Oconee County, South Carolina

2009-08-17~19: My hosts, in addition to providing much needed rest, showed me a great deal of the local history and geography, such as the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel, an incomplete railroad tunnel and the nearby Isaqueena Falls. There were Confederate cemeteries and monuments, as well as the ugly aftermath of the defeat, such as bits of local lore regarding lynchings. We also toured the nearby hills and the lakes that had filled in the the lowlands between them. Some places were extremely rural, and in South Carolina that means some people lived with no electricity, despite being only a few miles up into the hills. I also got to know Southern culture a bit more. We stopped at a "cash and carry" place with a tiny restaurant in the middle of the merchandise. Everyone knew each other, and while they may have been suspicious of outsiders joining them for lunch, I realized that it could be overcome by association with someone they knew, and that was the only requirement. It was very strange. I stayed for three days before once again setting off, eastbound.