Inbound to Blacksburg, SC

Thank You, Mr. Presley, for the wonderful local hosting, and for support driving for me !!

Nothing like a beautiful early morning stroll…

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Entering Central Gaffney on foot

Thank You, World Traveler Janet & Family, for your wonderful restaurant hosting experience, and for putting me in contact with the local FD! Janet had me feeling as if I’d joined the family while in Gaffney

Joe from the Gaffney Ledger arrives to take the story– one which he ultimately did an excellent job writing

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Firemen to the Rescue!

Firemen to the Rescue!
It’s been weeks since I walked into a day with an unpredictable ending. Such was yesterday’s walk to Blacksburg, SC. I began 16 miles shy of Blacksburg, along the way passing through the heart of Gaffney, a city much larger than my destination town. While in Gaffney, I was recognized by Janet Tsiknias, owner of a delicous local pizza restaurant, who wanted to treat me to lunch at her restaurant. I was very enthusiastic to take her up on her offer, yet not about to walk the miles out of the way it would take to do so. As we were across the from the Gaffney’s central fire station, and she knew the chief, she figured it would be OK for me to leave my stuff there while she shuttled me back and forth to a fabulously filling lunch. She was right.

After a couple of hours at Janet’s Greek pizza restaurant, which included meeting with a reporter from the across-the-street newspaper, Janet returned me to the fire station. While I was gone, Fire Chief James Caggiano had contacted Cline Gore, Chief of the Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department, and had arranged a place for me to stay for the night– in the station. Miles & hours later, I met Chief Kline and some of his younger volunteer firefighters, those in training to be the fire-fighting force of the future. Blacksburg has given me a very warm welcome, and I’ve stayed a second night. Once again, awesome people!
I’m about 35 miles from the North Carolina border; 50 miles from Charlotte, NC. I have invitations awaiting me in Charlotte, but none for the rest of this week, between here and Charlotte.

I’m enthusiastic to learn what serendipitous South Carolina surprises await through the rest of this week! (?) !

Luckily, the rain would shower in front of and behind me today, but not quite on top of me ~

~ A WONDERFULLY WARM welcome as I walk by ~

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Blacksburg: Iron City

Though I had an invitation awaiting me in Blackburg, SC, a delegation from this recently-opened workout gym, owned by the brawny fellow on the far right, invited me to spend the night here as well. Nice folks!!