Well, this is my last column, given my likely impending graduation. I’ve been struggling with what is worthy of my final column, but I keep coming up blank.

There are so many things I haven’t written about: whitewater on the 12 mile and Chattooga, rock climbing all over the slopes, the entire Foothills Trail, dirtbag skiing north of Asheville, endless waterfalls and scenic drives.

I decided to end with a list of my favorite places that I’ve found in the past several years:
Blue Ridge Parkway — the whole thing, but the part from Black Balsam to Mount Pisgah, the Craggies and Mount Mitchell and around Doughton Park in particular
Montreat — I worked here for a reason, gotta show my love
Big Rock Mountain
Wildcat Wayside
Twin Falls in Sunset
Glassy Mountain near Pickens
Bowman Field, up near Tillman
Sassafras Mountain
Caesar’s Head and Jones Gap — the Foothills Trail Extension and Hospital Rock Trails
Lake Hartwell – sailing, kayaking, canoeing… just never rowing
Waldrop Stone Falls
Terrapin Crossing (and many other roads in rural Pickens County)
SC 28 to the Chattooga River
US 276 up Caesars Head, with Bald Rock on the way
SC 130 and SC 107, including the overlooks
Keowee Dam Highway (SC 130)
SC-93 to Central on a bike (especially late at night)
Old US 25 near Saluda
Twelve Mile Gorge – Lay Bridge Rd, in particular
Treaty Oak — particularly for sunsets

So go spend some time outside. Make the most of every day, whether it’s just a walk around campus or a multi-state spanning road trip. They go by quickly.