Paris Mountain 7K
The Paris Mountain 7K is coming up next Saturday August 9th. It's the next race in the Greenville Dirt Series as mentioned below. I did the Paris Mountain 12K back in May and it was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to this one.
Surviving the Overmountain Victory Trail
Three weeks ago I was deathly ill after suffering from a bite of some sort, most likely from a brown recluse, so when I decided to tackle the Overmountain Victory Trail I had no idea that neither remnants of that illness nor the copperhead on the trail would be the least of my worries.
The Overmountain Victory Trail is a 330 mile trail that starts in Abingdon, VA and traverses through Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina before winding back into North Carolina where it ends at Kings Mountain. It marks the route taken by American patriots in 1780 who traveled from Abingdon on horseback in the dead of winter to fight, and win, the Battle of Kings Mountain. One portion of it runs near Tryon, NC where a vineyard is named over it.
For the most part, IT IS NOT a hiking a trail, but rather a path made up of roads and unmarked trails through private land, however there is a small section that can be hiked.
I've written previously about hiking the Appalachian Trail through Roan Highlands which is one of my favorite places, containing large balds, stunning views and boreal forests due to the high elevation.
To reach the Overmountain Victory Trail, park at Carver's Gap near the top of Roan Mountain. Travel northbound on the AT about five miles at which point you will find that the Overmountain Victory Trail crosses the AT (at Yellow Mountain Gap). From there, turning left onto the OVT will take you through a long descent of single track for about a mile and a half, before it then opens up to a double track that runs through a number of horse and cow pastures.
At times the trail is poorly marked and very much overgrown. Many of the signs have been knocked down. Just keep in mind that you need to stay close to the sound of the river and you'll be okay. Once you reach mile 3.5 or so (which would be 8.5 miles from Carver's Gap) you'll walk past a few homes, the first of which is clearly deserted (despite the fact that someone was boiling something in an old fifty-five gallon drum in the front yard). You'll then come to a paved road. This is the Hampton Creek Cove Recreation Area and it contains a small parking area. It also contains some locals who will eyeball you suspiciously from inside their trailers.
At that point you have a couple of options. Turn around and hike back, or continue walking the OVT, which is now completely unmarked and follows a series of paved, and poorly marked, roads. You could also start your hike from here if you don't mind walking up hill for three and a half miles.
Camping is allowed on the trail but the forested area of the trail is very much overgrown and it would be difficult to pitch a tent. The pastured areas are also largely overgrown with black berry bushes and make for a less than ideal campsite but would work in a pinch.
What my two companions and I ended up doing was continuing to walk down the road a couple of miles to Hwy. 143 where we hitched a ride to the Roan Mountain State Park campground and spent the night there. While there we learned from the forest ranger that the locals are not fond of hikers and that the area is a den of methamphetamine production. That might explain the enormous number of viscous dogs along the path.
However should you decide to follow in our footsteps, here are the directions: From the Hampton Creek Cove Recreation area, turn right onto Hampton Creek Road. (It's not marked but it's the only road you'll see at that point.) Walk about a mile and you'll come to a crossroads. The road to the right is called Teaberry Road but isn't marked. On our map it said that it was called Teaberry on both sides but to the left it's actually marked (sort of) with a sign that says "Dark Hollow Road." Both Dark Hollow Road and Teaberry Road have rather interesting ghost stories attached to them. There is a large unmarked grave off of Teaberry where supposedly a witch was buried and now haunts the site. So don't go that way. Instead turn left on Dark Hollow where you will pass a cemetery that is also supposedly haunted by a woman who was murdered by the local wives who thought she was sleeping with all their husbands. We didn't catch a glimpse of her though.
Follow that road until you get to another crossroads. If you go straight, you'll be on Sugar Hollow Road. If you turn right you'll be on Sugar Hollow Road. Yes you read that correctly. Go right, on Sugar Hollow, not straight on Sugar Hollow. Sugar Hollow to the right will take you to Hwy 143 and you'll see an RV park on your left. Unfortunately, as we discovered, they won't let backpackers stay there. So from there, turn left onto 143 and walk about a mile and a half to the state park campground located on the right side of the road.
For one more option to the trailhead, see the comment from Brenda W. below.
Despite the reputation of the area, we actually had nothing but pleasant interactions with people. A kid on an ATV stopped to give us directions. A guy on a tractor gave us even better directions. A guy on a riding lawn mower stopped mowing to try and help but actually gave us bad directions. A lady sitting on her porch offered us water. A guy on a homemade motorcycle with no brakes stopped as well. He had to use his feet to stop. He also gave us bad directions but not intentionally. Then a nice guy gave us a ride the last mile and a half and even gave us some ears of corn from his garden. Once we made it to the state park, a ranger gave me a lift back to my car and refused to let me pay him for his time and another camper gave us hamburgers for dinner. It was a hell of an adventure. Wish I had time to write about all the other things we saw, like the thousand or so centipedes that invaded our campsite the first night.
Distance from downtown Greenville: 126 miles
The Overmountain Victory Trail is a 330 mile trail that starts in Abingdon, VA and traverses through Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina before winding back into North Carolina where it ends at Kings Mountain. It marks the route taken by American patriots in 1780 who traveled from Abingdon on horseback in the dead of winter to fight, and win, the Battle of Kings Mountain. One portion of it runs near Tryon, NC where a vineyard is named over it.
For the most part, IT IS NOT a hiking a trail, but rather a path made up of roads and unmarked trails through private land, however there is a small section that can be hiked. I've written previously about hiking the Appalachian Trail through Roan Highlands which is one of my favorite places, containing large balds, stunning views and boreal forests due to the high elevation.
To reach the Overmountain Victory Trail, park at Carver's Gap near the top of Roan Mountain. Travel northbound on the AT about five miles at which point you will find that the Overmountain Victory Trail crosses the AT (at Yellow Mountain Gap). From there, turning left onto the OVT will take you through a long descent of single track for about a mile and a half, before it then opens up to a double track that runs through a number of horse and cow pastures.
At that point you have a couple of options. Turn around and hike back, or continue walking the OVT, which is now completely unmarked and follows a series of paved, and poorly marked, roads. You could also start your hike from here if you don't mind walking up hill for three and a half miles.
Camping is allowed on the trail but the forested area of the trail is very much overgrown and it would be difficult to pitch a tent. The pastured areas are also largely overgrown with black berry bushes and make for a less than ideal campsite but would work in a pinch.What my two companions and I ended up doing was continuing to walk down the road a couple of miles to Hwy. 143 where we hitched a ride to the Roan Mountain State Park campground and spent the night there. While there we learned from the forest ranger that the locals are not fond of hikers and that the area is a den of methamphetamine production. That might explain the enormous number of viscous dogs along the path.
However should you decide to follow in our footsteps, here are the directions: From the Hampton Creek Cove Recreation area, turn right onto Hampton Creek Road. (It's not marked but it's the only road you'll see at that point.) Walk about a mile and you'll come to a crossroads. The road to the right is called Teaberry Road but isn't marked. On our map it said that it was called Teaberry on both sides but to the left it's actually marked (sort of) with a sign that says "Dark Hollow Road." Both Dark Hollow Road and Teaberry Road have rather interesting ghost stories attached to them. There is a large unmarked grave off of Teaberry where supposedly a witch was buried and now haunts the site. So don't go that way. Instead turn left on Dark Hollow where you will pass a cemetery that is also supposedly haunted by a woman who was murdered by the local wives who thought she was sleeping with all their husbands. We didn't catch a glimpse of her though.
Follow that road until you get to another crossroads. If you go straight, you'll be on Sugar Hollow Road. If you turn right you'll be on Sugar Hollow Road. Yes you read that correctly. Go right, on Sugar Hollow, not straight on Sugar Hollow. Sugar Hollow to the right will take you to Hwy 143 and you'll see an RV park on your left. Unfortunately, as we discovered, they won't let backpackers stay there. So from there, turn left onto 143 and walk about a mile and a half to the state park campground located on the right side of the road.
For one more option to the trailhead, see the comment from Brenda W. below.
Despite the reputation of the area, we actually had nothing but pleasant interactions with people. A kid on an ATV stopped to give us directions. A guy on a tractor gave us even better directions. A guy on a riding lawn mower stopped mowing to try and help but actually gave us bad directions. A lady sitting on her porch offered us water. A guy on a homemade motorcycle with no brakes stopped as well. He had to use his feet to stop. He also gave us bad directions but not intentionally. Then a nice guy gave us a ride the last mile and a half and even gave us some ears of corn from his garden. Once we made it to the state park, a ranger gave me a lift back to my car and refused to let me pay him for his time and another camper gave us hamburgers for dinner. It was a hell of an adventure. Wish I had time to write about all the other things we saw, like the thousand or so centipedes that invaded our campsite the first night.
Distance from downtown Greenville: 126 miles
Susan G. Komen
This Saturday, the Susan G. Komen race for the cure for breast cancer returns to the Greenville Drive stadium. This is a short fun walk or run, whichever you choose that runs through some areas of town that are being revitalized.
Distance from downtown Greenville: 0 miles
Distance from downtown Greenville: 0 miles
Wild and Scenic Film Festival
Greenville and Spartanburg
We're proud to bring the SYRCL Wild and Scenic Film Festival back to the Upstate for the second year in a row. On September 25 the festival will be at the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg and on September 27 in Greenville at the Children's Museum of the Upstate. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for you to meet sponsors and register for door prizes and drawings throughout the evening. Movies will start at 6:30 p.m. and will have a running time of two hours. More information about ticketing will be available on our website soon and movie trailers will be posted on our Facebook page so be sure to "Like" us and check in often.
When
| Thu Sep 25 6pm – 8:30 pm Eastern Time |
Where
| Chapman cultural Center View Larger Map |
When
| Thu Sep 27 6pm – 9pm Eastern Time |
Where
| Greenville Children's Museum View Larger Map |
Greenville Triathlon and Paris Mountain 7k
Well the Paris Mountain Tri was cancelled at the last minute last weekend due to weather, but two other events of a similar nature are occurring this weekend.
Saturday the Paris Mountain 7K takes place at 7 AM.
Sunday, the last tri event of the season in the Greenville area takes place at the Westside Aquatic Center with the Greenville Triathlon.
Grandfather Mountain Trails
One of the best hikes I've ever experienced occurred recently at Grandfather Mountain in Linville, NC.I started on a trail called the Profile Trail. The image to the left demonstrates why it's called that. Near the top there is this view that looks like the profile of an old man.
This trail goes up hill to the Grandfather Trail which is where it really gets great.
The Grandfather Trail is a ridge trail that requires the use of several ladders, some cables and in some spots crawling on hands and knees.
There's a short spur trail that leads to a large cave.
This is not a view from the trail. This is the actual trail.
This is the same section of trail looking the other direction.
The trail goes all the way to the swinging bridge, so you either have to turn around or catch a ride back down the mountain. If you want to do this same hike, travel through Linville toward Boon on HWY 105 and park at the area labelled "Profile Trail Parking."
View Larger Map
Paris Mountain Triathlons (Sprint and International)
At 7:15, we novices will be competing in a sprint triathlon that involves a 500 meter swim, a 13 mile bike race, and 5 k run. Come cheer us on - and perform CPR if needed.
http://www.setupevents.com/?fuseaction=event_detail&eventID=2041
Distance from downtown Greenville: 10 miles
Rick Erwin's Nantucket Seafood Grill
I've been dying to try Nantucket Seafood ever since it opened. My wife and I finally had a chance to try it out recently. It was amazing. And by amazing, I don't mean amazing the way some say people use amazing about everything they find slightly better than average, I mean it really was actually amazing. (I generally despise hyperbole and exaggeration so much I want to tear my hair out, so rest assured that every part of the following review is meant quite literally.)
Our waiter, David, wasn't amazing but he was very good. If he had serenaded us and comped our meal, then I would elevate him to the level of amazing as well, but since he did not I'll simply say he was awesome.
I entered the restaurant definitely in the mood for seafood, but David mentioned how good the pork loin was. He was right. It was outstanding. Moist, succulent...amazing. A few days later I replicated the dish at home complete with bourbon reduction. Mine was so-so. My wife was complimentary and mentioned that it was a good effort.
My wife ordered the Mahi Mahi special. She also reported that it was amazing. Actually I think she said it was fantastic. Even the salad that was topped with some sort of bacon vinaigrette was amazing. Epic even.
In all seriousness, one thing I really enjoyed about the experience, is that the restaurant is very quiet even when all the tables were full. That isn't true with several other of our local upscale restaurants (and no I'm not talking about Sobys, The Lazy Goat or Nose Dive - yes I am).
Distance from downtown Greenville: 0 miles.
Our waiter, David, wasn't amazing but he was very good. If he had serenaded us and comped our meal, then I would elevate him to the level of amazing as well, but since he did not I'll simply say he was awesome.
I entered the restaurant definitely in the mood for seafood, but David mentioned how good the pork loin was. He was right. It was outstanding. Moist, succulent...amazing. A few days later I replicated the dish at home complete with bourbon reduction. Mine was so-so. My wife was complimentary and mentioned that it was a good effort.
My wife ordered the Mahi Mahi special. She also reported that it was amazing. Actually I think she said it was fantastic. Even the salad that was topped with some sort of bacon vinaigrette was amazing. Epic even.
In all seriousness, one thing I really enjoyed about the experience, is that the restaurant is very quiet even when all the tables were full. That isn't true with several other of our local upscale restaurants (and no I'm not talking about Sobys, The Lazy Goat or Nose Dive - yes I am).
Distance from downtown Greenville: 0 miles.
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