A Guide to Adventure

When I walk my dogs late at night before we all go to bed, I can hear the eerie sounds of Coyotes howling in the fields behind my house. It can be a bit unnerving at times, especially when both of my dogs are very nosy, and will chase after almost anything. I worry one will catch their eye one night and will only end in terror. I always walk them on a leash at night, especially when I can hear they are really active. I have even had a Coyote run out in front of me cruising through my neighborhood one evening . That is the closest I ever hope to get to one of the feral dogs.  That being said South Carolina has been devising a plan to create a "Coyote Lottery" in hopes of reducing the amount of predator species in our state. The plan is still in the works, but here is what I know so far:  Lawmakers want to pass a law that allows the state Department of Natural Resources (SC.DNR) to capture 16 Coyotes, mark them someway, and release them into the wild . A h...

On the last Sunday of August in South Carolina death came quickly, and in unbelievable numbers to the Honey Bee population in Dorchester County, SC . The bees fled their colonies leaving behind clumps of dead bees at hive entrances, and became littered across the farms they were raised on. What could caused such destruction and chaos? Something not so mysterious it turns out, ACUTE PESTICIDE POISONING. At Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply located in Summerville, SC reported 46 hives died on the spot, totaling about 2.5 MILLION bees. A scientist from Clemson University collected soil samples from Flowertown on Tuesday morning to investigate the cause of death, although it was clear to the bee farmers what had happened to their bees. The bees had been poisoned by Dorchester's insecticide efforts, causalities in the war against disease-carrying Mosquitoes . On Sunday morning, parts of Dorchester were sprayed NALED, a commonly used insecticide that is known to kill mosquitoes on...

Not many people know that Morgan Island in South Carolina is home to about 3,500 monkeys! The island has appropriately been dubbed Monkey Island. It is home to one of two Rhesus Monkey colonies in the United States, the other is located in Florida. The island is owned by the SC DNR (Department of Natural Resources) located near St. Helena island since the 1970s.  They originally were located at a research center in Puerto Rico. After several monkeys infected with a virus escaped and caused outbreaks among locals, the monkeys were moved. That's where South Carolina stepped in. The state offered the island for research and about 1,400 monkeys were brought to Beaufort County. Now the breeding colony is used by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of the National Institute of Health, for research. That research helps develop life-saving preventions and treatments for diseases affecting public health, according to the institute. But i...

On the outskirts of Charleston, SC hidden in plain site is a lost and forgotten national park. Castle Pinckney is currently being lost to the sea in the Charleston Harbor.  The story of this forgotten fortress began in 1791, when George Washington visited Charleston, South Carolina , saw that a little island in the harbor (Shutes Folly) was strategically located, and ordered that a fort be built there. The good people of Charleston, who were tasked with funding and building it, decided that it should be named Fort Pinckney in honor of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney , a local planter, Revolutionary War General, and delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Castle Pinckney played no role in the War of 1812 and was demoted to “secondary line of defense” status in 1826. The very next year, the construction of Fort Sumter , a bigger and better fortification, got underway at a more strategic location across from Fort Moultrie at the harbor entrance. By the late 1820s it was a...

Camping in the fall can be so much more magical with all of the changing leaves, a cozy fire, and a warm sleeping bag. The summer crowds are gone, as are those pesky bugs. The East Coast of America is full of beautiful places to camp this fall! These five camping spots are perfect for the adventurous fall camper!  Dry Tortugas National Park- Florida  Dry Tortugas National Park , accessed by ferry from the coast of Key West , is one of the most scenic primitive camping destinations in the world. The 100-square-mile national park features seven picturesque islands. Come to the campground prepared, because you have to bring everything you need (including toilet paper and water). However, the pristine beaches, crystal-clear water, abundant marine life and fluorescent coral reefs will make you forget about the lack of facilities in no time. Park campsites are adjacent to the island’s Civil War-era Fort Jefferson, and they’re available on a first come, first served ba...

Growing up in the Southern part of the United States has definitely got its perks. Everything from spur of the moment adventures, to delicious homemade cuisines, and that sweet Southern Charm everyone talks about the South has so much more to offer than a thick accent and a camouflage hat. That is why you don't want to miss out on these Southern cities, and everything they have to offer.  Durham, North Carolina Durham is one of the most unique towns, not just in North Carolina but in the South, thanks to incredible food, a relaxed vibe, and cool warehouse buildings (this is an old tobacco city). It’s full of perfect spots to enjoy nature, listen to local bands, and taste finely brewed beer. Durham’s Brightleaf Square is a hub for restaurants and shops, housed in renovated tobacco warehouses. If you love food trucks (and Durham helped snowball the trend, with its Food Truck Rodeo ), the city has some goodies: Pie Pushers , Chirba Chirba Dumpling, and Only Burger . If...

Moonshine Falls Area (4 places!) Greenville, Cleveland, SC WILDCAT FALLS : You get two for the price of one here at the Wildcat Wayside State Park. Wildcat Falls are a very popular falls, largely because they are roadside on SC 11 (the Cherokee Scenic Highway). The first falls are in two sections with a 10-foot freefall upstream and the 20-foot cascade down a slab of exposed granite into a shallow pool. About 100 feet to the left of these falls are a number of steps that ascend to a quarter-mile trail to another falls. The trail crosses just above the 10-foot free-fall on a wooden bridge and snakes its way through the woods to a 130-foot waterslide. The photo below isolates the lower portion of the slide. Be prepared to do a little boulder-climbing to reach the base of the waterslide, but please don't attempt to climb the falls themselves. To get here : Stay on RT 276/11 west for about 5 miles past where RT 11 joins RT 276 and look for a pull off (unsigned) on the right (...

If you are from the Upstate of South Carolina, then you know the city of Greenville is packed with things to do. Shopping, dining, and recreational activities are unique and full of adventure. What you may not know is outside of the bustling downtown area (a lot of us have called it G-Vegas at least once in our lives, yes I am guilty of it too!) there are even more outdoor activities for all seasons! From swimming, hiking, and horseback riding outdoor Greenville, SC has enough adventures to keep you and your family busy making memories all year long! The Greenville Health System (GHS) Swamp Rabbit Trail The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 21 mile multi-use park system that runs along the Reedy River connecting Greenville County with schools, parks, and local businesses. The trail will continue to grow every year offering fun, non-motorized recreation wherever it goes. This trail was made possible by Greenville County Council who purchased the old rail bed between Greenville and Tr...

State parks in South Carolina are so underrated, as a South Carolinian I know the struggle of wondering what to do on my days off, "go to the mall, too old for the skating rink, they tore down the civic center Volcano, hmm movies are expensive, so let's go out to go eat." That thought process has gotten so old, that I 'just can't even' anymore. When you actually look to see what the state has to offer, South Carolina has state parks everywhere! From small ones like Saddlers Creek on Lake Hartwell, to Jones Gap and Table Rock in the mountains. All within an hour driving distance, from Anderson, Greenville, Clemson, and Seneca areas. You can literally go somewhere new every weekend! This brings me to my list of Top 5 State parks in beautiful South Carolina! Table Rock State Park, Pickens County, SC Table Rock is one of most commonly known state parks in South Carolina, most people have been there at least one on either a class field trip, or for a summe...

During the Colonial Era of the United States, German immigrants made up one third of the American colonies, second to English immigrants. German was fluently spoken throughout most of the colonies. Germans quickly became one the predominate immigrant groups in the nineteenth century, and their influence on American culture would soon follow.  The obvious influences of sauerkraut, hot dogs, strudels, German chocolate cake, and the love of beer are found all throughout America, some of those influences are especially loved in the Southern United States. German immigrants also opened in the first kindergarten, and it is believed they invented the modern weekend we know today. Instead of celebrating the Sabbath Sunday day of rest, they brought recreation, music, and food for everyone to take part in! What is the correlation between the South and Germany you're asking yourself right now? Well, in the South we love our weekend rendezvous', which is normally equipped wit...

If you are getting ready to go camping for a weekend or going on an all day adventure, you should carefully plan what you will eat once you arrive. I get SO hungry on the trail, and by the time camp is set up, I could eat a three course dinner. Unfortunately being miles away from home, in the middle of a forest that is not really an option. Personally, I do not like eating peanut butter sandwiches, or ramen noodles all the time enough to only bring those in my pack. Most canned foods are way too heavy, and will only leave more trash to carry. Assuming you are following the rules and not leaving your trash behind :). You need something lightweight, freeze dried is usually the way to go. I never really thought a freeze dried meal would taste like a homemade, authentic, hearty dinner.  When I tried Mountain House brand of freeze dried Chicken Fried Rice with veggies, I was WOWED! It only called for two cups of boiling water, which was very easy since our campsite was next to th...

So yesterday Derek and I were deciding where we wanted to spend our Memorial day off at. I posted saying that I would be going to an island on Lake Hartwell, well being that we are both so spontaneous we ended up going to Brasstown Falls in Oconee County, SC. That was our first mistake. We loaded up the car, filled up the tank, and headed down highway 24 West, and after an hour of passing huge farms, and scenic country roads we made it to highway 76. We followed that mountain road for almost 12 miles before we reached Brasstown Road. This is where the "adventure" would begin. The only directions my GPS offered was two miles down a gravel road that appeared to end. Other than that we were following the directions of another travel website that had pretty clear instructions. We start down the gravel road and pass a small road on our right, after all the GPS was still telling us to go, and our directions seemed to be aligned with that. We drove about three miles up the mount...