Let it fly!

University of South Carolina flag flying proudly over SC State House after winning the College World Series.  Go Gamecocks!

For my pal, Chris, in Afghanistan.

M.I.A. (Missing In Alcohol and pork fueled madness)

Many of us have been wondering where the heck Kyle has gone. A once frequent blogger and famed Internet funny-man, Kyle seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Here are a couple of theories regarding his disappearance:

1- With a belated sense of enthusiasm, he has decided to hike the Appalachian Trail (meaning the actual AT, not go to South American for a tryst.)

2- He has holed himself up in a cabin to work on his novel, a humorous yet melancholy biographical work similar to those of Pat Conroy before his writing began to suck.

3- He got his dream job and is now busy as a roadie for KISS.

4- While reading a monster magazine on the toilet, his legs went to sleep. When he finally tried to stand up, he fell down and tried to grab the toilet for balance, but the toilet lid slammed down and broke all his fingers, rendering him unable to type blog entries.

5- He was so offended by the lack of comments on his last "Where in SC?" entry that he swore a vow of blog-silence that would last until Thanksgiving Day when he would post a hilariously staged photo that looked as if he was frying Ferdlings in a Turkey Fryer.

If the last one is true, we're all sorry for offending you and look forward to your next blog entry.



Updated: Here's what I imagine # 5 might look like.

Ridin' the Candy Tractor

As a Thanksgiving tribute to my buddy, Kyle, I rode the tractor to my uncle's for Thanksgiving. See his post from last June if this doesn't make sense.

Shameless Capitalism

I liked the "Mug Shot" on Kyle's blog so much that I decided to capitalize on the idea. Below is a place where you can buy mugs related to some of my favorite blogs. A portion of the proceeds will go to the "Save the Polar Bear Fund"... maybe.

Alcohol and Pork Fueled Madness by gnicholson
novelty mug On zazzle.com
Browse more Jokes Mugs

Where in SC?

Where in SC?

As a tribute to my favorite blogger, Kyle, I'm posting my own "Where in SC?" puzzler. Show 'em how it's done, ole bean.

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UPDATE (7/15/2008): Check out Kyle's response here.

A Columbia Landmark

Where in SC?

Here's another photo clue. (added 3/30/2008)

Peach Blossoms

Peach trees in bloom in Johnston, SC.

Where in AZ?

I got a very nice postcard from friend and fellow blogger, Kyle. This was an excellent clue in solving his blog game, "Where in AZ". Thanks, dude.

Were in SC?

Thanksgiving: a Day for Tradition, Family, & Rest

Today, according to family tradition, we celebrated Thanksgiving at my Uncle Owen's home in Johnston, SC. Traditional Turkey-day grub was served, plus an amazing recipe of Crock-Pot Mac & Cheese.

After lunch we all gathered in the living room to talk. My Uncle Owen, a walking encyclopedia of history and genealogical information, usually presents an impromptu lecture on family or local history. (This is the moment I usually take a post-feast nap. Involuntarily, of course.) However, today he told us all about George Washington's trip through that area of SC on his Southern Tour, in 1791. Since I recently took and interest in this subject, he had me participate by telling of my role in a recent competition to identify an erroneous landmark that inaccurately commemorates an alleged stop on this tour. Amazingly, this was actually interesting to everyone and I enjoyed telling the tale of my eventual victory. My uncle was also quite prepared, with reference materials, just in case. Of course, no one questions him.

On the way home I stopped for a short rest.

George Nicholson rested here on Thanksgiving Tour 2007.

Non-alcoholic beverage and pork fueled happiness

Today was the first time I ever had a date with someone I met online. My new pal, Kyle (creator of the smash hit "Where in SC?"), and I met at Doc's Barbeque for some good food, friendly conversation, and juicy gossip about our mutual buddy Paul. It was all going well until Chris Hansen, of Dateline NBC, came in and started asking all kinds of questions.

Kyle and George in front of scenic Doc's Barbeque on Shop Road, in Columbia, SC.

Where in SC?

Poinsett Bridge

Here are two beautiful photos of Poinsett Bridge (Greenville County, SC). Poinsett Bridge was built in 1820. It was part of the South Carolina state highway leading from Chareston, SC to Asheville, NC. It is now located on present day State Highway #42, near the Boy Scout Camp Old Indian. It stretches 130 feet over Little Gap Creek and features a remarkable 14-foot Gothic arch.

Photography by Duck Hunter.

Where in SC?

Sometimes this game can be embarrassing...

Hmmm, where could it be?

Gottcha'! (Finally)

Where in SC? Ware Shoals!

Kyle had me and many others stumped by this one. Here's a picture from another angle.

Where in SC? Johnston, That's Where!

My blog-buddy, Kyle, hosts a challenging littl game on his blog called “Where in SC?” In this game he posts a picture of a landmark somewhere in SC for the reader to guess where it is. In most cases it actually takes quite a bit of research to solve the riddle. Thus was the case with this one.

I Googled the heck out of this one. I tried every possible combination of “George”, "Washington”, “SC”, “Carolina”, “Southern Tour”, “Marker”, “DAR”, “Emily Geiger”, “Charter”, “Rested”, “rock”, “boulder”, etc. with absolutely no luck. I visited websites devoted to historical markers, various DAR websites, university and government websites, but to no avail. Meanwhile, I was able to quickly solve seemingly more obscure (and less significant) landmarks such as a graffiti tagged ruin on Folly Island (found by search peoples vacation photos on FLICKR), a bait shop in the town of Cold Point in Laurens county (found by Googling “SC”, “Crenshaws” and “Grocery” and finding it's address on a directory of convenience stores and then confirmed by one of my employees who knows the place), and The ruins of Sheldon Church located between the towns of Yemassee and Beaufort on the Old Sheldon Church Road. However, I couldn't find anything pertaining to this extremely historical marker.

I extensively researched Washington's Southern Tour (also known as the Goodwill Tour) which took place in 1791 (not 1785 as the marker incorrectly states). Since Kyle had been posting photos from around Folly I focused on the coast, which is the route our first President took heading South and which is also the most documented portion of the tour. I even found an erroneously located and dated DAR marker around Myrtle Beach, but that wasn't it. I found evidence of his resting at places further South, but still nothing.

I decided to expand my search. I printed the photo and hung it on the door of my office hoping for a random passer-by to provide a clue. Instead it just got others interested. One of my fellow Directors admitted that she went home one evening and stayed up way past midnight looking for it. One of my employees contacted the DAR National Headquarters for help, but they couldn't shed any light on it. Another one of my employee's daughter works at the SC State House and has been circulating the photo to congressmen asking if it's in their district. Still nothing!

Kyle eventually started giving clues (including some fake clues). First they were comments like “getting closer” or “less close”, but then he revealed that it was “on our side of I-95” (our side being the West side.) That eliminated must of Washington's route down the coast. So I guessed Camden. Kyle then narrowed the scope further by explaining that it was North of I-20 and not in Kershaw or Richland counties. That sped things along.

I went to the Library of Congress web site and found the actual scanned Diary of George Washington, but the manuscript was too hard to read, so I found a typed version of the same text. In it I discovered that after leaving SC for Savannah, he went to Augusta (through GA) and crossed back into SC from there. He continued on to Columbia, then to Camden, and up to Charlotte. Since Richland and Kershaw counties were out of the question, I could eliminate Columbia and Camden. Making it in the Aiken, Saluda, Edgefield, Lexington vicinity or possibly in Lancaster county. I started documenting my research and Googled the names of towns (including some that no longer exist) and families that may have been visited.

Now here's the ironic part:

Since my uncle, John Owen Clark, is a noted historian in Edgefield county, I decided to give him a call at his home in...Johnston. Johnston is the town where my mother's family is from. My parents still own prime land there that they rent to peach farmers. When I read the inscription to him, he immediately corrected me explaining that George Washington didn't come to SC in 1785 and that the Southern Tour was in 1791. I said “I know”. He then proceed to basically quote back, from memory, everything I'd just read in Washington's Diary. That he first went to Trenton and ate at the Piney Woods Tavern and then proceeded to the Odem House, between Ridge Spring and Monetta, blah, blah, blah. Then he idly mentioned “you know, there's actually an incorrectly located marker here in Johnston that was placed here by an overzealous chapter of the DAR back in the 1930's. He never actually came here. I don't recall what it says, but maybe since it's location is wrong the date may be wrong to.” I couldn't believe it, I've actually seen this rock, but never close enough to know (or care) what was on the plaque. He promised to check the inscription for me the next time he went by it, but I was pretty confident THAT was it.

After a breach of etiquette on my behalf, I correctly resubmitted my guess last night. And that, my friends, if the story of how, after two and a half weeks of exhaused research, I found a bogus historical marker in a town where I regularly visited as a child.

Now, go play "Where in SC?" on Kyle's Blog.