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.
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.
Welcome to the heart of the city of Greenville, South Carolina, home of the Greenville Zoo. First started in the 1950's after a blessing from the Greenville City Council to replace a smaller location, the Greenville Zoo has become a destination for children in the greater Upcountry South Carolina area with a few dozen different species within this menagerie of 14 acres.
Greenville has your typical walk-around zoo, with free municipal parking offered to its patrons, and a large enough lot to fit a good number of people looking to attend. Visitors are encouraged to book tickets online, as they can also tell when the various schools are taking a field trip to this location. Tickets at the door are also available if looking to visit at the spur of the moment. Large numbers of children can sometimes be seen as a distraction when looking to enjoy what they have to offer, but they all seem to have fun, which is the most important part of the zoo experience.
At the end of the day, Greenville Zoo offered a fairly low value for the price being paid. After half an hour of walking the property, we were left with a feeling of "That's it?!", making the experience underwhelming. Sure, we were looking for a "Tell Me About It Tuesday" event that had absolutely no markings whatsoever, and we understand the zoo had recently lost one of their prized exhibits, but we were disappointed in our visit. It might be fun in a pinch for a youth group, but there are better choices for menageries even in this area, and Greenville Zoo is not a place where we would return, nor recommend to the zoo enthusiast looking for a valuable experience.
There's nothing wrong with Following your Internal Compass to places such as this, but do be careful where you seek to visit, as it may not be what you expect.
Is Appalachia calling your name? Check it out!
Welcome to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a popular destination for tourists between the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The Great Smoky Mountains are so aptly named after the natives saw the immense amount of smoke-like fog coming from the mountain range, and the name stuck. Many communities had settled with what are today's boundaries, resulting in controversial land purchases around the time of the Great Depression to create the park. Today, visitors are able to drive, hike, and camp within the park as weather permits.
The Great Smoky Mountains, although being a national park, does not honor the National Parks pass used in several other locations across the country. Similar to Mount Rushmore, it is dependent upon parking fees to fund the location while allowing visitors to drive through at no additional cost to them. One can enter along US Highway 441 from either Cherokee, North Carolina to the south, or Gatlinburg, Tennessee to the north. The Newfound Gap at nearly a mile high in elevation serves as the midpoint of the highway through the park, as well as the border between the two states. Stop to experience the wonderful views of the Great Smoky Mountains. While along the route, perhaps make a stop to view the elk from a distance. When at the southern end, you can also find the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
One of the features of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the BARK Ranger program, where your pup can become a sworn ambassador of the park. Completing this program is fairly simple, as you'll do a sort of scavenger hunt along one of the two pet-friendly trails near the visitors' centers of the park. Take a number of pictures of your dog along the way, and submit to the ranger on duty. They will help your dog to take the oath of BARK (Bagging waste, Always leashing, Respecting wildlife, and Knowing where to go), and receive a certificate with his or her paw print. As of the writing of this, Miles the Chug Terrier has become an official BARK Ranger at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We are proud of his accomplishment.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to the southern Appalachians, be sure to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Once again, time to head to the park!
Welcome to Walhalla, South Carolina, home of Sertoma Field for today's disc golf match. Sertoma Field is a free to enter public park, and is northwest of Clemson University in the northwest corner of South Carolina. This is probably the most well-kept course that we've visited thus far, and is home to not only many casual players, but several tournaments throughout the year. It is a full 18-hole course with concrete tee pads and both traditional and "spicy" goals, the latter of which is meant to be a shorter par used for hole-in-one contests. There is a map available, but it's so well marked that you probably won't need it.
This first match saw us playing the red "spicy" goals where available, and the traditional yellow goals when there was only one. Same equipment, no pup. She was nursing a slight injury that hampered play a little bit, but not enough to not play at all. How did it go?
Course Result:
His Holes: 5
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 6 - 2 - 3 Her
Holes Record: Him 34 - 25 Her
Right away is a potentially scary moment for the beginning player in having to go over a water hazard. Both made it just fine, and the first two holes were halved. He pulled a par on the third to take the lead, after which holes were traded. Some tree luck, or lack thereof, was seen by each player leading to another trade in holes. He then pulled away on holes 8 and 9. On what is a "par 18" for the "spicy" goals, the final shot count was 31-36 in his favor.
This match may be in the books, but the course is not, so be on the lookout for the back nine. Until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Looking for some fun times in the outdoors while in Upcountry South Carolina? Try these on for size.
Welcome to Oconee County, situated in the northwest corner of South Carolina. This place is named after the Oconee Bell, a flower that is found in this area, but very rare to find anywhere else in the world. It is so rare that botanists who first discovered the Oconee Bell didn't even find it again until nearly a century later! Couple this with the fact that it only blooms during the spring, and much of the plant life was placed underwater by the creation of the twin lakes in the area, this is certainly a one-of-a-kind spectacle. A celebration of this flower's bloom takes place at the annual Oconee BellFest during March at Devil's Fork State Park along Lake Jocassee. This park also has a nature trail along which people are able to see the Oconee Bell, along with many other different species of plant life.
While around Oconee and the neighboring counties, why not take a peek around at the various waterfalls? Many adorn the area, but if you want to be able to see all of them, get out your favorite watercraft, because some are only accessible by boat. For an easier walk, try Twin Falls in Pickens County. Although the trail will go high along the river, the end view is worth it. Maybe try the Whitewater Falls, the lower and upper being separated by a state border. The aforementioned BellFest may be a good time, as Lake Jocassee has a number of waterfalls around it.
If the city life is more of your cup of tea, why not take a trip over to the city of Greenville? Park the vehicle for a couple of hours while taking a stroll down Main Street, with all its fine shops. Maybe head over to Falls Park and walk the suspension bridge to see another of the waterfalls that adorn the area, this one being along the Reedy River. Plenty of museums and other attractions are also available downtown, so be sure to take a trip over to those and see what they have to offer.
So if your Internal Compass takes you to South Carolina, although many will love visiting the low country, don't forget about the upcountry and its beauty.
Trip 18 has also become a multi-leg adventure, this time with two locations. In a way, this one was planned.
As has been the case with many of our winter jobs so far, this one was found at the last minute. It's not the most secure way to live, but with so many different workamping singles and couples canceling their contracts for one reason or another, people like us are happy to come in and pick up the slack. We're very grateful to the management for offering a safe place to stay through the winter via workamping, and that the entire working situation remained as it was when we came in so we were able to make it through the season, not to mention them working with us when he had the monkey wrench of an emergency 1000-mile-each-way trip thrown in there.
As we reflect on the last few months while we wait to finish out other work obligations before heading to our next destination (one of us picks up seasonal work in town while the other works at the park to keep some cash flow), it dawned on us: Perhaps a couple weeks to actually relax and enjoy ourselves is really what we need after 5-6 months of seasonal labor. We've been going from job to job without so much of a stop, and it's certainly what we need to keep going and not get burned out. Maybe that's why we've found solace in the location we visited on trip 8 and trip 17, because in both cases it's been our "nice break". I don't know if we'll be going there again (at least anytime soon; I'm sure we will at some point), but it's always nice to have that "retreat" of sorts.
For now, we're ready to have a bit of a break as we look forward to our summer work; more on that will come as time passes. One the Internal Compass recharges, we'll be set to follow it where it takes us.
When you embark on a journey such as this, there are both things and loved ones you may leave behind. When you do, you may have to return to come face to face with some closure, which is what Freedom Rolling has sadly had to do. When these sorts of things happen, especially unexpectedly, you may find yourself making long trips without the RV. Here's some tips on how to make this happen.
First, remember when we talked about emergency planning? This is one of the times where it's going to come into play. You'll be using that "go bag" and other provisions. You might need a few extra things, such as dress clothes for a slightly-more-formal event, and hopefully you kept some when you first packed. Thankfully, there's going to be enough time to get these together, so you don't have to rush. However, because you were ready, you'll find the extension of the trip much less stressful than it already is.
Remember taking a look at the route and your packing and timing? Once again, chance has favored the prepared mind. Figure out what's going to work best for you. A thousand miles in one shot (or at least something close to that) might sound doable going there, but not necessarily so much so coming back. Do you even drive it? Public transportation (i.e. trains and planes) may sound like a possibility, but you must also consider the route, especially when certain cities may not be a very good place to be. If you do drive it, and it's probably the least expensive of the options... Are more than one person able to drive, and are they all comfortable with the route? When you reach a destination, it's certainly something to keep in mind, especially if where you need to be is on the opposite side of the country.
The other obvious thing to consider is where you happen to start. Will you be allowed to leave the heart for what could potentially be a couple weeks? Do you need to pay extra camp fees? Are you going to be effectively forced to bring your RV along, further complicating matters? There have been horror stories out there about RVs being declared "abandoned" because no one's there for a while, and just like that the home is gone. Be sure to take that into consideration as well, because not everyone will be able to drive heavy, and you won't be able to go as far as you would in a day without the rig.
So if you're Following your Internal Compass and something comes up, never fear, because you'll be ready to handle it.
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