A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
Yesterday I had made a trek down to Winnsboro to donate a crate of Shivar Springs bottles to the Fairfield County Museum. I had a great visit and made some new friends. Sadly, I hadn’t been able to get inside the old Mount Zion Institute. My fellow photographers were not able to join us yesterday, so it was rescheduled for today. I decided that this is a one-shot chance, so I decided to make a second trip down to Fairfield County.
NOTE: I’m still catching up. All of the snow is now melted and gone, and this weekend is in stark contrast to last weekend.
I actually love snow days. There is an entire ritual of activities, soup, and pursuit of warmth that combine to make our rare winter weather a treat. Even though I no longer work for the schools and snow days have long since lost the same meaning, I still get excited when I see the first sign of flakes. This past week’s blizzard (or what passes for one in these parts) did not disappoint.
NOTE: One again I’m trying to play catch-up on blogging. This post is about a week+ behind the times.
MLK Weekend has gotten to be one of my traditional exploration weekends. One of my partners in crime is usually available either that Saturday or the following Monday. It’s a great chance to take advantage of winter exploration conditions. With leaves off the trees hidden features often reveal themselves.
This particular MLK Weekend Alan had a list of sites he wanted to explore. Even though he and I had biked part of the Palmetto Trail through Newberry County just last Saturday, I was up for more adventure. His list included locations in LA, or, as Lower Anderson, as it is known in our part of the world.
The first Second Saturday of the new year means a new year of adventure for Lowcountry Unfiltered. In winter months we usually do a hike of some type. Last January our group took a hike to the top of Table Rock. This year we decided on a bike ride along a portion of the Palmetto Trail.
Read More “Biking from Peak to Pomaria with Lowcountry Unfiltered” »
It started with a turkey sandwich, and the need for a place to eat it. It was a weird day, in terms of exploration, but one that ultimately turned up some interesting discoveries, at least for me.
When I started out I only had two things in mind. First I wanted to get out of the house. With all of the rain and trying to put the house back together after Christmas, I wanted a bit of a break. I wanted to find an interesting place for photos. The second thing was that I was tired of eating out at lunch and wanted to save some money and calories. I’d made a lovely turkey sandwich and, despite it being rather chilly, I figured I could find an interesting place to eat it.
I’d been out and about, exploring a couple of historic mill locations. So far I’d spent most of my time at Glendale Shoals, but I was eager to see more. The rest of the day was spent exploring along the banks of the Pacolet river proper, through the mill villages of Converse, Clifton, and Pacolet.
Read More “The Mills of the Pacolet River Basin – Part Two, Converse to Pacolet” »
I have a confession. When things get chaotic I have occasional bouts of depression. One of the best ways to combat this is to get away from the house and start exploring. Such was the case Tuesday of this past week. I needed out of the house. I wasn’t sure where I was headed, but preferably somewhere interesting where I could take some photos. I headed east. It was familiar territory, and places I had already visited and photographed, but even familiar ground can yield new discoveries. My explorations took me across Spartanburg County and to the mills along the Pacolet River Basin – Glendale, Clifton, and Pacolet itself, with a couple of outliers thrown in for good measure.
Read More “The Mills of the Pacolet River Basin – Part One, Glendale” »
The weather lately has been nasty and not conducive to getting out and exploring. Keith Dover had Friday off, and with the possibility of good weather in the forecast, we decided it was time for another photo ramble. We bounced several possibilities around, but eventually settled on the Mount Carmel area in McCormick County. So, on this past Friday the Thirteenth, we collected Ken Cothran from Clemson, then headed south.
While out on my fall leaves ramble with Glynda yesterday I got a text message from friend Ken Cothran. He was out on his own color ramble, and sent me a photo of Whitewater Falls in spectacular foliage. So, on Friday I decided I hadn’t found quite enough leaves. I thought I’d see if I could replicate Ken’s photo, and find a few more colors.
Read More “Chasing Fall Leaves – Table Rock to Whitewater Falls to Jump Off Rock” »
I realize that the previous post was labeled “Part 1” and the OCD part of me hates leaving it hanging without a conclusion. However, I’m going to do just that, since this is timely, and that is not. The autumn colors have been absolutely fantastic this year, and I’ve had several chances to get out and take photos. Here’s a quick rundown of what I found in Upstate SC and Western NC.
Read More “Chasing Fall Leaves – Berry Mill to Hendersonville to Caesars Head” »