A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
The differences between Tuckaleechee Caverns and Mammoth Cave were stark. We had a great time at Tuckaleechee. At Mammoth, it was very dark, there were none of the spectacular cave formations, and we had the distinct feeling of being "herded" throughout the tour. So, today we decided to forego another Mammoth tour in favor of … Read More “Crystal Onyx Cave” »
It looked like dinner was going to be a problem. Barren County is a dry county. However, Cave City has passed a local exemption, and can serve alcohol. Regardless, it looked like our eating options were limited to a couple of steak houses or fast food. Our AAA book had listed the Sahara Steak House … Read More “Sahara Steak House” »
Two caves in as many days – one in Tennessee and one in Kentucky. After our great experience at Tuckaleechee Caverns, we had high hopes for Mammoth Cave. At first, we thought we had missed all of the tours. Then we realized that somewhere along the way we had crossed into a new time zone, … Read More “Mammoth Cave National Park” »
The day began with a heavy fog that burned off into a gorgeous morning. We headed south to Burnsville, then west on Highway 70. The terrain was mile after mile of rolling farmland. Around every turn was a picturesque red bard, but, unfortunately, I didn’t take many pictures. Some of these barns had what looked … Read More “From Somerset to Cave City” »
All we wanted were a couple of margaritas to go along with our Mexican meal. Instead, we got a scowl from the the waiter and sotto voce comments of derision from the surrounding four tables, which, we found out, all attend the same church. It turns out that the majority of counties in Kentucky are … Read More “Dry Counties” »
The next stop I wanted to make on our trip was Cumberland Falls. Often called "The Niagra of the South," Cumberland Falls is unique in that it is one of two falls that can create a "moonbow" during a full moon. Unfortunately for us, it’s both cloudy and a new moon, so I guess we … Read More “Cumberland Falls” »
On Google Earth and my old topo maps, Eastern Tennessee is lined with long mountain ridges and long valleys, running diagonally from southwest to northeast. These are the "wrinkles" were created when the Smokey Mountain Thrust Sheet slammed into the area millions of years ago. Our plan was to try to get to the Cumberland … Read More “From Townsend to Cumberland Gap” »
I’ve always had mixed feelings about the Great Smokey Mountains. The RQ (Redneck Quotient) is always just a tad higher than I prefer. I guess it has something to do with the proximity to Dollywood, the Grand Ol’ Opry, and the heart of Appalachia. Regardless, we were in the mood to avoid crowds today, especially … Read More “Tuckaleechee Caverns” »
Today was a Great Smokey Mountains day. We started by driving up to Mingo Falls, which technically isn’t in the National Park. The trail up, included an incredible staircase, but the waterfall was quite nice. After the falls we headed into the park proper. There was an obligatory stop at Mingus Mills, then a side … Read More “From Cherokee to Townsend” »
With Tropical Depression Barry threatening, we had a leisurely start to our vacation travels. This trip, we’re going to see a big hole in the ground. We’re hoping to make our way to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, exploring the backroads of Appalachia along the way. The first leg of the journey took us up I-26, then … Read More “From Greenville to Cherokee” »