Last Sunday was a warm, sunny day, and our MINI club took the opportunity to get together for a drive. We met in Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina, gathering at a local grocery store parking lot. We had about 14 cars to start, and three more joined us on the route.
Once again, we were leading the drive, so pictures of the cars had to be seen in the mirror.
We wound our way around twisty roads and lots of green trees.
By this time, we had 17 cars and it just wasn’t possible to get them all in a photo when the roads are this curvy.
We arrived at the parking area for Sassafras Mountain overlook about 45 minutes later.
The tower is built on a rock outcropping, no stairs to climb, but we did have a steep walk up a paved walkway to get to the top.
It is right on the state line dividing North Carolina and South Carolina. It was fun to put one foot on both sides of the line and be in two states at once.
Look south, and you see lots of green. It is spring in South Carolina. The view goes for miles with plains and lakes.
Look north, and the mountains are a bit behind in turning green, yet still beautiful. Evergreens show up with the deciduous trees just starting to put out leaves.
Hiking trails are available here too, and we need to come back to explore those.
Back on the road again, abundant green filled the eyes.
It is so pretty when the trees form an arbor over the road.
One more look behind us.
Last stop was a picnic area.
I completely forgot to bring my Picnic Quilt! Oh well, we were going to eat on the picnic tables so I really didn’t need it. But it is fun to use on picnics.
I ‘road tested’ my latest new recipe using leftover ham. Oh, it was yummy! I’ll share it with you next week.
Are you getting out and enjoying the spring weather? Any plans for a picnic?
From My Carolina Home 
We are getting snow up here today , poor tulips and daffodils are not liking it . Oh will it’s just Mother Nature.
Oh, a top down drive in a red car! What fun. When it was time to trade in my little red commuter car I told the dealer the one I wanted & said I didn’t care about the options, it only had to be red. I guess there weren’t any around, I ended up with blue, a very pretty blue, but not what I wanted. I see this year’s new roster has 3 shades of red. I’m glad they caught on to the color we want. I love your picnic quilt, may have to find more food fabric & copy it.
What lovely pictures! Everything is green here and I am sneezing backwards like a squid. Love that quilt! Only problem – I need to start mowing. And weed wacking. And sneezing.
Mary Ed
I love seeing your Mini car outings. I am so ready for picnics but it is still too cold for be so I imagine being on yours. I drive in upstate NY and nearby Vermont and Massachusetts for my drives. I have my favorite off the beaten path routes and places to stop and shop or eat. I look forward to doing that this year with family. I am the explorer and they go wherever I drive.
Thanks for the inspiration. Maybe I will get back to the Carolinas again and keep your route in mind.
Well, the snow has arrived here and it’s heavy and wet. So long hyacinths. It kinda of puts me in a funk, but nothing I can do about it, so I guess I’ll just get some sewing done today.
It’s a little tooooooo cold for eating outdoors here in the Chicago area. Yesterday the high was 38, and right now, it’s 34 degrees, with a high of 48 degrees predicted. We did have some days, here and there in March and earlier in April, when we had weather in the 70’s, but our weather has been absolutely crazy this year. I am enjoying seeing the pictures you take when your car club takes their little trips, so I will live vicariously through them, until such time, our erratic weather decides it’s no longer winter around here.
Oh how beautiful it is where you live! I really enjoyed the photos of your drive, and those mountains! I love your picnic quilt and look forward to the recipe for that sandwich. Spring in Northern NM is wind, and then wind, and then more wind, smile. We have a different kind of beauty here but I do miss the green from when we lived in Michigan. Don’t miss the winters there however. I think that our area is most beautiful in August if we’ve had a good monsoon season. That’s when all the wildflowers appear. It’s like getting a Spring do-over. I’m waiting until mid May before I plant much. Our last frost date is May 14.
Thank you for sharing your delightful drive! I really enjoyed it!. The picnic quilt is delightful and I had forgotten about it…..
Keep those little adventures coming….
Your picnic quilt is adorable, love all the food fabrics! Thanks for sharing your pictures of the beautiful Carolina scenery, so beautiful. Spring is underway here in North Idaho too, it’s starting to green up and I see lots of daffodils around the neighborhood. It should be beautiful around here for the next few months.
No picnics here. We are in a warm spell but Canada is way behind with vaccinations so we aren’t going much further than our back yard these days. It is a lovely back yard overlooking a lagoon. 🙂 We ARE going for our own solo drives occasionally. So glad your group is able to get out and enjoy the weather, the roads, the cars and the companionship. I miss our MINI.
Love the picnic quilt. It is so cheerful. I use one on a picnic table when we get out there. Never know what has been on those tables. lol
What a fun drive and picnic. #BestEverDay We are planning a beach picnic soon, with friends, to also enjoy the sunset.
How fun that you all are out again on these fabulous drives! The scenery looks beautiful!
I used some of those same “food” fabrics in a quilt a few years ago. So fun!
This looks so relaxing – restore the sole type of driving. We aren’t tree ‘green’ yet, so this is so refreshing for me. We are having snow – boo!
Looks like a fun time and such beautiful scenery, too! I love a picnic lunch just about anywhere!
I enjoyed reading about your drive. Spring? It has almost reached freezing tonight, and the wind goes right through you.
Thank you for sharing all that beautiful Spring green and the views of the mountains. No mountains near here but we are planning a trip to the coast tomorrow. I’m so excited to to be able to travel further than ‘local’ as Covid restrictions ease. The South Coast of England is about an hours drive from here through the ancient New Forest (most of which isn’t woodland but actually heathland).
I’ll look forward to the ham recipe. It looks like a perfect day. Love the rear view mirror photos, too — that had to be fun for those you passed by to see. It’s beautiful country and I look forward to the day our weather is warm enough for a road trip and picnic!
What a lovely, lovely day trip! Those views are just magnificent. And the mountain name- love it. What is sassafras anyway? An herb? Tree? Flower? So glad for spring. We have had some beautiful low humidity, warm days in Florida. And pollen as someone mentioned in another comment.
Sounds like another fun day, the view from the top is breathtaking!
Jenna
It looks like the weather was perfect and the scenery stunning. A fun day all round.