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Disc Golf Match: Mountain View Park


One more disc golf match to be played!

Welcome to the outskirts of Clemson, South Carolina and the Mountain View Park Disc Golf Course for today's matchup between our competitors. Mountain View Park is a free-to-play course overlooking Lake Hartwell with 20 relatively short yet technical holes. Our competitors will be playing the front nine this time around, looking to improve their statistics. How did our players do?

Course Result:
His Holes: 1
Halved: 3
Her Holes: 5

Course Record: Him 10 - 4 - 18 Her
Holes Record: Him 69 - 112 Her

A relatively simple first hole saw both of our players halve the hole for par. However although both had some bad tree luck on the second, a little time in the rough for him meant she was able to take the hole. Tree luck was absolutely terrible for him on the third, as she won that hole with a par. The bad tree luck would swing the other way, as he answered back in the fourth with a par of his own, followed by a halved difficult fifth. On the six, he missed a putt, while she was able to capitalize and win the hole. The bad times in the rough continued for him, as she was able to take the seven with a first for her: a birdie! He would have more bad luck in the rough on eight giving her another hole win, before closing out with a halved hole. Shots were 39-44 in her favor.

She continues to pour it on, but will it continue? Find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.


WRITTEN Aug 24, 2025 at 06:10 PM
TAGS: disc golf, south carolina, trip 26
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Park Review Again: Clemson RV Park at the Grove


Once again, we decided to stay at Clemson RV Park at the Grove. This was previously visited by us. However this time, we chose to have an extended stay in the RV, at a whopping eleven months.

Grounds: By the time we made it back, a good chunk of the housing development nearby had finished, and some of the homeowners in the area are a bit rowdy so you may have to deal with their noise. It looked as if they were doing more construction, perhaps as an additional access for the executive suite. The area is building up with additional commercial establishments, so future visitors may not have to travel as far.

Staff: It was nice to see the staff continuing to be accommodating towards changing needs and multi-day trips. However, for the number of regulations that the park has, they don't seem to ever enforce them. Obviously you don't want to be a hard stickler like we've seen at other parks, but speeding and wrong way driving were getting out of hand to the point where other driving vehicles and even children were nearly being hit by these unruly tenants.

Amenities: Of the bath houses that had maintenance issues on our first visit, we found the same disrepair upon our return. In addition, other things continued to break in the bath houses that were never fixed, despite raising rent and laundry prices for what seemed to be zero return. They did add a couple additional washers and dryers, but that's assuming they work and weren't trashed by either unruly tenants, or non-tenants that seemed to be in and out of the facilities with the door never locked. On the plus side, we did see a number of events, including hosted dinners, bouncy castles, and game shuttles, taking place during football season for home games. There was also a barbecue competition that was hosted in the winter months with a similar atmosphere. If you go during the right time, although the rates will be significantly higher, it could be a very happening place.

Atmosphere: During the events, there certainly is a lot of positive energy in the park. However, the far end of the grounds, where most monthly renters are placed, has a significant "trailer park" vibe akin to the commonly associated stereotypes. There are cluttered sites, tenants deciding to park their cars across several pads without paying for them, loud music at all hours without being able to listen to your own sounds in your own rig while wearing headphones, and the problem tenants are either incredibly arrogant or "don't speak English".

After this stay, we regrettably must lower our rating to 7 out of a possible 10. Rumors were spreading of a significant price increase in the near future. This location does not conduct background checks on monthly tenants when compared to other parks, but after what we experienced, we sadly now understand why other owners are now being forced to do this. We were happy to be able to find an opportunity to leave this area, and should we come back to upcountry South Carolina, whether for a visit or long term, we will likely not return to this park.


WRITTEN Aug 17, 2025 at 04:21 PM
TAGS: park review, south carolina, trip 26
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Disc Golf Match: Grand Central Station


As our players head to a new location, so begins a new disc golf series!

Welcome to Grand Central Station, this one being in Central, South Carolina, for today's disc golf match. Grand Central is a free-to-play, themed park with two separate 18 hole courses. Today, our players will be playing the front nine of the "freight" course. However, the basket for hole 9 is missing on our course, replaced with an overturned bucket. The bucket will be played as if the putt was made passing over it. So how will our players fare?

Course Result:
His Holes: 1
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 4

Course Record: Him 10 - 4 - 17 Her
Holes Record: Him 68 - 107 Her

Hole one started with him in the rough, but she was unable to capitalize as the hole was halved. He had even more difficult time in the rough on two and three, but she was able to take the hole each time, garnering a two-hole lead. The rough continued to plague him on four, along with a missed putt, resulting in her taking a three hole lead. He would have some bad tree luck, but a missed putt from her resulted in the hole being halved. She'd miss a putt on six, but it wouldn't matter, as an awkward shot landing in the rough meant a hole win for her. Hole seven would see her taking a penalty for landing in the creek, and because of that, there would be no shutout, as he took the seven. The final two holes were halved by our competitors. The shot count was 52-55 in her favor, as this course proved to be quite difficult.

She is pulling away. Can he bring it back? We'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.


WRITTEN Aug 10, 2025 at 12:16 PM
TAGS: disc golf, south carolina, trip 26
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Brew Review: Keowee Brewing Company


Once again, Freedom Rolling comes to you with another brew review, this time from the Keowee Brewing Company in Seneca, South Carolina. So let's head down to the taps and see what they have to offer. As with this and all other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.

First up, we find the Highly Contagious Key Line Pilsener. Presented in the typical pale color you normally find with a pilsener, this one has a heightened scent of limes from the added fruit. Upon the first sip of this brew, a slight bit of sourness comes into your palette as a result of the key limes, yet not in an overpowering sense like some of the sour beers available at other breweries. It almost gives you the sensation of drinking a cider, but otherwise has no taste to it, almost as if it's a flavored water. It's a decent introduction to sour beers if you need to ease your way into them, but perhaps there are other options.

Heading down the flight line, we come across their recommended choice, the Hike & Hops American IPA. We can see why they chose this as the one to drink, as it has a beautiful golden color and a scent of citra hops. Upon the first sip, the hops are controlled to where they aren't overpowering, yet unlike some of the similar American IPAs we've reviewed, this one will leave the slight aftertaste of hops in the roof of your mouth. Although this combination seems to be one that almost every brewery does, you cannot deny that it's a comfortable staple to have, along with a good way to ease into the type of brew.

When you're in the deep south, you almost certainly have to try something that involves peaches. Enter the Peach Kölsch they call Good Friends with Peach. Clearly it is going to have that orange color you'd expect from a peach, but surprisingly you don't detect the scent of it when the brew is presented. After one sip, you do get the sweetness that you'd get when biting into a peach, but it must truly be overpowering, as you really don't get the taste of anything aside from what seems like peach juice. As much as it's inventive to try to showcase the local crop, there must be some better choices available.

If you've been reading the brew reviews, you know about Freedom Rolling being a sucker for ambers, so we almost certainly have to try the Hindsight Amber Lager. As with most brews of this type, that lovely caramel color you expect comes forward, but no additional scent upon presentation. After the first sip, there's a subtle kick that you just can't put your finger on, so you go back for a second. Perhaps that intrigue is what really sells the beer, but otherwise it's just an average amber that you'd expect to drink anywhere.

With another side note, the brewer on site was incredibly kind and knowledgeable about his products. Compared to the last time a brewery was visited, this is something you really want to see when you step into an establishment like this. Although the beers were average, they make up for it in customer service, so if your Internal Compass takes you to northwestern South Carolina, you may just find this to be a good choice of watering hole.


WRITTEN Aug 03, 2025 at 12:15 PM
TAGS: brew review, south carolina
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Brew Review Trifecta


Welcome back to another brew review! Today we'll be taking you through the Carolinas to sample some of the various craft beers offered in the area. As with this and all the other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.

Starting in the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, we find Highland Brewing and their Pilsner. The first scent of this particular brew gives the common wheat sensation one finds with these sorts of beers, and the first sip shows it to be incredibly light that it would be able to go down quickly and easily. Only a slight mouth coating aftertaste exists, but otherwise has no real flavor to it, almost as if one were drinking water. If you're looking for the palette to be excited, it's best to look elsewhere, but for your basic every day brew it may be a decent choice.

Heading down to the low country and the ocean city of Charleston, South Carolina, we take a look at the Coast Brewing Company and their Following Seas Helles Lager. The helles lager is known for being a bit more pale than the traditional lager, which is very much evidenced by its light, golden color when presented. Upon the first sip, what seems like a clean taste it met with a tiny bite at the roof of the mouth from the light hops used in its production. On a summer day in South Carolina that can easily reach triple-digit temperatures, if you much prefer the lagers over the ales, this will provide just the relaxing coolness you seek.

We now take a look at the Misty Haze New England Style Pale Ale. Although this one is of the New England style, we won't be traveling that far for it, as it comes from the Southern Pines Brewing Company in Southern Pines, North Carolina. A moderately yellow color along with a plain yet refreshing scent of hops is what you find upon presentation. When taking the first sip, you get a moderate taste of the hops that taste of citra, but it doesn't linger in your mouth nor overpower your taste buds. A hint of lime can also be found in this offering, which helps to accentuate that citrus taste. This is one where the drinker should be used to hops in order to enjoy, but would be quite refreshing in the summer months.

So the next time you Follow Your Internal Compass, whether it's one of these choices or something else, perhaps you will be able to find a brew that is just right for you.


WRITTEN Jul 06, 2025 at 12:48 PM
TAGS: north carolina, brew review, south carolina
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Pizza Review Trifecta


Dine like a swine for five ninety-nine! OK, it might cost a little more than that these days depending on where you go, however for this edition of Freedom Rolling's pizza reviews, we'll be looking at a few buffets to see how they stack up against the competition. Is it a better deal to go to one of these, or is the quality at a traditional pizza shop more worth the value?

They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and buffet portions are certainly able to satisfy this claim, especially at Port A Pizzeria in Port Aransas, Texas. First started over 30 years ago, Port A Pizzeria has been servicing this island community with both their dine-in buffet, as well as a traditional take-out or delivery option with basic Italian fare you'd find at most pizzerias around the country. Coupled with a sports bar-like environment on the inside, this has become a relaxing place for the gulf visitors to enjoy, while at a surprisingly economical price for the location that benefits the locals and thrifty visitors. So don't feel like you have to venture to the mainland for some well priced grub; give Port A Pizzeria a try.

Come for the pizza and get your fill of fried chicken! That's what you'll experience at Pizza Ranch, a buffet-style pizza outlet with many locations across the Midwest and Rockies. First starting in Iowa in 1981, Pizza Ranch offers several different varieties of pizza, many with cowboy themed names, at regular intervals to their customers. What's most unique about this place is that if you're not really feeling like pizza, you could head over to the bar with fried chicken and all the fixings that you'd expect with that sort of a dinner. Some locations will also include an arcade in the back to help keep the kids occupied between plates or during a party event. So if you're looking for pizza but not sure what you want, maybe give this buffet a try.

Next trip finds us on the edge of the college city of Clemson, South Carolina for Joe's New York Pizza. Founded in 2009, Joe's services three different locations in the Clemson area with both buffet and traditional pizzeria services. The Clemson location offers a weekday lunch buffet in a bright and inviting restaurant. The ambiance is very much dedicated to the local Clemson Tigers sports teams, with some memorabilia in the bar area in support of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Joe's pizza knows how to do the product the way it should be, with a thin cracker-like crust that allows the toppings to be the main feature. The buffet will not offer the same foldable slices you'd be able to get with the larger pizzas at this establishment, but the dessert pizza is one where you will want to save room. If you want good pizza while in the area, Joe's is a must-have for everyone.

So while you Follow Your Internal Compass across this great nation, be on the lookout for pizza buffets where you can get your fill, whether stationary or on the road.


WRITTEN Jun 01, 2025 at 12:39 PM
TAGS: south dakota, food, texas, south carolina
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Brew Review: Magnetic South Brewery


Welcome back for another brew review! Today, we take you to Magnetic South Brewery on Main Street in Anderson, South Carolina to see what they have to offer. As with this and all other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.

Starting off this time will be the Hitman Hops IPA. A citrus scent comes from this hazy colored brew, yet upon first sip, the hops come to you in a very controlled manner that is not overpowering to the taste buds. The roof of the mouth will experience an aftertaste, but is not too bitter that even the beer drinking novice will be able to tolerate. This seems to be a good all weather choice for any season that you'll want to grab if you happen to be in the area.

Next up is the Legacy American Amber Ale. This particular offering was created in memory of a fallen inspirational brewer in South Carolina, and is the result of a collaboration between many other brewers in the state. Once greeted with the traditional amber scent and brownish red color you come to expect, the first sip will bring a little bite to the taste buds on what is otherwise a fairly smooth brew. There is a slight aftertaste that will be left after drinking. Although this is a fairly average selection when compared to other ambers, the tribute is enough to be able to choose this at least once.

As full time RVers, we can't wait to get on the road again, so what a better fitting brew for us then the On The Road Again Brown Ale. First presentation gives a golden brown color but with no noticeable scent found. One sip is found to be not heavy at all when compared to other brews in the category, going down smooth with no aftertaste to be found. If you're finding yourself in the transition of seasons, around the time of the equinoxes, this is the perfect choice to help your taste buds through the change. Just make sure you're not having it immediately before going on the road again.

Finally on the docket we come to The Raven, a Czech Dark Lager. This brew is proudly dark when presented with no scent to be found. Though many dark drinkers will prefer themselves over to the stouts and porters, this selection has an earthy flavor that reminds you of a stout, but without all the aftertaste from those other ingredients as it smoothly goes down without any bite. If you're in the colder weather but have said "nevermore" to the stouts, this will be a wonderful alternative to drink.

On a side note, although we enjoyed a number of the brews at Magnetic South, we were a little disappointed by the customer service of one of the bartenders, as she seemed to favor the regulars while basically ignoring the first time visitors. There is a second location in the larger city of Greenville that may be better. This isn't to take away from what is otherwise a good product, but if your Internal Compass takes you to the area and you want to try this brewery, be careful as to when you go and who you see.


WRITTEN May 04, 2025 at 12:03 PM
TAGS: brew review, south carolina
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Park Review: Clemson RV Park at the Grove


The second leg of Trip 18, along with its continuation in Trip 19, found us visiting Clemson RV Park at the Grove in Pendleton, South Carolina. This is a privately owned RV park where we had a one month stay.

Grounds: This park is uniquely situated within a fairly new (at the time of writing) suburban housing development between the supply-rich city of Anderson and Clemson University, with the cities of Seneca and Greenville not too far away. Although near one of the major US highways serving the northwest part of the state with a few grocery and restaurant chain opportunities of its own, it is a fairly quiet living area when not accounting for the construction taking place at the new development.

Sites: Clemson RV Park has nearly a whopping 400 sites available! About 75 percent are for visitors to the area, while the rest are privately owned lots that can be purchased outright, though without direct mail services. All of the sites are full hook-up with 30 and 50 amp capabilities. There is a mix of gravel and concrete sites, with all of them being of the back-in variety. Separation is minimal in the gravel area with spray-painted lines, while the concrete has small grass medians. Although the sites are plenty wide, the patio can be a little tight for those who have slides.

Staff: The staff themselves seem quite friendly. We had a few issues outside the park, and they were well accommodating for our changing needs, from old soul, to rental, to new soul. We did not have any interactions with maintenance, though we did see them doing quite well with the upkeep of this place.

Amenities: This location has a pool, and although it was originally designed for exclusive use by the "executive suite" of privately owned lots, it was later made open to the entire park, which makes it difficult for the monthly visitors at the end of the main area near the dumpsters to access. There are a couple of bath houses; one near the pool and the other near the office, that may or may not have working showers depending on which section you enter; the "family rooms" are usually the best bet for a working shower. Laundry facilities also exist at a reasonable price, whether for just drying or also washing. There is also a recreation hall, but we didn't see any events advertised.

Atmosphere: The park had a slight buzz with a few of the sites around us, and the daytime found guests hearing the construction of a nearby housing development. When staying here, it seemed less like a camping spot and more like a place for monthly renters, whether temporary or permanent, to stay while contributing to the society of nearby Clemson University or surrounding neighborhoods. Our stay was outside the college football season, which may bring a different experience to those who go here.

Overall, Clemson RV Park at the Grove receives a 9 out of a possible 10 rating. The price was reasonable for the area, especially when you consider the clientele and prices for surrounding apartments and houses. A while back, we reviewed another park that had the potential to be something, and Clemson is precisely what it has the potential to be. If we're back in the area, we'd be happy to consider this for a winter spot, but would try to wait until January when the football season has concluded, as prices are raised through that season.


WRITTEN Jul 21, 2024 at 12:43 PM
TAGS: trip 18, trip 19, south carolina, park review
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Eatery Review: The Pompous Pig


Like a summer breeze that makes your soul shiver, let's get some barbecue!

Welcome to The Pompous Pig, located along the well-traveled commercial strip off Interstate 85 in Anderson, South Carolina. Started by Kim and Chet Newsom as a backyard dream in the Atlanta area, their cult following led to the opening of a restaurant in a small plaza in her hometown. Today, their combinations of burgers, smoked meats, and sides make for a popular location to visit or take-out six days a week, assuming they have enough product remaining on the weekends; a good problem that the most successful barbecue locations have.

Out visit took place during their brief Sunday brunch service, although they offer the full menu along with their relatively brunch special of biscuits and different combinations of gravy, eggs, chicken, and brisket. The Pompous Pig is a casual counter-service restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, the latter being dog friendly without too much noise from the nearby highway. The biscuit special is a developing offering with a need to thicken the gravy during the early parts of the service, although their special seasoning is on point. The brisket reuben is a perfect match for barbecue, using their in-house mustard sauce instead of the typical Russian dressing. The brisket, chicken, and ribs have the proper tastes and "tugs" that you expect from a good barbecue restaurant, and their sides, especially the in house macaroni and cheese, rival some of the best across the country.

If you're anywhere in the upcountry area of South Carolina, or even visiting nearby, The Pompous Pig is worth the trip to visit. Not only is the quality superb, but the price doesn't break the bank as it's competitive with other top quality barbecue restaurants. There is no sampler platter of all of the meats, meaning you'll have to make a few visits to enjoy the entire main portion of the menu. With this place, it will definitely be worth the return trip. Keep an eye on the hours, as there is some prep time between lunch and dinner during the weekdays, and the Sunday service is rather short, using their lunch-only hours.

So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Upcountry South Carolina, give The Pompous Pig a try, as it's sure not to disappoint.


WRITTEN Jul 14, 2024 at 12:16 PM
TAGS: trip 19, south carolina, food
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Disc Golf Match: Sertoma Field Back Nine


The continuation of the previous course is upon us.

Welcome back to Sertoma Field for today's disc golf match involving the back nine. We've already covered Sertoma Field in a previous introspective. If you are a nine-hole player, you'll need to do a sort of "modified nine" because holes 9 and 10 are deep within the course, away from the parking lot. We suggest playing holes 1-5 first, but then going up and around to hole 11, hopping over to 14, and then finishing up 17 and 18 for a "modified nine". If the wooded hill seems too daunting, replace hole 5 with hole 12 and simply double back before heading to 14, as it's a shorter hole. Use the map to figure out what's best for you.

Once again, the "spicy" red goals were used where available, and yellow where they weren't. We saw him dominate the front nine, but was she able to pull it back while battling through her slight injury?

Course Result:
His Holes: 3
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 2

Course Record: Him 7 - 2 - 3 Her
Holes Record: Him 37 - 27 Her

The back nine found him taking a bit of a lead on holes 11 and 12. A very unlucky roll on hole 14 would have been great for him if the yellow goals were being played, but alas, it was the red ones, so she was able to make a dent. A par on 16 for him put the match away, though she was able to pull one back on the 18 after a couple missed putts. Once again 18 was par for this section, though the strokes were a little closer, that being 33-34 in his favor.

Looks like he was able to take another, but she may be able to win one when back to full health. We'll find out next time, so until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.


WRITTEN Jun 24, 2024 at 05:49 AM
TAGS: trip 18, south carolina, disc golf
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