It's November and every year this is the time to learn our history as a country. What keeps us free, what makes us great and the sacrifice that is required for these things. The Tuskegee Airmen are one such example of those who sacrificed and what we can accomplish when hate and bigotry are set aside for love and common sense.
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While there the stillness of the air provided an atmosphere of contemplation. The plagues and information boards give a small window into the life and times of our boys. What has inspired me most about these men (and others before them) is knowing that as they fight they protect not only the lives they love, but the lives of those who would sooner see them dead.
When you fight in our armed forces you fight for not only those you love, but those who ideals are totally abhorent to you. This I think is something that is sometimes hard to remember. Our fighters, our boys; fight for us all. Never forget that these men draw lines in the sand and defend those lines. They make it possible, in a very real sense, for each of us to fight over ideals from our keyboards; rather than having to pick up weapons everyday and fight off those that would tear down the fabric of this nation. Remember to thank them for the freedom and ease that you have. It was won with bitter cost.
Granby Park has so much potential. My husband and I traveled there as a way to get out of our area after Hurricane Matthew. When we arrived it the area looked exactly as we expected a small park to be; bathrooms, resting area, water fountain for dogs and people, signs that give you information about the animals and plant life that you may see, the hours of the park and last but not least the rules of the park. What we did not expect to see there was a police call box. If you have never seen them before these boxes are typically placed in areas that are not safe. You press a button that calls the police directly and they come to you as soon as they can. We weren't sure what to expect after that, but we forged on to see for ourselves what the park had to offer.
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The first little jaunt was not long as they do not seem to have developed the walk way to the right. It ended at some very overgrown woods and it wasn't a long walk either. There were a couple of people there; one fishing from an area that appeared to be a dirt slide for personal water craft and a gentleman sitting on at a picnic table listening to music and watching the sun set. We ended up turning around and taking the concrete path to the left. Several steps in and we found a homeless man fishing for turtles. We greeted him and he told us this park had been here for a long time. I looked it up and it was started in the 1990's. We thanked him, wished him luck and kept walking. Here the trail gets very scenic and you have a few stopping points to view the river. A couple of these viewing points were rendered pointless, however, because of the overgrowth directly in front of it. You could tell by the tree and grass growth that it was not well cared for.
We continued down the way to the abandoned trussel finding broken beer bottles, graffiti and more police call boxes to the winding back end of the park. Passing a few people walking back to the front, we witnessed at least one drug deal going down and a possible deal waiting to happen as we passed. We also saw a few people using it as a spot to drink beer while sitting in their truck (a definite no-no according to the park rules) and proceeded to come down with a distinctly unsafe feeling about the whole thing.
Our final thoughts: It is unfortunate that a place with such beauty and potential is struck down with the plague of being so unkept and forgotten looking. We wish they would place a walking or riding cop in the park to help clean it up a bit. If you want to go to Granby Park, go with a buddy, some sort of weapon and not after 4 p.m., that would be our advice. It is also our sincere hope this park is cleaned up, organinzed and made safe by the people who use it.
Important tid-bits:
Granby Park is located: 100 Catawba Cir, Columbia, SC 29201
Bathrooms and water are available at the beginning of the trail area.
If you find yourself in trouble or hurt the police call boxes are everywhere and they can get to you without having to know a number or anything.
What is developed is handicap friendly, except for certain low lying areas in the development that could have water on them if it rained.
Go with a buddy and do not go there at night! If you want to go, we would not stop you. But please, do not go alone and do not go unprepared. You may find yourself in need of the police call boxes if traveling there unprepared.
