Gaffney and the Peachoid

Known as the "Peach Capitol of South Carolina", Gaffney is the county seat of Cherokee county, and is located just south of the North Carolina border. In 1797, Michel Gaffney emigrated from Ireland and eventually moved to the Carolina Upcountry and established a store at what would be known as Gaffney's Crossroads. By 1897, Gaffney City was a major player in the textile industry, the backbone of the economy up until the 1980's.

We are very happy to have moved from "The Midlands" to "The Highlands"! There wasn't much difference in temperature between "The Low Country" and the Midlands, but we've dropped 10 degrees by moving into the hills! We're set up, albeit temporarily, in the parking lot of the Freightliner Custom Chassis manufacturing and service facility. An appointment is waiting for us on Monday for extensive service on the motorhome chassis, a couple of warranty items, and a complete check of all systems having to do with the chassis and the safe operation of the motorhome. While Nessie is in the shop, Donna and I will be attending a two day class entitled "Camp Freightliner", where we expect to learn about the chassis and how to maintain it. The coach should only be in the shop for one day, so Sasha will have to stay in the folding crate in the building lobby. Not happy, but do-able.

We only had to drive 121 miles today, so after we set up we had time to take a cruise around town. A required stop at Starbucks for iced coffee and a chat with a family passing through on their way to New Jersey, and all of a sudden we found ourselves at the most famous landmark in town.

May I present The Peachoid:

One of the most iconic water towers in the east, it is a fitting tribute to the town!

As we drove around town, we noticed two things about Gaffney: Nicely kept older homes, and a tremendous amount of greenery.

These vines seem to grow everywhere, and seem to engulf anything that's standing still. Trees, bushes, fences, poles, and even old abandoned buildings are slowly being covered up. Quite a difference in vegetation from the dry, dusty midland area around Columbia that we left this morning! This area is much more wooded, and cooler, and higher in elevation at 780 feet. We're worried about nose bleeds from the extreme elevation change!

Looks to be a pretty area, and one that we will hope to explore as we can. We'll let you know what we find!