The Swamp Rabbit - from Falls Park to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery

The Swamp Rabbit Trail cuts through Falls Park in the very heart of downtown. If you head south from the waterfall you’ll pass through what soon will be Cancer Survivor’s Park and hit Cleveland Park, the 1.5 mile section I covered in my post The Swamp Rabbit: from the Falls to Cleveland Park. On the other hand if you follow the Reedy River upstream from the falls, you have a 2 mile ride/hike ahead of you to get to a favorite local hangout, the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery.

The rubber running lane stretches from Reedy View Dr, to Willard

From the waterfall the trail runs north past O-CHA tea bar and Papi’s Tacos, along the RiverPlace Phase 3/Embassy Suites development, to River Street. Currently cars must yield to pedestrians and cyclists on the trail, but it’s a dangerous intersection as despite multiple posted signs, drivers are not always aware they do not have the right-of-way. The City of Greenville has given the green light to the River Street Underpass Project, which will allow for safe passage under River Street for Swamp Rabbit traffic. From there the trail currently runs on Reedy View Drive to the S. Academy St. underpass.

View from Linky Stone Park northwest

At Reedy View Drive and River Street are a couple of two hour parking lots (no limit on nights and weekends) that offer convenient parking for those looking to hop on the trail or visit the small park located under Academy St. The Children’s Garden at Linky Stone Park has deteriorated some in recent years; you might remember the articles in the news last March about the theft of one of the three little bear bronze statues. Other features in the park have seen similar defacement and destruction, with portions of musical instruments removed, flower and herb gardens trampled, and an alarming number of transients present in the area. Despite these glaring differences between Falls and Linky Stone Park, the small park is still an amazing space to explore with children, and with all the development in the neighborhood it is possible that Linky Stone will be restored to its original glory.

Here the Swamp Rabbit Trail makes a sharp turn, heading in a southwest direction under S. Academy before swinging back to the north, still following the Reedy River.  There is some serious development going up on the north side of the river, apartment buildings heralding the growth of downtown to the west. The Swamp Rabbit Trail has helped fuel this advance, as well as the announcements for a new park between A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School and Mayberry Park. But to get to the site of the new park first you must pass through the rather derelict section between Reedy View Drive and Westfield. The foundations of old structures are lost in a tangle of briars and honeysuckle, but although the traffic from Church St. is audible, this is a relatively peaceful stretch of trail.

Once you’ve crossed Westfield you have The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center and soccer fields to the left, with a section of land across the river on Martin Street also being part of the Kroc compound – the Kroc Tennis Complex. There are designated flood-plain areas along this section of trail, designed to help manage the large amounts of runoff that enter the Reedy during large rain events. The flooding is a large part of the reason why the Public Works Campus that currently occupies the area of what will be the new City Park has to be moved; hopefully the design of the new park will offer similar flood areas that will absorb some of the storm water, easing the burden of areas downstream. Adjacent to the Kroc Center is A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School.

If you look closely through the tangled underbrush next to the river (or if you’re on the trail in the winter when the foliage isn’t as obstructive) you might notice old rail bridges on the river – a testament to the trail's history as a rail line. These side spurs were historically present up and down the former rail line, connecting the various industrial parks to the main line.

Mayberry Park

Having crossed S. Hudson St. we are now in what will be City Park territory. The public works facility is in various stages of being relocated, some buildings already demolished while others are still in use. This article from greenvilleonline.com gives a good overview of the park plan along with the hurdles and obstacles still to be overcome. Also included within the proposed City Park boundaries is Mayberry Park with a neighborhood baseball field and picnic shelter. These will be on your left just before you get to one of the business that has popped up in recent years, Swamp Rabbit CrossFit - supported partially by proximity to the traffic the trail.

There are grand plans for the property on the opposite side of the Reedy as well. The Swamp Rabbit Marketplace currently in the works will provide new locations for The Community Tap and Due South Coffee, while also featuring a Carolina Triathlon bike store and a Feed & Seed market that will specialize in regional farm products. “The Commons” are being developed from abandoned warehouses at Welbourn Street, and initial plans include green space to extend to the edge of the Reedy River in addition to the marketplace.

After Swamp Rabbit Crossfit there is an easy-to-miss monument to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Today the rail bridge overhead includes the Amtrak lines that service the Greenville station, but on April 13, 1945 the FDR funeral procession traveling via rail stopped just a short distance from the trail. 15,000 mourners gathered to show their respect to President Roosevelt, and soldiers lined the tracks for a mile north and south of the station. President Roosevelt was in office when he died in Warm Springs, GA, and was buried in Hyde Park, NY.

Looking south with the rail bridge visible in the back

Just beyond the memorial is the Willard St. intersection where the trail makes a sharp jog to cross the river. The next couple of sections have fewer points of interest; to the South is the Reedy while to the north are train tracks. There is almost always a locomotive warming up or cooling down just before the E. Bramlett Rd. crossing, a good point to stop with the boys but also a signal that we’ll soon reach the Republic Locomotive Headquarters. There are more reminders of the rail legacy of the area as well, including an old bridge that used to provide access to the industry across the river; careful, there are no guardrails and a good twenty foot drop to the river and banks below.

A bridge to nowhere

The Bramlett intersection is a bit tricky. With fencing and warning signs for cyclists and motorists alike it has been rendered as safe as possible, but as the trail intersects with train tracks and a road it serves well to be extra aware, especially when crossing with children. East on Bramlett is Legacy Charter Elementary School, the campus not quite visible even in the winter, but traffic increases during school pick-up and drop-off.

The Bramlett intersection

Having crossed W. Washington Street we hit the final stretch. The Parker Sewer & Fire Subdistrict – Administration Fire Station is to the west, and often we’ll pause to watch the firefighters testing equipment; today there wasn’t a fire engine in sight and so we cruised on by, crossing Hampton Avenue and arriving at the Gardening for Good Community Garden. The Swamp Rabbit Teaching Garden is a great opportunity to learn about gardening and meet community gardeners, and the tool lending library is also located on site. During the spring and summer months they usually have weekly volunteer days on which you can join in the fun – check their website for more information.

With the complex near mile 31.5 are several businesses including the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery (SRC&G). Having been awarded a USDA Local Food Production grant, the grocery is set to expand from the current 2,600 square feet to 6,100 square feet in the near future, adding new local suppliers and creating additional kitchen facilities. While the grant is reflective on the Swamp Rabbit Grocery’s positive influence on the local economy as well as the healthy food on its shelves, the need for expansion in the five years that is has been open on Cedar Lane serves as evidence that the business has coevolved along with the trail and the clientele. I’m excited to see SRC&G grow as they have a community-centered business model; from the ‘Swamp Garden’ playground to the local produce box to the house stecca - we have a dozen reasons to continue to shop at SRC&G and will continue to support them with our business.

Once we had enjoyed a coffee/hot chocolate/pain au chocolate/loaf of stecca and a romp in the Swamp Garden, it was time to don the bike helmets and start our return trip. From Linky Stone Park to SRC&G it is two miles, making the round trip a healthy four-mile ride for the boys on their bikes – a fun winter morning excursion. We topped off the morning with time in the Childen’s Garden at Linky Stone Park, exploring the winter environs until the lure of lunch and football pulled us to the car. Two more miles on the Swamp Rabbit Trail down – 16 more to go!

source: google maps

The Donut Experiment

The Donut Experiment

January 13, 2016, Greenville, SC

Filed by Femme au Foyer

I.             Problem

A new boutique-style shop is in town

II.            Hypothesis

IF we visit the Donut Experiment THEN we shall have a delicious experience

III.          Materials

a.    Directions to The Donut Experiment, located at 2123 Augusta St. C

b.    Topping and icing checklist, available upon entering the store

c.    Pencil/pen, wallet

d.    An appetite

IV.          Safety Information

a.    Various donut/icing/topping combinations may be TOO delicious to survive the trip home – please plan accordingly

b.    Deciding on flavor combinations while small children are tugging on your pants can be frustrating – sit them down at the small table with the offered donut-themed coloring pages and crayons instead!

c.    Eating while driving can result in not only crumbs, but distracted driving. Femme au Foyer always recommends pulling over in a safe location to eat your donuts

V.           Procedure

a.    Arrive at the Donut Experiment and enter the establishment

b.    Find the 'donut form' and take a look at the menu for daily specials

c.    Select a quantity of donuts, then choose toppings and icings for each

d.    Hand your selection to the employee who will proceed to fill your order right in front of you, dipping each donut into the icing of your choice before covering it in chosen topping

e.    Pay for your purchase, hopefully keeping the box closed until you have reached your chosen destination

f.     Enjoy your personal donut collection!

VI.          Results/Data

     With combinations including caramel icing/sea salt, maple icing/bacon, chocolate icing/peanut butter drizzle, vanilla icing/raspberry drizzle and glaze/M&Ms, everyone got to choose a couple of combinations

     Because of the endless combinations available, we ended cutting most of the donuts into quarters so that we could try multiple combos – encouraging extended snacking

     Think bacon doesn’t belong on a donut? The maple/bacon combination was a favorite served with coffee (which is also available on location)

     The kids preferred the candy toppings: M&Ms, Reese’s, Oreo

     Specialty donuts are available, including key lime, sriracha and a daily special

     With a dozen donuts priced at $13, a dozen designer donuts are only a few dollars more than the typical DD or KK experience – worth it for the experience? You decide…

VII.         Conclusion

The Donut Experiment is a great place to go for a special treat. A nice spot to meet a client for a meeting, meet a few moms for a morning coffee, or to pick up donuts to take to that staff meeting full of co-workers trying to maintain New Year’s Resolutions – we give an enthusiastic thumbs up to TDE. Who knew science could be so satiating!

Greenville Swamp Rabbits!

So there’s this thing in Greenville, it’s called the Swamp Rabbit Trail. It’s more than a thing, actually, as the 20 mile greenway following the Reedy river here in the Upstate has triggered the rebirth of an entire town (Travelers Rest), and spawned multiple businesses and even a sports team that want to share in the glory of a marsh rabbit. The SRT is a model we’ve seen work countless times across the US, of transforming a former rail line into a community resource; the phenomenon is common enough that top ten lists of the best rail trails are appearing, such as this one in Travel + Leisure. (When thinking of a similar success story, the High Line in NYC comes to mind despite the differences in use, as it is primary for foot traffic while the SRT is for bicycles and pedestrians.) I’ve previously written a little about the history and a small portion of the trail in my post The Swamp Rabbit: from the Falls to Cleveland Park, and about some of the businesses that have popped up around the greenway such as Swamp Rabbit Grocery and the Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom. However, the most recent Swamp Rabbits in Greenville are a hockey team!

The Swamp Rabbits are the second East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) franchise to play in Greenville, the Greenville Grrrowl being our hometown team from 1998 to 2006. After four years without a hockey team the Johnstown Chiefs were relocated to Greenville in 2010, becoming the Greenville Road Warriors until they were rebranded last year.

Being a relocated Yankee, I get more excited about hockey than I do about NASCAR. Although the closest I’ve ever gotten to playing were my years as the Baltic Club’s broomball goalie at UIUC (which isn’t very close!), I had thought to take the boys to a game last season, especially as the boys were owners of Road Warrior Jerseys through the franchise’s participation in the LiveWell Greenville Park Hop. Mikus can be sensitive to the noise of large crowds and so we didn’t make it – however I wasn’t ready to let another entire season pass without catching a game!

The 2015-2016 promotional schedule is pretty impressive. We opted to attend on the night they gave away jerseys to all the kids, and although Star Wars night and the cap giveaway are in the past, there are still over a dozen games to attend including scout night and $5 ticket Thursdays.

Among the 28 teams in the ECHL our Swamp Rabbits are in the South division along with the Florida Everblades, the Atlanta Gladiators, The South Carolina Stingrays (North Charleston) and the Orlando Solar Bears, the opponent on the night we attended. It was a close game, decided in overtime after a nail-biting third period.

GOOOOAAAAAL!!!!!

I was blown away when I looked at the roster; the Swamp Rabbits have an international team with Canadians, Russians, Finns and Czechs playing alongside Americans. Currently 27 year old Jack Combs from St. Louis, MO is leading the stats with 15 goals, and although we’re #4 in the standings, we still have a couple of months left in the first season!

Local blogger (and sons) on the jumbotron!

 

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are affiliated with the NY Rangers of the NHL and the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. You can catch their home games at "The Well" (Bon Secours Wellness Arena, schedule here) and see the team stats here.

Sullivan's Island: Edgar Allen Poe and lifesavers

It’s just one big party at our house, from November to the end of January! Starting with Halloween, a birthday, Thanksgiving and the holidays, and ending with another couple of birthdays and a name-day, today we are celebrating the birthday of the homme au foyer himself! Although it’s not quite the adventure of last year in Costa Rica, I hope you will all join me in wishing Roberts a happy birthday and all the best in the coming year – and while you’re at it remind him I’m waiting on the present from that party-kick-off birthday in November…

So a few final notes on Sullivan’s Island, the destination on our Charleston trip that included a stop at Patriots Point and Fort Moultrie.  We ended our visit to the Fort with the boys earning Junior Ranger badges, a fantastic program that encourages exploration and curiosity during visits to our National Parks. Luckily Roberts snapped a picture; we’ll pretend Lauris isn’t barefoot while being sworn in…

A few blocks east of the Fort is the Sullivan’s Island Life Saving Station, the boathouse and quarters built in 1895 when coastal shipping was the primary means of transportation. The eight men and two rowboats housed there were tasked with protecting the lives of those involved in maritime trade. In 1915 the US Coast Guard took over the Life-Saving Service, and the complex remained in use until 1973. The beach was actually much closer to the boathouse than it is today, the shores of the coastal barrier island constantly shifting with the waves. In addition there is also the signal tower (1938), the buildings together forming an “L” shape around the bunker/sighting station. Today the structures are part of the US Coast Guard Historic District, incoporated into Fort Sumter National Monument. 

Then we hit the beach.  Many of the SC beaches are pretty similar – smooth, soft sand with currents and tides that keep parents on their toes. This one was no different, the best part about the low tide being the tide pools that kept the kids in the water without the waves and jellyfish of the ocean. 

Two blocks from the beach is Poe’s Tavern, named after Edgar Allen Poe and famous for its burgers and drinks. The author was stationed at Fort Moultrie under the pseudonym Edgar Allan Perry for thirteen months beginning November 18,1827, and it was this time on the island that was the inspiration for “The Gold Bug”, a story about a mystical beetle that led to buried treasure. The restaurant is worth the visit, if for the décor alone – what better way to spend some time in the bathroom than reading Edgar Allen Poe? A great spot to catch up with friends, a casual and laid-back beach atmosphere and mouthwatering food – the trio a winning combination.

  

When I went to photograph the interior of Poe’s I was wondering how my camera battery was already dead, but later upon reviewing my pictures it became clear; there were no fewer than 120 selfies taken by a certain 5yo with ketchup on his cheek. Robert, as my birthday present to you, here they are in no particular order…. On second thought, maybe I’ll stick to the best 4+1!

Sullivan's Island: Fort Moultrie

While most come to Sullivan’s Island to enjoy the beaches or eat at famous Poe’s Tavern, there’s another side to this beach resort town that is easily discovered with a visit to the west end of the island, and Fort Moultrie. Part of Fort Sumter National Monument, Sullivan’s Island is actually closer to Fort Sumter than both of the ferry ports, Patriot’s Point and Liberty Square; they depart from the downtown Charleston area while the fort is between James and Sullivan’s Islands, both forts standing guard at the mouth of the Charleston harbor to the Atlantic.

The first palmetto-log fort on Sullivan's Island wasn’t finished when it was attacked by the British in 1776. The June 28^th battle ended in British retreat, although they returned in 1780, capturing Charleston and keeping it until the end of the war. The fort was named after its commander in that initial battle, Colonel William Moultrie.

After the Revolution, Fort Moultrie was all but abandoned, and by 1791 there was little left of it. When war broke out between England and France in 1793 Congress authorized the first system of coastal fortifications and a 2^nd Fort Moultrie was completed in 1798. Destroyed by a hurricane in 1804, a third (brick) Fort Moultrie was built.

In my opinion the most interesting thing about the series of forts ringing Charleston Harbor (Moultrie, Sumter, Johnson, and Pinckney), is that they were meant to be a collaborative effort at keeping the enemy at bay, but actually ended up being on center stage pitted against one another in the Union/Confederate conflict as the site of the first shots of the Civil War. SC seceded from the Union, and the Federal garrison abandoned Fort Moultrie for Fort Sumter, deeming the former too weak and hard to defend. (More on that in my post Celebrate your wedding anniversary at Fort Sumter!)

In April 1863, the Union began a 20-month bombardment of Sumter and Moultrie. The defenses held, although both forts were basically a pile of rubble at the point when the Confederate army evacuated the city in February 1865. Moultrie was rebuilt and modernized in the 1870s and again in 1885, but eventually larger weapons were placed further east on the island and the fort became just a small piece of the Fort Moultrie Military Reservation.

A visit to today's restored Fort starts at the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center, where visitors can view educational exhibits and get a copy of the Junior Ranger program booklet. After watching the orientation film we headed across the street, entering the fort through the Sally Port entrance.

A full exploration of the fort can take a few hours as it is certainly larger than it seems, partially underground, and a comprehensive visit will also include a trip around the forts walls. Additionally visitors can take the “Cannon Walk” with artillery pieces that date from the Civil War to Battery Jasper, part of the coastal defense system.

We ducked over to the ocean, getting our feet wet on a strip of sand that lay between concrete rubble (to protect against erosion) and the water. That tiny taste of the ocean was enough to plant a seed of impatience in us all on this hot day, leading us to abandon the fort in search of swimming and sandcastles… but not before being sworn in as Junior Park Rangers, that is.

Open 9am to 5pm daily (except on certain holidays), there is an admission fee to visit the Fort: please see the National Park Service website for more information.