Mark's Photo Travels

A few days ago the Lyman Rail Trail in Lyman, SC  opened for public use , joining the growing number of rail trails in the area and the trend started by the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Lyman Rail Trail follows an abandoned spur to the old Lyman Mill between Lawrence Street and SC 292 (Spartanburg Highway). A future extension (phase 2) is being planned to extend the trail by Little Street and toward Groce Road. I parked near the recycling center in the parking lot of the old Lyman Mill, then through Lyman Park, then across the street to the trailhead. The newness of the trail is plain to see. After a only few minutes and a few street crossings I made it to the trail's end. The trail then connects to a sidewalk along Lawrence Street. What lies just beyond is what interested me. The rail was removed a few years ago, but I took some photos of the rail during my last visit in 2012: On the other side of the the street, the rail is still there. A railroad crossing sign...

I have some time off this week, and I've been planning a few adventures to fill the time. Originally, I had a different adventure planned for this day, Tuesday, but the showery weather forecast for later in the day forced a bit of a change. Today's adventure is part planned, part ramble through Spartanburg and Greenville Counties. On my way to Bon Haven about two weeks ago, I made a quick stop to view on old billboard for a drive-in that closed in 1984, the Circle South 29 Drive-in off U.S. 29 in the western outskirts of Spartanburg near the intersection with Fairforest Clevedale Road .: I didn't notice at the time another decaying left over from the drive-in, the  entrance sign: The old entrance is blocked by a mound of dirt belonging to the lumber company that now owns the property. The drive-in can be seen, though rather fuzzily, from aerial photos taken in 1981 hosted at the SC Digital Library: A Google Earth view still shows the old entrance, an...