Friday, May 13th, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

This morning we planned on enjoying a few of the events at the SC Good Sam Rally. But, before we could do that … I got another one of those “weird” texts from our daughter-in-law, Rebina. We got one once that asked “What time do you go to bed?” After I answered, she asked “Got Coffee?” at this point, I had to ask if she knew who she was texting. She said yes … ½ an hour later they arrived. Mind you they live on the east coast of Florida and us on the west. They had driven to the west coast in their jeep to see the sunset and wanted to stop by on the way home! Gotta love their adventurous spirit! So, a strange text is not a reason for alarm. They are heading from the Cocoa Beach area of Florida to the Outerbanks of NC. Most people would shoot up I-95, not these two! They are heading west to go north, via western SC and the Blue Ridge Parkway. They were 20 miles away, so they had to stop by! But, of course! We had a great visit and helped Matt & Rebina pick out a few more waterfalls to see. Oh, the adventures these two have!

We enjoyed a Good Sam rally tradition of an ice cream social! The kicker is South Carolina has followed the lead of Georgia and they now serve pints of Blue Bell ice cream! Our dear friend Pattye Starrett loved this part of the rallies best, so this picture is for her!

Our kids visit did help us to cement our day trip, we are heading to downtown Greenville this afternoon to visit the Reedy River Falls Park. We picked up Paul & Sandy and headed out. Once we reached downtown, there was construction and we had to find some street parking and trust my land navigation skills! 

We found Falls Park on the Reedy. It is the downtown park, created in what is generally considered the very spot that Mr. Vardry McBee erected his gristmill. So to turn the wheels of progress, Mr. McBee needed running water, and the Reedy River had it.

Today, water still has power as it draws many visitors downtown to stroll along the banks of the river, walk their furry four-legged friends or enjoy a picnic with friends and family. The park has dozens of small gardens within it that bloom through the collaborative efforts of many of the town’s citizens and offer natural beauty all year round. Falls Park also sees wooden sword-wielding kings during the Upstate Shakespeare Festival, families sprawled out in front of classic movies shown under the stars two months out of the year, and thousands of brides, prom-goers and nature lovers as it serves as the backdrop for special occasions again and again.

Overhead, the 345-foot expanse of our remarkable Liberty Bridge connects downtown to the West End as much as it does our past to our present. Spanning the Reedy River, there is literally is nothing like this bridge in the rest of the Western Hemisphere. Built to reveal the falls and stand like a sculpture, the concrete reinforced deck has a distinctive curve and is supported by a single suspension cable with supporting cables on the outside.

There is also many pieces of outdoor art in Greenville. We paused at a few. This one by far is my favorite, Rose Crystal Tower by the Artist, Dale Chihuly. This sculpture was commissioned in honor of Harriet Wyche, a life-long Greenville resident and community volunteer, and is located in a garden named for her. Wyche was instrumental in establishing Falls Park and played a critical role in its continued development over many decades.

There was a family of Canadian Geese enjoying the quiter waters of the Reedy River, before the falls! They did not seem bothered by all the people around them either. I guess they are city Canadian Geese!

A striking sculpture series, organized by artist Yuri Tsuzuki, “The Butterfly Project” is a multi-phased project installing hundreds of steel butterflies in and around downtown Greenville. The butterflies represent Greenville’s story of transformation from a small textile town into an award-winning destination. Hundreds of butterflies are on buildings, poles, signs and businesses migrating from downtown to the Cancer Survivor’s Park along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The blue archway sculpture is titled, “Butterfly Journey” and serves as a permanent testimony of the joy of life and the transforming power of hope. 

We walked past the Nexus of Light on our way back to the car. The 2005 Artisphere Board of Directors gifted this stainless steel work to the City of Greenville. Sculptor Dennis Heimbach welded the pieces together and then painted them with multiple coats of primer paint and sealer. In addition to this piece, Heimbach also sculpted the artwork located on the steps of Design Strategies on South Main Street.

I also felt a little closer to home, in Florida, when I spotted this little guy. Although he is much, much greener than this brothers and sisters in Florida!

We parked near the "West End" ... I had no idea what it was, but when I saw the purple words I knew we were close to the car! Good thing, because Paul & Charlie were getting tired!

On our way down and back, we passed through the cute little town of Traveler's Rest. Murals are abundant in Greenville and they are growing in popularity and brightening up Main Street. Thirty years ago Travelers Rest was a small college town that rolled up the streets at 5pm. Travelers Rest is now a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cyclists looking to cruise on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. This grownup college town lis home to Furman University and has undergone several changes in the last 15 years like many other towns in the Carolinas. When in Travelers Rest,” there’s a variety of dining destinations worth checking out, whether the occasion is calling for a classic coffee shop, easy going local hangout, micro-brewery or elevated gastropub. My cousin Cory Ann recommended Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse. Coffee lovers have found a home at Tandem, where they brew Counter Culture coffee and serve all the caffeinated drinks Millennials love — think honey lavender lattes and homemade spiced chai. As the namesake suggests, Tandem is also a place to find savory and sweet crepes made using white, wheat, cornmeal or almond batter. Many of the sweet options are riffs on classic desserts like tiramisu and pumpkin pie. 

In Traveler’s Rest consider adding a stop in the northern part of the city at Poinsett Bridge. Experts believe it’s the oldest surviving bridge in the state – and it is gorgeous!  It was built in 1820 with stones, as part of a major road that ran through South and North Carolina. The bridge’s namesake, Joel R. Poinsett, was the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, a Greenville native, and the man who brought the iconic poinsettia flower to the US! The Poinsett Bridge is the centerpiece of the 120 acre Poinsett Bridge Heritage preserve owned by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and maintained by Greenville County Rec. It is a 14 foot Gothic arch stone structure and stretches 130 feet over Little Gap Creek. Historians believe that is was designed by Robert Mills, architect of the Washington Monument.

We enjoyed the evening at the park with the daily ceremonies of the rally and a movie night. We watched 'I Can Only Imagine.' It was a great movie!

Stay tuned for more of our Two Lane Adventures!