Skip to content

Random Connections

A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Photos
  • Resources
  • Other Voices
  • Post Archives
  • Podcast
  • Home
  • North Carolina

Tag: North Carolina

Kayaking on Wolf Creek Lake

Posted on June 2, 2025June 2, 2025 By Tom No Comments on Kayaking on Wolf Creek Lake
Paddling

I was in some serious need of water time. My boats haven’t been out on the water near enough, and I had been suffering from FOMO as I looked at photos of other paddling friends on camping trips and long paddles. The weather finally cooperated and I was ready to try someplace new. I decided … Read More “Kayaking on Wolf Creek Lake” »

Disrupted Paradise at Lake Glenville

Posted on June 4, 2024June 4, 2024 By Tom 3 Comments on Disrupted Paradise at Lake Glenville
Paddling

Lake Glenville, north of Cashiers, North Carolina, has intrigued me every time I’ve driven past it, always on the way to someplace else. I really wanted to get on the water and I really wanted to explore someplace new. Seemed like a fine time to check out the highest lake east of the Mississippi. I’m … Read More “Disrupted Paradise at Lake Glenville” »

Exploring Lake Adger

Posted on November 7, 2021November 7, 2021 By Tom No Comments on Exploring Lake Adger
Paddling

My big red kayak has been sitting on top of my pickup truck waiting to get wet while I’ve been languishing in home improvement purgatory. I wanted to explore some places with fall colors but each time I thought I could get away something would come up. Finally, this past Tuesday, I was able to … Read More “Exploring Lake Adger” »

Seeking the Kingdom of Happy Land

Posted on July 10, 2017July 10, 2017 By Tom 5 Comments on Seeking the Kingdom of Happy Land
History and Genealogy, Rambling
kingdomhappyland
Kingdom of the Happy Land by Gary Carden. Acrylic on canvas, 36”x24”. Source

A few weeks ago I gave my talk on the Hidden Towns Under South Carolina Lakes at the Taylors Branch of the Greenville County Library. After the talk someone came up to me and asked if I’d ever heard of the “Kingdom of Happy Land.” I had not. After chatting for a bit I decided I needed to see if I could find this kingdom. Last Thursday things had finally settled down from all our traveling and the Fourth holiday, so it was a perfect time for an expedition. I went to see if I could find the Kingdom of Happy Land.

Read More “Seeking the Kingdom of Happy Land” »

Down by the Riverside

Posted on April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 By Tom 2 Comments on Down by the Riverside
History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling

Riverside Cemetery Asheville-060

Gonna lay down my burdens,
Down by the Riverside,
Down by the Riverside,
Down by the Riverside,
…Ain’t gonna study war no more.

It was Keith’s birthday. I’d called him to see if he wanted to go for lunch, but he was already in Asheville for some early appointments. He suggested I join him up there for a late breakfast instead. Having no other plans, I agreed. It turned out to be another day of discovery and laid the groundwork for further exploration.

Read More “Down by the Riverside” »

Henry Mill Village Excursion

Posted on January 19, 2017February 5, 2017 By Tom 5 Comments on Henry Mill Village Excursion
History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling

Henry Mill Village Sketch

It has been tradition for Alan Russell and me to take a photo excursion on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This time we decided to make the trek up to North Carolina and visit the Henry River Mill Village. This choice ticked lots of boxes – it’s a ghost town, and it served as the shooting location for “District 12” in the movie The Hunger Games. It turned out to be a day that went beyond expectations.

Read More “Henry Mill Village Excursion” »

North Carolina Mountain State Fair

Posted on September 20, 2016 By Tom 1 Comment on North Carolina Mountain State Fair
Local, Photography

Western North Carolina Mountain Fair-160

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.

Read More “North Carolina Mountain State Fair” »

Day Trip to Cataloochee

Posted on April 4, 2014May 16, 2014 By Tom No Comments on Day Trip to Cataloochee
Photography, Rambling, Travel
Catalochee Overlook
Cataloochee Valley, North Carolina

Keith had the day off, and wanted to visit the Cataloochee Valley in North Carolina. The weather looked like it was going to be spectacular, so Wednesday we collected Ken from Clemson and set off toward the Great Smokey Mountains.

Cataloochee Valley is a remote settlement on the eastern side of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Originally a Cherokee hunting area, the valley was settled by the Colwell (later Caldwell) and Palmer families in the early 1800s. Livestock roamed the valleys, and hunting brought in more commerce. By the early 1900s nearly 800 people lived in the valley. Tourism increased in the valley for hunting, fishing, and the spectacular scenery. In 1922 the Great Smokey Mountains National Park was established, which included the Cataloochee Valley. Residents were granted lifetime leases on their properties, but many decided to leave.

Today, Cataloochee is almost as remote as when the park was established. The only way into the valley is over one of two twisting dirt roads. In the 1970s there was a plan to pave a way in, but by the 1980s that was abandoned. The valley is very much like Cades Cove on the western part of the national park, but without the constant crowds. In 2005 a herd of elk were introduced to the valley, and those, along with the scenery and trout fishing serve as the main draw for tourists today.

Read More “Day Trip to Cataloochee” »

Perseids on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a Side Trip to Mayberry

Posted on August 21, 2013May 16, 2014 By Tom No Comments on Perseids on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a Side Trip to Mayberry
Science, Travel

Parkway and New River Gorge-4

August 11, 2013

We hadn’t given the new Mini a proper shake-down road trip. When we got the Audi we took it completely across country, driving from South Carolina to somewhere north of Seattle. We didn’t have the time nor energy for such an adventure this time (Well, at least one of us didn’t :-)) so we decided on something a bit shorter.

It was time for the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. We figured the perfect way to christen the car would be to take it up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and try to find a bit of dark sky to watch for them. From there we would do some free form road tripping, hoping to wind up in Washington DC by the end of the week.

I had scouted a few potential sites on Google Earth, but there was no way to tell if there would be dark skies. So, shortly after lunch we set off, having somehow managed to pack our gear into the tiny trunk of the Mini. We wanted to make tracks, so we took the Interstate straight on up to Gastonia, then headed off toward Blowing Rock, where we hit the Parkway. We drove with the top back, enjoying the breeze.

There were quite a few clouds, but for the most part it was sunny and the day was spectacular. We pulled off at several overlooks, many of which looked like like they would work for meteor viewing. I didn’t take many photos along the way, though.

Read More “Perseids on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a Side Trip to Mayberry” »

Waterfall Ramble – To the Top of South Carolina and Beyond

Posted on June 10, 2013July 25, 2013 By Tom 1 Comment on Waterfall Ramble – To the Top of South Carolina and Beyond
Photography, Rambling

Dry Falls

I wasn’t really planning to do a waterfall excursion. Truth be told, I didn’t really have anything planned. Laura was away at her sister’s, so I had Saturday available for a solo outing. My only real thoughts were to head up to Sassafras Mountain and check out the new overlook, then just see where things went from there. Turns out it was a perfect day for catching waterfalls.

I started out early, taking 276 to Highway 11, and from there over to Highway 178. There were some low clouds giving way to clear skies, with fog hanging where those clouds touched the mountains. Table Rock was shrouded, so I didn’t pause for any photos there. On Highway 178 I got to Bob’s Place, and on a whim turned down toward the Estatoe Valley, heading toward Twin Falls.

Estatoe Valley Morning

Read More “Waterfall Ramble – To the Top of South Carolina and Beyond” »

Posts pagination

1 2 3 Next

Categories

  • EdTech (197)
  • Entertainment (201)
  • Family (123)
  • Gear (114)
  • General Technology (98)
  • Geocaching and Maps (208)
  • History and Genealogy (275)
  • Internet (141)
  • Local (458)
  • Miscellaneous (557)
  • Music (202)
  • Paddling (265)
  • Photography (781)
  • Podcast (16)
  • Rambling (233)
  • Rants (161)
  • Recipes (36)
  • Religion (48)
  • Restaurants (165)
  • Science (48)
  • Things Overheard (29)
  • Travel (413)
  • Uncategorized (143)
  • Washington Sabbatical (113)
  • Weirdness (59)

Recent Posts

  • Carolina Ghost Towns – Paper Towns
  • Kayaking on Wolf Creek Lake
  • Carolina Ghost Towns – Colonial Dorchester
  • Six Layer Bourbon Grits Bowl
  • How’s the House? Part 2

Recent Comments

  • Eric Kincaid on Kayaking and Coffee
  • Daniel S Mawn on Remembering the Walke
  • Judy Hall on The Clock on Wade Hampton
  • Charles Johnson on In Search of the Road Builder
  • Anthony h hannig on From Kingsbury to Stoneboro – Rambling in Lancaster County

Tags

blogging cemetery Christmas Columbia Edisto River edtech Entertainment family Flickr Florida Furman Furman University gear Georgia geotagging Ghost Town Ghost Towns Google Earth Google Maps GPS Greenville Greenville Chorale history Instructional Technology kayaking Lake Jocassee LCU Lowcountry Unfiltered maps Music North Carolina Paddling Photography rambling restaurant Restaurants review singing social networking South Carolina time-lapse Travel video Washington Washington State
June 2025
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« May    

Copyright © 2025 Random Connections.

Theme: Oceanly by ScriptsTown