A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
The Upstate Minis have been organizing some fantastic trips, lately, and I’ve been trying to take part in more of these. A few weeks ago Laura and I joined them for their X-Files Mystery Tour to PARI. This time, Jeff Goodman planned a trip down to the “Boneyard” on Bull Island to do some dawn photography. Sadly, Laura wasn’t able to go with us because of work. So, on Friday I swapped the Subaru for her Mini and joined the rest of the group for the drive down.
Bennie and I have been trying to keep to our paddling schedule, but the fates have been against us. On this last day of summer we had a nice trip to Jocassee planned, but then illness struck, and Bennie was unable to go. I had my boat loaded up, so I decided I’d head on out anyway, with a slightly altered itinerary. I have been wanting to check out the old Harrisburg Plantation Cemetery on “Ghost Island” in Lake Hartwell, so that’s where I set my sights.
It’s fair season! Somehow I completely missed the Upper State South Carolina Fair, but that’s probably OK. For years, though, I’ve wanted to visit the North Carolina Mountain State Fair in Asheville, but I’ve always missed it. I almost missed it this year, but I spotted that this past Sunday was the last day. Laura had work to do on Sunday, so I decided that this was the year that I’d make that trek.
Or, should that be “Postefenokee?” Regardless, we’d had a long day of kayaking in the Okefenokee Swamp, and were all dog-tired. If I left right away it would be after midnight when I got home. That didn’t seem reasonable. I was going to spend one more night in southern Georgia.
It was the second Saturday of the month and time for a Lowcountry Unfiltered Adventure. Wait. Didn’t I start the last post like that? Possibly, but the Saturday had actually arrived, and it was time to hit the water. I had spent a restful night in Waycross, Georgia, but now it was time to explore the waterways of the Okefenokee Swamp.
It was a second Saturday, and our fearless leader Matt Richardson had put together an epic trip for our Lowcountry Unfiltered group. There was just one problem – it was on the verge of being too epic. Matt had proposed a 15 mile trek into the Okefenokee Swamp. While it sounded fantastic, it was at least a six hour drive from me, which would mean a two night stay. I’d have to leave on a Friday and get back Sunday. I had already committed myself to a cemetery tour in Columbia for Thursday night, and Laura had been down in Florida the previous weekend for Labor Day. It just didn’t look like the timing was right.
However, I decided that despite the craziness, it was an opportunity not to be missed. I decided that I would head down Friday and find a place to stay in Waycross, then camp Saturday night. It would be exhausting, but I felt sure the trip would be worth it.
The Labor Day Weekend supposedly marks the end of the summer season. For me it’s an odd holiday that always got lost in the shuffle of everything else that happens this time of year. When I was a teacher, it was an interruption, coming at a time too early in the school year to provide real respite from the rigors of academia. (Not that I really minded a day off.) Now as a retiree it seems that it gets lost even more in the shuffle of fall.
There are lots of activities and events around Labor Day, but also lots of crowds as folks want to take advantage of one more summer fling. Laura had gone to Florida to help with her mom, so I decided to explore some of those events, even though I loathe crowds.
Once again I’m playing catch-up with my blogging. The past weekend wasn’t as hectic crazy as the previous one, but somehow I still fell behind. I was able to get in kayaking trips to Lakes Keowee and Oolenoy, and check out a flea market that’s been on my radar for awhile. The lakes were great. The flea market…not so much.
So far I’d had an interesting, completely random morning of exploration. I’d visited Buffalo and met some nice folks. I got the opportunity to tour a historic building – was actually pulled into it. It wasn’t the last time I’d get pulled into something this day. I still had lots to see and do.
Read More “Getting Pulled into Union County – Part 2, Union to Mount Vernon” »
It was one of those days. I had so many projects at home that needed attention. However, Tuesday was the one day this week I didn’t have an appointment of some kind. I wanted to get out of the house and do some photography and exploration. However, I had run out of ideas. Was there some place new in the Upstate I could explore? Some place I hadn’t already visited and photographed many times? I kind of left things to chance, and I’m glad I did. I was literally pulled into some new explorations of Union County.
Read More “Getting Pulled into Union County – Part 1, Buffalo” »