his commanders decisively whipped a considerably larger Patriot force led by General Gates. General Gates, as in “General Horatio Gates, the Hero of Saratoga”! With nearly 2,000 Patriot casualties. Gates, it turned out, was a crackerjack administrator, but not much of a battlefield commander.
So by mid-August, 1780, there was little to encourage Carolinians with Patriot inclinations. Prudent American Colonists, it seemed, should simply accept the inevitability of British rule. Confirming London’s assumption that many Southern American Colonists held Loyalist sympathies.
Little, that is, until Colonel Isaac Shelby, together with Colonels James Williams and Elijah Clarke, led 200 or so Patriot troops south through the woods from their camp on the Broad River. With instructions to clean up 200 or so Loyalist troops camped near Musgrove Mill on the Enoree River. The troops were there defending a ford across the Enoree on an important north-south wagon road.
Shelby planned to ford the Enoree at daybreak and surprise the camp. But a Loyalist patrol discovered them soon after their arrival on the high ground north of the river. Worse, Shelby and his commanders learned that 100 Loyalist militia and around 200 better trained and equipped Provincial Regulars had recently reinforced the Musgrove Mill camp. So Shelby’s Patriots now faced a better armed and better trained Loyalist force of over 500. Impossible odds for his travel-weary men and horses.
What to do? The temptation to forget the whole thing and slip back through the woods to their better fortified Broad River camp must have been intense. But retreat was unrealistic. Rested Loyalists were certain to overtake and slaughter Shelby’s travel-weary contingent if they attempted to flee.
The Patriot commanders might simply ignore the recent intelligence and order a morning attack across the Enoree, as planned. At least demonstrating courage, and hoping for a miracle. Again, a prescription for near-certain disaster. The encamped Loyalists were expecting them. They’d be set up and ready to slaughter Shelby’s troops as soon as they left the water on the south side of the River. So, what to do?
Colonels Shelby, Williams, and Clarke ultimately agreed to a daring, unconventional plan said to have been suggested by Captain Shadrach Inman. Inman volunteered to lead 20 or so of his best troops across the river, there to fire on the Loyalist encampment, and then to retreat back up the hill on the other side. This unconventional military move was intended to tempt the larger Loyalist force into pursuit. Once the Loyalists were across the river, running up the hill, the remainder of the Patriot force would mow them down. Firing from cover and concealment on both sides of the road.
In preparation, the Patriots quickly threw up rough breastworks on both sides of the wagon road leading up to the higher ground. There, with weapons primed and cocked, they awaited their unsuspecting prey. A highly visible line of troops stood in traditional formation across the road at the crest of the hill. In clear sight of the advancing troops. This created a U-shaped kill zone into which Inman and his troops hoped to lure their Loyalist adversaries.
Captain Inman’s plan worked. He and his men made their raid and quickly retreated. The unsuspecting Loyalists took the bait and pursued Inman’s retreating band up the hill, straight into the Patriot trap. There the Loyalists encountered deadly Patriot fire from both sides of the road. Their commander and nearly all of their officers were soon killed or wounded. Lacking leadership and confused by the Patriots’ unconventional tactics, the larger Loyalist force broke ranks within an hour and ran for their lives.
The heavily outnumbered and out-gunned Patriots that morning sacrificed only four killed and twelve wounded, against Loyalist losses of 63 killed and 70 captured. A decisive victory against great odds. Unfortunately, those killed included Captain Shadrach Inman, the real hero of the Battle of Musgrove Mill.
So What? You might reasonably ask. Why all the attention? Musgrove Mill was a minor, and hardly decisive, engagement. Better to move on to subsequent battles, like King’s Mountain, Cowpens, or even Guilford Courthouse. Battles that really mattered.
Well, in any war, morale and perceptions mean a great deal. Especially during civil wars, with neighbor fighting neighbor, brother fighting brother. That was certainly true at Musgrove Mill. Of the 700-some combatants at Musgrove Mill, only one was a British regular. All of the others were American colonists.
London’s “Southern Strategy” during the American Rebellion relied heavily on Loyalist support from American Colonists. Indeed, it appeared unlikely that Britain would prevail without it.
News of Shelby’s victory at Musgrove Mill over an overwhelmingly stronger Loyalist force provided encouragement for Patriot sympathizers, and gave Loyalist and “neutrals” something to think about. Should the Patriots ultimately prevail, Loyalists, and even “neutrals” like mill owner Edward Musgrove, could expect little sympathy from the victors. Better to back a winner. And the Battle of Musgrove Mill demonstrated that the Patriots just might win!
Stay tuned. In the next two episodes we’ll walk through the area of the Loyalist encampment, have a look at the Enoree River, and then tour the site of the battle on the north side of the river.
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Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Near Clinton, South Carolina

2011-12-22T11:35:00.000-05:00

Table of Contents for This Series

The I-26 four-lane SuperHighway is one of the most heavily traveled in South Carolina. Can’t say I enjoy it, but I’ve been up and down it hundreds of times, on the way to and from destinations in the western part of the State.

The past decade or so, a respectable-looking roadside sign near the I-385 turn-off toward Greenville has advertised “Musgrove Mill State Historic Site.” Looked interesting. Last month I finally found time for a visit. “Visit” indeed. I ended up making three trips from Columbia in as many days. Now, that’s a lot of extra miles on my elderly Town Car. But well worth it.

Next time you’re in the area and have some extra time, turn off and follow the signs for about six miles along Highway 56. It will take you through pretty, rolling farm country, just west of the Sumter National Forest. A treat in itself.

If it’s near lunchtime when you visit, stop at that big filling station on the corner to pick up a Subway sandwich and drink. I know; I know. But the sandwiches there are really good! Maybe even one or two of those tempting macadamia nut cookies ….. Then, fortified with two – or maybe three – of the four major food groups, on to Musgrove Mill!

The State acquired 360 or so acres of this important Revolutionary War battlefield site back in the mid-1970s. But tight Park System budgets seem to have delayed its opening until May of 2003. Now, we can all visit and enjoy.

As at most State Historic Sites, it’s best to stop first at the Visitor’s Center for orientation before tramping around. Musgrove Mill maintains a good one. The building you see above was designed, to the extent possible, to resemble the original house located here. At least from the outside.

You’ll find several inviting rocking chairs on the wrap-around porch, and even a picnic table.

So go around back and eat that Subway sandwich while looking out over some beautiful woods. Now, woods scenes like the one you’ll see don’t just happen. They require a LOT of work. I don’t know how many people it takes to maintain this Park, but it must be quite a few!

After lunch, take some time to look through the exhibits inside the Center. Space is limited, but the exhibit planners have made good use of every square inch.

The combination of text and artifacts on the wall displays is especially interesting. Here’s just one example.

And here’s another. We may take displays like this for granted, not recognizing the challenges confronting those responsible for telling the story of an important historical site like this in such a small space.

Anyway, time spent here will enrich your experience as you visit other sites within the Park.

We’ll consider the importance of the Battle of Musgrove Mill for the course of the Revolutionary War in the next post.

But briefly, this battle demonstrated that Patriot troops using irregular tactics could best highly trained and equipped Loyalist troops. A point with significance for both sides as that nightmarish War ground on in the South. More on all this later.

Like most South Carolina State Historic Sites, there’s something for pretty much everyone here. Picnic shelters, trails for hiking, informational signage, even a pond for fishing.

But look at that map! The Enoree River divides the Park into two sections. This means Park personnel must drive several miles along Highway 56 to get from one section to the other. Talk about a maintenance and management nightmare!

A substantial bridge once crossed the River here. But it was washed out long ago during one of the Enoree River’s periodic fits of irascibility. More on this beautiful River too in a subsequent post.

Much more to say about South Carolina’s Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, but we’re out of time. Stay tuned for more posts to come!

Oh, something else. A long-time CarolinaConsidered reader suggested that I add a feature that allows those interested to sign up for e-mail notification whenever a new article is posted to the site. So I have! Look in the upper right-hand corner of this page for the link. All free, of course.

Click here to view the next post in this series.

Holiday Season Quick Update

2011-12-21T09:40:00.001-05:00

Doesn’t seem possible. But my last post here was more than a month ago. No excuse for the long gap. Just been busy, traveling and collecting material. So, here’s a preview of upcoming CarolinaConsidered programs.

First, South Carolina’s Musgrove Mill State Historic Site. It’s just a few miles off I-26, near Clinton. I’ve meant to stop here since it opened.

Finally got there in mid-November. The site of an important battle during the Revolutionary War. I’ll explain.

Next stop, right at the end of November, was Hickory Knob State Resort Park. One of the most visited of our State Parks.

And certainly the Park with the most comprehensive facilities. Even a golf course, hotel, and full-service restaurant. I mean! If you haven’t visited yet you’ll find it hard to believe.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, while at Edisto Beach State Park [Good Old Site # 18; right on the shore],

I visited another South Carolina State Historic Site: Charlestowne Landing. Again, for the first time.

What a treat! Something here for everyone. From toddlers to old geezers like me. Don’t know why I haven’t visited before.

And since the Caw Caw Interpretive Center was just off the Savannah Highway, on the way to and from Edisto Beach, I couldn’t resist a stop there too.

This is a another of those must-visit spots in South Carolina.

They have an incredible museum, and over six miles of Geezer-Hiker accessible nature trails through the Lowland woodlands. Plus, you’ll get to meet Center Manager, Mr. Thomas Thornton.

There you have it. Four programs on four different Must-Visit places in South Carolina coming soon. So, stay tuned!

South Rim Trail at Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia

2011-11-16T16:20:00.001-05:00

You haven’t really seen Tallulah Gorge unless you’ve hiked [or walked] both the North Rim Trail and the South Rim Trail.

If you begin your Gorge visit at the Interpretive Center, it’s likely you’ll start with the North Rim Trail. Since it’s right out back! Click here for CarolinaConsidered’s interpretation of that trail, if you haven’t seen it already.

For me, the South Rim Trail was a very different experience. Not better or worse; just different. So be sure to reserve time for both during your visit.

There are at least two ways to approach the South Rim Trail. The quickest would be from the end of the North Rim Trail, the one closest to the Route 441 bridge.

Just keep walking. And you’ll see a sign directing you to steps that will take you to the bridge’s sidewalk, and on over to the other side.

This bridge, by the way, is the second to span the gorge here, replacing one that opened in 1939. Before that, traffic on the way to Atlanta were forced onto the one-lane track on the top of the dam itself! A long-time friend raised in Western North Carolina recalls family auto trips to Atlanta in pre-bridge days. They sometimes had to drive across the top of this dam in the dark, scared to death that some huge truck would enter the path on the other side, forcing them to back precariously to the end of the dam. On one side they risked a slide into Tallulah Falls Lake; on the other a longer drop down the side of the dam and into the Gorge. Oh my!

I chose a different approach to the South Rim Trail, however. Driving the next day over to the Day Use Area on the shore of Tallulah Falls Lake. It’s certainly possible to hike both trails in one day. Or even half a day. But what’s the advantage of that? I’d recommend a slower pace that will allow you to enjoy the spectacular views along both trails. True, they’re both only about 3/4 miles in length. And fairly level. But I took over three hours on each and certainly had a better time.

I found plenty of parking in the Day Use Area. A construction crew was building a new comfort station beside the lake. All sorts of colorful equipment!

The beach here was closed during my visit. But a click on the photo above will give you an idea of what you’ll find once the trail there reopens.

Walk back up the Day Use Area hill, across the bridge, and over to the entrance of the South Rim Trail.

From there it’s one spectacular scene after another. It’s impossible to resist the temptation to see what’s beyond the next turn in the trail. I did manage to resist the temptation to descend these wooden stairs that lead to the suspension bridge across the Gorge.

Look at this! 680 steps down; and 680 steps back up. Beyond my ElderHiker capabilities. But what a view it must be! Maybe some day …

There’s much more to see here. But again, we’re running out of time. Since Picasa photo folder links seemed to work well in previous posts, I’ll add another here. Just click the “Slideshow” button near the upper right of the screen and enjoy.

Tallulah Gorge South Rim Trail

So there you have it. A visit to Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park. A considerable distance from Columbia, South Carolina. But worth it!

Hiking Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge North Rim Trail

2011-11-13T10:24:00.001-05:00

After viewing the Interpretive Center’s fifteen-minute film – an excellent introduction to the whole Park – step out onto the Center’s beautifully designed back patio.

Here’s just one of the views you’ll find out there. Then walk down the short path that leads to the North Rim Trail itself.

Oh, and don’t forget the native plant garden on the other side of the patio. The Park’s Friends Group maintains it. You may be surprised by what is and what isn’t considered native here.

From behind the Interpretive Center it’s convenient to turn left and walk a quarter-mile or so to these stairs. They’re really not as steep as they look in this photo. They’ll take you over to Outlook Number One. About the best place for ElderHikers to view the Gorge.

On the way, you’ll pass the remains of an iron tower used in 1970 by 65-year-old Karl Wallenda to anchor his tightrope across the gorge on the north side. The highwire stunt drew quite a crowd, and was credited with increasing tourism in this area. Why in the world this beautiful place would need such a boost is beyond my comprehension. But here are the remains of the tower, anyway.

Once you’ve looked up and down the Gorge from the Outlook Number One viewing platform, give serious thought to hiking up to the benches you see above. I resisted the temptation, in the event. But imagine the view from there! Said to be the best in the Park.

This brings up an important feature of this trail. Especially for those of us no longer quite as mobile as we once were. Tallulah Gorge’s North and South Rim trails offer opportunities for most every visitor. From those of us who now need wheeled vehicles to get around — scooters or wheelchairs — to those intense exercise enthusiasts with carabiners clanking from their belts who pass us by in search of slippery vertical rock faces to climb.

Quite near the Interpretive Center on this North Rim trail you’ll even find a section paved with recycled rubber tires! This creates a surface that’s easy on ElderHikers’ knees, but solid enough for scooter or wheelchair tires.

Easy access doesn’t end with this rubberized section of trail. There are plenty of areas with smooth hard-packed dirt surfaces like the one you see above. All to the advantage of the ElderHiker.

There’s plenty more to see on this North Rim Trail. So, have a look at more photos in the Picasa slideshow below.

Tallulah Gorge North Rim Trail

So there you have it. The North Rim Trail of Tallulah Gorge in Northeast Georgia. A beautiful place to visit. Especially in the fall.

Stay tuned to this channel, since we’ll visit the South Rim Trail in the next post.

Interpretive Center at Tallulah Gorge, Georgia

2011-11-11T09:48:00.001-05:00

When visiting Georgia’s beautiful Tallulah Gorge for the first time, make the impressive Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center on the North Rim your first stop. This Center, if memory serves, is a cooperative project between Georgia’s State Park System and Georgia Power. Somebody with deep pockets must have been involved. And their money’s been well spent.

Here you’ll find all sorts of useful information about the Gorge, the history of the surrounding area, flora and fauna, and most important, instructions for safely hiking the North and South rims of the Gorge. And safety is a real concern here.

The State Park System requires permits for visitors who plan to hike to the bottom of the gorge. 100 permits are issued per day, according to the sign. To protect the Gorge’s sensitive environment. And, I suspect, to keep track of visitors who decide to venture down all of those steps. In case someone has to be carried back out. I resisted the temptation to ask for a permit ….

Named in honor of celebrated Georgia environmentalist, Jane Hurt Yarn [born in Greenville, South Carolina, by the way!], this 16,000 square foot facility itself is well worth a few hours of your time.

It was designed and built by Bowen & Brown, an innovative North Georgia general contracting firm. They’ve managed to create a structure here that blends beautifully into the overall Gorge environment. No easy assignment! So, take time to walk around the outside before you go in.

Inside, they’ve managed to make their displays accessible to those of us who don’t get around as easily as we once did. Click the photo above for a better view of the ramped wildlife exhibits that occupy the center of the building.

The ramp is easier going down than up, especially for folks relying on wheels. [There’s an elevator between floors.] But either way, the exhibits are accessible. Now, who’d want to miss a close-up view of these two critters! [Click through the Picasa album below for some more.]

Don’t miss the informative exhibits on both the top and lower levels of this facility. They’re really well done. Some, text-heavy enough to please even recovering academics like me.

Others relying on presentation of artifacts and reproduced period photos to project their information to the public. Now, if they only had a cellphone tour here, like the Town of Cheraw, South Carolina ….

And don’t miss the fifteen-minute film on the lower level. It provides a good introduction to the overall Gorge environment, perhaps best viewed just before venturing out on the North Rim Trail. More on that in the next post.

A final impressive feature of this Interpretive Center is their gift shop. Now, we’ve all wandered through gift shops in similar facilities. Most of them pretty much alike. This one, though, is worth a few minutes of your time.

The items for sale are carefully selected and attractively displayed. Lots of local artists and craftsmen find shelf space for their creations here. They’re not offered at WalMart prices, to be sure. But you’re likely to find something worth taking home. So, don’t visit the gift shop until you’ve hiked the North Rim trail and are about to return to your car.

Click on the image below to access more photos of this impressive facility. This is the first time I’ve tried to include a Picasa link. So let me know if you have any difficulty with it. [JapanConsidered@gmail.com]

Tallulah Gorge Georgia Interpretive Center

Stay tuned since next we’ll tackle the North Rim Trail here at Tallulah Gorge.

Visit to Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park

2011-11-09T09:08:00.000-05:00

Table of Contents for This Series

Tallulah Gorge State Park Campground
The Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center
The North Rim Trail
The South Rim Trail

This week the Mobile Studio is parked on Site # 38 at Tallulah Gorge State Park in Northern Georgia. What beautiful country! Similar in terrain and foliage to parts of South Carolina’s Oconee County.

A fellow camper who lives in the area told me this campground has a long history, one of the first built by Georgia’s state system. Like most older campgrounds, it shows its age.

But a welcoming and helpful camp host found my reservation, checked me in with no difficulty, and directed me to the site. She proved a great source of information about the surrounding area. What would we do without camp hosts!

Here you see site # 38, one of the campground’s pull-through locations. Campsites here are close together, many with a challenging grade. But number 38 was quite comfortable, and the nearby neighbors, fortunately, were quiet and peaceful.

Each site has electricity and water. Trash cans are provided throughout the area. The bath house you see above is one of two that serve the entire campground. But it was cleaned regularly, and provided plenty of hot water. A blessing on chilly mornings.

Not long after I arrived and set up, what appeared to be a small National Guard unit arrived and began unpacking equipment. I was in the Aliner writing and didn’t pay much attention. But they certainly were well disciplined. Even for a National Guard military unit.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that they weren’t a National Guard unit at all. They were a class from the Fort Stewart Youth Challenge Academy. Here to experience the Park for a few days before graduation. About 30 teens, boys and girls, who’ve decided to make a change for the better in their lives. What an impressive group! I’ve got to learn more about that program. They certainly were ideal camping neighbors.

Next stop, the impressive Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center, and an ElderHike along the north rim trail of Tallulah Gorge. So stay tuned!

Click here to access the next post in this series.

Conversation with Mr. David Sides, Cheraw South Carolina’s Director of Tourism and Community Development

2011-11-08T13:37:00.001-05:00

Late last month I had the opportunity to meet Mr. David Sides, Director of Tourism and Community Development for the Town of Cheraw, South Carolina.

As Mr. Sides’ job title suggests, he’s a busy fellow! Running – sometimes literally – from meeting to meeting; writing grant proposals and memoranda. Most anything you might think of to help present Cheraw’s remarkable history and beauty to the public. So I was glad to catch him.

We met on Wednesday morning in Cheraw’s Lyceum Museum. You' may be able to hear traffic moving along the street outside as we talk.

This building, by the way, is well worth a visit. Built in either 1820 or 1825, it served first as a chancery courtroom, then as a library and home of Cheraw’s Lyceum. Part of the mid-nineteenth century Lyceum Movement that brought public educational programs to towns like Cheraw.

During the War [Civil War, of course] it was a Confederate telegraph office, and then quartermaster’s headquarters for first Confederate and then Federal troops. It later served again as Cheraw’s Town Library once books lost to marauding Federal troops could be replaced. You may be surprised by its size when you visit. It was smaller than I expected. Like many 18th century and early 19th century public buildings.

I began as usual by asking Mr. Sides to tell us about his personal background, education, and early career. Have a listen:

It’s a delight to meet with a public information person actually has roots in the community he or she represents.

Mr. Sides has lived in Cheraw for over 30 years, knows a lot about it, and considers it home. His infectious enthusiasm for his “home town” is more than a job. And, his long experience in public outreach and advertising gives him the skills necessary to present what he knows about Cheraw from first-hand experience to the general public. A great combination.

We then shifted to Mr. Sides’ current responsibilities for the Town of Cheraw. One would think that tourism and community development would be two separate portfolios. But Mr. Sides explains here how they work together.

I was especially interested in the annual projects sponsored by Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Cheraw” program. It brought to mind a similar program in Greenville, South Carolina. Both of these communities, on different scales, reflect the results of such innovation-inspiring programs.

Cheraw, like many other South Carolina towns, has been hit hard by the loss of employment-generating textile plants in recent decades. So I asked Mr. Sides about the current business climate. Here is his reply:

Mr. Sides’ response helps explain what I’d been seeing while wandering around Cheraw and its environs. Determination to recover from recent employment loss; mobilization of existing physical and cultural assets to increase Cheraw’s appeal for potential new investors, tourists, and residents; and a general, difficult-to-define “get ‘er dun,” or what we used to call a “can-do,” attitude. Whatever it is, it’s working.

Finally, I couldn’t resist the temptation to ask about the Historic Cheraw Cellphone Tour I had taken earlier in the week. I learned from other sources in Cheraw that Mr. Sides had been involved in this project from the very beginning:

Here, he gives much of the credit for this innovative program that combines history and technology to a forward-looking Town Council and Town administrators. With prodding he did admit that he wrote and re-wrote the scripts, and was at True Blue Advertising when the project started. Mr. Sides, it seems, does effective PR for everyone but himself!

Thanks again, Mr. Sides, for taking the time to talk with CarolinaConsidered. Your work in Cheraw is an inspiration for other towns in South Carolina facing the need to innovate and recover.

If you had difficulty listening to the audio segments of the interview via the embedded players above, here are direct links to the files on the Libsyn site where they’re hosted.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/01_Sides_intro_and_background.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/02_job_in_cheraw_and_activities.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/03_Cheraws_atmosphere_and_business_climate_and_retirement_place.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/04_Sides_cellphone_tour.mp3

Cheraw, South Carolina’s Historic Cell Phone Tour

2011-11-06T18:39:00.001-05:00

While clicking through Internet information on the Town of Cheraw in preparation for this visit I ran across some articles describing the “Historic Cheraw Cell Phone Tour.” Here’s a link to one from The Cheraw Chronicle. And here’s another from the Olde English District tourism website. And here’s a more detailed article, with a map, from the Cheraw Chronicle. But it’s a PDF file, so you may have some difficulty downloading it.

Well! These articles got my attention. What a great idea. Simple. Like most great ideas. Enabling Cheraw to explain its rich history to visitors without spending a lot of money for additional equipment and personnel.

One of those article quoted Mr. David Sides, Cheraw’s new Director of Tourism and Community, as saying the whole project cost just $13,000.

$13,000??? Hmmm…. I frankly was skeptical of that figure. Having some experience developing and implementing information dissemination operations, I assumed there had to be costs hidden somewhere that would at least double or triple the $13,000 figure. [Later in the week I got to meet Mr. Sides. He confirmed the $13,000 as solid, and explained to me how he did it. It’s a legitimate cost figure. Remarkable! Be sure to listen to his interview. Coming up next.]

Anyway, cost aside, this is a terrific way to provide visitors – and even long-time residents – with accurate, useful information about Cheraw’s history. It won’t be long before other towns and cities in South Carolina will imitate the Cheraw example. They should, anyway! It really works, if done properly.

So, bright and early Monday morning I drove to Cheraw to have a look. A map of the historic district is convenient, but not essential. They’re available all over town for free. You can even download one from the internet beforehand, as I did.

But all you really need is some kind of cell phone. It doesn’t have to be the latest model smartphone either. With four out of five Americans now carrying a cell phone, it makes sense to utilize that equipment. Nothing could be simpler! Why didn’t I think of that?

Begin your tour, if you can, at Town Green. That’s the first stop, and the most convenient to other points on the tour if you intend to walk from site 1 to site 25. I planned to walk the whole tour. But ended up driving to more distant points. Plenty of free parking around each one, by the way.

Just dial 843-865-3002, and listen. Then press the numbers on your cellphone’s keypad, as directed. The information about the site selected takes a second or two to play. So, push the indicated button and wait. Don’t start pressing other buttons, the way I did. No need!

From the Town Green the Tour will direct you down Cheraw’s main business street. Take the time to walk this part of the tour, if you can. Shops old and new on both sides of the street. Owned and operated by folks who’ve invested in Cheraw’s future, rather than dwelling on hard times past.

The Town pitches in as well. Here, a town worker replaces banners celebrating Cheraw’s recent annual Jazz Festival with year-end Holiday banners. And littering must be a capital crime here. No trash on the streets! All of this helps to give Cheraw’s first-time visitors a positive impression.

Accumulation of those first impressions has economic as well as cultural significance. No matter how superficial or misleading, negative initial impressions weaken community efforts to attract employment-generating industry, free-spending tourists, or even new residents. Cheraw, obviously, has chosen to look forward rather than backward. It shows.

Arguably, the most important site on the tour is one of the most distant: The banks of the Great Pee Dee River. Without the River, Cheraw would not have the rich history it boasts today. Have a listen:

In addition to the historic significance of this area, you’ll find beautiful views of the Great Pee Dee River, like the one you can see above. And, if you’ve brought a boat, an excellent public access boat ramp. Picnic tables too.

So, there you have it. The Cheraw Historic Cellphone Tour. I could go on and on, and have dozens more photos to share. But time’s running out.

Click here for that interview with Mr. David Sides, Cheraw’s Director of Tourism and Community Development.

And, if your browser had difficulty with those embedded sound players above, here are direct links to the sound files on Libsyn.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/tour_intro.mp3

http://traffic.libsyn.com/japanconsidered/great_pee_dee_river.mp3

Another Visit to the Town of Cheraw and Cheraw State Park

2011-10-29T15:20:00.001-04:00

Table of Contents for this Series

Arrival at Cheraw State Park
Cheraw’s Historic Cellphone Tour
Interview with Tourism and Community Development Director David Sides

This week I parked the Mobil Studio again at Cheraw State Park. Right on # 14. The one you see above. It’s a pull-through site, which simplifies parking. And, if approached from the wrong direction, once situated, it offers an ideal view of the Park’s Lake while sitting at the computer.

Nearly the whole drive to Cheraw from Columbia was along the celebrated Route One. No wonder books have been written about this road. It’s even inspired web sites. [click the underlined link] Social and natural scenery combine to entertain the alert driver from beginning to end. Next time you visit South Carolina I recommend a drive along Route One as a fairly comprehensive introduction to this part of the State. The Upcountry and Lowcountry, of course, will require separate trips.

I planned this visit to write about the Town of Cheraw rather than about Cheraw State Park. But look at that sunset! How can anyone help but put in a few words about such a beautiful piece of country. I found the Campground, and the rest of the Park, for that matter, in spic-n-span condition. What a difference a dedicated, omni-capable, hard-working Camp Host can make. Mr. Gene is out and around from morning until night. He even helps late-arriving RV-ers after dark.

I was busy most of the week in Cheraw. But I couldn’t resist a few hikes around the Park between trips to town. Here’s just one example of the improvements that Park Manager Mark and his crew have made since my last visit.

Click on the photo above for a better view of this volleyball court. Two metal posts, solid enough to support the tightly stretched net, and a clean sand surface. I can imagine that Park visitors actually play volleyball here! In contrast to some of the less impressive courts at other Parks.

Lots more improvements here at Cheraw State Park, but it’s well past time to turn to the nearby Town of Cheraw. Just five miles away, making Cheraw State Park an ideal base for your visit.

If you don’t have an RV yet, you might try renting one of the Park’s eight cabins. They’re popular with folks coming to play the Park’s championship golf course. But with a little advance notice, reservations are available. And they’re only $66 or so a night at this time of year. Not bad when everything but your food is provided! That even includes satellite TV! Still, I prefer the Mobile Studio...

Click here to continue on for a visit to Cheraw.

Interview with Dr. Martin J. Herbkersman, National Board Certified Practitioner of Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine, Oriental Reproductive Medicine, and Herbology in Columbia, SC.

2011-10-20T12:38:00.000-04:00

Earlier this month, through the good offices of my wife and daughter, both longtime patients, Dr. Martin J. Herbkersman, agreed to a CarolinaConsidered interview. Dr. Herbkersman certainly is one of South Carolina’s interesting people.

Now, South Carolina – and Columbia, South Carolina in particular – is chuck-full of physicians. I don’t know off-hand just how many, but they’re thick on the ground here. Maybe the presence of the USC School of Medicine has something to do with it. Or the large number of retirees who’ve had the good sense to make Columbia their home, giving the medical care industry more work here than elsewhere. But for whatever reason, Columbia seems to have lots of physicians.

Few of them, however, practice traditional Asian, or Oriental, medicine.

And even fewer members of that minuscule population are NCCAOM Board certified practitioners. More on NCCAOM Board certification in a moment. But Dr. Herbkersman is both.

You’ll find Dr. Herbkersman’s office on Columbia’s Bull Street. Be sure you’re driving north; then turn in at this “1920” sign to park.

Here he maintains an office typical of small medical practices in this part of the country.

Unpretentious inside and out, providing visitors a subdued, even calming, environment in which to wait for consultation and treatment.

There are a few reminders of the Asian foundation of the medicine practiced here. But the overall impression I received during this first visit was more that of a regular, comfortable medical office with well trained staff.

After a short wait, Dr. Herbkersman introduced himself and we went into his private office to chat. Raised right here in Columbia, he earned his four-year undergraduate degree at USC. Majoring, as he said, “in fraternity.” Upon graduation he embarked upon a successful South Carolina business career.

No Asian background, or thought of a career in Oriental medicine. In fact, as he explains in the audio clip below, he and his brothers developed South Carolina’s first microbrewery. In Hilton Head. The Hilton Head Brewing Company. Click the link for a peek. And then a few others. It wasn’t until age 31 that Dr. Herbkersman decided to change direction and pursue Oriental medicine. Have a listen:

I then asked Dr. Herbkersman to explain just how he and his family made such an important decision, and what it entailed. Listen again.

That’s quite a change. And a considerable challenge for anyone. Let alone a successful South Carolina restaurant developer and brewmaster!

Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, founded in 1983 by Bong Dal Kim, required at least an additional four years of difficult post-graduate study. And that was just the beginning. There were additional courses in fields such as Asian pharmaceuticals, or Asian herbal medicine, and all sorts of exams and certifications added to the challenge.

I already had imposed on Dr. Herbkersman’s time for longer than agreed. But I wanted to know more about the sorts of patients he treats. Here is his response to that question.

So there you have it. A few minutes with another of South Carolina’s interesting people. This one providing “another health care choice” to the people of Columbia.

Click here, by the way, to learn more about the NCCAOM, or National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Their website is chuck-full of information about Oriental medicine, including acupuncture. A good place to start to learn more about this increasingly popular field of medicine. Click the image above from their Website to get a better idea of what NCCAOM certification requires. Oh my.

Thanks again, Dr. Herbkersman, for your contribution of time and expertise to the CarolinaConsidered Project.

Next week we’ll be returning to Cheraw, South Carolina. Another of those interesting places in this remarkable state. I’m hoping while there to meet Cheraw’s new Tourism and Community Development Director, David Sides. So stay tuned!

RV Camping at Chester State Park, South Carolina

2011-10-16T20:47:00.001-04:00

Last week I got to spend another five days at South Carolina’s Chester State Park. Don’t know how many of you folks have visited this Park. But if you’ve never been, you’re in for a treat. Maybe even a surprise. You don’t hear as much about Chester as some of the other Parks in the State system. That may be changing, though, judging from the number of RV campsite reservations made for the weekend. Full-up! Things seem to be looking up here at Chester State Park.

I know; I know. Every South Carolina State Park I visit is a treat. And that’s been pretty much true. One skeptical reader even wrote to ask if I work for the Park System! I don’t, of course. And am careful not to receive any freebies or special treatment from them either. Well, other than the opportunity to enjoy their remarkable recreational facilities. But everyone can do that. All are welcome. All, that is, who are willing to abide by the Park System’s very sensible rules of conduct.

Chester is one of those Parks you can begin to enjoy even before you get there. Have a look at this map. This Park is far enough off the beaten path to take you along some of South Carolina’s scenic two-lane roads. Natural and social scenery abounding! But it’s also just a few miles from downtown Chester, a city of around 6,000. Small enough for a comfortable visit, yet large enough to fill any off-site shopping or dining needs you may have while staying at the Park. And, it’s only 50 miles from Columbia and just under 50 miles from Charlotte. An ideal location, in other words, for repeat visits.

This time I drove down from Iron Station, North Carolina, rather than from home. So I got to travel a couple of secondary roads I hadn’t seen before. All part of the adventure! Farms in this part of the state have a look quite different from those in the Lowcountry. Or even those in the more mountainous parts of the Upcountry.

I arrived just around official check-in time of 2:00 p.m. And went directly to the site. Chester doesn’t have an elaborate check-in system like some of the busier Parks.

A word of caution, though. Take the time to go on-line to make a reservation before you arrive. I find ReserveAmerica’s service the most convenient. It can be reached at http://www.reserveamerica.com. Or, call the Park directly at 803-385-2680. But if you plan to occupy an RV campsite, be sure to check availability before going. Especially on weekends. This Park has become considerably more popular during the past few months.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by Assistant Ranger Brandon and Camp Host, Bunia Totherow. Bunia, and her husband, Wylie, are among the most friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable camp hosts I’ve encountered in the South Carolina Park System. And that’s saying a lot! You’ll enjoy meeting them. They live not far away, and know everything worth knowing about the Park and surrounding area.

I discovered, right off the bat, that I’d made a mistake with the reservation. Assistant Ranger Brandon cheerfully helped straighten things out, and got me settled on my site. Park personnel mean so much to the tone and atmosphere of a Park. Almost as much as the natural environment! This sort of welcome really makes a difference.

Be sure when you visit to spend some time at Chester State Park’s lake. Here’s a satellite view. Click the photo for a larger, more detailed image. As you can see, this lake is quite large. Over 160 acres!

You can rent a jon boat from the house pictured above. Or bring your own. As long as it’s paddle-powered or has only a small trolling motor. I took that photo, by the way, during my last visit.

Chester State Park too is well known in the surrounding area as an ideal site for large family picnics, reunions, and even more formal gatherings. Look at that community center. Plenty of room, and even kitchen facilities. It too requires reservations, though. So be sure to call ahead.

There’s much more to see here at Chester State Park. But we’re running out of time. Click on the short video above to see a bit more of the Lake. And stay tuned to the Mobile Studio Travels for more of South Carolina’s interesting people and places.

Conversation with Mr. Jay Leeper, Outdoorsman, Wood Carver, Blade Sharpener, and RV Camper Builder

2011-10-11T17:23:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to chat with one of those interesting South Carolinians CarolinaConsidered introduces from time to time. Mr. Jay Leeper describes himself here first as an outdoorsman. Then as a wood carver and blade sharpener.

Well. He certainly is all of that. But as you’ll see in a moment, there’s much more to know about Jay Leeper and his many talents. Click here to hear the first part of the our conversation. [Click the arrow on the player below, adjust volume, and wait for a moment; I’m using a different server for these audio files. You also can download them to your computer with the link below the player if you wish.]

Download this Media File - (Right Click)

Speaking of wood carving, though, have a look at this! Click on the photo for a larger view. It’s just one of the many creations Jay casually showed me as we stood chatting under the blue tarp in front of his workshop/toolshed. Here he describes how it was made.

Download this Media File - (Right Click)

Made with a set of sharpened screwdrivers?! Oh my. When I expressed polite skepticism, Jay rummaged around a while and brought them out. A set of six or seven of those tiny screw drivers jewelers are said to use. Each with its business end ground into a razor-sharp carving blade. Jay doesn’t believe in throwing away anything that might some day be useful!

Of course, Jay also has at least one of every tool imaginable for woodwork. And metal work as well, as we’ll see in a moment.

After looking at a few more wood carving projects, I asked Jay if he would put a proper edge on my beloved BenchMade carry knife. He looked it over, and was kind enough not to laugh at my own sharpening efforts.

Listen to his comments here about sharpening blades. It’s as much art as skill, I would say. And note that he works with every sort of blade, from the tiny screwdriver transformations described above to large lawnmower blades. They all offer a challenge that Jay enjoys.

Download this Media File - (Right Click)

Jay makes it all look so simple as he applies the steps of his sharpening method. And he does it quickly. Only two or three minutes for the whole process here.

I’ve spent countless hours trying to sharpen the very knife Jay is treating. Even, I’m embarrassed to admit, using – or misusing – some of the specialized tools he employs.

To no avail. This isn’t as easy as Jay makes it appear! When he was done, my beloved BenchMade had an edge that was “scary-sharp,” as they say. And one that will stay sharp for a while.

Here’s a short video I made of the first portion of Jay’s demonstration of his sharpening techniques. Have a look:

Jay has allowed me to include a phone number here where he can be reached during normal business hours. It’s 803-413-0093. Give him a call if you have something to be sharpened. You’ll also get to meet one of South Carolina’s interesting people. And perhaps even get to watch him work. It’s a treat!

Speaking of treats, after my BenchMade was properly sharpened, Jay took me over to see his “RV.” A travel trailer he built, virtually from the ground up.

Well, he did start with a small utility trailer as the foundation. But the rest is all his. Built from blueprints. Listen as he describes the creation process.

Download this Media File - (Right Click)

These plans, and more detailed information about this style of caravan, can be found at: http://www.amvardo.com/caravan/

And, if you’re not quite up to building your own caravan, or RV, then just pick up a copy of Timothy Lemke’s book, “The New Gypsy Caravan.” Click that link for the Amazon.com listing.

As Jay and I sat inside his caravan, he explained more of its features. Have a listen.

Download this Media File - (Right Click)

There really is much more room inside than you might expect. That’s a view of the bed and the front windows. Not a square inch of wasted space.

Thanks again, Jay, for your generous contribution of time to CarolinaConsidered, and for rescuing my beloved BenchMade carry knife. I’ll certainly be back when it needs sharpening again. The opportunity to see your custom-built Caravan RV was an unexpected treat.

Stay tuned to CarolinaConsidered for more of South Carolina’s interesting people and places.

Paddling Lake Oolenoy at Table Rock State Park

2011-10-02T08:14:00.001-04:00

Another beautiful morning here at Table Rock State Park this Wednesday. Sunny, but without the oppressive heat we've had here in South Carolina during the past few months. Highs today in the mid-80s. With very little wind. In other words, ideal Elder-Kayaking weather! So Let’s get a move on! Here’s Part 1 of a two-part video to give you an idea of just how nice this lake really is. Open it full-screen if you can.

Table Rock State Park maintains a very serviceable boat ramp and parking area on Lake Oolenoy. Just across from the Visitors Center. The facility even includes restrooms. Be sure to tip the Iron Ranger when you pass through the gate. It's only a minimum of $2.00, and every dollar helps.

Oolenoy certainly is an unusual name. I'm not even sure of the proper pronunciation, or where it came from. Maybe from the late 18th Century settlement of Oolenoy, near the Greenville County line. I'll have to ask around. Folks in the Upcountry often have a good grounding in this area's history.

So, over to the boat ramp, arriving not long after noon. The sun was well up, but not oppressive as I assembled the Expedition kayak and wheeled it down the long narrow boat ramp to the water.

Speaking of water, don't worry about getting wet. Step right in! The water here is crystal-clear. The photo above is from the southernmost end of the Lake. At a depth of just a few inches. And the whole lake is like that. No wonder this is one of the few parks in the State Park system that still maintains its swimming facilities during the summer months.

When you paddle Lake Oolenoy, be sure to visit the northernmost part of the Lake. Go under the Route 11 bridge you see above in the distance, toward Table Rock. For some reason I assumed that there was little to see on the other side of the bridge. Not so!

Right after passing under the bridge the water opens up into a nice area that just has to be full of fish. Let alone spectacular views.

The banks of the lake too are a photographer's delight. I wish I had the talent necessary to make the most of this opportunity. Look at those boulders! But I didn't see much wildlife during this paddle. One exception was a highly irritated great blue heron who flew up from his perch just here, scolding away.

The northernmost portion of the Lake narrows into the inlet stream you see above. Gradually becoming more and more shallow. Too shallow to paddle up to the dam at the southern end of Pinnacle Lake. It couldn't have been far, so I hated to turn around.

There's plenty more to see of Lake Oolenoy, though. So back down the inlet stream, out into the wider water, and under the Route 11 bridge. Isn't this beautiful territory! It doesn't need to get any better than this.

Here's a view of what I thought was the southernmost end of the Lake. That dam obviously is man-made. With one of those outlet valves protected by a heavy grate. It made a nice gurgling sound as I passed.

But it wasn't the end at all. As I paddled near the dam, I realized there was considerably more to see. Like the northernmost part of the Lake, there was a whole new section of water that wasn't visible from the boat ramp. Again, with spectacular views of Table Rock there just for the looking!

Here’s the second half of that video. Shot from the kayak with the little Canon ELPH 100 HS camera. This half is a bit smaller than the first. See if you can tell the difference.

So there you have it. A preview of what you will find when you visit Lake Oolenoy at Table Rock State Park. Be sure to bring your kayak or canoe. There’s much more to this lake than you can see from the shore or fishing docks.

Visit to Table Rock State Park, Pickens, South Carolina

2011-09-26T17:44:00.001-04:00

We’ve been here before. Last year, in fact, in early August. Click here for the six posts made during that visit, including an interview with Park Manager, Poll Knowland, and Park Interpreter, Scott Stegenga. Well, Table Rock is just as beautiful now as it was then.

The photo you see above is much of what draws visitors to Table Rock State Park. And visitors are drawn! Last weekend well over 3,000 folks visited the Park. Well, in addition to the views you see above, there was also a well-known folk arts festival. But that’s still a lot of visitors! Be sure to click on that photo to see the lake. More on that in a moment.

First, have a look at this! The grounds of the Visitors Center and Park Office where the Festival was held. I took the photo yesterday, Sunday, the day after the Festival. Not a scrap of paper or trash in the whole area. I looked! And that’s Table Rock again that you see in the distance. It’s hard not to keep taking pictures of that incredible sight.

Be sure to stop at the Office, by the way, to check in. The folks at the West gate don’t have the check-in materials, and you’ll just have to turn around.

This trip – first time in a while – I brought the Advanced Elements kayak along. Hoping to dip a paddle once or twice while here. The weather forecast isn’t promising for this afternoon. So I went over to have a look at the Park’s boat access in preparation. As you can see above, it was just impossible not to take another shot of those mountains!

But you also can see the fishing dock near the boat ramp. Here’s a better view of the dock from halfway up the stairs.

There’s plenty of parking at the top of the boat ramp site, and even clean restrooms! Don’t forget to tip the Iron Ranger if you’re not checked into the Park, of course.

And here’s the boat ramp. Now, you should notice a couple of things about this boat ramp. First, it’s quite long and steep. Don’t plan on trotting up and down very often from the water to your vehicle parked in the lot. Especially if you have something heavy, like an inflatable kayak, to carry. The second thing to notice is the surface of the ramp. You’ll have to click on the photo to see it clearly. It is roughened to make it an ideal surface for traction up and down. So, there are trade-offs!

Now, this lake is larger than it first looks when viewed from the porch of the Visitors Center. In fact, it’s 67 acres, if memory serves. So, it’s well worth the effort to bring along a boat for a paddle. Hopefully tomorrow. Table Rock has an upper lake too, Pinnacle Lake, accessed from its swimming and boating center just across the road from the Nature Center. No private boats are allowed in Pinnacle Lake. You must rent the Park’s boats, when they’re available. This is the lower lake, Oolenoy, near the Visitors Center. Which looks to me the more attractive. If only because it is larger.

So, stay tuned for a report on kayaking in Lake Oolenoy. Maybe tomorrow. Depends on the weather.

Visit to the Upcountry History Museum, Greenville, SC

2011-09-23T16:40:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday while at Paris Mountain State Park, I drove over to Greenville’s Upcountry History Museum. It was a trip well worth taking. Well, not much of a trip, really, since the Museum’s right in downtown Greenville, on Buncombe Street, less than six miles from my Paris Mountain State Park campsite.

Click on that view of the main hall above to get a preliminary idea of the Museum’s themes, and how skillfully they’ve been presented here.

I was attracted to this museum initially by its focus on South Carolina’s Upcountry region. Since beginning to study South Carolina’s history, I’ve found considerably less information about this important region than about the Lowcountry. I wasn’t disappointed.

This is quite a small museum. But I hope the photos on this page, and the short videos below, demonstrate that the curators have made excellent use of their limited space and resources.

This doesn’t just happen! It’s hard to pack this much information into a small exhibit space without having it appear cluttered or over-loaded. These folks somehow have managed to avoid that.

In my experience, many, if not most, museums can be classified either as entertainment facilities or as educational institutions. The former are more showy; more dramatic, and require only an hour or two to cover. Think of the ubiquitous Ripley's Believe it or Not type museums. Educational museums, on the other hand, tend to be less generally appealing, but offer visitors so much information they require repeated visits and full attention to exhaust them. If then! Yes, yes. A gross generalization …. But one that seems to hold water!

Somehow, this Upcountry History Museum manages to combine the advantages of an entertainment facility and an educational institution. That is, the Museum can be visited for only an hour or two, even with short-attention-span children, and everyone will leave content. Lots of “neat stuff” to see. On the other hand, the museum has plenty of material to occupy the time and attention of more studious visitors. And for several days. I’m certainly planning to return for at least two days!

Here’s a short video that should give you an idea of what to expect when you visit the Museum.

And another that looks at some of the themes and exhibits of this remarkable institution.

Well worth a visit while you’re in the Upcountry. Or, even a special trip to the Upcountry. South Carolina’s not all Charleston and Myrtle Beach!

Visit to the Greenville, SC, Zoo

2011-09-15T15:27:00.001-04:00

For some reason, South Carolina’s larger cities seem to take displays of wildlife quite seriously. Columbia has, for example, the celebrated Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Charleston has the South Carolina Aquarium, another elaborate wildlife exhibition. And Greenville has the Greenville Zoo.

Since Greenville’s zoo is just a few miles away from this week’s campsite at Paris Mountain State Park, I decided to go over for a look. This zoo turned out to be a considerably smaller operation than Columbia’s Riverbanks or Charleston’s Aquarium.

But it is well staffed, beautifully maintained, and they’ve obviously made the most of the resources they have available. I enjoyed the visit.

Emphasis here seems to be on children. In addition to play areas within the zoo grounds, the playground and picnic area pictured above is maintained as part of Cleveland Park by the City of Columbia. It is enormous! With all sorts of sophisticated play equipment. I’m no expert in this area, but the equipment appears to be designed for even very small children. All sorts of reassuring safety features. While at the Zoo I saw several families leave the zoo area and go straight to the Park’s playground equipment. As if they’d done this before.

Here’s a short video of material gathered during the trip.

Stay tuned for a visit next day to Greenville’s interesting Upcountry Museum. Another interesting facility in downtown Greenville easily accessed by visitors to Paris Mountain State Park.

Click here to visit the Upcountry History Museum

Visit to Paris Mountain State Park, Greenville, SC

2011-09-13T11:48:00.001-04:00

Table of Contents for Programs This Trip

When you hear about South Carolina’s Paris Mountain State Park, one of the first things usually mentioned is its location, just under six miles from the center of downtown Greenville. And that’s true. Generations of Greenville folks, young and old, have enjoyed this Park’s facilities with only a short drive. Or even walk!

But don’t expect to find a typical urban Park when you visit Paris Mountain. Yes, its proximity to a large urban area attracts lots and lots of day visitors. Visitors who aren’t necessarily used to pristine natural environments, and who don’t yet know what’s expected of visitors to such areas. In terms of trash removal and respect for the natural environment.

But the management at Paris Mountain maintains a trash-free, peaceful, and beautiful natural environment here that is a marvel. And they manage to do so with a minimum of fuss.

I visited Paris Mountain for the first time last year, back in July. Click here to access the eight articles from that trip, including interviews with Park Manager Jason Hege, Interpretive Ranger Cathy Taylor, and Jason Daly, president of the Park’s Friends Group. Given the Park’s location I was surprised to find it so clean and well maintained.

In fact, it became something of a challenge to find a piece of trash in the public areas or along one of the several hiking trails. I didn’t find a single piece, if memory serves!

This trip, I found the Park as nice as it was last year, with even a few improvements. Most significant for those of us who require near-constant access to the internet, Paris Mountain now has WiFi! You’ll find the access code posted on the front door.

The campground bath houses have been renovated inside. At least the one near site # 19 that you see in the photo above. A contractor was just completing work on the women’s side when I arrived on Sunday afternoon.

The results are excellent. New shower fixtures; new paneling in the shower area; and new paint and trim all around. Bath house facilities is one of the first things that readers ask about. So I pay special attention.

In earlier years, swimming was one of the most popular activities at South Carolina’s State Parks. And many, if not most, Parks maintained swimming facilities.

Now, only a few of the Parks continue this tradition. Paris Mountain is one where visitors can still swim in a natural environment.

At least during the summer season. It recently closed until next season, but you still can rent a canoe, kayak, or paddle boat on the weekends to enjoy the small lake in front of the office building.

Well, time to get over to campsite # 19 and set up. As you can see in the photo above if you click for a larger image, this site, like all of the others, is paved.

But like many of the campsites in this campground it requires some adjustment to get your travel trailer as level as it needs to be for more than a single night of camping. I was glad to have the BAL Leveler along to square things up. This is a minor price to pay for the opportunity to enjoy this Park and its environs.

This visit I’ll try to get out to see a few of the many attractions in the Greenville area. Such as the Greenville Zoo and a couple of the museums. So stay tuned!

Click here for the Greenville Zoo visit.

Across the Road for a Walk at Sesquicentennial State Park

2011-09-09T18:09:00.001-04:00

One of the great things about living in Northeast Columbia is the opportunity to visit Sesquicentennial State Park without a long drive. Indeed, the Sesqui main gate is right across the road from us!

The Midlands’ hot weather has broken at last. So, with morning temperatures ranging from the upper 60s to the mid-70s, conditions were ideal for a quick visit. Anyway, I needed to renew my annual State Park pass.

Since the Office didn’t open until 11:00 a.m. I couldn’t resist a hike around the two-mile lake trail. Well, “hike” really is an exaggeration. As you can see in these photos, the trail is so wide and smooth, “walk,” or even “meander” would be more appropriate.

The lake trail crosses at least two inlets that feed the lake. Here’s a short video that describes them.

And here’s another video with scenes from the trail. It hardly does justice to the scenery along way.

Another great visit to Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia, South Carolina. Thanks again to Park Manager Daniel Gambrell and his crew for maintaining this beautiful facility.

Stay tuned for a trip next week to Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, South Carolina!

Visit to the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia with Janie

2011-09-07T18:07:00.001-04:00

Back in May, not long after school let out for the summer, I had an opportunity to visit South Carolina’s State Museum in Columbia with granddaughter, Janie.

This actually was our second adventure at the State Museum. But we didn’t bring recording equipment along during the previous visit. This time we were prepared!

The exhibits and programs at this museum are remarkable. I don’t know how they manage to do it, given their limited staffing and budget. But somehow they manage.

Since we couldn’t possibly cover every display and exhibit, we focused three that Janie found especially interesting. The first was the one-room schoolhouse you see in the photo above. This is the real thing. Disassembled, restored, and moved here from Spartanburg County in the northwest part of the State.

I was surprised by Janie’s second choice of exhibit: the H. L. Hunley. An experimental Civil War vessel, said to be the world’s first submarine to sink an enemy ship.

Janie selected the Museum’s extensive pottery exhibit for the final segment of our video tour. This exhibit includes, among others, pieces from the old Edgefield district and the work of celebrated slave potter, Dave.

Click below to view a short video of the visit:

Visit to the “World of Energy” at the Oconee Nuclear Station in Seneca, SC

2011-09-05T15:10:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to the Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area Post.

For years I’ve heard about Duke Power Company’s “World of Energy” museum. It’s nearby, in Seneca, South Carolina, only fifteen miles or so from Keowee-Toxaway State Park.

Part of the attraction of this visit was the opportunity to drive two more of the picturesque roads found in this area. First, Route 133, or Crowe Creek Road. And then Route 183, the Walhalla Highway. Talk about natural and social scenery! I should have taken a few photos along the way. But really, these narrow roads weren’t made for cars to stop while their drivers wander around taking photos! Just not enough room.

I had no difficulty finding the place. Though the Google GPS system lady did tell me to turn right into the Complex, rather than left. A minor inconvenience.

This is an impressive museum. With, judging from the facilities and intensive maintenance operations, an ample budget.

It’s maintained, of course, by Duke Power to provide visitors with information about nuclear power generation. And, as you should assume, with an emphasis on safety and efficiency. But I found the information provided useful and interesting. Indeed, it helped to balance the negative information pouring from Japan these days from their current political battle over nuclear power generation.

The Museum’s program began in 1969. Right while the nearby Oconee Nuclear Power Plant was under construction. Visitors were able to look out the windows and watch the plant being built, according to material provided by the Museum.

It’s been expanded considerably since 1969, with what appears to be emphasis on the younger visitor. Above you see a multimedia room dedicated to the little ones, complete with a miniature conference table. It’s just off the main lobby.

Speaking of the main lobby, it featured an Oconee Nuclear employee art exhibit when I went through. Scheduled to run until September 5th. Here’s a sample of the work on display.

The museum also maintains a short hiking trail, and even a butterfly garden. These features take advantage of the beautiful natural environment of this site, and support the Museum’s over-arching message of safety and environmental consciousness.

Kids of all ages should have a great time here. But adults too will find displays of interest. At least I did. This topographical map is a good example. Yes, children are encouraged to push buttons that illuminate bulbs at various positions on the map. But the display also gives the adult observer an excellent notion of the lake and its surrounding region. I’ve never done museum work, but I can imagine that appealing to both children and adults is a challenge.

Be sure to take time to watch the videos offered, and to watch the displays. Interesting stuff. Unless you’re a working nuclear engineer you’re bound to learn something!

Here’s a short video of clips taken during the visit.

So there you have it. A half-day visit to Duke Energy’s World of Energy Museum. I learned a lot about nuclear power generation during my visit, and hope you do as well. Now, back to beautiful Keowee-Toxaway to watch the color of the trees change as the sun sets.

Visit to Oconee Station State Historic Site.

2011-08-29T15:57:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to Keowee-Toxaway SNA

While you’re camped at Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area, be sure to take a half-day or so to visit Oconee Station State Historic Site. It’s only about fifteen miles from the Park, and you’ll get to drive at least thirteen of those miles on the Cherokee Highway, aka Route 11. The two miles or so of secondary roads from Route 11 to the Site are even more picturesque.

Here’s a map of the Site, courtesy of the informative www.OconeeCountry.com website. Oconee Station opens its gates daily from April 1st to November 30th. And from Friday through Sunday the rest of the year. If you’re not able to visit on a Saturday or Sunday, when the buildings are open from 1PM to 5PM, it’s best to call ahead to make sure someone will be around.

Folks have been living in this part of Oconee County, South Carolina, for quite some time. No wonder, given the beautiful scenery! Well, before this ever was “Oconee Station,” it was “Aconnee,” or the Cherokee “Lower Town,” according to the historic marker you see in the picture above. Click the photo for a more legible image. The Cherokee abandoned that town in 1755 or so. I don’t know when it was first established. Will have to ask.

So, how did “Aconnee” become Oconee Station? That’s an interesting story. You’ll have to dig a little to find it, though, since like most of the history of this part of South Carolina, customary sources are pretty thin.

Land-hungry Northern European settlers began filtering into the region following the Revolutionary War, a migration that understandably irritated American Indian tribes that had occupied the region for some time. The American Indian lifestyle required large tracts of unsettled land to support their traditional methods of hunting and fishing. Some violent interaction between the American Indians and the American Northern Europeans was inevitable.

South Carolina’s State Militia, in response, built a series of small forts, or “stations” along what was then the frontier to protect those Northern European immigrants as they occupied land throughout the region. Oconee Station, pictured above, was one of those “stations.” Begun in 1792 it served its military purpose until 1799.

As you see in photos above, these stations were little more than blockhouses into which soldiers and settlers could crowd when necessary. Nothing like the more elaborate military installation at Fort Prince George, down the river a bit.

But they have been wonderfully restored and maintained. Look at that wall!

And here’s a close-up of the stonework on the other side. That gray mortar you see above looks as if it was part of the restoration process. But I’m not sure. Those have to be original stones, though.

By the mid-1700s, this essentially military installation had become a trading post. A focus of commerce in this region with the American Indians. William Richards made a good living here with this trading post and a brickyard. More on that in a moment.

You can read more about this station, or fort, in an interesting 1989 manuscript by Frederick C. Holder with a click here. And the Wikipedia entry for Oconee Station State Historic Site is here. Just click. For more detail, you’ll have to dig around for yourself. Don’t expect too much help from the traditional South Carolina historical sources. They seem to me a bit thin on this part of the State.

Just steps from the Oconee Station sits the house Mr. Richards built in 1805. It too has been carefully restored. At least on the outside. Failing to call ahead, I wasn’t able to see what it looks like on the inside.

This house has to be solid as a rock, though, since it was used as a residence until well into the 20th century. Click the photo above for a good view of one side of the house, including the chimney.

Now, brick lasts! At least, lasts longer than wood in this climate. Here you see the remains of what must have been a brick patio area in front of the porch. Holder mentions in his 1989 manuscript that Richards also operated a brickyard here. So be sure to take a good look at these bricks when you visit.

Here’s a short video on the site that I took during my visit.

Stay tuned, since we have one more side-trip to make from Keowee-Toxaway State Park. A nearby museum. The World of Energy.

Return to Keowee-Toxaway State Park, South Carolina.

2011-08-27T11:05:00.001-04:00

Table of Contents

Keowee-Toxaway has to be one of the nicest RV camping Parks in the South Carolina State Park system. Built on the shore of Lake Keowee around 1970, if memory serves, with generous help from the Duke Power Company that controls the Lake.

You begin to enjoy Keowee-Toxaway well before you arrive. Since travel there from most any part of the State, or from other states, for that matter, takes the visitor over some of South Carolina’s most beautiful roadways.

For example, Route 11, also known as the Cherokee Highway. This road is well worth driving just for the scenery. So once you’re unhooked at your campsite, you may want to go back out the gate and drive ten or twenty miles in one direction on Route 11, and then ten or twenty miles in the opposite direction. It’s worth the gasoline, even at today’s prices! You see a small piece of Route 11 in the photo at the top of the page. It runs right through the Park.

Now, Keowee-Toxaway has only ten RV campsites. In addition to the tent sites just down the hill. Here you see Site # 4, a pull-through at the top of the ridge.

Did I mention that these ten campsites all have been carved into the side of a steep ridge. This mountainous terrain gives each site an inviting character. And they’re all nice and level, once you get there! Here’s an effort to reproduce the campground map that’s handed out to visitors, with site # 4 indicated by the red arrow. If you click for a larger image you’ll see the lines indicating elevation.

Once you’re set up this is the sort of view you’ll have from your picnic table or RV window. Here you’re looking toward Lake Keowee from Site # 4. Leaves on the trees at this time of year block the view of the lake, but it’s there. I’ll try to remember to take another photo from here during the winter, when the leaves have fallen. Quite a sight. A good excuse to come back.

The Park Office was on the other side of Route 11 when the Park was built. Part of the impressive Cherokee Museum complex over there. In the building you see on the left of the photo above.

But now it’s in the this interesting structure across the road. Just down the hill from the RV campsites. As you may have guessed, it’s an old church building, moved from its nearby site and renovated here. I didn’t get a chance to see inside this trip, but recall the Park had plans to create a museum area inside. One that would include many of the Cherokee-related pieces formerly displayed across the road and now in storage.

Soon, the office area, and more important, the trailhead just behind the office, will have a new parking lot. Look at this new construction! I suspect that Duke Power kicked in some support funding here.

And speaking of construction, even more significant, at least for an ElderKayaker like me, is this new canoe-kayak boat ramp! Look at that! Complete with its own parking area. When completed this will be an ideal place to put in and take out. Parking available just steps away from the water.

Well, time to get back outside to better enjoy this beautiful Park. But before signing off, just a word about Keowee-Toxaway’s cabin. They have only one. And it stays rented most of the year. So, be sure to reserve early. Right on the shore of Lake Keowee, with its own private dock. Oh my.

I didn’t get to look inside this trip. But according to a Park staff member, this cabin has three bedrooms, and sleeping facilities for ten people. You can find more detailed information with a click here. It’s not cheap. But if you have any reluctant, or campophobic, family members, this might well persuade them to come out and enjoy the woods and water.

Stay tuned next for a visit to Oconee Station State Historic Site, just a few miles away Click here.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Part Six, the Conclusion.

2011-08-22T10:51:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to Part One of this series and the Table of Contents.

By now, Carol was about out of time. She didn’t say a word about it, but I could tell by the looks on the faces of the staff that she was needed. This is a Busy place!

Before letting her go, I had to ask about the Tea Room’s clientele. Where do all of these people come from? Well, as you might expect, Columbia, Charlotte, and Charleston patrons account for a goodly number.

But since Carol and her husband advertise in national tea magazines, people driving through South Carolina from all over the United States, and even Canada, stop for tea, and for a look at the building.

Even more impressive, Ridgeway residents too frequently drop in for lunch and a chat. Especially since Carol added the deli area downstairs and the deli menu. I met several Ridgeway residents during two visits, and found them very proud of “their” Tearoom. Oh, and don’t forget travelers who just pass by and see the WiFi sign!

Thanks again, Carol, for your time, and for creating this wonderful institution in Ridgeway, South Carolina.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Part Five

2011-08-22T10:33:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to Part One of this series and the table of contents.

In this interview segment Carol Allen describes what one can expect when they visit to Tea Room to participate in High Tea.

The term “participate” is hardly out of place here. It’s a ceremony! Complete with costume, if you wish. See the ladies’ hats available above. Of course, you don’t have to “participate.” You can just attend to enjoy the incredible food and tea. Carol and her Mother, as well as the rest of the staff, take food preparation and presentation very seriously here. And it shows. Have a listen:

Click here for Part Six, the Conclusion, of this interview.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Part Four

2011-08-22T09:52:00.001-04:00

Click here for Part One of this series and the table of contents.

In an earlier segment of this interview I mentioned that Laura’s Tea Room serves “high tea” between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. And, as the Tea Room’s website notes, “reservations are strongly recommended.”

Strongly recommended indeed! If you plan to have high tea during your visit you’d better call ahead. This Tea Room has become popular with folks all over the Carolinas. Not just Columbia and Charlotte. It’s busy! And many of the visitors hope to enjoy Carol Allen’s version of “high tea.” Served, for the sake of customers’ convenience not in the early evening but during lunchtime.

In this segment of the interview, Carol describes the “high tea” experience, the Tea Room staff, and the role of her Mother. Who does all of the baking and kitchen supervision every day. At 90, Carol’s Mother has had plenty of experience. And it shows in the product. You won’t leave hungry, that’s for sure. In fact, “stuffed” is how Carol jokingly describes it. Have a listen:

Click here for Part Five of this series.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Part Three

2011-08-22T09:20:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to Part One of this series and the table of contents.

The Thomas Company building has been a Ridgeway landmark since it replaced the “old building” in the late 19th century. In this segment of the interview, Mrs. Allen tells us how owner, Lee Thomas, employed local contractors and craftsmen for a combination renovation and restoration.

It was an ambitious project, requiring nearly two years. And the effort shows. When you visit be sure to wander around, upstairs and downstairs, paying attention to details such as the original pressed tin ceiling, the beautiful hardwood floors, and the original “mercantile” shelving that has been preserved.

Click here for Part Four of this series.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Part Two

2011-08-19T15:22:00.001-04:00

Click here to return to Part One of this series and the table of contents.

If you click for a larger image of the picture above you can read “The Thomas Co.” up over the awning. It’s still called The Thomas Company, and Laura’s Tea Room proprietor, Mrs. Allen, explains why in the next segment of her interview.

When you visit, be sure to note just how carefully this building has been restored and maintained. Here’s a shot of the original pressed tin ceiling, and what appears to be some of the original, albeit latter-day, electrical wiring. The restoration alone makes a visit worthwhile.

Click here for Part Three of this series.

CarolinaConsidered Visits Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina

2011-08-19T14:37:00.001-04:00

Programs in This Series

Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway, South Carolina, is something! A be-sure-not-to-miss institution. Driving through Ridgeway on Route 21, the way folks used to go between Columbia and Charlotte, it’s impossible to miss. Right on the corner where Route 34 intersects Route 21, as you can see in the photo above. The site of the town’s only traffic light!

I discovered Laura’s Tea Room a few years ago, not long after it opened, while camping at Lake Wateree State Park. Internet access, and even cell phone service, is notoriously sketchy at that beautiful Park. It’s improved some in recent years, but still can be a problem. Anyway, I drove out of the Park in search of a WiFi connection. The town of Winnsboro has many, but I hoped for something closer.

Imagine my surprise while driving through the charming little town of Ridgeway to see a sign in front of an inviting storefront advertising the availability of WiFi. Well! I had to stop. What luck!

Laura’s tea room is open Tuesday through Saturday, with tea served 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The new deli serves between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. And the gift shop is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A complex schedule. But you’ll see why when you visit. Click here to access the website.

Returning earlier this year, back in May, I was lucky enough to catch Proprietor Carol Allen for an interview. Mrs. Allen works! So it wasn’t easy to find a time. Have a listen to the first segment of our chat with her, in which she introduces herself and her interesting business.

You can view the video in the small window above, or click it for an expanded view. And be sure to click below to access Part Two of this interview.

Click here to access Part Two of this series

Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area: A Return Visit

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[Click any photo for a larger image]

With temperatures routinely rising about 100 in Columbia, it was time to plan camping trips to cooler climes. Oconee State Park, up in the mountains, seemed a good bet. And it was a little cooler. A little, but not much.

Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area too seemed a good bet, located as it is on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Hartwell. Well, I arrived here on Sunday afternoon. And by Monday this was the situation:

That 107 outside reading was in the shade, now. Thank heaven for a reliable air conditioner. Even on medium temperature and low fan it keeps the Aliner comfortable.

Still, even with outside temperatures like this, Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area is a great place to visit. This has to be rated one of the very best, if not the best, South Carolina state park for RV camping in the whole system.

According to Park personnel, the Corps of Engineers built this Park and campgrounds for the State system. Compared with the South Carolina state park system, the Corps has piles of money. Which may explain why Calhoun Falls has such beautiful RV campsites.

Click on the photo above to see site # 28, the one I reserved for this trip. Beautifully situated, smoothly paved, well designed, and as private as it could be made and still have lakeshore access. Yet, compared with the other RV campsites here, it’s nothing special. They all are at least as nice as this one.

I first visited Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area toward the end of March last year, if memory serves. [click highlighted links for related material] Park Manager David Drake then was in the midst of building a state-of-the-art fish cleaning station, out behind the office building. Well, David and a crew of workers, since this fish cleaning station includes ample rinse water, huge grinders [required because Lake Hartwell fish grow so large, doncha know …] and even its own septic tank system.

Click on the photo above to see the result. It didn’t take long for a smiling fisherman to come by with with a nice-sized fish he caught just casting off the bank of his campsite. Not large, for Lake Hartwell, but ideal for a nice meal for two.

I asked several Park personnel if visitors were using this new facility. They all said it gets a lot of use. That some folks living nearby even pay the Park’s $2.00 admission fee just to come in to clean their fish!

Most important, it has reduced fish cleaning debris in the area of the boat ramps, and in the trash dumpster areas throughout the Park’s three campgrounds. Fish cleaning residue dumped there in the past attracted flies, bees, and inevitably generated an unpleasant odor around the dumpsters. See the sign above that discourages disposal in the trash dumpsters.

Lake Hartwell is a big lake that provides diverse habitat for fish. That makes it a favorite location for those fishing tournaments we sometimes see on television. It’s hard not to catch fish in Lake Hartwell. Even from the banks of the Park’s campsites! So, some method of coping with fish cleaning debris was essential.

While wandering around the Park Office area yesterday, I came across this little sign. S’mores! An established favorite of campers throughout the country. Trouble is, we often forget to bring the “fixins.” Don’t worry. The store at Calhoun Falls has S’mores kits in abundance! They sell very well here. Undoubtedly encouraged by this sign.

So, be sure to add Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area to your RV camping agenda. There’s something here for every age group. You can’t avoid having a great time.

A Visit to Split Creek Goat Dairy Farm in Anderson, South Carolina

2011-08-02T12:56:00.001-04:00

Next time you visit Upstate South Carolina save time to visit Anderson’s celebrated Split Creek Farm.

Split Creek is a Grade A Goat Dairy owned and operated since the 1980s by Evin Evans and Patricia Bell. Visit their website by clicking here. There you’ll find a description of the farm, and links to all sorts of information about dairy goats.

Now, don’t be misled by the fancy website and sophisticated advertising. This is a real working farm. D’GenuWine, as we used to say OverHome! Here, the lucky visitor will see what’s actually involved in the production of milk and other dairy products. A rare opportunity these days.

Visitors are welcomed at Split Creek from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday, and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sundays. I mention this because it helps to make the point that farm life is pretty much a 24/7 responsibility. Animals don’t take weekends off, or go on vacation. And they expect their owners to provide feed, water, and care on their schedule.

Speaking of visitation, I urge you to call ahead to arrange a lecture and tour. During my first visit, I was able to join a tour led by co-owner Patricia Bell. She’s forgotten more about goats than I’ll ever be able to learn. And, she has the enviable skill of presenting her knowledge so that folks like me can understand. A lecture and tour will help you make sense of what you’ll see here at Split Creek Farm.

Pat Bell, by the way, also is Folk Artist in Residence. See her work with a click here. Be sure to visit “The Hen House,” pictured above, to see examples of her intriguing pieces first-hand.

A visit to Split Creek Farm really begins as soon as you make the turn and pass through the gate. Drive slowly, now. All sorts of domesticated, wild, and semi-wild animals call this magical 40-acre plot of land home. And not all of them accept the primacy of automobiles on their property. Even on the roads. So be on the look-out.

Look to the right to see the milking herd and their Great Pyrenees canine guardians in the pasture. Preparing for their next milking. It’s a calming sight, somehow. Helps to put the cares of daily life into perspective. At least for me. Then on down the narrow lane to the parking area. It’s that grassy area on the left, I guess.

There you’ll begin your walk about the farm. You’re free to wander around as you wish. Just don’t open any gates. Be sure to visit the barn and store. I never knew goat cheese and fudge was so good. As you see above, Split Creek regularly wins national-level awards for the products from their dairy.

If you’re lucky you may meet Gulliver, a four-year-old pet buck, or more properly, wether, who seems to have free run of the farm. Gulliver is very friendly and considerate of visitors. He seems to love the attention.

And be sure during your visit to take note all of the different kinds of goats at Split Creek Farm. The milking herd is mostly Nubian, if memory serves.

But every imaginable breed seems to be represented.

Here are a few examples. All adult does, or “nannies,” as most of us would call them.

If you visit during the right time of year you also may get to see kids. This one Pat’s holding above was only a few days old at the time of my first visit. Oh my.

So, there’s something for everyone at Split Creek Dairy Goat Farm in Anderson, South Carolina. I’ve been twice, the second time, as you see above, with granddaughter Janie. And I hope to make several more return visits. Enjoy!

Oconee County’s Issaqueena Falls, South Carolina

2011-07-31T12:40:00.001-04:00

Click here for the first post in this series and index.

Talk about unusual names. “Issaqueena” sparks all sorts of associations. And it only gets better once you learn a little about its origins.

Like “Stumphouse Mountain,” Issaquenna Falls, also spelled “Isaqueena,” has inspired more than one origin story. Dr. James Walter Daniels’ popular epic poem, “Cateechee of Keowee,” has offered one explanation since its publication in 1898. Daniels had considerable credibility, as a Methodist clergyman with scholarly inclinations who then lived in Abbeville, South Carolina.

You can read Daniels’ poem in its original form on the remarkable Archive.org internet site. Click here for access. And pay special attention to Daniels’ introduction.

According to that introduction, or inscription, Daniels based his Cateechee epic on careful historical research. He claims to present an accurate account of events. And therefore the correct explanation for the name of the Falls.

Daniels writes that a young Choctaw woman, named Isaqueena in the Choctaw language, was taken captive by Cherokees headquartered in nearby Keowee. There she became a slave in the household of head Cherokee chief, Kuruga, and was called by the Cherokee name “Cateechee.”

While at Keowee this young Indian woman charmed an English trader, Allan Francis, who often visited Keowee on business from the post established some years before by his father at what now is called Ninety-Six, in Greenwood County, South Carolina.

When Cateechee, or Isaqueena, heard Chief Kuruga and his lieutenants plotting a raid on the Ninety-Six trading post, she managed to escape and rode by horse to warn her English admirer, Allan Francis, obstructing Chief' Kuruga’s plans to destroy the trading post. The couple married, and eventually returned to live on what now is called Stumphouse Mountain.

There, the offended Cherokee Chief Kuruga managed to recapture both Isaqueena and her husband, Allan Francis. After being detained near Keowee for two years, the couple managed to escape the Cherokee. During this daring escape, Isaqueena leapt out over those very falls, landing safely out of sight of her pursuers on a hidden ledge near the top. The tracking Indians naturally assumed she died of injuries after her brave leap, and thereafter named the falls in her honor.

There’s much more to this interesting story. I urge you to dig into the sources readily available on the Web for additional details. The Archive.org project is a good place to start. Click the link above to visit. It’s free!

Well, back to the present. Here’s a view of the beginning of the trail down to a sturdy viewing platform that gives a fair view of the falls, even with leaves on the trees.

The path quickly becomes more rustic at it approaches the platform. But even I had no difficulty navigating it.

Have a look at the embedded YouTube video at the top of this page for a closer look at the viewing platform, and its surroundings. There must be a better view of the falls during the winter when most of these trees have lost their leaves.

It was hot ask the dickens, and sunny, when I visited the Tunnel and Falls. So, with a promise to visit again in cooler weather, I was back up the trail in no time at all, to enjoy the car’s most welcome air conditioning.

Lots more to see here, of course. I hope to return in the fall, or even winter. Here’s a promising hiking trail sign, just off the parking lot. Even more reason to return.

Next, we’ll visit Split Creek Goat Dairy Farm in Anderson, South Carolina. So stay tuned.

Visit to Oconee’s Stumphouse Tunnel and Isaqueena Falls

2011-07-30T12:08:00.001-04:00

Click here for the first post in this series and table of contents

Who could pass a roadway sign pointing the way to “Stumphouse Tunnel” without stopping to check it out? What a name! Even those who know nothing about South Carolina history would find it interesting. The name alone is enough! What in the world is a “Stumphouse”? Let alone, a “Stumphouse Tunnel”!

Well, when your travels take you up – or down – Route 28 in South Carolina’s Oconee County, just submit to temptation. Make the turn; enjoy driving down the sharply curving switch-backs, glad you’re not pulling a trailer, then park near the entrance of Stumphouse Tunnel.

Here, you can enjoy Oconee County’s beautiful mountain scenery while experiencing an important part of South Carolina’s history. Here’s a pretty good summary of the tunnel project’s significance, from Wikipedia.

The current curators of the Stumphouse Tunnel Complex maintain picnic tables, large and small, throughout the site. Ideal for a pleasant lunch. What a nice place for a large family picnic!

If you click on the photo above you should be able to see the mountain pond beside this pretty little gazebo. A great place to sit quietly to watch for wildlife.

Speaking of wildlife, look at these trash containers! When you see containers like those, be especially careful to pick up every scrap of food, paper, and plastic before leaving. They’re made to be bear-proof. They’re expensive, more difficult to service, and not here just for looks!

Stumphouse Tunnel, it turns out, was named for Stumphouse Mountain, the ruggedly beautiful section of Oconee County through which the railroad tunnel’s promoters hoped to burrow.

Explanations differ on the origin of the name. One group, we’ll call them the Modernists, claims the Mountain was named for an enormous hollow tree stump where mid-19th century bootleggers stored their elixir during inclement weather.

Another group, let’s call them Traditionalists, offers an earlier, even more colorful, explanation. They claim 18th Century Cherokee Indians living in the area named the mountain for a nearby large hollow stump that had been adapted for a residence by a local couple. Hence, the “Stumphouse.”

Both explanations make great stories. Both could be true! So, it doesn’t really matter. All we know for sure is that this beautiful section of South Carolina’s Oconee County has been called Stumphouse Mountain for a very long time. And the Mountain gave its name to the railroad tunnel project we’re about to enter.

An internet search for “Stumphouse Tunnel” will turn up dozens, if not hundreds, of references. This is an important historic site. Many of the web pages include beautiful photos and descriptive text. Some of them explain the significance of this historic South Carolina site. Here are two that seem to be especially reliable.

A short description with a photo from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

And the 1970 U.S. National Park Service form nominating the Stumphouse Tunnel Complex for the National Registry of Historic Places. What this document lacks in color and pizzazz is more than compensated for by its reliable and detailed description of the site circa the 1970s.

Be sure to look through the many other sites for additional information and some stunning photos.

Let’s walk up now toward the mouth of the tunnel. Look at that rock! Preserving evidence of just how the 1,500 or so Irish immigrant workers had to blast and chisel granite out of the way to create this tunnel.

According to the trailside marker, they used “ … only sledge hammers, hand drills, and black powder” to accomplish their work. Here, just beside the tunnel entrance, you see the challenge they faced. That’s granite! No wonder the project ended in 1859 with only 1,600 feet of tunnel drilled.

Well, that and flatbed railroad cars of the sort on display nearby. Still, there are easier ways of making a living. That’s for sure.

The path up to the mouth of the tunnel is nothing to brag about. Erosion, unfortunately, has taken its toll. But if you watch your step, it’s a fairly easy hike, even for ElderHikers.

Now, this is what you’ll see once inside. Well, it’s what you’ll see if you were sensible enough to bring along a bright flashlight of some kind. I’d left mine in the car, and had to make do with the beams of better equipped visitors, and the flash on my cameras.

It’s dark as the inside of a cow in this tunnel. One wonders why the site’s curators haven’t placed a few electric lights here and there. Even dim ones, if there’s some ecological concern. Since the tunnel walls are well worth seeing.

No sense hanging around in the dark. Time to move on to nearby Isaqueena Falls. So stay tuned.

Click here for the next post in this series.