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Published: September 28th 2009
Eastover, SC
Founded 1880On Sunday 09-27-09, after church, I decided to finally check out the motorcycle after getting it back earlier in the week from Honda of Sumter. There were a few things that I still had to do and I worked on them little by little all week long. The main thing that had to be done was rebuilding the mount for the XM radio. I used Testors glue to glue the plastic pieces back together. It reminded me of all the model airplanes I built when I was younger. I also had to reinstall my Hella FF50 driving lights. I found a good price on a new set on the web. Other small things included putting on the rear view mirror and replacing some of the stickers on my new windshield.
To be honest it had been about 15 years since my last motorcycle wreck and I was a little nervous about going on a long ride, so I decided to take a tour of some of my family’s favorite attractions. I made my list and headed out at 1:30 pm. I live just outside of Eastover so I got onto SC 764 and headed towards town. I took a close
Kensington Mansion
Located on Hwy 601 - Eastover, SC look around town and saw that all the older buildings were closed up and really not much to look at, so I stopped by Dollar General and got bottled water. After that I headed off to SC 601 to get a quick picture of Kensington Mansion. Like most of my luck the gate was all locked up so I got a picture of their sign and the historical marker on the roadside.
I finished my bottled water and headed off to SC 48 to visit the Congaree National Park. While I was there I had a nice talk with the ranger on duty and took a tour of the park. I even walked the 2 ½ mile board walk in the swamp. I took a few photos inside the park and had the ranger stamp a pamphlet from the park. If I was doing the Iron Butt Associations National Parks Tour I would have my first stamp. But my job has frozen 8 holidays and their pay this coming year so there would not be enough time or money to finish the tour.
I got back on the bike and headed towards Columbia SC, my birth place. One
of my kid’s favorite attractions is located just off I-77 around exit 7. It is the Smiley Face that overlooks the interstate and the Columbia Waste Water Plant. I pulled off to the side of the interstate to get a quick photo. The Smiley Face was too far away and I could not get a good photo. So I turned around and headed to Bluff Rd. Just off Bluff Rd. is an old farm road (paved) that heads down to the water treatment plant, where I hoped to get a better photo. There was no good shot to be had from the old farm road. So I found what looked like an old goat trail that headed down the fence line of the plant. I pointed the bike down the dirt path and found the Smiley Face. Got a great photo of it. Once I got turned around I headed back towards town.
Next up was some of Blue Sky’s local art. The first place I headed was Humane Lane and Shop Rd. There at the animal shelter I got a great photo of the “Adopt Us” cat. I tried for the dog too but the city has not
cut the weeds enough to get the photo. The next piece of art work was located on the 1500 block of Main St. It is a large chain that connects the Sylvan Brothers Building and the Kress Building. It is called “NEVERBUST”. Just around the corner at on the 1400 block of Taylor St I got a great photo of the “World’s Largest Fire Hydrant” It is 39 feet tall and weighs in at five tons. Just across the parking lot is “Tunnelvision” which Blue Sky painted on the side of the Federal Land Bank. I am amazed every time I see his work. ****
Around the corner from “Tunnelvision”, on the corner of Hampton and Bull St., an unknown artist painted a wonderful farm scene on the side of the AgSouth Building. I feel like I can smell the fresh cut hay! Before I left downtown I stopped off and took a quick walk around the State House. There is so much history in our city.
Next stop was Maxcy Gregg Park, which is located on Blossom St. just outside of Five Points. Located in the park is the Cancer Survivors Plaza. My daughter loves the bronze statues
Congaree Nation Park
Located on Hwy. 48 -Hopkins, SC that are holding hands in the plaza. A few years ago someone stole the statue of the little girl and it finally was returned in the middle of the night some weeks later.
While I was visiting the “World’s Largest Fire Hydrant” I was told that a small town up the road had the smallest Police Station in the world. I set the GPS for Ridgeway, SC. This took me up I-77 to US-21. It was a pleasant 35 minute ride up the road and there it was. My Shadow was longer than the station was wide. The Ridgeway Police used the station until 1990 when they moved next door. The building was just big enough for a desk and a chair. The new police station is just a little bigger but not in nearly as good shape.
I turned the bike around and headed for home. When I got to Hopkins, SC I stopped at Lizard’s Thicket for some real country cooking. I had fried catfish, fried okra, green beans with fatback, coleslaw and ice tea. I got out of there for $8.34 with a full stomach.
It was just before six when I pulled down
our long drive. My wife pulled in behind me and was ready for a ride herself. She got suited up and we headed back to Columbia to get an ice cream from her favorite spot, Marble Slab Creamery. A short ride around town and we were headed back home with smiles on our faces.
As far as being worried about the riding, there was no problem. The Shadow felt great and looked great (thanks to all the polishing I did to the chrome). The only problem I noted was that my shoulder and right wrist were soar after the ride. They took the hardest part of the shock from the wreck and I don’t think they were as healed as I had hoped.
Neat fact about Columbia, SC: Columbia was one of the first planned U.S. cities. Its roads were set in a grid pattern, but for some reason none of these streets were paved until 1908. Because of malaria concerns in this swampy region, Columbia’s streets were designed at 100 to 150 feet wide, in hopes that the mosquitoes would starve to death before flying across them.
Total miles = 154.8
And more smiles than
we can count!!
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sheila
non-member comment
last road trip
looks like you had a nice road trip. Funny thing you having a picture of the fire hydrant,I've told my girls we were going to start pencil and charcoal drawings. That is the first thing Hope wants to sketch! Love the other pics as well!