Once again, we decided to stay at Clemson RV Park at the Grove. This was previously visited by us. However this time, we chose to have an extended stay in the RV, at a whopping eleven months.
Grounds: By the time we made it back, a good chunk of the housing development nearby had finished, and some of the homeowners in the area are a bit rowdy so you may have to deal with their noise. It looked as if they were doing more construction, perhaps as an additional access for the executive suite. The area is building up with additional commercial establishments, so future visitors may not have to travel as far.
Staff: It was nice to see the staff continuing to be accommodating towards changing needs and multi-day trips. However, for the number of regulations that the park has, they don't seem to ever enforce them. Obviously you don't want to be a hard stickler like we've seen at other parks, but speeding and wrong way driving were getting out of hand to the point where other driving vehicles and even children were nearly being hit by these unruly tenants.
Amenities: Of the bath houses that had maintenance issues on our first visit, we found the same disrepair upon our return. In addition, other things continued to break in the bath houses that were never fixed, despite raising rent and laundry prices for what seemed to be zero return. They did add a couple additional washers and dryers, but that's assuming they work and weren't trashed by either unruly tenants, or non-tenants that seemed to be in and out of the facilities with the door never locked. On the plus side, we did see a number of events, including hosted dinners, bouncy castles, and game shuttles, taking place during football season for home games. There was also a barbecue competition that was hosted in the winter months with a similar atmosphere. If you go during the right time, although the rates will be significantly higher, it could be a very happening place.
Atmosphere: During the events, there certainly is a lot of positive energy in the park. However, the far end of the grounds, where most monthly renters are placed, has a significant "trailer park" vibe akin to the commonly associated stereotypes. There are cluttered sites, tenants deciding to park their cars across several pads without paying for them, loud music at all hours without being able to listen to your own sounds in your own rig while wearing headphones, and the problem tenants are either incredibly arrogant or "don't speak English".
After this stay, we regrettably must lower our rating to 7 out of a possible 10. Rumors were spreading of a significant price increase in the near future. This location does not conduct background checks on monthly tenants when compared to other parks, but after what we experienced, we sadly now understand why other owners are now being forced to do this. We were happy to be able to find an opportunity to leave this area, and should we come back to upcountry South Carolina, whether for a visit or long term, we will likely not return to this park.
As our players head to a new location, so begins a new disc golf series!
Welcome to Grand Central Station, this one being in Central, South Carolina, for today's disc golf match. Grand Central is a free-to-play, themed park with two separate 18 hole courses. Today, our players will be playing the front nine of the "freight" course. However, the basket for hole 9 is missing on our course, replaced with an overturned bucket. The bucket will be played as if the putt was made passing over it. So how will our players fare?
Course Result:
His Holes: 1
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 4
Course Record: Him 10 - 4 - 17 Her
Holes Record: Him 68 - 107 Her
Hole one started with him in the rough, but she was unable to capitalize as the hole was halved. He had even more difficult time in the rough on two and three, but she was able to take the hole each time, garnering a two-hole lead. The rough continued to plague him on four, along with a missed putt, resulting in her taking a three hole lead. He would have some bad tree luck, but a missed putt from her resulted in the hole being halved. She'd miss a putt on six, but it wouldn't matter, as an awkward shot landing in the rough meant a hole win for her. Hole seven would see her taking a penalty for landing in the creek, and because of that, there would be no shutout, as he took the seven. The final two holes were halved by our competitors. The shot count was 52-55 in her favor, as this course proved to be quite difficult.
She is pulling away. Can he bring it back? We'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Once again, Freedom Rolling comes to you with another brew review, this time from the Keowee Brewing Company in Seneca, South Carolina. So let's head down to the taps and see what they have to offer. As with this and all other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up, we find the Highly Contagious Key Line Pilsener. Presented in the typical pale color you normally find with a pilsener, this one has a heightened scent of limes from the added fruit. Upon the first sip of this brew, a slight bit of sourness comes into your palette as a result of the key limes, yet not in an overpowering sense like some of the sour beers available at other breweries. It almost gives you the sensation of drinking a cider, but otherwise has no taste to it, almost as if it's a flavored water. It's a decent introduction to sour beers if you need to ease your way into them, but perhaps there are other options.
Heading down the flight line, we come across their recommended choice, the Hike & Hops American IPA. We can see why they chose this as the one to drink, as it has a beautiful golden color and a scent of citra hops. Upon the first sip, the hops are controlled to where they aren't overpowering, yet unlike some of the similar American IPAs we've reviewed, this one will leave the slight aftertaste of hops in the roof of your mouth. Although this combination seems to be one that almost every brewery does, you cannot deny that it's a comfortable staple to have, along with a good way to ease into the type of brew.
When you're in the deep south, you almost certainly have to try something that involves peaches. Enter the Peach Kölsch they call Good Friends with Peach. Clearly it is going to have that orange color you'd expect from a peach, but surprisingly you don't detect the scent of it when the brew is presented. After one sip, you do get the sweetness that you'd get when biting into a peach, but it must truly be overpowering, as you really don't get the taste of anything aside from what seems like peach juice. As much as it's inventive to try to showcase the local crop, there must be some better choices available.
If you've been reading the brew reviews, you know about Freedom Rolling being a sucker for ambers, so we almost certainly have to try the Hindsight Amber Lager. As with most brews of this type, that lovely caramel color you expect comes forward, but no additional scent upon presentation. After the first sip, there's a subtle kick that you just can't put your finger on, so you go back for a second. Perhaps that intrigue is what really sells the beer, but otherwise it's just an average amber that you'd expect to drink anywhere.
With another side note, the brewer on site was incredibly kind and knowledgeable about his products. Compared to the last time a brewery was visited, this is something you really want to see when you step into an establishment like this. Although the beers were average, they make up for it in customer service, so if your Internal Compass takes you to northwestern South Carolina, you may just find this to be a good choice of watering hole.
Trip number 27 saw us once again staying at the Angostura State Recreation Area. We have previously visited this park, so take a look at the link for some basic information about it. For this trip, it was a bit different in that we had a tent with us, and a three night stay was had.
Grounds: Although the grounds haven't changed much, there is something that we discovered: If you happen to be staying in the Horsehead campground section, there is actually a second access into the grounds using Angostura Road. This route is much more gentle on the hills and curves than the main entrance that is much steeper, not to mention going through a ranch. Just make sure to call ahead or talk to the camp host when you arrive to confirm you've checked in, and have the park entrance license with you. If you passed Custer State Park along the way, the same pass works. The hosts would probably work with you to let you unhook the RV and immediately go up to the office, but we didn't need that this time around.
Amenities: We previously talked about staff and propane levels when it comes to the showers, but this isn't their fault. The showers themselves just don't put out hot water; lukewarm at best. There is precisely one shower stall all the way up in the Cascade section where it is actually worth getting a decent shower. Even Cheyenne isn't all that good, and Hat Creek doesn't have a bathhouse with showers. It's not something you necessarily feel when you have the RV with you, but tent and tent trailer campers are going to have a rough time. That being said, we did notice the dump station has a well marked fresh water fill, so you won't have to bring along a bunch of water in your travels.
The overall rating for Angostura remains at an 8 out of a possible 10 rating. The biggest selling point for this park remaining high in rating, including one where we'd want to visit again, is the proximity to the Black Hills and relative value for money. It still fills up quickly on weekends in season, so you'll probably have to book 90 days in advance. However, if you don't mind the drive, let your Internal Compass take you here.
Another match is upon us.
Coming to you from Tommy Schumpert Park on the outskirts of Knoxville, Tennessee, our players are at it once again for another disc golf match. Tommy Schumpert Park is a free-to-play course situated near a housing development in the Dry Gap area. The course has 18 holes with both long and short tees, as well as long and short baskets, with a good chunk of the course heading into the woods. Our players will only be playing the front nine this time around, but hole 9 and tee 10 are very close to the start of the course, making it easy for players to split this up into sections. Who will prevail in this match?
Course Result:
His Holes: 0
Halved: 4
Her Holes: 5
Course Record: Him 10 - 4 - 16 Her
Holes Record: Him 67 - 103 Her
Hole number one saw him get into the rough, but was able to scramble back for a halve despite missed putts from each. With hole 2, bad tree luck and a missed putt allowed her to take her first hole of the match. Although she had some bad tree luck on the third, a missed putt from him gave an opening to take another hole. Hole four saw each player doing better with a four-spot each, but bad tree luck and a missed putt on five gave her another hole. The misses continued to plague him, as she was able to get yet another hole on six. Hole seven saw her miss the putt and give him a chance to halve, but a missed putt of his own led to her getting the Hawaii score. Our players would trade missed putts on eight, and although she ended up in the rough on the nine, a scramble allowed for her to halve the hole. Shots were 41-49 in her favor.
The Knoxville series ends with her taking another victory and getting into triple digit hole wins. What will happen in their next location? Tune in to find out, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Welcome back to another brew review! Today we'll be taking you through the Carolinas to sample some of the various craft beers offered in the area. As with this and all the other brew reviews, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
Starting in the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, we find Highland Brewing and their Pilsner. The first scent of this particular brew gives the common wheat sensation one finds with these sorts of beers, and the first sip shows it to be incredibly light that it would be able to go down quickly and easily. Only a slight mouth coating aftertaste exists, but otherwise has no real flavor to it, almost as if one were drinking water. If you're looking for the palette to be excited, it's best to look elsewhere, but for your basic every day brew it may be a decent choice.
Heading down to the low country and the ocean city of Charleston, South Carolina, we take a look at the Coast Brewing Company and their Following Seas Helles Lager. The helles lager is known for being a bit more pale than the traditional lager, which is very much evidenced by its light, golden color when presented. Upon the first sip, what seems like a clean taste it met with a tiny bite at the roof of the mouth from the light hops used in its production. On a summer day in South Carolina that can easily reach triple-digit temperatures, if you much prefer the lagers over the ales, this will provide just the relaxing coolness you seek.
We now take a look at the Misty Haze New England Style Pale Ale. Although this one is of the New England style, we won't be traveling that far for it, as it comes from the Southern Pines Brewing Company in Southern Pines, North Carolina. A moderately yellow color along with a plain yet refreshing scent of hops is what you find upon presentation. When taking the first sip, you get a moderate taste of the hops that taste of citra, but it doesn't linger in your mouth nor overpower your taste buds. A hint of lime can also be found in this offering, which helps to accentuate that citrus taste. This is one where the drinker should be used to hops in order to enjoy, but would be quite refreshing in the summer months.
So the next time you Follow Your Internal Compass, whether it's one of these choices or something else, perhaps you will be able to find a brew that is just right for you.
Do I hear them out there again? Yes they are!
Welcome to the small community of Norris, Tennessee, home of today's match at the Norris Disc Golf Course. This is a free-to-play nine hole course situated within the woods in the heart of the small, hillside, yet somewhat self-contained city. This is a short but technical course, and although any shot trackers you use won't be the most accurate, the signage to guide you around is some of the best you'll find in the country. Our players will be playing the short tees for the first six holes, and the short baskets for the final three. How did our players fare?
Course Result:
His Holes: 2
Halved: 6
Her Holes: 1
Course Record: Him 10 - 4 - 15 Her
Holes Record: Him 67 - 98 Her
Hole one had a bit of an odd start with a converted shuffleboard court being a sideways tee, as our players halved this. Hole two saw him have some bad tree luck along with a missed putt, as she made par to take the lead. Though the trees would continue to plague him on the third, she found herself deep into the rough leading to another halve. Four would see a more respectable four-shot from each of the players to keep it close. However, a bad shot into the rough on five gave him the opportunity to tie the score, and he capitalized. After a halved hole on the six, a missed putt from her led to him taking a difficult seven and the lead in the match. He almost gave it back in the rough, but a missed putt allowed him to scramble back to a halve. Trading missed putts on the nine, he was able to hold on as our players halved the hole. The shot count was 43-all.
He is now in the double digit win column, but can he gain any momentum from this? We'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Trip number 25 saw the Freedom Rolling crew staying at the Raccoon Valley RV Park in Heiskell, Tennessee. This is a privately owned and sponsored park just outside of the greater Knoxville area. A two week stay was had here.
Grounds: Raccoon Valley is well situated for access to many things around the area, only about a mile or so from Interstate 75. With Knoxville being nearby, there are plenty of resupply opportunities available, as well as other sights to see. And if you don't mind the drive, even Nashville can be done as a day trip.
Sites: This park has 68 full-hook up sites, a combination of back-in and pull-through. However, with the actual park sitting along a hill and the sites at an angle, the gravel pads themselves are not flat, so be ready to use leveling blocks. These are also probably the tiniest sites that you'll find for a privately owned campground, so we were barely able to fit everything. Although they have both 30 and 50 amp service, be prepared to pay extra for 50 amp service.
Staff: Though we seemed to have an acceptable experience while reserving, we came to find a rude and condescending person running the park when we arrived, and seemed like they were stalking during our stay. It was someone we encountered before, and actually chose not to stay at another campground because of the same person, who had since been transferred to this park. Maintenance decided they were going to pesticide spray near occupied lots with pets present, making a difficult situation for the fur baby.
Amenities: The park has very limited things to offer within its grounds, including a dog park and nature trails that patrons were discouraged from using. Laundry facilities exist, but be prepared to use extra quarters for the dryer. The bathrooms are stocked in such a way that the management insists paying customers do the housekeeping work, with squeegees and spray bottles at each shower and an abundance of signage to the same extent. We've seen this at some of this corporation's other locations, and felt lucky we weren't harassed about it this time.
Atmosphere: This campground is certainly meant for the 55+ crowd, as families didn't seem as welcome. If it weren't for Knoxville being nearby, this may very well have been a disaster of a location to stay, as it was incredibly uncomfortable, and was one of the leading factors to us doing further due diligence and changing plans for another of the corporation's parks.
Overall, Raccoon Valley RV Park receives a six out of a possible 10 rating. One of the few redeeming factors for this location is the price, as it is lower than many of the other parks where we had stayed during this recent run. Unfortunately it is not enough to salvage the experience had, as if our Internal Compass brings us to the Knoxville area again, it would be best to choose a different campground.
Another trip is behind us, and we have returned to our previous trip's location. What has happened, and what have we learned from this?
First off, not all the equipment survived. High winds not even worthy of a special weather statement took out the canopy AND the tent we brought. The tent barely fit the air mattress we were using as it was so it's not a complete disappointment, but those cheap setups from major outdoor retailers are incredibly flimsy and don't hold to anything other than calm desert sunshine. At least the grill and air mattress survived, as we still have use for those with our primary RV setup. So the first lesson learned: Find better quality materials.
Secondly, we've certainly found that we are destination-bound travelers. What we mean by this is that we aren't simply cruising along, looking at every little thing, nor doing that ridiculous 2-2-2 or 3-3-3 that some RVers seem to love. No, we go for aggressive travel days, and we may have over-compensated on scheduling this time around. Looking to do over 1500 miles in a day and a half, mostly because of an appointment, proved tiresome. It's not the first time we've done a long travel day, as we've been known to do over 600 in a day while pulling the RV, and cross-country in four days. However once we did the return in about two days and a couple hours, mostly around a desire to get back to our home, that tells us what we look to do on travel days. Don't get us wrong: The open road is probably one of the most peaceful places you can ever be, and we absolutely love being there, with him behind the wheel and her riding along. However, lesson learned: 750 miles per day while light is comfortable, 1000 is aggressive but doable if we must, but under no circumstances do we drive through the night unless we're forced to do so.
Speaking of that, let's take a look at accommodations. Motels are way too expensive, so we don't use them. Campgrounds close early and we usually don't know where we're going to make for a particular day, as much as we can make a guess. So that leaves rest areas and truck stops. Yes, states crack down on these, but there's some wiggle room for if you're not fit to drive. Even when heavy, we try to let the truckers settle as much as they can since long-vehicle parking is at a premium and we don't have time limiters electronically forced on us. Needless to say, a pickup truck is not a SUV. We can't exactly stick a futon mattress in the back and sleep there. And when you're in the wild, not exactly good to use the truck bed. Switching off may have worked if we were adjusted for it, but we couldn't exactly do that because of what happened before and during the travels. Couple with filling the cab with all of the necessary items meant the seats had to effectively stay where they were.
At the end of the day, what we've figured out is that we'll need to bring the RV when we travel longer distances. We're already bringing half of what's in there anyway, and it'll make for better accommodations where we are. Unfortunately only one of us is comfortable driving it so we're stuck with 500-600 miles per day, but we can make it work if need be. Long story short, we can travel with the truck in a pinch, but only up to the one day limit. Anything beyond that, we take the RV.
So until the next time we look to get on the road again, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
Once again, off to the links they go.
Welcome to Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville, Tennessee for today's disc golf match. The course at Victor Ashe Park is free to play, and both the design and outside gates lead us to believe that this may have once been home to a traditional golf course. Today, it hosts an 18-hole course along with many walking paths and other amenities. For today's match, our players will be playing a "modified nine", which has previously been discussed but not actually done. They will go through holes 1-5, but instead of going to a different section of the park, head to hole 15 and finish out the course. In addition, because of the water hazard at the first tee, our players will modify hole 1 and play an "alternate tee" that is on some maps, despite no tee box existing on the course. The blue short baskets are in play for this round. With all the ground rules out of the way, how will the players do?
Course Result:
His Holes: 3
Halved: 0
Her Holes: 6
Course Record: Him 9 - 4 - 15 Her
Holes Record: Him 65 - 97 Her
The alternate tee proved rather difficult for our players, though he was able to take hole 1 and jump out to a lead. It wouldn't last long, as two missed putts cost him hole 2 and she tied the score. Missed putts would continue to plague him, as she take the last lead on hole 3. She was once again able to pick up another hole, this time on 4, and a missed putt from him gave her the game winner on hole 5. The missed putt woes continued for him, as despite some better driving from him, she was able to seal the match on hole 15. With the game iced, she had some trouble in the rough, while he was finally able to get a 4 and win hole 16. The rough and missed putts plagued both our players on the 17, but he was able to pull out the win. Those trees would prove to be detrimental on the 18, though, as she would take her sixth hole for the match. The shots were 48-52 in her favor.
Will she win another? Will he pull it back? Will their handicaps improve? You'll find out next time, but until then, be sure to Follow Your Internal Compass.
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