What Are Swamp Rabbits?

Jay and I recently took a trip to Greenville. He loaded our bicycles on the back of the car and we set out for an overnight adventure. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which is located conveniently on Main Street downtown. We usually prefer more mom and pop type hotels, but we wanted to ride our bicycles - not drive.

We pedaled down Main Street to Falls Park on the Reedy River. Columbia sure could take some lessons from Greenville. They have created a great park that utilizes the location on the river.  Liberty Bridge crosses the river providing a nice view of Reedy Falls. They have also developed a series of multi-use (walking/bicycling) paths that connect downtown to other parts of the city.

Called the Swamp Rabbit Trail, the greenway traverses along the Reedy River, an old railroad corridor and City parks to connect Travelers Rest with Greenville. On our first afternoon, we pedaled north and south on the trail from Falls Park.  It was a beautiful ride past shops and restaurants, scenic vistas, industrial parks, and old airplanes.

It was getting to be about Happy Hour time and beer and bicycling always go together. We decided to check out The Velo Fellow in the West End Market.  The Velo Fellow is a cross between The Whig and Hunter Gatherer. We sat at the bar where they had Highland St. Terese’s and Murphy's Irish Stout (among others) on tap. Vintage bicycles hang on the walls, making this a great place to stop after a ride.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and the company of the bartender so much that we decided to stay for dinner. The fish and chips were delicious. Jay had the Chicken Potted Pie and it looked pretty tasty. Next time I'm going to try their daily curry.  We ended our evening with a cocktail and a dessert at Coffee Underground. 

In the morning, we hopped on our bicycles and pedaled to Travelers Rest. One of the coolest things about the path is that it utilizes space that may not be seen as the "best areas". It extends down an old railroad corridor, along transmission line and gas pipelines and through old industrial neighborhoods.













But bicyclists and walkers are also transforming it. There are bicycle shops, restaurants and bathrooms along the way.  I know it's weird to get excited about public restrooms and water filling stations. In this day of privatization of water (where we buy too many plastic bottles of water) and businesses that only provide restrooms for paying customers, I can't help be excited.

Pedaling along to Travelers Rest, we came across Alley Kat's Watering Hole - complete with a bicycle rack! Unfortunately, it wasn't open. That's just another reason to come back again. 

In Travelers Rest, we stopped in Main Street Guitar & Drums. This building is full service - hardware store, music store and recording studio in one - complete with Rush Limbaugh on the air waves. We followed this up with lunch at The Cafe @ Williams Hardware. I had a delicious black bean burger with a side of apple, Gorgonzola slaw. Jay had a Rueben, which he always likes. We topped this off with a couple of bottles of beer - Yeungling Black & Tan for Jay, Sweetwater 420 for me. This is a great place to stop along the way since they have plenty of bicycle parking and indoor and outdoor seating.

I'd also suggest stopping at Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery. It is closer to Greenville. It's a small grocery shop/cafe that reminds me of England. They have the most delicious desserts as well as lots of locally made food - bread, cheese, chocolate and beer.

So what is a swamp rabbit you ask?  What is this multi-use greenway in Greenville named after?

It's the largest of the "cottontails". As the name suggests, the rabbit inhabits poorly drained river bottoms and coastal marshes. It is well adapted to a semi-aquatic habitat in that its dense fur "waterproofs" its skin, making it at home in the water.

So we finished up our day back in Greenville with a pint at the Blue Ridge Brewing Company.  I had a pint of their tasty Rainbow Trout ESB. Jay had the Total Eclipse Stout. 

I'm looking forward to the next trip to Greenville.