Day 10: Unexpected Unplanned Adventures
I woke up as we were rapidly approaching Charlotte where I got off for a second to get a photo of the heritage unit and the Northbound Crescent arriving. Then I tried to sleep for a bit setting my alarm for Greenville. My lovely attendant also made sure I was awake. And I then spent the next thirty miles talking to him into clemson. It felt like five minutes but according to status maps it was thirty five minutes.
My best friend Ryan and I had planned to spend the day with me in the upstate if SC so he told me when the heritage unit was on the train “when you get off the train run to the car we’re chasing” so I got off and literally ran down the ramp to his car. Threw my bag into his car as the train brake released. Then got in we rolled down the steep hill to US 123 and started our chase. We were even with him as he crossed Lake Hartwell just south of the station on a long viaduct. It was honestly really beautiful seeing the lit up lights of the train moving over the moonlit lake.
The train caught up to us by Westminster and crossed under us as we proceeded running south. At the state line he was crossing Lake Hartwell again a long side us. We kept moving and beat him to Gainesville by about ten minutes where the sun was rising. We enjoyed shooting him with one other railfan at Gainesville before using the station waiting room to charge both of our cameras for an hour. While we were sitting we tried planning what we would do with our day.
We decided because the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA was only thirty miles away we would stop in there. So we went to the museum. We enjoyed the China display at the museum which also Included some airlines like Pan American World Airways. Ryan and I met several years ago because of our love of trains but were both big aviation buffs too. So we were impressed by their inclusion of some airline history. Outside the display on dining was my grandfathers steam engine so it was great to see her again.
My grandfather was the head machinist for the Savannah & Atlanta No. 750 (4-6-2) back when it was in revenue service. Always good to see that engine when I’m out and about but I haven’t been to visit it since 2003. After admiring it we walked around the various passenger cars on display a Northern Pacific slumbercoach, a Wabash Blue Bird Observation dome, and a few others. After spending an hour on the property we were ready to go somewhere else. So we looked and happened to see Stone Mountain was only eight miles away.
The Stone Mountain Scenic runs either a F Unit or an old High Hood GP9 for power. So we decided that would be cool to see and photograph. On our way navigating across suburban roads it was mostly smooth sailing except we ran into a vintage car parade of 200-300 cars which had a police escort. Which delayed our journey over by twenty minutes. Of course we had a good time catching up and making jokes while waiting. We arrived at Stone Mountain and paid the twenty dollars to park the car before getting in line to get tickets into the park.
What we didn’t realize was to photograph the train where we wanted to we didn’t have to pay admission but we paid another twenty per person to go in but it included a ride on the train. Which this day was led by the F unit on their roster. Both of us were very impressed with the engineer because he had zero slack when starting, slowing, accelerating, and stopping. We figure he is a retired Amtrak engineer based on his train handling skills. After a ride around the mountain we photographed the train under the mountain and my short lens came back to life for that shot.
After shooting him there we shot him again at the crossing with the main hiking trail up the mountain which is on a curve. After that we started heading back to Clemson as I wanted to be home before dark especially given the little sleep I had had. Again we caught up on our love lifted and he was very impressed by the woman I know who is a B777-300ER pilot. I took a brief nap before Toccoa because I wanted to be rested for the drive home.
After that brief nap we talked a bit more before going to our favorite diner in SC. Paws Diner in Keowee, SC which is just south of Clemson. For five dollars you get a drink, meat, and two sides. Not a bad deal. It’s a grungy country/college diner. It had closed previously for a few months and reopened. We were happy to see it return. After that we drove the short distance to the station and bid our goodbyes. Of course that is a ten minute procedure of checking signals and trying to say goodbye.
After that I left the station down the steep drive way turned left on US 76 to begin my trip home. Once I passed Perimeter Road I diverted onto SC 28 into Pendleton which is a route my ex taught me as a shortcut around Anderson traffic. Once I approached the Z Line bridge i diverged onto two different residential streets in Pendleton to get around downtown to SC 88. It is rather odd I used to make this drive all the time but it felt like the landmarks were more spread out than they were before.
Despite the fact they were all in the same exact spots. It’s amazing how much this part of the state has changed in the last few years. Namely I believe I saw a Dollar General at least three times while I was on SC 88 where there had been nothing before. Slabtown isn’t even on a map and the diner looks run down but it has a dollar general now. After thirty minutes I turned onto SC 8 for the journey thru Pelzer. For whatever reason the area by Pelzer has some of the cheapest gas prices in the state. On the way out I passed the Bargain Food Store which for whatever reason has always somewhat fascinated me.
It’s surrounded by a tall fence and in the mornings at open time there is a long line of cars waiting to get in. So it’s fascinating. After two more miles going up a steep hill I turned right onto US25 which is a four lane road in an area with light traffic. I’ve never quite understood why the road is as nice as it is. But for some reason it is which makes it smooth sailing. After ten miles I turn onto US76 which I took on my way out to Clemson at Princeton. And work my way thru Laurens, and Clinton.
I talked to Ryan for a bit as I paralleled the CSX CN&L sub before diverging away to take SC 219. If you are trying to get to Northeast Columbia from western SC taking SC 219 to US 176 to SC 213 to SC 215 is your best method. If I went via Columbia it would add at least an hour instead it takes me instead less than an hour from Newberry to Blythewood. Of course I know another short cut that cuts from SC 215 over to US 21. I SAS trying to beat the sunset at this point because I know this part of the state is bad for deer so I was working hard to make it in time.
I had just reached my small town, and gotten in the drive thru of one of the few fast food places in town when the sunset. Meaning my last mile was after sunset but not a bad run. I enjoyed my road trip back from Clemson. I’ve always enjoyed these road trips though.
