Carolina Towns and Trails

Ocracoke Explosion

2009-07-05T13:14:00.002-05:00

My husband and I would like to extend our sympathies to the family, friends, and co-workers of those who died in the fireworks explosion in Ocracoke yesterday. A tragic end for the Independence Day holiday.

Our hearts and prayers are with you.

Strawberry Chapel, old Childsbury Towne Colony, SC

2009-07-02T17:10:00.004-05:00

(I'm out of town this week, so I'm posting a short blurb that doesn't do justice to this area. But I'd rather post than let it go by the wayside like my Topsail Beach report has!)

I'm a fan of South Carolina history. Lowcountry resident and aspiring author, Shannon McNear, knows this, so she invited me to detour to the Charleston area during a recent trip for a quick stop at a little place I'd never heard of: Strawberry Chapel near Moncks Corner.

Situated up the road from the Cooper River, Strawberry Chapel served what once was Childsbury Towne. The area is now a heritage preserve, but like Diamond City on Shackleford Banks, some of the residents remain in the grounds surrounding the chapel.

Despite heat and humidity that could suffocate a mosquito (come to think of it, we didn't encounter any on this trip), we strolled under the shade of large, mossy oak trees, talking about the history of the South Carolina colony and of the prominent citizens who lived there. We then took a walk down to the river near what once was Strawberry Landing. The Cooper stretches wide at this point, and the blues and greens almost took my breath away. To our surprise, large elephant ears rustled in the breeze along the bank near the dock. Planted by one of the residents of Childsbury Towne? We hoped so.

We stayed there for awhile, chatting, sometimes waving at the numerous boaters traveling upriver until the heat got the best of us. I must say, beyond the tranquility we experienced, this is one of the prettiest places I've seen in the Carolinas. See for yourself!

Strawberry Chapel and Cemetery

For more information on Childsbury Towne, go to www.dnr.sc.gov/managed/heritage/childsbury/description.html

Upstate SC and WNC Hiking Reports

2009-06-26T18:37:00.005-05:00

Living in eastern NC, we can't cover Upstate and WNC hiking trails as we'd like, but a few other folks can. I've already pointed out Rich Stephenson's http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/ and A Day's Drive From Greenville, so below are additional links to reports on trails located in the western Carolinas.

SC Jack: http://scjack.blogspot.com/

Moderator of my hiking group, CarolinasAdventures, Jack is an avid hiker and camper, and has covered a lot of ground in both states. Unafraid to bushwack when necessary, Jack tackles tough trails in rugged territory. Note: He recently began this blog, so not all reports have been posted.

Andy (and Boone): http://www.angelfire.com/trek/fungi/

Another member of CarolinasAdventure, Andy and his dog, Boone, also enjoy a hearty hike, whether it be on a mountain trail or snaking along a river in a canoe. I'm a huge fan of his reports, which are well-written and often hilarious.

Brenda Wiley: http://www.brendajwiley.com/hiking.html

Brenda hits the trail as often as possible and I love reading her reports. A fan of trail maps, she includes excellent details and photos in each post. You can read her report on Raven Cliff Falls on this blog.

Appalachian Treks: http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/

I haven't a clue who runs this site, but beautiful photos and informative posts make it a great read.

THE REQUIRED DISCLAIMER: I haven't read every post, nor have I hiked all the trails they mention, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of the information on their sites. As with my blog, only use the personal observations you find on these sites as a guide. For your safety, and the safety of your family, research all outdoor destinations before visiting them.

Carolina Beach and Carolina Beach State Park, NC

2009-06-22T15:17:00.011-05:00

Because North Carolina is a coastal state, one expects to find beaches along its soggy border. And boy does NC have them--a lot of them. In addition to exploring the sands of the Outer Banks, we've visited three beaches near Wilmington this past year. And to our surprise, though close in proximity, each has a distinct culture and pace.

With its pristine beaches and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, Topsail Beach, which we've visited three times and have yet to write about, appears more family oriented (though I'm told they've had issues in the past with nude sunbathers. Before I recommend it as a family destination, I'll check on the status of that issue.) Wrightsville Beach has more of an upscale feel.

Carolina Beach, located on the hang-nail of a peninsula just south of Wilmington, is a throwback to the beaches of old. Think Coney Island. A boardwalk--actually a wide sidewalk--runs between two strips of clothing stores, sweets shops, and other beachy-type businesses, to a small amusement park complete with Ferris wheel. From there, you can either cross the real boardwalk to a shady pavilion to catch the breeze (my choice!) or head to the sand and waves.

Note: Included at the boardwalk are at least two prominently located bars. A dichotomy in light of the nearby kiddie rides, but we've yet to visit Carolina Beach in the evening to see if a bit of Myrtle Beach's pollen has taken root in this state. During the day, the place is great, so feel free to do your own research! And I suggest you start on a Sunday- or Thursday night.

Each Thursday, head to the beach, and when the sun packs up and heads home, finish out the day with a colorful explosion of fireworks. And on Sundays, movies are shown at nearby Carolina Beach Lake. For a schedule, which includes Night in the Museum II, Ironman, and Madagascar II, click HERE.

I see Goonies is playing on August 16th. Hmm, guess where I'll be that evening.

Also spotted at Carolina Beach: a marina with two large ships just waiting to take passengers on a day or dinner cruise, and several fishing boats resting after early morning charters. You have no idea how long I had to wait while my husband collected brochures from each of those slips.

Hikers, nature- and shade-lovers, take heart. Just northwest of the boardwalk sits Carolina Beach State Park. In addition to hiking trails, one can find pitcher plants, among other coastal species, and several species of birds. We couldn't tackle the trails on this visit, since it happened to coincide with the hottest day of the year, but we plan to return.

For more information on Carolina Beach, including times for the Film & Fireworks show, go to www.carolinabeachgetaway.com/

Carolina Beach, NC

Estuarine Reserves in the Carolinas

2009-06-13T21:26:00.011-05:00

While we've visited a couple of these destinations, I'm not familiar with this organization or entirely clear on all units involved. But that won't stop me from pointing them out to you. I happened on these potential sites while perusing A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, and subsequent research indicates this could be interesting.

Though it appears this is a national effort, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System oversees several "components" on both Carolina shores. These are:

In NC:

Currituck (which we visited this past winter)

Masonboro Island - the "largest undisturbed barrier island" in the southern NC coast

Rachel Carson Estuarine Research Reserve Islands, off Beaufort

Zeke's Island

Permuda Island fits in there somewhere, but I'm still working through that.

The Currituck component is accessible by land. Masonboro (between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach), Rachel Carson, and Zeke's Island, by private ferry or boat. At these locations, you may find include uninhabited lands, hiking trails, waterfowls, and during nesting season, endangered sea turtles.

In SC:

North Inlet-Winyah Bay - near Georgetown

The ACE Basin near Beaufort and Edisto, which we attempted to visit once.

This is officially on our list.

For more information on NERRS in NC, go to http://nerrs.noaa.gov/

White Pines: Hiking Conservancy Trails

2009-06-13T17:21:00.007-05:00

Members of the ENC branch of CarolinasAdventures recently tackled another Triangle Land Conservancy project: White Pines Preserve, located south of Pittsboro and north of Sanford. Just off Hwy 15-501, White Pines is a secluded forest edging the confluence of the Rocky and Deep Rivers.

Named for the trees growing throughout, White Pines is a great place for day hiking and birding. Seven trails cut through the forest and down into the river plain, and we hiked them all in just a couple hours. It was past bloom season, so few flowers were on hand to greet us, but we enjoyed the outing nonetheless.

Despite the hazards.

It's summer in ENC and ticks, chiggers, poison ivy, and snakes abound. We encountered all at White Pines, so we decided to put off future visits until March, when the flowers are in bloom and the bugs are in hiding.

For more information on White Pines, go to
http://www.triangleland.org/lands/tlc/white_pines_np.shtml

Flower Hill: Hiking Conservancy Trails

2009-06-02T15:04:00.007-05:00

When we're in the mountains, we head to Pisgah National Forest or spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway for a hike. Here in eastern NC, we head to Croatan National Forest or any state park. But KT, the co-moderator of CarolinasAdventures, recently reminded us we're missing overlooked gold mines throughout the state: trails located in lands belonging to the Nature Conservancy.

I'm just getting introduced to these organizations, so I'll provide links if you'd like to learn more. I do know the Nature Conservancy does what its name implies, and it does so by acquiring land. Last year, we purchased A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, and we sometimes refer to that book for outing ideas. However, KT informed us regional conservancies exist as well by taking us to one of Triangle Land Conservancy's projects, Flower Hill.

A newly constructed parking lot sits beside the trailhead, but we didn't know this, and we parked alongside the road and trudged through the woods up one of the few rolling hills in the coastal plain. Oh well. We're hikers.

It was a short hike made longer by frequent stops to examine a variety of plant life along the predominantly dirt path. KT had hoped to show us a forest blooming with Catawba rhododendron--the reason TLC purchased the land--but we missed the peak bloom season. The blossoms we spotted were enough, though, since this species usually grows in or near the mountains.

Below are a few images from our trip. To read the caption, cursor over the photo. If you'd like information on the NC Nature Conservancy, click here.

For more info on the Triangle Land Conservancy, go to www.triangleland.org/

Gettysburg Battlefield

2009-05-27T11:17:00.009-05:00

What does Gettysburg have to do with the Carolinas? Besides the fact that many southerns died there, and a North Carolina memorial now stands on the grounds, we visited the landmark during a recent trip to beautiful Pennsylvania.

My husband was scheduled to attend a conference just south of Harrisburg, so we crossed the Mason-Dixon a day early to explore the region. Our first stop: Gettysburg Battlefield, located just north of the Maryland-Pennsylvania border.

What I know about this battle is far less than I should--that it was fought between July 1-July 3, 1863, that it was a major offensive on northern soil, that pneumonia had taken Robert E. Lee's "right hand" just months earlier, and that by the end, many had died. But like Bentonville Battlefield, what I saw made me want to know more. I want to learn about the Tammany Regiment, about the High Water Mark, to figure out if having to defend their families and land with their lives showed them why southerners felt they had to do the same, even southerners like Stonewall Jackson, who, before the war, had hoped that cooler heads would prevail and the Union would be preserved.

I know, that surprised me as well.

We spent about an hour on the battlefield, reading plaques, climbing the spiral steps of the mammoth Pennsylvania Memorial, where we stood, higher than is comfortable for me, gazing over the grounds. We didn't know about the auto tour then. Instead, we headed to the Visitors Center, which closed ten minutes before our arrival. But we picked up a map at a kiosk in the event we could return on this visit.

The auto tour starts at the Visitors Center and has sixteen stops, based on the battle's progression. The first stop is McPherson Ridge, where the fighting began. The last stop is National Cemetery, the site of Lincoln's famous address, delivered on November 19, 1863. I'm told the light and sound "Cyclorama Experience" at the Visitors Center shouldn't be missed (tickets required). So that's on the list. In addition to that attraction, the Visitors Center offers a bookstore and tickets for various guided tours.

Like Bentonville, Gettysburg is an horror that should not be forgotten. Not to hold onto old wounds, but as Lincoln advised in his address, to learn from them so the future does not repeat itself, as--sadly--it so often does.

Gettysburg

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: (emphasis mine)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Cape Fear River Trail

2009-05-21T10:51:00.012-05:00

A few weeks ago, we joined a friend for a short (three miles, by our estimation) stroll along the Cape Fear River Trail in Fayetteville, NC. I mentioned this destination in a report on our visit to Clark Park--the southern terminus of this urban outing, and while we'd hiked those forest-type trails along the Cape Fear, we'd yet to explore the paved portion that extended north.

There are two entrances to this trail: one at the Jordan Soccer Complex off Treetop Dr (so says the brochure) and the other at Clark Park off Sherman Dr. Since we were familiar with the latter, we parked in the gravel parking lot at the end of Sherman and walked across the railroad tracks to the Nature Center at Clark Park to use the restroom before we began the hike, and to take another look at the waterfall behind the Center:

Unfortunately, we're not permitted to hike into the ravine to take pictures or to stand near the falls to show scale. But it drops a good thirty or more feet, and besides providing that lovely waterfall sound, it has, growing around it, good company, which tickled the mountain part of our heart:

Mountain Laurel

Fully refreshed, we walked back to the parking lot and entered the trailhead nearly hidden in the trees, and began our walk along the Cape Fear River Trail.

We walked over a boardwalk and along a wide, paved path for a quarter mile or so, then--strangely--had to turn right and walk on the grassy sides of Eastwood Ave until it dead-ended just up the road. We then turned left onto the main artery of the trail.

From this point, you can walk, jog, or bike the four mile trail that cuts through tall trees alongside the Cape Fear River. We crossed two bridges on our short hike, keeping track of our distance with numbers blazed on the path in blue triangles. Further up the road, beyond the point we turned around, is a covered bridge and trestle boardwalk. A good excuse for a return visit.

Water stations are placed along the trail and are periodically checked. During our hike, we stopped to chat with the man filling them that day. We also had a nice conversation with one of the police officers who patrol the trail.

The Cape Fear River Trail is one of several trails organizers hope will eventually stretch from the Florida Keys to Maine. Yes, an Urban AT!

The trail closes at dusk. For more information, including a map and a "Before You Go" list, go to www.fcpr.us/river_trail.php

"But What Is There To Do Around Here?" A Carolinas Overview

2009-05-14T14:21:00.024-05:00

My husband and I gaped when the NC native asked the question I placed in the title of this post. Okay, so we have an unusually high interest in the Carolinas for plain ol' residents, but this gal lives on the edge of the Albemarle Sound, just an hour from Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks, and about an hour from Pettigrew State Park and Phelps Lake. How could she miss those things?

So I decided to do a quick overview of the Carolinas in the event someone finds their way to this blog harboring the same question.

DISCLAIMER: Please use this as a guide. Always, always do your own research before going to a destination, including checking for safety issues.

Note: while some of these destinations may offer one or more of the following activities, I didn't target recreation such as antiquing, biking, birding, boating (including kayak and canoeing), camping, fishing, golfing, horseback riding, hunting, mining for gems, sports, and white water rafting. Nor did I provide information on the dozens of festivals held around the states celebrating everything from bluegrass to seafood. Why? A) This post would be so long you'd never read the entire thing, and B) We've yet to indulge in all these activities. If we live here for the rest of our lives, we won't have time to do them all.

There seriously is that much to do. I'm sure to miss something, so check out my label list, my Carolina Travel Guides post, my Links to Carolina Destinations page, and VisitNC.com for more.

So, as of this writing, here's a few things I found to do:

North Carolina:

Aquariums

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores, and Roanoke Island.

Hiking

There are far too many trails to list here. NC offers easy hikes on the flatlands, strenuous mountain hikes, hikes to view solitary mountain vistas, waterfall hikes, wildflower hikes, hikes I refuse to take because they're too strenuous, and more, including a Mountain to the Sea Trail and the AT. I'm constantly learning about trails from blogs I read, and from fellow CA members' trip reports (Jack and Andy, there's a place called Daffodil Flats, and you have to do what to get there???") Check out my Carolina Travel Guides post for more information, though I need to find a good resource to cover the extensive trail system in the far western portion of the state.

And dear readers, please beware while on the trail. I don't want to beat this to death, but I've posted several warnings begging people to be careful while in the great outdoors. Be prepared, and hike smart.

National Forests

From east to west:

Croatan
Uhwarries
Pisgah
Nantahala, though don't ask me to pronounce it. I can't.

What's the big whoo about National Forests? They offer a lot of outdoor recreation. They're mighty pretty, too. Just wear orange during hunting season.

National Parks

To begin with...

A portion of the Appalachian Trail
The Blue Ridge Parkway (didn't know it was a national park, did you)
Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores
Great Smoky Mountains

Check out the NPS's NC page for more.

National Wildlife Refuges

Outer Banks

Currituck
Mackay Island
Pea Island

Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula

Alligator River
Pocosin Lakes
Mattamuskeet
Swan Quarter

Coastal Plains

Great Dismal Swamp
Cedar Island
Roanoke River

Piedmont

Pee Dee

State Parks

NC has around forty State Parks (I didn't see the new Grandfather Mountain State Park listed on the site.) To find them on a map, check out the state's Park Site.

And because I'm not sure where to put it, Dupont State Forest near Flat Rock and Brevard.

Zoos

North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.
While I'm not sure if it's considered to be an official zoo, Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park in Scotland Neck.

Other

- Arboretums
- Battlefields
- Beaches. Lots and lots of beaches
- Biltmore House
- Botanical Gardens
- Carriage tours of historical cities
- Historical sites including plantations
- Lighthouses
- Museums
- Tours of historic towns

South Carolina:

Aquariums

South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston
Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach
Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner also houses an aquarium

Hiking

Pretty much the same as what I said for NC. Oconee County has a lot of trails, but you'll find trails throughout the state, including longer systems such as the Foothills Trail, and the Palmetto Trail, which, as I understand it, is still under construction.

National Forests

Francis Marion National Forest
Sumpter National Forest
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly sure the Nantahala Forest bleeds into South Carolina from the north

National Parks

Besides Congaree National Swamp, I wasn't sure about others, so I checked the National Park Site. From it, I see the following are national monument or historic sites:

Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumpter
Charles Pinckney and Ninety Six (historic sites)
Kings Mountain Military Park and Cowpens Battlefield
And one I've never heard of, but it looks interesting, Overmountain Victory Historic Trail, which extends into NC, VA and TN. Cool.

National Wildlife Refuges

ACE Basin
Cape Romain
Carolina Sandhills
Pinckney Island
Santee
Savannah
Tybee (according to NPWRC)
Waccamaw

State Parks

In the WYFF interview, I said there are forty-five state parks and natural areas in SC. As it turns out, I was incorrect. There are forty-six. Check the map on the South Carolina Parks site to find one near you.

Zoos

Greenville Zoo, downtown Greenville
Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia
Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet also houses a small zoo

Other

- Architecture tours
- Beaches. Lots of beaches
- Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet
- Carriage rides of historic towns
- Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner
- Francis Beidler Forest
- Historic sites
- Historic towns (Abbeville, Columbia, Charleston, etc)
- Lighthouses
- Museums
- Plantations (including Boone Hall and Magnolia Plantation)
- Towns we tend to avoid because of crowds (Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head)
- Towns we love to visit because they're great (Greenville, Charleston, Beaufort, Abbeville, Edisto, Columbia, Murrells Inlet, and more)

That should be enough to get you started. Again, please use this and all my posts as a guide. I can only share what we see and experience at a destination at the time of our visit. Research all destinations before you go.

Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved. Do not distribute or use without express permission.

Part II of the WYFF Sound Off South Interview

2009-05-13T14:57:00.006-05:00

Click here for Part I

And the answers I wanted to give. As you can see, I'm better with a pen:

What are your top three destinations in NC?

1. Anything Blue Ridge Parkway. We've driven the entire road.

2. Pisgah National Forest

3. We haven't decided on a coastal favorite yet; we're still learning our way around. So far, it's between Lake Mattamuskeet and New Bern.

However, we haven't explored the Piedmont yet, though after researching a few potential destinations, I've stopped referring to it as the land between me and the mountains.

What would you say is a rare jewel in the Carolinas?

I automatically pictured the swamp at Cypress Gardens, the marshes at Cape Romain, and the haunting forest of Congaree, but then remembered the view from the end of Table Rock's Summit Trail, and Pearson Falls in Saluda. [And I failed to mention Pretty Place and places along the Outer Banks.]

However, we've yet to see spider lilies blanketing parts of Landsford Canal State Park, to stroll the pristine shores of Bulls Island, see the view from Jumping Off Rock, watch snow geese swirl over the pocosin lake at sunrise, or witness the wonder of sea turtles hatching before they make their way into the silvery ocean. So I think the best answer is the Carolinas themselves, since they're home to all of these.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

As often as I can, I include warnings about dangers, both hidden and visible, one may encounter. We're so accustomed to walking around city streets and inside buildings, expecting care has been taken to ensure our safety. But as I've mentioned in several posts, nature doesn't care about liability, and when people steps in its boundaries, they do so at their own risk. Having learned the hard way, we tell people to watch out for snakes and other critters--including bears. To watch where they walk (rocks, holes and tree roots often litter trails), to make sure they fill out hiker registration forms available at many trailheads, and tell someone where they're going and what time they should return home. Take plenty of water, and wear appropriate clothing. I can't tell you how many people we've seen hiking Table Rock with purses and sandals. Heed warnings listed on websites or posted at the destination. Use common sense.

Above all, don't play near the edge of cliffs or on wet rocks around waterfalls. Have fun, but be careful. We want people to enjoy the Carolinas, but we want them to go home safely so they can return again.

----------------------

Thanks for sharing this event with me. In my mind, it isn't about us and our talent or work, it's about showcasing the wonders of the Carolinas, which we hope to continually explore, and to share with you.

Carolina Towns and Trails Featured on WYFF's Morning News

2009-05-12T21:19:00.007-05:00

Exciting news! Last weekend, WYFF Channel 4 in Greenville, SC featured your humble blog on their Sound Off South segment of the morning news. I traveled to the glorious South Carolina Upstate for the interview, and after a ride down a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, followed by a somewhat sleepless night, I met Kelly Coakley at WYFF's studios.

Part I of the interview is below. I'll post Part II when it's available. I'm told I presented a calm demeanor, but in reality, I was nervous. Consequently, I forgot to mention a few things I'd hope to present. So below the clip are the answers I gave in the pre-interview. Hopefully, I'll get the information across one way or the other.

And the answers I'd hoped to give:

How did you pick the topic and name for your blog?

The topic flowed naturally from our adventures. In the spring of 2006, after two years of exploring SC and western NC, we joined a local hiking group thinking we'd seen pretty much all there was to see in the area. In addition to teaching us we had much to learn about the Carolinas, they introduced me to a creature called the trip report. I wrote several for the group after I joined, and wanted to share them with family members as well, so I started a blog and named it "Where the Buffaloe Roam".

A year later, the Fish & Bird Curator at Cypress Gardens left a comment on my post about that Moncks Corner attraction, which shocked me. I installed a counter and discovered more people than I'd imagined were accessing my posts. That taught me people were searching for information on Carolina destinations, and I had to do a better job presenting our experiences, which entailed including more relevant facts about those destination, and spending less time focusing on us. NCwaterfall.com's Rich Stevenson is a member of my hiking group. I'd accessed his site on numerous occasions before hikes, so I had a good idea of where to begin.

After shifting and improving the focus of the posts, I redecorated the site and included pictures to give visitors a visual portrait as well as a written one. The name change came last. Carolina Trails (which is part of the blog's address) was not only taken, it didn't fit the scope of my content. After brainstorming a bit, I worked out the new name, Carolina Towns and Trails.

How do you decide where to visit?

We have a general list of places we want to visit, but no set plan to get there. Often, we get in the car and one of us asks, "Where to?" Sometimes we haven't figured out the answer until we're well on our way. Other times, we'll have something in mind but will change our plan after pulling out of the driveway. I can't recommend doing that. But then again, it attests to the fact there are numerous destinations to choose from in the Carolinas.

What are your top three destinations in SC?

Off the top of my head, in SC:

1. Charleston, because there's so much to do in that city, and because of the proximity to other Lowcountry destinations. From there, we'll pop over to Edisto Beach, Beaufort, Mt. Pleasant, Summerville, Sullivan's Island and more.

2. Murrells Inlet. We love it. Love the restaurants, the Veterans Pier, the Marshwalk, Brookgreen Gardens and now, Huntington Beach State Park. We learn more about it every time we go. It's also close to Pawleys Island, Georgetown, Cape Romain, and a stash of yellow fringed orchids we like to visit.

3. The Upstate. We lived in this area for four years and felt very much at home. Downtown Greenville is a gem. We often drove down Main Street, then dined, and followed that up with a stroll along Falls Park. We love the mountains and hiking trails nearby as well. When family or friends stopped by for a visit, we usually took them to Table Rock Mountain and then up to Bald Rock and Caesars Head before heading to our favorite NC destinations...

(To Be Continued)

A Few From the Parkway

2009-05-09T21:14:00.007-05:00

I traveled to the South Carolina Upstate today for reasons I'll soon announce, and I took advantage of the trip to check out one of our favorite spots--the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Originally, I'd hoped to visit Mt Mitchell to see the newly constructed observation tower. As it turns out, today was the official opening for the long awaited structure. But members of my hiking group informed me a section of the Parkway south of Mt Mitchell to just north of Asheville is closed. Sure, I could have followed detour directions posted on the NPS's Parkway page, but with the longer trip and thunderboomers in the immediate forecast, I decided to wait until my husband and I could travel together--in clear weather.

But I did take America's Favorite Drive from Asheville to the Cold Mountain Overlook, where I cut down Hwy 276. After the rain, the air is clear and fresh, and wispy clouds flit through the mountain peaks. I took a few photos. Unfortunately, I neglected to reset the white balance after a wedding last week, so they're a bit overexposed. But you'll get the picture.

Wispy clouds hover over peaks shortly after a rain:

Rhododendrons frame Looking Glass Rock:

Close up of Looking Glass Rock

It's spring, and the Parkway is waking from its winter slumber. Be still my Carolina heart.

Morehead City, NC

2009-05-05T20:54:00.020-05:00

We recently went down east (which may actually be part of Downeast, I'm still working that out) to Morehead City. We've passed through the city on numerous occasions in the past. Fleeting impressions gleaned from the car as we traveled to Beaufort or other places along the Crystal Coast told me it seemed like a nice place. Clean, modern, a port city with massive boat facilities, it looked interesting, so of course we had to check it out.

I brought along The Natural Traveler and Coastal North Carolina, both of which usually provide some direction about activities at a destination. Well...not this time. I learned a bit about the history (Union Forces occupied the city after Fort Macon fell) but that was about it.

So it may surprise you to learn we had a nice time.

We decided to start with lunch. Our thinking, beyond filling our stomachs, was that we'd double check the books and chat with anyone willing to talk about the town while we tasted local fare. We do this often, and to a great degree, the folks are friendly and more than willing to chat.

On the recommendation of The Natural Traveler, we chose the Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant. The sign for this establishment is visible from the road, and in the past, we snickered at the name as we drove by. But the book used the phrases "clean", "fame", and "seafood", so we went.

I have to warn you, I accidentally left our camera at home, so I had to take pictures with my cell phone.

Opened in 1938, the restaurant sits on the waterfront overlooking Bogue Sound (if I'm reading it correctly, my Gazetteer indicates it's Money Island Bay.) Bits of framed history paper the walls, and we took in what we could as we followed the hostess over the glistening planked floor to a seat beside the window. Yes!

As the book indicated we would, we enjoyed a good meal for a good price, though because I can't eat fried foods, I ordered grilled chicken. Either the owner reads this blog and recognized us, or he firmly believes in providing customers with a quality experience--I believe the latter--because he stated such in a conversation we overheard.

You can bet we'll stop here more often.

Like most things in Morehead City, the restaurant overlooks the water. One can view it while dining, or while strolling along the boardwalk we spotted behind the eatery:

As I've mentioned in the past, it's often difficult to get a pulse on the local culture during an initial scouting trip. As I once told NC native and poet, Julie Buffaloe Yoder, until we're familiar with an area, I can "get the basic recipe, but I lack the secret ingredients that make the dish savory". Julie's poetry gives me a deep, vivid look into the soul of many Downeasterners, so I turned to another native skilled with a pen for insight into Morehead City. After sharing a bit about the history, Sarah Salter told me:

The Morehead culture is one of hard work, dedication, deep love and loyalty. Those folks are the salt of the earth. Literally. They have salt water in their veins. A lot of that is reflected in their language, their laughter, and their zest for life.

She went on to tell of the transformation from a predominantly fishing village, to one heavily reliant on tourism. No surprise there, since the entire NC coast is a favorite tourist destination. Nevertheless, fish and water are still the lifeblood of this town. In addition to serving as a state port, sport fishing and boating are popular activities. Their annual seafood festival is quite popular, and along the paved waterfront is a marina where one can charter a boat to fish or take a day cruise:

The waterfront also has a nice selection of shops, including at least one bookstore. If you haven't noticed, we love bookstores. Local shops are the best because they tend to carry regional books not available at chain stores; items one wouldn't know existed to search for on Amazon. I've picked up half a bookshelf worth of publications during our trips, and on this outing, I found Island Born and Bred: A Collection of Harkers Island Food, Fun, Fact and Fiction. I may toss the recipes (I so don't cook) but I'll definitely keep the pages of hand drawn maps, recollections, poems, and information provided by Harkers Island Natives. I'd love to quote a few lines from a page I randomly chose while typing this, but I best get permission first. No sense being a copyright hound only to break the law myself.

In short, Morehead City is a great place to stop if you're in, or passing through the area, especially since it's conveniently located near Bogue Banks and Beaufort. We'll definitely go back to check out that half-day cruise. We've yet to explore the Carolina waterways, and it's time to rectify that mistake. And if my husband can find the tangle of fishing poles I stored somewhere so we can do some decent fishing, we'll run down to Morehead City to see what options are available there.

Until then, for more information on Morehead City, go to www.downtownmoreheadcity.com/

For more information on the good restaurant with the funny name, go to www.sanitaryfishmarket.com/

A Disappointment

2009-05-05T12:47:00.007-05:00

A few months ago, I announced Our State Magazine had used my "Why We Love North Carolina" blurb in their February issue, and that they accidentally misattributed the piece to a *sigh* Floridian.

Before that issue hit the shelves, someone from the editorial department called to tell me a correction would be printed in the April issue. April came, and so did the outstanding magazine, which contained just about everything but a correction. Ouch. I called Our State (for they'd left their phone number on my answering machine) and was told they'd look into it.

The newest issue recently appeared, but failed to include a correction. This was getting embarrassing, for I'd shared the news of the published blurb with family, friends, my writing group, my hiking group, my Facebook network, (I may have Twittered it as well) and anyone who happened on my blog post. So I called the editorial department again, and was basically told because it's now May, and because they're working on the July issue, it's too late to run the correction. But they'll look into it.

Ouch.

Obviously I'm disappointed. Will that affect my support of Our State? Oh my, have you see the magazine? It not only covers NC destinations, but each issue generally includes a restaurant review and Tar Heel stories. Among other things, we plan to visit a pound cake company in Benson, and a German restaurant in Sanford based on articles I read in the magazine. And it includes a ton of fabulous photos.

I don't agree with the editorial department's decision not to run a correction when I was told they would, but Our State is a fantastic publication, and--like my blog, which is free and has all articles available in a single click (see label list. I'm laughing here, really)--it's most helpful to newcomers.

So, despite the fact someone else can lay claim to my entry, I'm reprinting my blurb here. It's simple, but I systematically worked from the mountains to the sea, and included several aspects you'll recognize from this blog: natural communities, wildflowers, and "endangered lives", aka, NC's sea turtles:

Jagged mountains scoring blue skies
Water falling gracefully over tall cliffs
Fringed orchids near Elisha's Peak
A lazy day on the Parkway
Long tendrils of blackwater flowing past
longleaf pine savannas
Pretty Edenton sitting primly on the bay
Snow geese rising with the dawn
on quiet pocosins
Silent (lighthouse) sentinels guarding
endangered lives and watery graves

I don't recall including the word lighthouse in that line, but I jotted down the entry in a matter of minutes and sent it, so it's possible. Regardless, these are things we've learned to appreciate about North Carolina. I'm sure we'll find more as we continue to explore the state.

Goose Creek State Park

2009-04-30T14:32:00.013-05:00

Hidden in the southwest nook of the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula (the large, raggedy flap on NC's coast that has two holes in it, though we call them Phelps Lake and Lake Mattamuskeet) is a slow-paced, yet vibrant state park known as Goose Creek.

With tall trees—some dripping with Spanish moss—nearly eight miles of hiking trails that meander through the woods and over wetlands, camping, fishing, boating (byo boat) and a BEACH, visitors can stay busy for the day or for the weekend, yet many ENCers have never heard of the place.

That has to change!

Following the recommendation of those who have gone, we've visited Goose Creek twice now. During our first visit last fall, a park ranger told us about the beach, which edges the Pamlico sound. After parking near the Live Oak trailhead, we meandered down a short path, fighting mosquitoes, until we happened on this:

There's more beach, but that tree listing over the water caught my eye.

On our recent trip, we visited the other side of the park, and we did so by hiking the Ivey Gut Trail. This sandy, flat pathway skirts Goose Creek (the actual creek) and hikers can catch glimpses of the blue water as they go.

We started the hike at the Education Center. Behind it, visitors will find a boardwalk that stretches over wetlands and at least one snake.

From there we continued on until we reached the road. The Ivey Gut Trail branches off from that juncture, and continues on to the southwest corner of the park, where it then loops. But down in this corner, you'll find primitive camping, a picnic area, and the westernmost edge of the Goose Creek Trail where it intersects with the Flatty Creek Trail.

So if we had been in the mood--meaning we'd brought plenty of water and I'd worn the right shoes for hiking over sand (amazingly, that isn't hiking sandals), we could have hiked Ivey Gut, the Flatty Creek Loop, then hiked the entire Goose Creek Trail to the other side of the park, where we could have completed the Live Oak and Mallard Creek Trails, then walked along the road back to the Education Center.

But we didn't bring enough water, and less than a mile into the Ivey Gut Trail, my sandaled feet hurt so bad, I looked like this:

How many times do I have to say it? Dress appropriately on the trail! (Pointing to myself here.)

Despite my pain, we had a pleasant walk through those tall pine trees. Goose Creek is yet another good place for viewing wildlife (see snake above), and my hawk-eyed husband spotted a woodpecker flitting around:

Also along the more graveled portions of the trail, we found coral and shells. I asked someone at the Education Center about it, and she explained it was leftovers from a nearby phosphate factory. My mind immediately fled to the survey I found of the waters of eastern North Carolina:

The Pungo River and Yorktown Formations contain one of the largest known concentrations of marine vertebrate fossils in the world. Among the more prominent vertebrate fossil assemblages found at the site are sharks, fish, sea and terrestrial birds, baleen and toothed whales, walrus, and true seals. Mining at PCS has provided a unique opportunity for extensive study of this fossil assemblage. The mining operation has made available a wealth of paleontologically valuable data to the scientific community, and ultimately, the public (Ray 1983, 1987).1

Oh my, I hope that wasn't it.

To get to Goose Creek from anywhere but north and east of the park, travel east on Hwy 264, then turned right on Camp Leach Rd (the narrow road BEFORE Hwy 92.) Follow signs to the park entrance.

WARNING~~*~~WARNING~~*~~WARNING~~*~~WARNING!

In addition to snakes and woodpeckers, an abundance of ticks and skeeters live at Goose Creek. Ticks that may carry diseases you don't want. The park posts warnings, and please, heed them. Kelley found a tick shortly after returning home. It isn't the first one that hitched a ride on us after visiting an ENC destination. Take the proper precautions to avoid them. My resources--and CA co-moderator, KT--recommends placing pant legs inside of socks. Also, contact a professional (do doctors or pharmacists deal with insecticides?) to find out what type of bug spray is best for you.

For more information on Goose Creek, or to check park hours (always important) go to www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/gocr/main.php

1. PCS Phosphate Mine Continuation DEIS (September 2006) Section 3.3.6, pg 3.24
http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/WETLANDS/Projects/PCS/DEIS/PCS%20DEIS%20Report/PCS%20DEIS%20TEXT/PCS%202006%20DEIS%20Section%203.0.pdf

A Few More From Out West

2009-04-25T12:41:00.005-05:00

Just a few more images from our trip out west before I return to my regular posting. Unfortunately, we don't have reports for these destinations since we saw them only in passing. We'll save those future trips. Until then, we'll leave you with these:

Big Bear Mountain, CA

Somewhere in New Mexico:

Elk graze alongside the road in NM:

Outside of Albuquerque. While I dealt with 100 degree heat in Cali, snow had fallen the night before in the mountains of New Mexico:

Canyon between Flagstaff and Albuquerque:

What a vast and wondrous country we have!

Out West

2009-04-17T17:24:00.004-05:00

We're out west this week, visiting our first grandson, so I'm writing about a different kind of Carolinas destination. During my trip to Columbia's State Museum, I learned the Carolinas originally stretched to the Pacific Ocean, which means the original charter included the landscapes below.

Can you believe it?

Irving, TX (near Dallas) from the sky:

Along I-10 in west Texas:

Rugged mountains in New Mexico:

I hear cattle grazed these lands in the days of Geronimo and the O.K. Corral

At Texas Canyon in Arizona:

Saguaro cactus in Arizona

After spotting several initials on mountains,
we learned the letter represents the name of the town

High winds kick up the sand in Arizona:

Sunset over California:

This stark, barren land has a rugged beauty, but the rocky landscape makes me appreciate the lush and varied habitats of today's Carolinas.

Huntington Beach State Park

2009-04-08T14:58:00.024-05:00

"Don't you mean Hunting Island State Park near Beaufort?" you may be thinking. Not in this post. And if you're confused, you're not alone. I've met several South Carolinians who haven't heard of Huntington Beach State Park.

Named for Archer and Anne Hyatt Huntington, who once owned the land, Huntington Beach State Park is located south of Myrtle Beach in one of our favorite towns, Murrells Inlet. The entrance, off Hwy 17, south of Bus 17, is almost directly across the street from Brookgreen Gardens. That isn't an accident. Huntington Beach SP is actually part of Brookgreen Gardens, but is on lease to the state because, in part, of its pristine maritime forest and beach.

Your journey into Huntington begins with a short trip over a causeway. To your right is a freshwater lagoon. To your left, a saltwater marsh which stretches northward, between Murrells Inlet and Garden City Beach.

Herons, egrets, and other shorebirds often soar over the marshes or munch on seafood in the pluff mud near the oyster beds, and the sight is breathtaking. But don't stop in the middle of the road to watch! Just beyond the causeway to your right is a parking area. If you have time, park your car and walk across the bridge or to the nearby observation platform where you can spend as much time as you please viewing Huntington's wildlife.

Also to the right, if you continue on, you'll find the Huntington's former residence, Atalaya. This structure is fascinating, if nothing else. One can tour the Spanish-Moor-style home for a nominal fee, and we did so on this occasion. From the courtyard entrance, you can walk through a long brick walkway that surely once had a canopy of green overhead.

Reportedly built as a winter home for the Huntington's, and as a sculpting studio for Anne Hyatt Huntington, the house is made of brick: exterior and interior walls, even the floor. The glassless windows, barred by green wrought iron, allows the sea breeze to blow through, keeping the house cool.

I could go on about this house and the history that I'm slowly learning (the Army used it as a base during WWII while patrolling the waters off the shore?) so those interested in such things should check it out in person while visiting Huntington Beach State Park.

Let's continue our tour of the park itself. Backtracking a bit, moving northward in the park, you'll pass a group campground. Just before that, rising in the air on hurricane-code stilts, is the office/general store. This is a good place to stop and use the restroom, or to pick up a snack or bottled drink. This is also the camp registration, so mark that with an X.

Further north, past the causeway you entered on, you'll see a parking lot and what looks like a trailhead into the saltwater marsh. You've reached the Education Center. The boardwalk is a short, scenic walk that I highly recommend. On past visits, we've spotted small crabs running around the pluff mud. On this visit, we noticed an abundance of oysters:

Oyster beds edge the low-tide line near the marshes

Across the street from the Education Center is a trailhead. I'll get to that in a minute.

After you leave--or pass, if you're in a hurry--the Education Center, you'll continue on to another parking lot, and that's where you'll find the good stuff. The rest of the park is nice, great place to visit and all that, but the north edge is what these CarolinasAdventurers love.

The beach. Not just a beach, but from all accounts, a pristine beach: wide, surely-at-least-a-mile long, and bordered by dunes in one spot, and maritime forest in another, ending at a jetty. Be still my heart:

It was bone-chilling cold during our visit, so our attempt to walk to the jetty failed. In warmer months, this would be a great place to spend a day on the shore, splashing in the waves, sunbathing--wearing the appropriate level of sunscreen, of course--or walking to the northern tip in the hopes of spotting Drunken Jack's Island over the dunes. Even kayak. But don't discount this destination during the winter months. It's a great place to do some birdwatching:

Primitive camping is available just off the parking lot. Imagine sleeping in a tent under the stars, with the soothing rush of waves sounding in the near distance. If we had a tent with us, we would have kicked out the Boy Scouts staying there and claimed a spot.

But we didn't, so we did the next best thing: hike.

In addition to the aforementioned marsh boardwalk, Huntington Beach State Park has a two-mile "Sandpiper Trail" which takes visitors through a maritime forest that parallels the sea. Here, you'll find three platforms that allow you to observe wildlife out of eating range.

The trailhead nearest to the platforms is off the beach parking lot. The trail is level, mainly sandy (so don't wear sandals), and we walked unimpeded until we reached the platform near the saltwater pond. We found several ducks floating atop blue waters edged with algae.

We walked about a mile, but, still chilled despite the warmth created by the protective forest, we turned around. Had we continued, we would have ended up at the trailhead across the street from the Education Center.

There's more to Huntington Beach State Park than what I mentioned here. They offer several Coastal Exploration Programs, including beachcombing, birding, coastal kayaking, and secrets of the salt marsh. For program information, call (843) 235-8755.

Like other South Carolina state parks, Huntington Beach does charge a nominal entrance fee, so check rates before your trip. For more information on this South Carolina destination, go to

www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1020.aspx

Huntington Beach State Park

The State Museum (Columbia, SC)

2009-04-03T21:18:00.014-05:00

While we missed visiting several Columbia attractions during our recent visit, I did have the opportunity to visit the State Museum, located on Gervais St.

Along with the Confederate Museum and the Cotton Mill Exchange Store, the State Museum is housed in the old Columbia Mill building near the new Vista area.

Floors once filled with the whirl of machinery and the footsteps of men, women, and children, now contain displays designed to teach the history of South Carolina, from the beginning of time.

We started our trip at the Lipscomb Art Gallery, located on the first floor. After viewing a variety of tiles and masks created by the renowned Carolinian, we went to the second floor, which covers prehistoric South Carolina, along with the varied habitats in the state. I was amused to see a picture of Looking Glass Falls, located in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest, hanging on the wall beside posters of other SC outdoor habitats. That faux aside, we did learn a bit about the region, especially the sandhills, which we've yet to explore.

From there, we walked up a wide, open staircase to the Science and Technology displays. South Carolina and technology? Yes! Greenville native, Charles Townes, patented the laser. A former resident of South Carolina walked on the moon. South Carolinian, Kary Mullis, worked with DNA sequencing. Several individuals from SC have won Nobel prizes. Quite an eye-opener.

We also viewed displays on the modes of transportation throughout the years, including a recovered dugout canoe.

If I have an opportunity to visit the State Museum again, I'll start on the fourth floor, which, we soon discovered, covers the cultural history of South Carolina. The first three floors are informative, but the motherlode of information on the history of South Carolina, from native tribes to the time of the automobile, is what I wanted to see.

Without signage to direct us--not counting the map we received at the ticket counter, which we failed to consult--we made the mistake of starting our journey on the wrong side of the building. So we didn't get the scope of the displays until we neared the end. Still, we had a good dose of SC history in the eight permanent displays and three changing galleries located on the fourth floor. Here, I learned the original Carolinas charter issued by England's King Charles II stretched all the way to the Pacific Ocean. That the original Lord Proprietors included Craven, Hyde, Monck, Albemarle, Berkeley, Carteret, and Anthony Ashley Cooper. All names of towns, counties, and rivers Carolinians are familiar with.

To view the permanent displays in order, start with the Native American exhibit. From there, move on to Exploration & Settlement, the Revolutionary War, Plantation Life, the Civil War, Rural Life, Mill Life, and Automobiles.

Before we left, we spent a fair amount of time in the Cotton Mill Exchange Gift Store, which carries a nice selection of books along with clothing and merchandise.

The State Museum is a trip worth taking while in Columbia, but make sure you have plenty of time to thoroughly view the exhibits, watch short videos, and to let the kids play on the hands-on displays. It can easily turn into a day-long event, but operating hours are from 10:00 - 5:00, Tuesdays through Saturday (Mondays as well during the summer), and 1:00 - 5:00 on Sundays. The museum is closed on major holidays.

For more information on the State Museum, go to
www.southcarolinastatemuseum.org/

To learn more about the Carolinas original charter, go to
http://www.ccpl.org/content.asp?name=Site&catID=6063&parentID=5748

Cape Fear Botanical Gardens: A Reminder

2009-04-02T18:08:00.004-05:00

A member of my hiking group reminded us April is free admission month at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens.

To read my report on this Fayetteville, NC attraction, and to access photos and links, go to

http://carolinatrails.blogspot.com/2008/04/coming-up.html

Columbia, SC: Honoring the Past, Focusing on the Present

2009-03-23T09:35:00.012-05:00

One score and a month or so ago, we moved to Columbia, South Carolina, a land flowing with flowering trees. Delicate dogwoods and azaleas bloomed everywhere, nearly knocking our poor Texas-dried eyes out of their sockets. The lush (we took this picture in early spring, so you'll have to use your imagination) vegetation wasn't the only thing that floored us. Along with wide streets and magnificent architecture in the downtown area, we soon learned this city was steeped in history. With several marks in its favor, I decided to check it out.

The kids were little then, and couldn't protest too much when I put them in the car to explore. They didn't mind when we ended up at Sesquicentennial State Park or Riverbanks Zoo. But they did sigh a few times after I checked out Sherman's March Through the Carolinas and immediately began visiting places mentioned in the book.

I expected to find that same city on this visit, and at first glance, it appeared we had. After pulling into the Clarion Hotel, located on Gervais in the historic downtown area, I spotted a sign that said Sherman headquartered there during his stay.

That's the Columbia I remember.

Despite a light rain, we visited SC's capitol, aka the State House. As in the past, pink azaleas framed the immense Greek Revival structure, and gold stars still mark the spots where Sherman's cannons hit the building.

As I mentioned earlier, the streets are wide, some stretching one hundred and fifty feet across, while others, a mere hundred feet. The city planned it so because....

The width was determined by the belief that the dangerous and pesky mosquito could not fly more than 60 feet without dying of starvation along the way.

(www.columbiasc.net/columbia/257)

Residents and visitors still enjoy those wide streets, which are even more beneficial than they've been in the past.

On this trip, I once again settled into what I thought was the pulse of the city. But as I soon learned, Columbia has undergone several changes in the last decade, and it's now a good mix of past and present. Modern buildings soar beside stone or marble structures. On the way to Chick-fil-A and Atlanta Bread Company on Main Street, we passed the Doric-columned Supreme Court building. Several years ago, planners revitalized an old warehouse district by converting it to a trendy hub called the Vista, complete with condos, art galleries, and several restaurants. The brick and woodworking creates great ambiance. And for the record, the Blue Marlin has great key lime pie.

Columbia also appears to be big on the arts. We passed a dance conservatory, and later, made a grievous error by not going to the Columbia Museum of Art. However, we did see a few, err, artistic pieces around town:

Exploring time was limited on this trip, so we didn't have a chance to take a hike at nearby Congaree National Park, or to search for the Fort Jackson passage of the Palmetto Trail. Nor did we go to Elmwood Cemetery or the Caroliniana Room at USC. But I did make it to one attraction on my list, and I'll cover that in my next post. Until then, here are a few pictures:

And if you'd like a review on the hotel, the Clarion is conveniently located in the downtown area and consists of a six-floor "tower" and adjoining two floor units. A restaurant is located on the first floor of the main building, but because of that, the hotel does not serve a free continental breakfast, nor did we have a refrigerator or microwave in our room. That meant eating out three times a day, which put a strain on our budget, and our diets.

Their wireless Internet connection is fairly weak as of this writing. An antenna went down the night before our arrival, so the hotel moved us across the hall where we could try to catch a connection they share with a business across the street. A bit better, but the connection still dropped far too often.

Beds are comfortable, but we live in the country now, and we're not accustomed to the sound of traffic at night. But it's convenient, especially if you don't want to deal with parking (you WILL receive a ticket if your meter expires or if you park in the wrong place.) However, if you're on a budget and you need to stay in the downtown area, you may want to check out the Rodeway Inn.

More on Resources: Scenic NC Blog and Waterfall Videos

2009-03-18T17:12:00.013-05:00

While we're on the subject of resources, Kelvin Taylor, co-moderator of Carolinas Adventures, (the hiking group I often mention) created a companion blog for his website, ScenicNC.com.

While Carolina Towns and Trails focuses on outdoor destinations, KT's Exploring Scenic NC takes a peek at the makeup of the state, from geology and soil to weather events, and discusses their significance to the landscape. KT has led several group hikes to local longleaf pine savannas since our arrival, and he has supplied me with information on the natural communities on the eastern side of North Carolina. He's also what several of us refer to as "the resident botanist", so expect information on area plants, wildflowers, and preserves crucial to the ecology of the state.

And his pictures are splendid:

Want more? Go to http://scenicnc.blogspot.com/

Later, I have more to share. KT, in conjunction with Waterfall Rich of NCwaterfalls.com, has created a page on Vimeo. You'll find videos of waterfalls, mountains, kayakers, and more. It's great for people like me who love the mountains, but can't visit as often as they'd like. To watch the videos, go to http://vimeo.com/scenicnc.

It occurs to me that you may be wondering why we go through the trouble of photographing, videoing, and blogging the wonders of the Carolinas, and then turn around and hand that information to you. You know those people who claim they love their work so much they'd do it for free? Yeah, that's us.

Okay, you can go to KT's blog now.

A Few Guides to Help You Find Your Way

2009-03-10T16:18:00.027-05:00

The weather is warming up. Violets and trout lilies have broken through the wintered ground and stretched their petals toward the sky. Hepatica and bloodroot are sure to follow. The sun warms your skin. The rays effervesce through you, waking your muscles, energizing them. You have to move. Get up. Inhale the mountains, the lowcountry, the banks along the sea and you know....

It's time to get out.

This has been a long winter for Carolinians, and everyone seems ready to experience the outdoors. But where should you go? I'm happy to recommend a few sources to help you figure that out. Below, I've listed the books and websites we use to plan our outings.

Okay, you got me. We rarely plan outings. But we do research a place of interest before, during and after a visit. This list is far from exhaustive. If you have a resource you'd like to recommend, feel free to let me know. I'm always on the hunt for another decent guide.

South Carolina:

I have only a few resources for my favorite state. Much of my information came from my hiking group or was discovered during visits.

State Parks

South Carolina has a lot of them. You can find one near you--or across the state--at:
www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/park_locator.aspx

Trails:

We often used the South Carolina Trails website (http://www.sctrails.net/trails/MAPS/SCmap.html)

I love the way this map is set up. The state is divided into counties. Users then click on the county of choice. Icons mark the trails in that area. Users can then either cursor over each icon to get the trail name, or click on the icon for more detailed information. To try it, click on the link above, and then click on Oconee County, located at the far upper left of the state. One of our favorite trails is located in that section.

WARNING! Some information may not be entirely accurate (see my Kings Creek Falls post for an example.) We used this site, and used it often, but we considered it a guide. Kind of like the pirate code.
Although it covers more than trails, A Day's Drive From Greenville gives visitors a close up look at some of the trails around the Upstate. The author hikes and then writes, and he's braver than I am--he's willing to hike the strenuous Hospital Rock Trail in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness--so he covers more ground.

In my defense, there's a reason they call it Hospital Rock....

Lowcountry:

Coastal South Carolina, Welcome to the Lowcountry by Terrance Zepke (Pineapple Press) takes visitors on a scenic trip along the Lowcountry from North Myrtle Beach to islands south of Hilton Head. It breaks down the lowcountry into regions (Myrtle, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort) and then lists cities and islands. At the end of each region, Zepke includes sections on recreational activities, nature preserves, parks, etc, and even ghost stories.

We learned about Bear Island, a designated wildlife management area, from this book. We also knew which islands in the Beaufort area were residential or gated. It's packed with information, and because of that, we take it when we travel to South Carolina's exotic shores.

Wildflowers:

Love wild orchids? So do we. That's why we purchased James Alexander Fowler's, Wild Orchids of South Carolina. Dedicating two-to-four pages per orchid, this well-organized book lists flowers by their scientific name, but provides the common name along with clear photos, descriptions of the flowers, habitats they grow in, the months in which they bloom, and even a tiny map showing the region in which they grow. It helped us identify the grass pink, a crane fly orchid, and a couple other orchids my husband has spotted along the trail.

Blogs on South Carolina Activities

Um, mine, but you know that. However, did you know I post links of Carolinas destinations on another blog? The link is in the list on the right, but if you can't spot it right away, click Here: http://carolinalinks.blogspot.com/ I'll continue to update this as we make our way around the states.

As I mentioned above, A Day's Drive From Greenville (http://addgreenvillesc.blogspot.com/) focuses on destinations of all types within a day's drive of the Upstate's crowning jewel: Greenville. To accommodate Upstate readers, I've placed the feed on the toolbar to the right. Scroll down a bit to see it.

I happened on this blog last year, and was so impressed, I added it to my Carolina Links page. Family Friendly Activities: http://shoutaboutcarolina.wordpress.com/

North Carolina

Several guides help us find our way around North Carolina. Perhaps because the state is larger than its southern sister. Perhaps because we don't mind getting lost in South Carolina. Whatever the reason, eight--nope, nine--NC guidebooks sit on our bookshelf near the front door. And I have two more in my Amazon cart and one waiting at Barnes & Noble. Each is as valuable as the next.

Mountain Hikes (Wildflower and Waterfall):

Kevin Adam's books are a standard among many Carolinians. We own and use two of them when we're in the mountains:

North Carolina Waterfalls is almost required reading in my hiking group. Mr. Adams breaks the state into "hubs" and lists the waterfalls from Eastern North Carolina (yes, ENC has waterfalls!) to the mountains. And once in the mountains, from the High Country, south to the westernmost tip of NC.

The first chapter warns of dangers (please read those) and explains how to use the guidebook. The next give tips on photographing waterfalls. Then Mr. Adams launches into the hubs with plenty of pertinent information on each fall along with his renowned photos.
North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes: The Mountains is the second KA book we reference for mountain hikes. Once again moving from the High Country, south to western NC, Mr. Adams lists each hike and provides information such as trail highlights, elevation, trail length, the bloom season, peak bloom time, and more, and then lists the flowers you may find along the path. Along with a generalized trail map (Don't trust your memory. Take a trail map with you. Refer to my Buckhorn Gap post to find out why), Mr. Adams includes some of his photos so you'll know what to look for.

Another waterfall standard is www.ncwaterfalls.com, owned by Rich Stevenson, aka Waterfall Rich. Rich is constantly scouring the mountains searching for new falls, revisiting known spots, and photographing what he sees. Then he puts it all online for the rest of us to enjoy.

You'll find an Index for the falls on the first page, but before you click on it, check out the rest of the information on page one. He loaded it down with good stuff.

Topo or Trail Maps. If you read the Buckhorn Gap post, you'll know we don't use these. A mistake on our part, we know. Consult a local outdoor store, or better yet, an experienced backpacker. Then buy these maps and learn how to read them. Doing so would have kept us out of trouble more than once.

Mountain (Drives):

A few years ago, my husband and I traveled down the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Shenandoah Valley to Boone, NC. Logue, Logue, and Blouin's, Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway (2nd Edition) accompanied us, and we referred to it throughout the trip.

After providing logistical information, this book starts at Milepost 0 and breaks down each point of interest along the parkway. History, hikes, waterfalls, restaurants, campgrounds, it's all there. In the back, you'll find a wildflower bloom calendar, a list of trails, including milepost location, trail length and difficulty. Before the index, you'll find a list of tunnels along the parkway. A very handy guide for those who love to take America's favorite drive.

Another parkway resource: the Virtual Blue Ridge Parkway: www.virtualblueridge.com/index.asp

You'll find maps, a list of trails, lodging, food, and more. You can even take virtual tours.

Statewide:

North Carolina has their share of state parks as well. Peruse them park by park, or view them on a map at www.ncparks.gov/Visit/main.php

The Nature Conservancy's, A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, (2000) lists lands protected under their umbrella by four regions: mountains, piedmont, coastal plains, and coast. Dedicating just two pages (which makes the book small and manageable) to each project, the Conservancy provides logistical information on each area along with a description, conservation highlights, directions, and very important: ownership. Some of the lands listed are privately owned or are only accessible through chapter field trips.

Pithy and informative, this book was well worth the ten bucks we shelled out for it. I found destinations not listed in my other guides.

Regular readers will recognize exploring north carolina's natural areas: Parks, Nature Preserves, and Hiking Trails, edited by Dirk Frankenberg (The University of North Carolina Press). We've consulted this book on just about every trip we've taken since moving to eastern North Carolina, and we'll use it when we start exploring the Piedmont.

This book starts from the coast, then moves into the coastal plains, the piedmont, and then the mountains, organizing each region into a series of tours. Thirty tours in all are included, and range from driving excursions to hiking trails. At the start of each chapter, you'll find an overview map and information on each area including info on habitat and geology. Next, each stop on the tour is listed along with highlights. This book is extremely informative and imho (in my humble opinion, for those of you who have been wondering), it's a must for those who explore North Carolina.

The disadvantage--the book organizes stops in tours. This means directions to a destination are listed only in terms of the previous stop. To get to a location, you'll need a good map or gazetteer, which is also a must for travelers.

Coastal Plains and Coast:

Four books are piled in a haphazard stack, waiting for me to introduce them. One covers both the coastal plains and the coast (Outer Banks). Another, destinations near and along the coastline. The third, lighthouses, and last, birding trails along the coastal plains and coast.

The Natural Traveler: Along North Carolina's Coast, by John Manuel (John F. Blair, Publisher) was on my wish list for months before we purchased it. Once in my hands, I started kicking myself for not buying it sooner. After providing twenty-six interesting pages of overview, Mr. Manual breaks NC's coast into the manageable nuggets: the Outer Banks, the Sound Country, and the Southern Coast. Notable attractions such as lighthouses and plantations are included, as well as outoor destinations your blog host loves to visit. Also included, lodging and restaurant information, directions, activities in each area, occasional blurbs on interesting subjects such as the *sighs* snow goose, the Carolina water snake, wreck diving off the coast, and more.

Each section begins with an overview of the area. From one, I learned more about marshes than I had in over a year of occasional--but dedicated--online research. A very informative book. So much so, it may have superseded...

Coastal North Carolina: Its Enchanting Islands, Towns, and Communities, by Terrance Zepke (Pineapple Press).

Once upon a time, Coastal North Carolina sat in my back seat beside exploring north carolina's natural areas during our excursions. Zepke breaks down the coastal area into three sections: Outer Banks, Crystal Coast, and Lower Coast, then gives readers a glimpse into the, well, islands, towns and communities in each of those areas. Fast facts and history are included, as are recreational and sports activities--fishing, golf and boating are given their own sections--then nature preserves and parks. Even ghost tales. What's the Outer Banks without a good ghost tale?

Leafing through it now, I'm reminded that Zepke included a calendar of annual events, a quiz (and answers) to test your knowledge of each area, a section on NC's pirates and hey, the pirate code!

They're really more like guidelines, you know.

After taking another look at this book, I've decided to once again take it along on coastal trips. We have three seatbelts in the back. That's more than enough room for exploring, Natural Traveler, and Coastal NC.

Lighthouses from North Carolina's Outer Banks down to Hilton Head, SC are the subject of Lighthouses of the Carolinas, A Short History and Guide, by Terrance Zepke (I'm beginning to like this gal.) Fast facts, history, and other points of interest are listed for each structure. I not only learned about each lighthouse--when it was built, how much it cost, which were blown up when Union forces paid a visit--I learned about the Fresnel lenses which shines light across the water, the reasons behind the various patterns, and the incredible base that forms the foundation for each structure.

It also helped me figure out which lighthouses I wanted to visit, and which I didn't.

Last on the list is The North Carolina Birding Trail: Coastal Plain Trail Guide. This spiral-bound softcover breaks down the coastal plains and coast into sixteen areas. One to two pages is then dedicated to recognized birding trails within each of those areas. Included is a short description of the trail, bird species of interest, that area's habitat, parking, direction, and coordinates that correspond to the NC Gazetteer. We have a nominal interest in birding, but this resource is handy because it lists short, or out of the way trails that aren't listed in our other guides.

The two books on my "To Get List" are 100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina by Joe Miller, and North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide by Lynch and Pendergraft. And waiting at B&N? A DeLorme gazetteer.

A member of my hiking group just informed us Kevin Adam's Backroads of North Carolina is now on sale. From the looks of it, it may be on our shelf soon as well. I'll get back to you on that one.

We love exploring the Carolinas and sharing our journeys with you, but the goal of this blog is to encourage you to visit the destinations we cover, as well as those we intend to explore. I hope that along with my blog, one or more of these resources will help you find your way there.

Sylvan Heights: A Groundbreaking Experience

2009-03-09T10:19:00.007-05:00

Last week, we traveled to Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park to find a few wood ducks. We first visited this overlooked jewel last year after reading about it in Wildlife in North Carolina magazine. That trip was both pleasant and informative, and because of it, we expected to spent our day strolling around the shady forest-park, looking at ducks that couldn't fly away when we tried to photograph them. We got that and more.

To our surprise, one of the employees recognized us from our previous visit. I remembered her, too, because she spent time with several visitors, providing excellent information on many of the species living at Sylvan Heights, as well as on the park itself. After chatting for a few minutes, she invited us to a groundbreaking that would take place on the premises that afternoon.

As we soon discovered, the groundbreaking was for a ground breaking expansion. Sylvan Heights is building an accessible treehouse so that those with physical impairments may enjoy the park and its residents. Funded in part by several organizations both mentioned and represented at the event, the octagon-shaped "Bird's Nest" will overlook three levels of wetlands to be restored in the woods behind existing exhibits.

Wetlands restoration? Handicap-accessible facilities? Those in addition to working to save waterfowl? We were honored to witness the event:

The grand opening should be held this summer. We hope to be there for it.

Sylvan Heights is located in Scotland Neck, NC, approximately eighteen miles from historic Halifax. To keep up-to-date on the opening and other events at Sylvan Heights, visit their new blog at http://sylvanheightsblog.blogspot.com/

A delightful visit. But we didn't expect anything less.

If you missed the link to our first post, including photos, on Sylvan Heights, click here.