Random Connections – Page 142 – A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.

Paddling Partners

October 18, 2009 Tom No Comments

Paddling

I was pleasantly surprised at how many people went on our last paddling excursion on the Enoree and Broad Rivers. In addition to our regular Lowcountry Unfiltered group, we had seven others from the Upstate and Midlands. There are several others from fairly close by that would have gone if they hadn’t had prior conflicts. That got me wondering whether or not we should start an Upstate version of Lowcountry Unfiltered. I don’t think I’m ready for that, yet, but my inquiries yielded some interesting things.

My paddling associations have always been informal. It’s always been just whoever was available on any particular paddling day. I’ve done more paddling with my friends Bob and Alan than anyone else, but there are others that join us with some consistency.

null The Lowcountry Unfiltered group is the closest thing to a formal organization I’ve ever joined for paddling. However, the thing that appeals to me most about it is its very informal nature. Apart from having a website, logo, and a set Saturday of the month for outings, it’s a very loosely-defined group. If it weren’t for the fact that some of the trips are a bit far away for me, and the fact that I’m not free every second Saturday, I’d join them on just about every trip.

While toying with the idea of an Upstate group, I decided to check the web to see what others might be out there. These range from the informal to the anal retentive, based on who’s running the group and how many paddlers are involved. Here’s are some observations I’ve made based solely on their websites…

Paranormal Activity

October 15, 2009 Tom 7 Comments

Entertainment, Weirdness

Apart from being the title of a movie I’ll probably never see, “paranormal activity” seems to be the phrase du jour right now. It’s the phrase people use when they want to tell ghost stories, but also want to sound all sciency and stuff. It ranks right up there with another currently popular phrase, “unexplained … Read More “Paranormal Activity” »

Olivia

October 15, 2009 Tom No Comments

Miscellaneous

In all of the hustle of having the flu and then catching up at work, I somehow neglected to acknowledge a HUGE event in our family on this website. I have a new great niece! Olivia Emily Caddell was born a week ago on October 7 to my nephew Chip and his wife Anna. According … Read More “Olivia” »

Two Rivers for the Price of One

October 11, 2009 Tom No Comments

Paddling

This time our Lowcountry Unfiltered group got two rivers for the price of one, plus a few ghosts and goblins thrown in for good measure. On Saturday we paddled a portion of the Enoree River to its confluence with the Broad River, then down to our take-out at Strother’s Landing.

Planning this trip proved to be a challenge. The group wanted to paddle an Upstate river, but didn’t have the boats for whitewater. There was also the matter of distance. These guys would be driving for 3-4 hours just to get here, so the paddling trip couldn’t be too long. If they’re driving that far, then the trip needs to be worthwhile, and not a drag through the mud.

My first plan was to paddle a stretch of the Tyger River. It had all the elements I needed – it was remote, full of history, and even a ghost story. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much water when Bob and I paddled it last month. It was more of a muddy hike while dragging boats.

Fortunately, I was able to find a suitable route. We would put in at Keitt’s Bridge on the Enoree near Maybinton and float to its confluence with the Broad River, then paddle down to Strother’s Landing at the Highway 34 Bridge. According to Google Earth, the route would be about 7 miles. This route takes us through Sumter National Forest, so it’s suitable remote, and there’s even a ghost story – The Hound of Goshen.

Fever!

October 7, 2009 Tom 4 Comments

Miscellaneous

Fever! In the morning Fever all through the night… (with apologies to Peggy Lee) Starting sometime Sunday I began running a fever of about 100 degrees. I knew something wasn’t quite right Sunday morni Fever! In the morning Fever all through the night… (with apologies to Peggy Lee) Starting sometime Sunday I began running a … Read More “Fever!” »

Published in Charleston Magazine

October 4, 2009 Tom No Comments

Photography

Check it out! One of my photos has been published in the October 2009 issue of the Charleston Magazine! The photo is one from our August 2008 trip with Lowcountry Unfiltered down the Edisto River. It appears (albeit tiny) in an article about outdoor activities in and around Charleston. Here’s the scanned page. It’s #2 … Read More “Published in Charleston Magazine” »

Move Over Lizard Man- Bigfoot’s in Town

September 29, 2009 Tom No Comments

Weirdness

South Carolina’s most famous cryptid is the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp in Lee County. With the first reported sighting in 1988, the Lizard Man has since become an unofficial mascot of the Lowcountry swamp lands. However, the Lizard Man isn’t the only mythical critter inhabiting the remote areas of our state. I was … Read More “Move Over Lizard Man- Bigfoot’s in Town” »

Bearing the Pall

September 27, 2009 Tom No Comments

Miscellaneous, Uncategorized

“What do you think they’ll have?”

“I think you could guess just as easily as I could”

fried chicken
sliced ham
green beans
macaroni & cheese
corn
biscuits
potato salad
deviled eggs
congealed salad – multiple varieties, but at least one green and one pink
banana pudding

And, yes, my sister and I nailed it. The menu was exactly as predicted. And it was comforting and tasty – just as funeral food is meant to be.

But, backing up a bit…

Thursday evening I got a call from my father that my Uncle Raymond Johnson passed away after a prolonged illness. Uncle Raymond was 93, and was a quiet, peaceful man who lived his entire life in the town of Calhoun Falls. Uncle Raymond had married my father’s oldest sister, Mary, who had passed away several years ago. They had one son, Sherwin, who still lives in the area. The funeral was Saturday, so I picked up my sister, Glynda. then my parents for the drive down to Calhoun Falls.

Scouting the Tyger

September 21, 2009 Tom 3 Comments

Paddling

Our friends from Lowcountry Unfiltered wanted to do an Upstate River this fall. Since I’m the only one in the area that regularly paddles with them, I was tasked with finding a suitable trip. I had scouted the put-in and take-out points on a section of the Tyger River that flows through Sumter National Forest, and thought it might make a good trip. Today Bob Donnan and I scouted the section to see if it would, indeed, be a good paddle. Long story short – it wasn’t. However, it was a good day on the river, and that is always better than a day doing just about anything else.

I had my doubts about this trip. It had been raining all weekend, and when I got up Sunday morning there were flash flood warnings for Oconee County. However, I had the boats and gear already loaded onto the truck, and a phone call to Bob reported that they hadn’t received much rain. We decided to head on down to the river and check out conditions before committing to the trip.

I met Bob at our rendezvous point and we drove to the put-in at the Rose Hill Boat Ramp. Both of us remarked that this area seems “ancient”. There is very little development, and it seems remote. Sumter National Forest covers most of the region, and large hunt clubs have bought up huge tracts of land. The area seems almost mystical, as if just about anything beyond the realm of reality could happen.

Judging a Book by its Cover – The Lost Symbol

September 16, 2009 Tom 1 Comment

Entertainment

OK, I know I shouldn’t be writing about Dan Brown’s latest book, The Lost Symbol, before I finish reading it, but…

Brown’s latest adventure with Harvard Symbologist (and just what the heck is that?) Robert Langdon hit the bookstores today. Laura had pre-ordered it, so at precisely 12:01 am Pacific (3:01 am our time) the book was dumped onto our Kindle Readers without having to make a trip to the book store. I’ve just finished the first several chapters, and I think I’ve read enough to make at least a few observations.

1. Dan Brown can’t write