Southern HighCountry Tour: GA-SC-NC

[Deleted]

The Introduction: In The Beginning

You know how it all comes about. family vacation, plans changing almost daily, etc, etc, etc. Well this one was no different. Right up to the last minute.

"Sure no problem. I'll ride up on Saturday morning instead."

"Yeah, I'll let the dogs out before I go."

"What time am I gonna be there? I don't know, around 6-ish?"

"When do I plan on leaving? About 6-ish."

"No I won't be able to meet you guys in Valdosta. I'm heading a different way up. I'm not taking the interstate on my bike!"

..and thus began the last minute (really, last minute!) routing of my ride to the vacation house we rented on Lake Hartwell, Georgia!


So bright and early it begins. Yes, I let the dogs out, thanks for asking. Those of you that know me, know that I love Florida in the morning. Especially on motorcycle. It's quite and still. The sun rises as does the mist. There's just something special about an early morning ride...




It give you time to have a clear head, no pressures or concerns. Just taking in the dawn of a new day and the possibilities and opportunities that come along with each new day.....




My buddy Bert has always said, and we've all seemed to adopt it here at DDS, that "Adventure Is Where You Find It". And it's true. One minute you're heading down a road appreciating the morning, the next you come face to face with remnants of the local rains and flooding that is still plaguing the area...



But along the way, you discover something you've been by a hundred times before but never gave a second, or in some cases, a first look. Not until you have had an opportunity to slow down! And sometimes conditions allow you to slow down, and when you do, things just sort of pop-out at you that you have to go have a look-see!




... this, and I haven't made it North of Brooksville yet...and the Adventure Begins...








Chapter One: Leaving Florida

Always sound funny that to reach the South you have to go north, but that's what you have to do from Florida. But as always, there's something along the way to stop and see.

If you look for it....

As morning drew on a little ways, I pointed the Tiger North on Hwy 41. A two lane northbound that wanders through the old small towns of Florida. Towns with old downtowns and court squares. Brick buildings and lamp posts. By this time a little farther North I was contemplating breakfast. Gal dang it, I just couldn't figure out where to have breakfast..... until.....

Until I saw the Dunnellon sign! Dang it, why didn't I think of it before! The Front Porch! Good country cooking in a clean place, at a reasonable price. And if you ever get chance, get yerself a piece of pie... The lemon merangue stands about 8 inches tall, the coconut cream is to die for, and the pie cooler is a little slice of heaven on earth....



Breakfast was done, mt belly was full and it was time to continue. We had daylight burning after all!

So it was back onto Hwy 41 heading North.... As I roll, the mind wanders. So many times in a car people get tunnel vision, or talk on the phone, or have a passenger yapping at them. It distracts you of what is around, the changes in scenery, the little pieces of life that go by.

I clear the mind and focus on the ride, focus on the sights and smells. I start to see things along the way.

North of Dunnellon and Rainbow Springs I came across these charcoal kilns. They were built by The Pioneer Charcoal Company in the 1950s to process the Blackjack Oak that grew abundantly around Romeo (the town where these are located - between Williston and Dunnellon). The raw dark wood from the trees were stacked inside the kilns and slow-cooked until it carbonized. It was then compressed and sold as briquettes or lump charcoal. back in the day, I hear tell the smoke from the kilns was so thick at times that it obscured the highway in front of the plant. They haven't been used since the 1960s when the plant was sold and a modern charcoal facility was built just a few yards south of the site.







The road continues through towns with names like Trenton and High Springs. This is rural country. Country of cattle farms, old homes, blue skies and wide open spaces.




Hwy 41 takes me through Lake City and beyond. Once past I-10, the buildings get scarce, and the population dwindles. Open spaces gave way to woodlands lining both sides of the road as far as you can see. Empty roads on a trip through nowhere... until a small outpost appears.

In days gone by, when people would go "motoring" small gas stations lined the highways and byways of the country. Over the past year or so, I've become more attuned to old service stations. Located in the middle of nowhere, these were a motorists reprieve. Manned by attendants who would check your water, and oil, fill you tank and wash your windshield. The kind of place that could repair or replace your tire if need be. The kind of place Goober ran in Mayberry.

I wonder how many cars passed through here. How many Indian Chiefs may have stopped along a hazardous strip on their way to Florida....




A few miles farther up the road, the invisible line is there to be crossed, though the only way to do so and know that it was done, is to pay attention to the signs. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign....

So in the middle of the woods, I'm welcomed to the Peach State!




Hwy 41 takes me up and drops me in Fargo. Talk about heading North, 'eh! Doesn't look cold like in the movie, but hey, this is Fargo, GA.

Running through this area is desolate to say the least. More trees, more swamp, more roadside water. This is the lower edge of the the great Okeefenokee Swamp afterall...





And as always, something strange pops into my head that's amplified by the warped sense of humor that hides in the recesses of my brain... I just see this sign and LMAO.....




I go North. It's getting near lunch time now. But I have a goal for lunch. There must be a decent local place where I'm headed...

North of Hazelhurst a river must be crossed. Today by motorcycle, in the past by boat and rail. The lumber had to be moved and in the day, it was moved as best they could...

The Southern Railway Trestle in Lumber City is one of the last surviving rotating bridges in Georgia, though no longer in use, it stands as a sentinel to days gone by.

Different sources list the date of construction for this landmark "through truss" design as 1916 or 1930; the architecture of the pylons tend to point to the earlier date, as does the fact that it’s a rotating bridge, and most steamboat traffic was long finished on this river by 1930.





In this picture you can see the operator’s shed or watch tower, which allowed the worker to see steamboat traffic on the river, as well as oncoming trains.





So I pull back on the highway, dodge all the bark and strips of wood in the road to reach the destination I was sure would have a decent local place for lunch....




No dice. No food. Just a right hand turn and head North.... Rural Georgia is one of my favorite places. Probably because it can be interchanged with southern Alabama, they are so much alike, from terrain, to red clay, to the agriculture history and lifestyle and small towns with long forgotten downtown districts...

Life can be good, and tough, in rural America...




Toombsboro is one such town that time has forgotten, and the present neglects. There are For Sale at just about every building, and one large sign for the local realty agent that stated "property for sale, and almost the whole town, make offers"

A town of history, waiting to be rescued and revived...













I say goodbye to Toombsboro, thinking in the back of my mond how cool it would be to win the Powerball and buy the whole town and turn it into a living 1920's era museum... ah to dream.... you can do that when you ride a bike... dream of what was and what can be... and I still ride because I must.... continuing on a Northbound trek...

More Southern History comes alive. There's always something to learn, something to creep into you thoughts as you ride, something that ads to the overall trip, that gives the area a little more meaning....







Past lakes....





...and onward through Milledgeville....




North of Milledgeville, I headed into the Oconee National Forest to grab a road I had heard about. Macadonea Rd is one of those twisty turniny low-country roads you came across every so often. It reminds me a lot of the catskills in Upstate NY. All too soon, the ride is over as it dumps onto Hwy 77 North in Maxeys. Yet another small railroad town from days gone by.

I pick up GA Hwy 172 as it winds towards hartwell, my final destination. The land is beginning to roll now. Over one rise the road drops sharply as it crosses the Broad River...









The day draws on, the clock ticks down as I roll through Hartwell. It's been a long day, but I only have a few more miles to go until I can rest. The sun is dipping in the sky, casting long golden shadows. The tree canopies block out the lower rays. under the canopy, the heat of the South Georgia summer afternoon is calmed and the temperature drops....




I pull into the garage at the house.




Brian and Tim trailered up. I'm not sure if that was the smart way to do it or not. Actually, for them it was...

...for me... I chose the right way to go...

...because it's not about the destination....

...adventure isn't found in any one place...

It's found along the way.

[Deleted]

Great narrative Swampy. What are you using for a camera as the pictures are really sharp?

[Deleted]

Dan,

It's a Nikon AW100 CoolPix GPS Waterproof/Shockproof 5x zoom...

It's a cool point and shoot. Only the lens is in the upper left of the body and I get my finger in the picture every once in a while!

[Deleted]

Great post Swampy on my list

[Deleted]

Chapter Two: Letting It Happen

Sunday came with no riding. A day left to rest after the trip and hang out with the family (kids and grandkids), and just relax. After all. That's what a vacation is for right?

And then it happened. My wife asked if I was going riding the next morning.

Why I hadn't thought about it. Brian, Tim and I planned on riding Tuesday and Thursday and we were all planned for that. But now..... now..... now she brings this up! The boys didn't want to go since they wanted to spend time with their kids at the lake, so that left a solo run... but where at this short notice?

Hellllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo maps! My friends. How I missed you!

So I do what I like to do. Just stare at a map....

A funny thing happens when I stare at a map. Routes start popping out at me. I don't know what it is, but they just seem to materialize.

MapVision is engaged.

Now let me pull up the Googly and do a search of some of the things in the area that I like to see:

First search is State Parks... why? Because this is where you'll find points of interest, historic things, and scenic areas!.... check!

Second search.....covered bridges and mills..... oh how I love these... search returned and research done. Targets chosen..... Check!

Now to plot locations of what I want to see, connect with all the best roads in the area. Total mileage and adjust to meet time frames and WHAMO-PRESTO! My planned route for tomorrow! Now to just write it down so I can put it in the map holder in the tankbag....

(my Nuvi 500 doesn't allow for uploading routes so we're going old-school this week!)






Let's get some rest!

Sun comes up. Wife is in the kitchen and there's fresh blueberry buckle for breakfast. Yummy! Okay, one more piece.

I wheel the Tiger out of the garage and fire it. A click let's me know I'm in gear and up the driveway I go....

A great sunny blue sky Georgia morning awaits and greets me as I make my way. I plotted out a short cut to the Interstate.... well "shortcut" being a subjective term as I chose to stick with county routes...




Why stick to low traffic, curvy, county highways instead of hi-traffic, straighter and wider State Roads? Well here's one reason why....





Yeah, I know I said I was heading towards the interstate. I abhore interstates on motorcycles. But this was, well, is necessity as I-85 the only way to cross the river to....



Once across the lake it was off and onto SC Highway 11, the Cherokee Foothills Parkway:

The Cherokees called these heights the "Great Blue Hills of God." Following an ancient Cherokee path, this road arcs through peach orchards and villages, past Cowpens National Battlefield and over Lake Keowee.

But not for me. It's way to get to side roads, narrow and twisty. Taking a Scenic Parkway to those roads? Priceless!





Chapter Three: Oconee Station

So as with any trip it has to meet some criteria for myself. There has to be a motorcycle, interesting roads and destinations, and a tankful of fuel. Yup. That pretty much sums it up! A bonus is nice weather...

And on this morning it was gorgeous....

Once again, SC 11 heads north and arcs through the South Carolina Hill Country. Overall it's one of those thick line on a a map. The kind where when we were kids, even though it says "scenic parkway" it's scenic from the back of a station wagon scenic. Wide, a major route. Traffic. The kind of road that city slickers go on and think they're in the great outdoors!

I'm heading North on the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Parkway up past Westminster and Walhalla making my way towards my turn-off up past Lake Keowee when suddenly....


(Insert dramatic music here)


I run past a brown sign! (For those of you who don't pay attention when you are out riding, brown signs are usually for some type of park or historic spot. Just an FYI to keep your eyes open for adventure!)

So I grab a handful of Triumph anti-lock braking and swing to right before making a u-turn and running back the 50 or so yards for the turn. I'd seen this name during my searches the night before, did a brief investigation and relegated it to the "if I had time" file in my memory.... but I didn't understand it was RIGHT HERE!

I mean really. How could I be so excited at 0900 on a Monday morning? Afterall, I'm on a motorcycle, away from work, ready to turn down on a twisting county road going to a state historic site I didn't plan on stopping at. Awful. Yuck. Get me outa here!

Yeah. You know I dig this stuff and you guys that ride with me know I'm prone to do a "Crazy Ivan" at any time....

A quick 2.5 mile run down this pitiful boring terrible side road called Oconee Station Road.....



Led me here. To this place...




Ironic really once you find out what it is!


A short ride in and I park in the parking area. There are about 5 mini vans already there and a bunch of backpacks and water bottles on the picnic tables. Looked to me like some group of kids were headed to the pond and waterfall.... so I wasn't going that way!

I chose the trail uphill that lead to what I came here for in the first place....






And since you can't read them, here's what these markers said....

Oconee station & the William Richards House
This site was a frontier outpost and a meeting place between European American and Cherokees of this region during the late 1700s. The first building here, known as Oconee Station, was built as a garrisoned fort for armed troops and included a military blockhouse. Its initial purpose was to protect white settlers in the area from Indian attack. Soon Oconee Station became used as a trading post. Trader William Richards came to live on the property in 1795 and, in 1805, built a brick residence next to the station building.

Military Outposts and Trade
The sturdy stone structure at Oconee station housed as many as 30 soldiers at a time over a period of about eight years. We can only guess at the number of deerskins that passed through its doors during and since that time. Deerskin was in high demand in Europe, and Southwestern Indians responded by hunting millions of deer annually for trade. In exchange, they received weapons, cotton and linen fabrics, rum, ornaments, metal tools, and other items. European guns made it easier for Indians to hunt deer, but weapons were also valuable to them in defense against their enemies. Though trade was beneficial to both sides, it was



disruptive of traditional Native American life, particularly as hunters. The Indians bartered other goods such as baskets, ginseng, and snakeroot, but deerskins remained their main trade good until Indian removal from the Southeast.

Material Cultures
In exchange for their valuable deerskin, many Southeastern Indians received clothing made of European cotton and other fabrics, wearing a mixture of European and traditional Indian apparel. The attire of the white Americans living on the frontier also showed a blending. The fringed deerskin jacket associated with the frontiersman is European in construction but Native American in its materials and decoration. The sharing of material cultures between European-Americans and Native Americans revealed the amount of contact between these two groups and symbolized the complexity of their relationships, which ranged from inflamed animosity to friendly cooperation.

Defending the South Carolina Frontier
As Europeans and European-American settlement expanded across South Carolina, the "frontier" moved west. Beginning in 1792, Oconee Station and six similar military outposts served as the westernmost defensive points for new settlers. Scouts based in these stations roamed the frontier areas and served as an early warning network of imminent Indian attacks, giving the alarm to local white settlers.




This site was the only station on the South Carolina frontier that remained in operation after 1796. Its use by the military ended after 1799, when the threat of a major Indian attack became highly unlikely. Oconee Station, with its history as a military fort and trading post, reveals the complex and changing relationships between Southeastern Indians and white settlers, as the whites gained land and as the Indian Territory was pushed westward.

Oconee County Through a Traveler's Eyes
In May 1775 William Bartram, a British naturalist, crossed the Savannah River from Georgia and explored the Keowee River Valley in present-day Oconee and Pickens Counties. At that time, he was traveling through Cherokee lands. Two years later, most of this land would be lost to the Cherokee. Bartram's writings express the beauty of this part of South Carolina. Bartram was especially interested in the plants of the area. He sketched local species and described magnificent vistas.

Visitors to Oconee County today can experience the beauty that William Bartram found more than 200 years ago, including the sites highlighted on this panel.

I always try to put myself back in time to when places and actions occured. It's a way a use to help history come to life....



Walking the paths, listening to the trees, another time...



Over two hundred years ago this was a major trading post. The sights and sounds of that outpost, the goods being traded....




It just kind of makes you wonder exactly how difficult times were back then, and how easy we have it now...



I finished my visit and began digesting the information and era. It slows me down and puts me in the right frame of mind. The frame of mind that opens me up to the possibilities of adventure where ever I find it today.

I return to the Tiger and gear up. Press the button and the motor growls. Horse loaded with pelts and wagon filled with cured meats were here hundreds of years before me.

I twist the throttle and head back out towards Hwy 11....

This is going to be a GREAT day!

[jimroberts]

Who told you you can't upload maps to a Nuvi 500? I do it all the time.

Using Mapsource, "down load to device", then on the Nuvi, "my data", " import route from file".

[Deleted]

Was gonna try using it as nav for the trip up through GA but Could never upload onto it. Even tried a few nights prior to leaving. No big deal, I prefer my 276c anyway, but that's hardwired into my KTM...

I'll give it whirl and see if it works.

[Deleted]

Chapter Four: The Southern HighCountry

So the brief detour to Oconne Station got me in the groove. When you're riding by yourself, it's always good to get into the right frame of mind to enjoy the ride!

So I continue North on Hwy 11.... and wait a tick! What's this.... it's located at a small creek just east of Oconee Station that ran under Hwy 11. History just keeps on giving!



As I was saying earlier, Hwy 11 is fairly wide with the tree line trimmed back way off the road. It was this way for the next 15 miles or so up towards Lake Keowee.

Some of you may have heard of Jocasse Gorges. Hwy 11 makes up the southern boundary of the lake and gorges. It doesn't offer a view of the lake (but I get one in another day or two!) but there is a state park and some upscale housing developments in the area...

Just past the state park, I take my second left on Roy Jones Rd.... once again.... life begins on a county road....


It's roads like these that make up this connector. I grabbed the picture above when I forced myself to stop. You get into a groove and you just don't want to stop!

Roy Jones Rd turns into Cleo Chapman Rd which reminds me a lot of Warwoman. And just like Warwoman, it dumps you off in the middle of a turn on an even better stretch of roadway! Except here, Bob's Place marks the end of Cleo Chapman at Hwy178....



By this time, the Tiger is humming. I've gotten more comfortable on it, the new Avon Storms have it handling like my Speed Triple and the 1050 engine makes the transitions smooth and electric. This bike can tour and run the curves, cleaning the chicken strips off your plate with little effort....

All that being said, we run the roads in 3rd just rolling on the throttle when we need to go faster, and rolling it back when we need to slow down.







I've been climbing now for a few miles as the turns get tighter, sharper, steeper and decreasing in radius as we go....



Had to pull off onto the side to grab a picture just to prove the Tiger made it to North Carolina. This is THE FIRST time I have ridden a street bike in this great state. Ridden dualsports far too many times to count, but the very first time I crossed the border on a road bike. Pretty significant time for a rider like myself!



Once we reached the top, the road went down, and it went this way a few times.... curvy up, curvy down.... I even reached Rocky Bottom before I picked myself up and climbed back up. And when I reached the top again, it was good to know that the next time I peed, it would be rolling to the Mississippi!



So I keep riding, taking in the trees, the curves, the smells, the canopy, the spaces and the moment. I'm looking for East Fork Road. It's gotta be up here somewhere soon. A good looking county road on the maps. I'm hoping for so!

...... and here it is!


This road encompasses many of the elements that I use to grade my roads for fun potential. Wanna work through it with me?

1. No lines
2. No shoulder
3. Chip Seal surface
4. A curvy sign with a speed limit less than 30mph
5. A single lane bridge... which means a creek.... and these roads usually follow a creek.... which naturally doesn't travel in a straight line!

That basically means this road has great potential!

And it does. It kept me interested and attentive almost the whole length. I only had an opportunity to snap a picture or two along the way!






As we cross the border between counties someone went and painted some lines in the road, but that's okay. It's still the same great road....especially when it points up hill one more time!



So remember that the next time you climb Mt Marcy....



East Fork eventually dumps me out onto Hwy 276/Greenville Highway and I turn South East. The road here is typical "main mountain paved" in great condition, as it's traveled by many tourists and fits the profile for those city slickers.

Once again, as all things in the High Country the road rises and I climb to a nose bleeding 2910 feet above sealevel! And now I'm able to know that when I pee, it will find it's way to the Atlantic Ocean! We're talking high-mileage pee for sure!



... and for the second time today, I cross the border into South Carolina...



... and while I'm here at this point on the border, what better way to spend a few minutes but by reading a marker about the state I just left that's just behind me to my left ...



Just down the road lies a planned destination...

[Deleted]

Chapter Five: Hail Ceaser


So I'm sitting here at the SC/NC border heading South. Why South? And Why South Carolina? Because that's where South Carolina is!

Seriously. I've "Been there, done that" so many times in NC dual sporting, and the same for east Tennessee and North Georgia. But I never explored the South Carolina Upcountry!

... and that's what this portion of the Ride Report is about! You'll be surprised at what you will find here!

...And since I'm focusing on South Carolina, it's best that I get back in there and do some riding....






But first, a quick stop about 3 miles down the road.... don't blink, you can miss the entrance to your right!



From the Wiki:

Caesars Head State Park is a park in northern Greenville County, South Carolina, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the North Carolina border on US 276. Caesars Head is a granitic gneiss outcrop at 3,208 ft (978 m) above sea level on the Blue Ridge Escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains that looks down about 2,000 ft (600 m) to the Piedmont below. Caesars Head State Park and Jones Gap State Park form the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area.


Now let's take a little walk to see what the fuss is all about....




Hummmmm........ what's this?




Well looky here!




Little bit of view from here, wouldn't you say?






Now let me try this new fangled-thingee on my phone that takes these pictures...






Well, that's not too shabby!

So after taking in the cool fresh mountain air and feeling the cooling winds on my face, I make my way back to the bike and fire it up. Afterall, I still have a lot of riding left in front of me, the last set of things I want to see, and this serpentine stretch of pavement that goes down this dang mountain!

Today is a good day.

So far today I left Georgia and crossed into SC, rode the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Parkway, visited a Revolutionary War period historic site, rode some awesome roads that are off the radar for most tourists, crossed the Eastern Continental Divide TWICE, been in and out of North Carolina, and had myself a mountain top view of GA/NC/and SC!

And I haven't had lunch yet! But Daylight's Burning!

Let's see what else it brings!

[Deleted]

Chapter 6: The UpCountry Transition

The foundation of today's tour has been the Cherokee Foothills Parkway. That was the starting point and the point that we always come back too as we zig-zag our way across the South Carolina Upcountry.

So far we've added a splattering of revolutionary war history,some great South Carolina roads that looped into North Carolina, and a place so scenic, yet out of the way, that it isn't visited by many!

But what started this trip, the first thing I always look for, just also happens to be the farthest point on the tour from where we are staying in Georgia. Covered Bridges.

If you've been following along on a map (which you should be doing!) you would have noticed that by this time I'm about halfway to Greenville. (Unfortunetly I didn't go. I'll have to save all the Shoeless Joe Jackson stuff for another time!)

The South Carolina Upcountry is nestled between I-26 and the North Carolina border.

It's time to take in three bridges that were built in three different centuries. All within a few miles of each other.... how cool is that!

So I leave Ceaser's Head and head south on 276. The road is at it's twistiest here on the South Carolina side as it bring me back to the Cherokee Foothills Parkway...





Once down to Hwy 11, it was just a short jaunt north to pick up River Falls Rd. It's a meandering two lane with stripes and no shoulder. Folks working outside, waving as you go by. One of the funny things today is that on these side roads, there has been no traffic. Since this morning I have counted 11 cars/trucks all day (not counting the I-26 stretch). The Upcountry, while scenic, doesn't attract that many tourists... which to me... is right where I want to be! Country roads, no traffic and a motorcycle.

Up on Hwy 25 I swing south a few miles. Traffic is here on 25 as it's a 4 lane main route between somewhere and somewhere else. Where people have to be somewhere in a hurry for some unexplained reason and let life pass them by...

I couldn't find Beaver Dam Road too soon! This traffic kills me! Another well kept stretch of pavement that the only people who travel it, want to be there. It's not a stretch that you just go to, but to get to you have to know it's there.

Beaver Dam turns left and turns into Old Hwy 25 / CR969 / Callahan Mountain Rd...

What can I say about this?



Not much actually, since a picture says a thousand words...



I stumble along this road and catch a glimpse of this before I turn around and grab a picture. An earthen dam. No view of the lake, but only the mowed front section of the earthen dam that is holding back Lake Saluda. Which is a big stretch of blue on any map of the Upcountry!



This is country at it's best. Motorcycle roads. Undiscovered by the majority. And open for me today. By myself. Alone. With no one else on them.



Roads too cool that the Google car doesn't even go down them. Another taste of rural America undiscovered by the internet. It's getting rare, but it's out there. For your eyes only, if you travel this way...




Our next destination is coming up fast, just down here a little ways...




Chapter 7: Poinsett Bridge and the Old State Road

There's a area in South Carolina where you can see three bridges that were built in three different centuries. Add to that an old mill and another bridge.

Curious you say? Well I found it curious as well.

And they were all within a 90 minute circle of each other. These were the far-points of my ride today, when I'm done, it's time to head back. But before then, there are four bridges to visit. And none of them proved to be a bridge too far.

Cruising down the foliage covered road called Callahan Mountain Rd I'm in search of a bridge not from this century, nor the one before. But a bridge that was built in 1820. Along the times of the Indian removals, the westward expansion, and the first of three Seminole Wars in Florida. Back in a time when North Carolina and Tennessee were "The Wilderness" and few had seen anything past the ports of Savannah or Charleston...





I pull into the roadside park. The shade was welcome relief from the heat of an August summer day. I was greeted with a marker that explained a little bit about the story of the bridge....






The oldest intact bridge (1820) in South Carolina, it served as an important link in the State Road, which connected Charleston with the mountain communities in North Carolina.




From the north side you can see Little Gap Creek flowing into the archway...




While doing a little reading on this bridge, there are some people who claim to have heard whispers in the archway, though no one else was there. Haunted? Why not. It was built in 1820 and chances are that it was the scene of a dastardly deed or two through the years. But today, no whispers. Just the sound of a small creek babbling as it makes it's way across the rocks as it ambles down to the Saluda....



Now a little history from an official guide:

Constructed in 1820, the Poinsett Bridge is one of the oldest spans extant in South Carolina. Its impressive construction of wedge shaped rocks, erected without concrete, has pointed Gothic arches that are rare in the state today. The bridge was part of the State Road from Charleston through Columbia to North Carolina that was designed in 1817-1819 by Joel Poinsett, director of the South Carolina Board of Public Works. The bridge was named in his honor. Poinsett also served as Secretary of War, Minister to Mexico, and first president of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, forerunner of the Smithsonian. It is believed that Robert Mills designed the bridge. Mills became State Architect and Engineer for the South Carolina Board of Public Works in 1820. A brush drawing by Mills of a bridge with Gothic arches and keystone identical to those of Poinsett Bridge lends credence to the belief that Mills designed the bridge. Listed in the National Register October 22, 1970.

... and one point left out, is that Joel Poinsett is the man responsible for bringing that red Christmas flower, named in his honor, to the United States.




A great find, and one I almost planned to bypass. But not today. Today is a good day to ride. Poinsett Bridge just proves that.....

One down, three to go....

[rcbimmer]

Swampy another wonderful description and pics of what looks like a pretty cool ride. Thanks.

[Deleted]

Thanks Rob,

We're not done yet! thats only about half of day one! I'm putting it up at forum.dixiedualsport.com, Im putting it up here as time allows. "The Man" has been o-pressin' me the last few weeks so its drafgging out....

[Deleted]

Chapter 8: The A-Bridged Version

Wheeling down Callahan Road, I come back up on Hwy 11. It's funny really. I've been weaving back and forth with the Cherokee Byway all day. That's the way to do.

So I pull onto Hwy 11 once again. Bummer huh?

Yeah I know.... I look to the left and the bald ridges of granite pop out and tower over the surrounding countryside. It's like this for a few miles. If only there was a way to get up there. I know there must be, but time is my restriction at this point. It's a shame. No matter where I ride, there's always more to explore!

This picture didn't pick it up too well, but if you look you can see it. There's a flag on the top of this mountain, and right next to this flag is church. Talk about a scene every Sunday looking out over creation!



I have three bridges and a mill to get to. They're all in this general vacinity so let's get to bagging these things!

First up is Ballenger Mill and bridge. These are privately owned and on private property, but the research says they're accessible. Let's go find out!

I hang a left on Glassy road and meander around a few curves and up and down a few hills....



Now about the bridge and mill.....

Ballenger’s Mill was originally built by Lewis H Dickey (the areas largest landowner) in the 1820′s and has since been restored to todays condition. For years after the Civil War it was named “L. Green’s Mill” but was renamed in the 1860′s after it was purchased by J.L. Ballenger. The grounds are privately owned and currently host weddings and gatherings of all sizes.

The bridge is called a 20th century bridge and not much more information is available on it. The mill, the bridge, and the grounds are quite picturesque and worth the exploration to find!



I tried to get both in one picture.....




Next up? The Klickity-Klack Bridge!

It was back out to Hwy 11! See! I told you I keep coming back to it! But this time I'm heading towards Gowansville.

Located 2.3 miles from the Gowansville intersection, the Klickity-Klack is right on Hwy 11 and easy to miss from West to East, but jumps out at you from East to West!

This unique, open-sided, 21st century covered bridge was a labor of love, built as a gift to local “Dark Corner” residents and visitors to the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway.

Though built as strongly as a fortress, the floor timbers of the bridge are attached to support spans in a scattered pattern to provide a nostalgic “klickety-klack” of older bridges as vehicles pass over them.

Great bridge for sure!


Okay..... so I have one bridge left. The next one is the only "authentic" covered bridge left in South Carolina.

Constructed in 1909 Campbell’s Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in the State of South Carolina. The 38 foot long, 12 foot wide pine structure that spans Beaverdam Creek was built by Charles Irwin Willis. Locals believe that the bridge was named for Lafayette Campbell, who at the time of the bridge’s construction owned 194 acres in the immediate area.

The bridge and surrounding acreage is presently owned by the Greenville County Recreation District and has been transformed into a passive park where visitors can picnic, explore the foundations of other historic points of interest on the property, wet their feet on a hot summer day in Beaverdam Creek, and learn about the area through historical signage.

Let's go have a look!













Whew!!!

It's after 2pm and I've finally bagged my last bridge. These were my destinations for today, only about 150 miles from the house, but a fun 150 miles so far....

So far?

Why yes!

Because I have to head back to the house now.... this ride today isn't over yet!

I choke down a breakfast bar and chug a bottle of water.... it's what's for lunch when we're burning daylight!

I gear up and thumb the starter....

[Deleted]

Chapter 9: Into the Tiger's Den

The easy way out from Campbell's Bridge would be to head back to Hwy 11 and follow it all the way back. But what fun would that be, riding on a wide two lane road where the trees are trimmed back 50 yards from the road. I'll take the road less traveled. The roads that locals use. narrow two-lanes with lines and no shoulders...

Good roads...

Backroads.

So I turn right out of the bridge park and continue on CR114, hung a right on Jordan Rd and over to 101 until I picked up Hwy 414.

414 is a road once again, much like the ones I grew up on in the Catskills. For you Southern Boys who have never ridden Upstate New York, it's kind of like the first part of Hwy 180 out of Suches before it gets to the hill climb to the gap...

So here I am, minding my own business, taking in the ride home when all of a sudden.........



I mean really? Who knew!

Tigerville...(for those of you who don't know, the above bike is a Tiger 1050 and there's a bunch of guys here at DDS that ride Tigers)

Tigerville? So what's the story here?






Well......... that's interesting. Probably explains why Clemson has a Tiger for a mascot as well! (Since Clemson is only about 30 miles away!)

See here.... it's a O-ficial town! Even has a Post Office....



There was even a Tigerville Fire Department, but I didn't get a shot of that. Thought it would be Tiger-overkill!


But out of the corner of my eye, something caught my attention... Hell-o? What's this?!?


Is this not one of the coolest old store gas stations you've ever seen?



T.P. Wood Store. There's gotta be a story about this...

It is small and, for a few months out of the year, it is practically empty. Many maps do not hint at its existence because it holds no tourist attractions. In fact, you are probably standing on its shining star.

Tigerville, which lies in the heart of “Dark Corner,” a nickname for the northern area of Greenville County, is a town that had only 700 residents in 2000. It is home to one post office, a restaurant, an elementary school, two churches and North Greenville University.

But small has not always been Tigerville’s key adjective.

According to an article published on Oct. 28, 1999 in The Greenville News, the town once had “as many as four general stores, a mortuary, post office, cotton gin, blacksmith, chain-gang prison work camp, barber shop, beauty shop and the United States’ smallest public library.”

In those days, however, Dark Corner was notorious for moonshine, among other delinquencies, and Tigerville was no exception.

“Ignorance abounded, superstition flourished, quarrels were settled with the knife or the gun. In the early morning, smoke from the stills built on the streams that fed the Tyger River rose like mist,” Jean Martin Flynn writes in A History of North Greenville Junior College.

But perhaps this is the reason the North Greenville Baptist Association — which saw the Dark Corner as a mission field — worked so hard to establish a Christian school in the area, a challenging undertaking in itself.

“According to college records, [North Greenville] was built specifically to counter evil influences inherent in the county’s ‘Dark Corner,’ “ the Greenville News reported.

“In 1891, there were only three high schools in the whole of Greenville County,” according to Flynn. “The thirty churches [in the area] spent a total of $2,223.99 [in 1891].”

Which is what makes Benjamin F. Neves gift 10 acre and $500.00 gift toward the school so remarkable. An additional $2,000 was donated by Tigerville residents through the North Greenville Association.

North Greenville High School’s first class day was Jan. 16, 1893. Professor Hugh Lafayette Brock and his two assistants welcomed the 80 students.

Neves continued to donate land to the school. In 1935, he gave five acres, and when his granddaughters enrolled, he gave 69 acres for their tuition.

His family sold the remaining 525 acres in 1943 for $12,857.50, according to From These Roots by Dean Emeritus Henry J. Howard, who worked at North Greenville from 1949-1965.

The school officially became North Greenville Baptist Academy in 1915, and twenty years later, under Dr. M.C. Donnan’s administration, it became North Greenville Junior College. 1972 was the year “junior” was removed from the title. Bachelor’s degrees were offered in 1992, master’s degrees in 2005, and plans are being made for a doctorate program.

But Tigerville has other stories to tell too.

The T.P. Wood Store near the Tigerville post office, closed in 1996. Willie Wood, a Tigerville native, opened its doors most every day for 50 years.

A murder occured in the store in 1981.

According to The Greenville News, two robbers came in and demanded money. Wood conceded, but one of the criminals shot Wood. His mother, then the postmaster, heard the commotion and ran into the store. One of the theives stabbed and killed her, and Wood shot and killed the thief. The other robber was later tried and convicted. He was still serving time in state prison in 1999.

“A doctor whose last name was Barton decided to leave the area. Ultimately, many wagonloads of people went with him prior to the Civil War, ending up in Williamston, Texas. His brother is referred to in Texas history as the ‘Daniel Boone’ of Texas,” Dr. Cathy Sepko said.

She also said that one of the Woods built what is now Porch house for his daughter. The large magnolia was planted the year she married.

Despite its small size and slow way of life, Tigerville is rich with history that permeates even the patch of land you are occupying now.

T.P. Woods and Tigerville.

What a neat place to stumble across!


I make my way back to the house finally picking up Hwy 11 one last time as I head to I-85 and the Georgia border.

What a great day this has been. Started with a Pre-Revolutionary War outpost and ended with Tigerville.

Tomorrow I take Brian and Tim for their first rides in NC. This'll be fun!

[Deleted]

Chapter 9: A New Day Begins...

So after a great day of riding, the rains moved in and created a wet day for Tuesday. This was the day that Tim, Brian and I were supposed to take off and go... but... rain rain rain and more rain, followed by a little more rain. So basically we called it a washout and pushed our day back to Wednesday.

This ride was planned because the boys have never been up here on bikes so they wanted to hit the tourist areas.... yes you know what I'm talking about. We have to go to The Dragon.

So I planned on getting there using some of my favorite roads, hit the dragon, swing over and grab the BRP and head back on some groovy pavement!

That was the plan anyway....

Tim and Brian want to ride, and not stop all the time. They're not really into pictures or the essence of "the ride", but more interested in just riding. Nothing wrong with that. I'll just have to grab a bunch of shots one handed on the fly!

Early morning Georgia. It's time to ride....




Onc more it's up to the the interstate, cross the lake, and start riding in South carolina once again. Grabbing some side roads we head up into Westminster...



We run up Hwy 28...... (more in an up coming chapter!)




Just south of the Georgia line I come across this. The boys speed past so a quick shot and I'm outa there. I'm going to have to come back to check this out.... something I caught out of the corner of my eye when I was pulling away....( in an upcoming chapter!)




Just a tad bit south of Highlands I spied this and just had to grab the shot. This is the kind of day it was going to be. Hurry up and ride and grab what I can.... but at least with this pic, you can get a sense of a great Highcountry morning!



Coming into Highlands I once again cross the Divide... this makes three time in three separate places in two days!



I catch the boysin Highland, NC outside of a Bad Dog something or other. They're waiting on me but not too long, prolly just a few minutes.... now it's on to more moto fun!



Chapter 10: Across the Mountains


So we're sitting in Highlands and we still have to get to The Gap. So away we go heading off towards Franklin, NC. Down the gorge we go. The pavement is new and smooth. The lines are clean and bright. The traffic is slow and slower. The tourists are dumb and dumber, and somebody get that minivan outa the way!

That's one problem we all can associate with here on the main roads in NC.... traffic. How many of you guys have pretended you have missiles on your bike.... come on now.... raise your hands...

Oh yeah. I thought so.... you wanker!

So we're putt-putting down the gorge because god-forbid the minivan breaks 20mph.... and in the nick of time there's relief for the growing road rage and an opportunity for the minivan driver to continue on their way, oblivious to anything and anyone around them...

Everyone's stopped here at least once. Today i have to show Tim and Brian since we're doing the "tourist" thing with them....



Yeah, that's right! THREE Tiger 1050's at Bridal Veil Falls!


So from here it was down the gorge (with no minivan but someone in a Camry who knew how to drive!) and into the open road below.... we took the bypass around Franklin and swung off onto Wayah Road.... one of my favorites!

So here are some shots from Wayah.... (we didn't stop at the bald) I told Brian to go on ahead because he was itching to "ride"..... so remember, I'm grabbing a bunch of pics "on the fly"!










Deputy Tim having a grand time in his first trip to the mountains by motorcycle! We forgive him for his Tiger is orange. We all know the WHITE TIGERS are the best ones....






As we make our way towards 19, we catch up to this Harley... not that there's anything wrong with a Harley. Or a minivan.




... and we make our way around the Harley....



Tim and I meet up with Brian at the little wayside park at Wayah and 19. Time to relieve the pressure on the bladder and catch some trailsnacks and gulp down a water...afterall.... DAYLIGHT'S BURNING!




But before we continue on, there's a little bit of history in this park I need to check out... (and the second historic chimney of my trip so far!)

This chimney was part of a house built in 1939 by the Utah Construction Company for use by the folks at Nantahala Power and Light....



According to the sign below, there are two more chimneys across the river that were once part of a winery! Plus this land in the area was owned by an old Cherokee Chief named Nimrod Jarrett Smith... one of only a few land owners in this area to own slaves...




Now lets' go chase the Dragon....

[Deleted]

Chapter Eleven: Deal's Gap and the Dragon

Yup you got it, the boys wanted to ride the Dragon. That's why we came up this way. So we'll let the Dragon take their virginity.

WE took 129 from 19 and stopped for lunch in Robbinsville. It was about 1pm by now... and we got the whole "Tigers of the Corn" thing happening now...


All I can say is that these are FUN bikes!

So after chowing down at Wendy's for a quick stop it was on to the Gap...

... Now we've all seen Deal's Gap pictures a thousand times. How can I make this a different post. One that you may not have seen before and take & show the obligatory pictures from Deal's Gap...

Put on your thinking caps boys and girls, because Professor Swampy is gonna impart some learnin' into yer skulls!

Here's the picture of the dam taken on the fly...


... and a little bit you may not have known about Cheoah dam.... from the Wiki...

The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties, North Carolina on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52. The Cheoah Development consists of a dam and powerhouse, the first of several constructed by the Tallassee Power Company, now Tapoco. The Cheoah project began in 1916 as a construction camp at the Narrows where the Little Tennessee River flowed through a narrow gorge, and was completed in 1919. Cheoah Dam helps form the long, narrow Cheoah Reservoir, which covers the approximately 644 acres (261 ha) of the normal full pool area and a drainage area of 1,608 square miles (4,160 km2). The elevation of Cheoah Reservoir is 1,276.8 feet (389.2 m) (USGS). A scenic highway runs the length of the reservoir.

The water inflow for Cheoah, like Calderwood and Chilhowee, is primarily dependent on releases from TVA's Fontana Dam. Fontana Dam is the primary flow control facility for the lower Little Tennessee River. Tapoco built and operates the Cheoah Development.

When completed, the 225-foot (69 m) dam was the world's highest overflow dam. The turbines were the largest in the world, and the 150,000-volt transmission line had the highest voltage and the longest span for a transmission line — 5,010 feet (1,530 m) across the river below Cheoah Dam.

The dam was used as a filming location for the 1993 movie The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford.

I know a bunch of you have been over the bridge and past the dam, but just thought I'd enlighten you a little bit about what you were seeing!



So onward to the Deal's gap resort for some obligatory pictures as well!

But first, how much do ya'll know about the history of Deal's Gap?

Well let's check it out from the good folks at Deal's Gap Resort!

People from all walks of life are drawn to the seducing curves of the Dragon at Deal’s Gap, also known as US Hwy 129. They make their pilgrimage to test their skills, or in some cases, to be bitten by the Dragon.

The area surrounding the Dragon was one of the last areas of North Carolina to be settled due to its inhospitable terrain. The southern Appalachian Mountains are made up of two separate ranges; the eastern range is the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the western range is known as the Great Smoky Mountains. For thirty-six miles along the TN/NC border the GSM are more than 5k feet in altitude with 16 peaks stretching to more than 6k feet. All of this altitude translates to treacherous travel, especially for the pioneers in their day, but also for us as motor-sport enthusiasts today.






Written Cherokee history of the area begins in 1540, but it wasn’t until the18th century that settlers began to venture into the mountains of western North Carolina in more measurable numbers. The early 1700s saw a few adventurous trappers and hunters making their way into the area, and the ensuing battles between these settlers and the natives eventually led to the Trail of Tears. After the natives had been relocated and their land became available, more settlers took the chance of seeking out an existence on the rocky tops of the Appalachians. Part of the Dragon was cleared into a rudimentary road to the Cades Cove Settlement following Parsons Branch in the early 1800s. During the late 1800s, there was a greater influx of settlers, and Graham County was carved out of Cherokee County in 1872.



In 1910, the Aluminum Company of America began the arduous task of surveying the land in Blount and Graham counties for the integrated development of the water resources the Little Tennessee River had to offer. On the NC side of the mountains in 1916, construction on the Cheoah Dam and powerhouse began. It was then taken over in 1919 by the Tallassee Power Company and in turn by its successor in 1955, Tapoco, Inc. The latter company was derived from the first two letters of each word of the former companies.



With the birth of the public works that the new dams and their power brought to the area, construction of new roads and highways began in earnest. It was not until 1931; however, that Tapoco could be reached from TN by auto via the present day US 129 crossing into North Carolina at Deals Gap. Until that point, the choices were train or rail bus; and during the final stages of construction, the only access was by boat.

US 129 is an interesting road, even to those that do not ride motorcycles. It closely follows an old Indian trail that wound through Graham County before climbing the Smoky Range and crossing into TN at Deals Gap,

where it continues along the ridges before emerging at Calderwood, and finally on to Fort Loudon. The opening of US 129 brought the benefits of tourist trade, which increased yearly with the public’s discovery of the natural beauty that lay nestled in those mountains so difficult to reach previously. Much of this area is still devoted to national parks, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala National Forest, and the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

So now that you guys have a little history, let's move on to the present!


Here's the standard parking lot picture (warning: view changes daily LOL!)



... and the required picture of the Tree of Shame... and that dang Big Wheel is at least 20 years old...




... and there's always one bike that stands out that you NEED to go look at and take a picture...




... and of course a picture of the coolest bike there taken with the Dragon...



Now let's go ride this sucker...

Welcome to the Volunteer State!



... and of course, this road is either ride it or stop and take pictures. You can't do both. I chose to ride it and let the folks at Killboy, 129slayer, and Hillbilly snap the pictures!

Yours truely....



... and Deputy Tim....



... and Frosty....



.... and for this post, I'll leave it sitting here... at the Calderwood Dam overlook....


It's time to head back to the house, but we have a lot more riding in front of us to get there!

[Deleted]

Chapter 12: The Dinner Bell Rings

Boy got that straight! We have to ride back to the house for dinner.... but what way to go? We're at the east end of the Dragon so let's just hang a right and take the Foothills Parkway....

From the Wiki:

The Foothills Parkway is a national parkway which, if completed, will traverse the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. The 71-mile (114 km) parkway will ideally connect U.S. Route 129 along the Little Tennessee River in the west with Interstate 40 along the Pigeon River in the east, passing through parts of Blount County, Sevier County, and Cocke County. Large sections of the parkway will cross a series of high ridges running roughly parallel to the Tennessee boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and will offer unobstructed views of the Great Smokies to the south and the Tennessee Valley to the north.

The oldest unfinished highway project in Tennessee,[1] the Foothills Parkway project has been continuously stalled by funding difficulties since Congress authorized its construction in 1944. As of 2010, only 1/3 of the parkway had been completed and opened to vehicular traffic. The longest open section consists of a 16.5-mile (26.6 km) leg traversing the western flank of Chilhowee Mountain in Blount County, connecting US-129 along the Chilhowee Lake impoundment of the Little Tennessee River with U.S. Route 321 in the town of Walland. The other open section is a 6-mile (9.7 km) stretch traversing Green Mountain in Cocke County, connecting US-321 in Cosby with Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River valley. The Gatlinburg Bypass, which traverses the eastern flank of Cove Mountain between Pigeon Forge and the national park, is also considered part of the parkway.

The parkway is managed by the National Park Service as part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and is not a separate unit of the national park system.

Here's a shot that includes my finger!



... and once again, no time to stop since the boys just wanna ride, so here's a shot of a scenic overlook at 45mph...



The Foothills Parkway is a nice meander if you have the time to stop and take in the scenery... great place for photography for sure!

... and now for the biggest mistake we made.... and I should have known better, but I wanted the boys to get a scenic ride.... Little River Rd/Old Highway 73. YIKES!

This is like a moving parking lot....







The road is good as it twists and turns along the river. But the dang tourists! Take your minivans and go to Disney for goodness sake!

Enough about this silliness. It took an hour to go less than 20 miles. AAARGH!

So luckily the torture ends and we wind up on 441 to shoot over the mountains and down to Cherokee to pick up the BRP...




On the fly, heading for a tunnel!




On the fly IN a tunnel...



There are numerous pull-offs for scenic areas on 441... and here is a picture of one as we ride by...



... and another ride-by picture shooting....



Look Ma.... one hand!



So by the time we make down to the BRP entrance the boys were more interested in getting back than riding some more. The BRP section would have added another hour to our day. What's with these youngsters? I thought they wanted to ride!

So we cut through Cherokee, down to Culowhee, into Cashiers and headed back to Hartwell GA...




And thus concluded our day... we only rode 11 hours and 400 and some miles...

Vacation is almost over, only two days left....

[Deleted]

Chapter 12: Bored As Hell, Let Me Take A Ride

Thursday rolls around and we're all just hanging out at the house. It's little overcast, but still that Georgia August hot. The kids are jumping in the lake, catch catfish on the dock, and feeding bread to the little turtle who comes by to visit everyday.

This goes on all morning. Into the late morning. Past lunch. Two O'clock comes....

Don't get me wrong, I like hanging out, but there's more to do than just hang out feeding fishes ALL day... anyone wanna go for a ride? No? Anyone mind if I go for a ride? No? Okay, I'll see ya at dinner!

Now what's a boy to do with an afternoon pass and a motorcycle? Well let me tell ya....

There's this one place I wanted to stop at yesterday but the boys just wanted to blast, so I'm going back there to check it out!

It just happens to be a park, and yes, it has a waterfall as well... so that's a double bonus!

I run back to the interstate, across the lake, up to Walhalla and up 28 AGAIN. Man this sucks, huh? Hehe...

... and just north of Walhalla is where I'm heading...



Why yes! A tunnel!




Let me give ya the skinny on Stumphouse.... from the Wiki:

The tunnel was first proposed in 1835 by residents of Charleston, South Carolina as a new and shorter route for the Blue Ridge Railroad between Charleston and the Ohio river valley area which until then was only accessible by bypassing the mountains entirely to the South and then traveling up north through Georgia and middle Tennessee. In 1852, 13 miles of tunnel were proposed to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains through South Carolina, North Carolina, and into Tennessee. Construction on the railway was begun in the late 1850s and was successful through most of South Carolina until hitting the mountains around Wallhalla in Oconee County. There Stumphouse tunnel along with three other tunnels was to be built.

Construction on Stumphouse tunnel began in 1856 when the George Collyer Company of London brought many Irish workers into the area for this project. Many of the workers lived in housing on top of Stumphouse mountain called Tunnel Hill. By 1859, the State of South Carolina had spent over a million dollars on the tunnel and refused to spend any more on the project, therefore the tunnel work was abandoned. The tunnel had been excavated to a length of 4,363 feet of the planned 5,863 total feet.

Today, where the tunnel was meant to end on the other side of the mountain, there remains a mound of earth (intended for the railway tracks) submerged during the summer months under Crystal Lake, located just west of Highway 28.

As a part of the planned Blue Ridge Railroad, two other tunnels were begun in the 1850s and are all connected by terrain at railroad grade. Middle Tunnel, a quarter mile from Stumphouse Tunnel was successfully completed but mostly collapsed and was partially sealed off in the mid 1900's. It is only accessible by foot. Saddle Tunnel, the last of the South Carolina complex was also begun for a short distance 1.5 miles north of Middle Tunnel. Saddle is partially completed yet is mostly submerged by a small lake. Only the entrance to the tunnel is visible.

Beginning in the 1950s Stumphouse tunnel was used by Clemson University to grow blue cheese until the 1970s when the blue cheese operation was relocated to air-conditioned cheese ripening rooms where the tunnel environment was duplicated.

Today, Stumphouse tunnel is operated as a public park along with nearby Isaqueena Falls by the city of Walhalla. It is open daily except Christmas Day and during inclement weather from 10am til 5pm. Inside the tunnel the temperature is a constant 50 degrees with humidity of 85%. The tunnel is easily accessible by foot, a few yards from a gravel parking lot. The structural integrity of the tunnel is solid and almost no cracking is apparent minus an enlarged vent halfway through the tunnel. In 1999 this vent was impacted by a rock slide, however in 2000 the town of Walhalla re-excavated the tunnel and safely returned it to public use.

Let's take a walk!




So up the hill and to the right....there's an old rail car to add a little character to the area...



So it was off to the tunnel...



It's reported that the tunnel is haunted, and there are also a few myths that surround the tunnel, though many say these are not true.... but then again... could they be?




Cold and damp, water dripping from the ceiling, and a steady little stream running down the side of the walkway...




I smell cheese. Anyone else smell cheese?




Now down along the other end of the park is the waterfall....




Here's the legend of the falls....

Legend has it that the falls is named for an Indian maiden, Issaqueena, who warning the white settlers of an Indian attack, was then chased by Indians and she appeared to jump over the falls. By actually hiding behind the falls (or some legend-tellers say she hid behind a stump, hence Stumphouse Tunnel), she tricked her pursuers and survived.

The walk is short, only about 200-300 feet or so down a trail to an observation deck....




Between a historic, unfinished, pre-Civil War railroad tunnel, and a small but scenic waterfall. This little county park is a neat place to stop. It's out of the way and often overlooked, and to be honest, if you don't know it's there, you won't ever know about it....

There's still daylight burning... I guess I could churn out a few more miles....

[kbikerider]

Very nice trip report Swampy. Very expertly done. Ride safe and enjoy the next few days. Carmen and I are looking forward to our next DDS adventure. Whats on the horizon?

[Deleted]

Theres still ore to thi rde report. 19 chapters in all.


Ive gota get the 690 out in he dirt. been jonesing fosome good roost

We'll chat when you get back.

Ejoying the Canaden ride report of yours!

[kbikerider]

Slap that Dragon for me. Great reports.

[Deleted]

Chapter 15: 25 or 6 to 4 or Maybe 28 or 107

Yeah.

I climb out of Stumphouse park on the really neat park road which, in and of itself, is worth it just to go see the tunnel so you can ride it back out!

I head North on 28. Why? Well it seems I still have daylight burning so why waste it! let's go explore some more!

... and every once in a while, you come to the crossroads in life. Which way to go? What will I find? Will it be the right way? Who knows? Who cares? I'm in South Carolina, on a great summer day, riding my Tiger. Some of you guys stress too much! Carpe diem! YOLO! E-plurbus unum! Gunga galunga, gunga gunga galunga! Hacuna Matata!

No matter which road you take, it'll go somewhere you are not!



So I took a right. Guess which one.... YES! YES! You got it correct!


I'm motoring up 107, swing into the Oconee Sate Park, check it out. Camping area looks nice. Gotta remember that.

I came down 107 the other day and saw a sign for the fish hatchery...... now where was that dern thing....

Oh yes, there it is now! Here a helpful hint for those of you venturing out to plan your own adventures. Tip 1652: If the main road you are on is riding along a ridge, and a sign says NF Fish Hatchery....you know the it's gotta be by a creek, and you know that creek don't flow on ridges... so the only way to get from the ridge to the creek is DOWN.... and you know you've never seen a straight road down... so this road must.....



Why yes it does! Indeed! It twists and turns going down hill. Now folks, let's do some more deductive reasoning.... if a road goes DOWN twisting a turning for over 2 miles and dead-ends at the fish hatchery, what must you do next?





C'mon.....





You know the answer..... just say it....






YES! YES YOU DID! YOU GOT IT CORRECT! Congratulations!

The road MUST twist going up!

So 2 twisting miles down + 2 twisting miles up = 4 twisting miles of riding! See how Swampy-math works!

Let's add in the bonus..... seriously..... how much traffic really goes to a fish hatchery? Yup.... that's 4 twisting miles with NO TRAFFIC!

AWESOME!


So back on 107 I'm going North again, and what the heck.... let me swing right here on SR413 which cuts across and connects with SR130 (which turns to 281 when you cross into NC).

So I'm on 413 when WHAM! WHATTA VIEW! (this picture DOES NOT do it justice in the least!)



The view of Lake Jocasse..... pretty awesome, huh?

So I cruise over to 130 and head north to North Carolina and cross the border yet again...

Along the way I pass Gorges State Park and pull over for a Quick-Pic...



The afternoon is racing by, the daylight is burning! The shadows are growing and the temperature is noticably cooler in the shade! Gotta move!

I make it up to 64, swing west through Saphire on my way to Cashiers to pick up 107 South yet again. And that ain't a bad thing!

Just South of Cashiers I spot yet another historic spot I need to check out... I passed it once back on Wednesday with the Boys, ain't gonna pass it again without knowing about it!





It was after hours (5:30) so I parked the bike and walked around the gate to grad a few pictures and learn a little more history.... ( I made this picture bigger so you could read it better)



... and from the Cashier Historical Society:

Built by Mordecai Zachary between 1842 & 1852 and virtually unaltered, the Zachary-Tolbert House is one of the most important historical buildings in Western North Carolina. It is a rare example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture, a style that flourished in the mid 1800′s, but is rare in the mountains. Hallmarks of the style include a distinctive front facade with columns on the porch, side windows, and transoms above the entrance door.

Through a combination of preservation and restoration the House is today much as it was over 150 years ago; with no paint on its interior walls, no electricity, no plumbing, and no central heat. The House contains much of its original furniture, also crafted by Zachary. It is recognized as the largest known collection of Southern Plain Style Furniture crafted by one person in one place.

The Zacharys were among the first white settlers of Cashiers Valley, arriving in 1832 to carve a new homestead out of a mountain wilderness, previously a part of the vast Cherokee Nation of Western North Carolina. Mordecai Zachary was nine years old when his family settled in Cashiers. Among the many skills he learned from his father and older brothers was carpentry. In 1842, at the age of 19, he began clearing a tract of land bordering the Chattooga River, turning the felled trees into lumber at the family saw mill. Building in the 19th century Cashiers Valley was a slow process with Zachary himself doing all the carpentry and also crafting all the furniture. The original site had several outbuildings and a ten horse stable, no longer standing. A rear-positioned Kitchen Dependency was constructed just outside the back door of the Main House.

The Greek Revival architecture of the Zachary’s new home was unusually elegant for Cashiers during this time and it is believed that future Confederate general and South Carolina governor Wade Hampton III provided the plans for the home – and may have helped with purchasing the hardware and glass in exchange for boarding during his visits to the area.

In 1853, the Zacharys had their first child. Twelve children were born while they lived in the House and Elvira taught them all to speak Cherokee, in which she was fluent. The Zacharys hosted boarders, primarily men interested in hunting and fishing. Zachary supplemented his farming income with a sawmill, a gristmill, and carpentry. He was eventually hired to build Wade Hampton’s first hunting lodge. Inside the Zachary House there is much graffiti on the walls. In the downstairs hallway under the steps, one writing tells of a Zachary son, Charlie, taking his first step in the early 1860s.

Over the years, the Zachary House continued its dual existence as both a private home and a summer boarding retreat for the landed, prominent families of the South Carolina Upstate, Piedmont, and Lowcountry. Notably, the period from construction until 1873 was the only timeframe that the House was used as a year-round residence. Subsequent owners would maintain the House only as a seasonal retreat – a respite from the hot humid climes of South Carolina summers.

After over two decades and 12 children, Zachary and his bride sold the House along with its furnishings to Armistead Burt in 1873. Burt was a prominent 19th century lawyer & politician from Abbeville, SC. He was both a protégé and nephew by marriage of John C. Calhoun, U.S. Senator and former Vice-President of the U.S. Notably, the Civil War effectively ended in Burt’s Abbeville home, when Jefferson Davis’ last meeting with his Confederate War Cabinet was held there. Davis and Burt were good friends. Burt later served as Speaker of the House of U.S. Representatives and was instrumental in getting Wade Hampton III elected as South Carolina’s famed Reconstruction Governor. In 1881, Burt sold the house (and its furnishings) to his fellow politician, parishioner, and former law partner, William Henry Parker.

William Henry Parker was the great-grandson of William Henry Drayton (Drayton Hall), the aristocratic member of the Continental Congress of the American Revolution, whose suggestion of fireworks to celebrate July 4th became an official American tradition. His wife, Lucia, was the daughter of the most prominent family in Abbeville, the Wardlaws. Parker served in the Confederate Army, was active in both local and state politics, and eventually became a wealthy and notable attorney.

Just before the Parkers bought the House, a new road (today’s Highway 107) had been built from South Carolina to Cashiers, allowing travel by coach or wagon up to the mountains. The Parker family took advantage of this ready accessibility. They had 10 children who found both Cashiers Valley and their new summer home quite a playground. Evidence of childhood restlessness on rainy summer afternoons is found throughout the House – where ink spots (from “ink fights&rdquo are visible on the walls and furniture. This youthful energy is also responsible for a much of the house graffiti (over 200 “entries” discovered) – especially in the upstairs bedrooms. In 1901, William Henry transferred the House to his brother’s family, Dr. Francis Le Jeu Parker, a physician from Charleston. When in Cashiers, Dr. Parker treated the local residents. In 1909, Dr. Parker sold the House to Robert Red Tolbert, the son of J.R. Tolbert, Tax Collector for the Port of Charleston. – beginning the Tolbert Era for Mordecai Zachary’s grand home.

Soon after buying the House, Robert Red Tolbert, an Abbeville cotton farmer and prominent Republican politician, and his wife Lucy construct a wide porch. This “piazza” completely surrounds the house and enables Tolbert’s father, J.R., to move about outside during the rainy Cashiers afternoons that are common in the summer months. The porch was removed in the 1940s because of disrepair. The Tolberts truly made the House a “home”, making friends with the local residents as well as other summer visitors and became an active part of the community. They often stayed beyond the summer months.

Early in the 1920s, the original kitchen located just behind the Main House was destroyed by fire and subsequently replaced with a wooden structure from a former logging operation in Whiteside Cove. Taken apart, transported, and then reconstructed on the exact site (utilizing the original chimney), this building was carefully and historically restored in 2009 and is now part of the comprehensive House Tour.

The House remained in Tolbert ownership for most of the 20th century, beginning with Robert Red in the early 1900s and eventually falling to his grandson and namesake, Robert Red “Bubba” Tolbert. Bubba recalled in the 1990s, “We children had many chores; bringing water from the spring, chopping firewood for the fireplaces & stove, cleaning, and trimming the wicks in the kerosene lamps.” His mother, Mamie, liked company and the house was always filled with family and friends who returned year after year. Mamie does all the cooking and because of the old fashioned conditions, calls life in the house “Indoor Camping”.

After Mamie dies in 1972, the House is used only for a couple of weeks during each summer and begins to deteriorate. 1987 is the last summer the House is used and the deterioration accelerates. However, Bubba Tolbert wants to preserve his family legacy and decides to sell the house with the condition it be preserved, and hopefully restored.

In 1997, Tom & Wendy Dowden purchased the Zachary-Tolbert House and subsequently donated it to the newly-organized Cashiers Historical Society. The Historical Society quickly mobilized to identify and protect the House and its contents. After successful fund-raising efforts, the Zachary-Tolbert House was restored to its original condition, its contents preserved, archived, & displayed, and its surrounding meadows, woodlands, and streams naturally developed for public use.

Today … The Zachary-Tolbert House Museum is on the National Register of Historic Places and is open for guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays, 11am-3pm, May through October.

So the day was almost over. I had to make it back so once again, I continued on 107 and other roads until I made it back to the house...

Tomorrow's Friday. One last short ride before we pack up and head home on Saturday... but Friday brings what I consider the best part of this adventure...

[Deleted]

Chapter 16: A Treasure Map To Adventure


So now it's Friday and its a scheduled ride day with the boys, but alas, they don't want to go too far. I guess that run to the Gap was too long for the youngins! Luckily for Frosty though, is that his daughter likes to ride with him. Gives him some great daddy-daughter time so there's no harm in making the day short!

So once again, bright and early about 0800 we're set to take off....

Hey look! Three Tigers! Wait..... One of these is not like the others!




.... and once again we were headed on up to do the loop...

First stop: we take Kaye to the Stumphouse tunnel.....(see Chapter Chapter 12)...

Next we motor north on 28..... now remember in an earlier chapter when I said I stopped at this place and saw something out of the corner of my eye that I needed to come back and explore?



Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll....... let me tell you this is a total surprise! A neat exploration. A cool little adventure in an adventure!


So once again we come motoring past and I stop while the boys fly by.... Let's start with the full story.... let's go back to 1721.... Colonial times.....






This is a historic marker on the road, (erected in 2008) and Chatooga town was a little north west down by the river.... no remnants of the town remain.... but.... here at the same location appears to be something abandoned... neglected.... long forgotten....

It's only when you slow down and take a minute to breath that you begin to notice details in your surroundings. Sub consciously you detect something that isn't right, doesn't fit with the rest of the surroundings, something that just catches the corner of your eye and make you stare into it to see that there is something special here....





My curiosity is up. I've gotta go have a look....

So down and overgrown wet and muddy path I walk to see what is this monolith and horizontal thing down the way.... as it turns out, the rock is a rock, but probably was used as a hitching stone, but what I found interesting was this....



It's a historic marker of the surrounding dale, a forgotten place, lonely and overgrown. A place in history, a lace long forgotten, even by the US Forest Service who erected the marker. And by the condition, I reckon it was last maintained in the late 80's to early 90's.

Feet wet and standing in knee high grass, I read the marker...



I hope you can make that out. Pretty good stuff in there, especially the Woodrow Wilson reference. It's amazing how you find your paths crossing with Presidents of this great land of ours. They are real people.

Here's from the Wiki:

The Russell Homestead in the Sumter National Forest is listed on the National Historic Register. In the late 1800s, the Russell home was a busy Appalachian farmestead. The family provided overnight lodging and home cooked meals to those who traveled to this high land to get away from the hot summer. At times, 80 visitors would stay in the house all at once. The farm had 10 buildings besides the main house, including a blacksmith shop and a spring house. The house was destroyed by fire in 1988, and only the chimney remains.

Steps to the house....


... and a corner stone of the early foundation...


Though the writings and descriptions say a chimney is all that's left, it seems time has taken it's tool again and the chimney is no more. Just the flat level area where a house once stood. A beckoning beacon of safety and comfort in a wilderness.....



Now what else was on this marker....


A homestead.... interesting. A little personal history about about William Ganaway Russell... hummm that's cool....

... and now we know that a house truly existed until it burned to the ground in 1988.... how sad....

Now looking at the marker there's something else.... and in the middle of the marker? A map! A treasure map? Could be!


Let me orient my self a bit. I am here. So to my left would be..... A PATH! A single dirt path, glistening southern mountain clay with water run off, and tall, tall grass. And the path led in the direction shown on the map. There MUST be treasure here!



(Forgive the blurriness. These were taken on my phone and in a hurry. I knew the boys were waiting down the road for me...)

Occasionally slipping and sliding along the path I came across this old barn. Just like on the map....



Then just a bit more down the path, under some trees and thru the briars...


I am rich in discovered treasure.... so many people go by every day... every year.... and have no clue the delight that is found just off the road and down a path...

(you can see the path in the middle of this photo)



The path forked, with the left leading down to an open field once plowed and planted that fed the Russell clan and visitors to the in. The path to the right took us here.... to the final out-building... as the map identified as the corn crib...


Truly a surprising treasure. Unused, almost abandoned and slightly visited for many, many years. A true treasure of adventure...

... and while doing a little research afterwards for this post I came across what may be considered good news, and bad news.

The good news is that a restoration project has been approved by the USFS in 2011 to rebuild the house and farm, creating a working historical site. (Read about it here)


The bad news is that this will no longer be a "lost" treasure for those bold enough to look....

But I was here. with the remains of the original buildings, with the ghosts of the past, and the voices of the land. Living history.

.... and it all started because I saw something out of the corner of my eye....

I caught back up to Frosty, Deputy Tim and Kaye and we made our way around the loop for another 170+ miles morning. But all I could think about was how cool it was to find something out of place and hidden, explore it, and walk down the path...


This..... was a good day.

[Deleted]

Chapter 17: A Guide In The Wilderness

The week has come to a close and Saturday is here. Everything is packed and we're ready to go. Since I'm riding, I need to leave early to cover the 12 hours to make it home.

12 hours.

Yeah right. Like THAT's gonna happen. I'm riding my bike. You think I'm not going to find adventure?

So I wheel out of the driveway bright and early at 0700 and head into Hartwell....


On Hwy 51 I run past a branch of Lake Hartwell...



A little farther down another bridge over another branch...



It was turning out to be a beautiful morning. Cool breeze flowing over windshield, sun coming up across the lakes. early morning riding at it's best. I turn to 77 South and head towards Elberton.... it seems like something was guiding me this way. Nothing from my conscious mind, but something pulling in the subconscious....


... I go zooming past a sign....



Holy Moly! It's here!

While I was researching the way I'd travel up and back, I came across something that I had heard about a few years ago, but since it's so far out of the way, I paid it no heed because when was I going to have a chance to see it? Probably never.

So there it was tucked in the back of my mind, completely forgotten about, and not even on my radar for today.




I grab another handful of Triumph ABS and pull another Crazy Ivan. Gotta check it out!

Que the theme from the X-Files...

The Georgia Guidestones are a collection of standing stones near Elberton, Georgia. Built in 1980, they are primarily composed of six slabs of granite: one central pillar, four “major” stones that fan out from the center, and a capstone. The capstone has engravings on all four of its sides in four different ancient languages, all of which read, “Let these be guidestones to an Age of Reason,” when translated. The major stones are each engraved on both sides, and each side contains text in one of eight modern languages asserting ten guidelines.

These guidelines have proven extremely controversial, causing speculation and rumors of conspiracy that go far beyond northeast Georgia.

The Georgia Guidestones are at once a Rosetta Stone, an astronomical observatory, and a road map for rebuilding civilization. Theories of conspiracy, occultism, and apocalypse surround this monument, and it has been called a “prism of meaning” by many who have studied it. At the heart of this confusion is the missing piece of the puzzle: who was the mystery man that designed and funded the project?

Conspiracy theorists surmise a global plot on the part of shadowy group of men to reduce and subjugate the world’s population and create a “New World Order.” Others believe that the man behind the monument was a Rosicrucian, and that the stones are representative of that group’s occult manifestos. Are the stones proof of a Satanic conspiracy or a testament to a Cold War psychology of nuclear annihilation?

The block that describes the Guidestones...















There is a view site within the center of the structure, aligned with some cosmic event event no doubt...looking to the west...



This one looking eastward...



Each monolith has the same inscription but in 8 different languages....






All in all, a very interesting site when you sit back and think about it. Please, go use the Google and read more about it. The secretive story behind it, the exact construction and alignments.... it was kind of spooky being there first thing in the morning.

But once again. You don't find thing like this unless you ride and keep and open mind to where adventure can be found.... whether it's here or on another cosmic plane...

Once again, this is going to be a good day. No doubt about it.