Opening Day at Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill, SC

March 17, 2012 By Christin M Leave a Comment

A large crowd gathered in Rock Hill this morning for the Grand Opening of the Giordana Velodrome located in the new Riverwalk Development off of Highway 21. The Giordana Velodrome is a world-class 250 meter concrete velodrome with 42 degree banking. The Giordana Velodrome will be just one part of the Rock Hill Outdoor Center, a 250 acre public-private partnership between The Assured Group and The City of Rock Hill. In addition to the Velodrome, The Outdoor Center will eventually include athletic fields, a BMX Supercross course, a cyclocross track, and miles of mountain bike trails. There is already a 2 1/2 mile paved trail open to the public along the banks of the Catawba River. Future plans call for a commercial/retail area in the immediate vicinity of The Velodrome and possibly a YMCA.

The Giordana Velodrome will offer programs for cyclists of all ability levels, including introductory programs. More info on Velodrome programs, hours, and membership options can be found here.

Rock Hill Mayor Doug Echols

Dave Williams of Assured Group

The velodrome currently contains seating for around 800 spectators, plus there is a press box. A weekly racing series will begin this summer. This was my first time seeing a Velodrome, and I was surprised to see how steep a 42 degree angle is. I think it’s safe to say I will solely be a spectator at The Velodrome.

The Giordana Velodrome has garnered a great deal of local attention as well as national attention among cyclists. There are currently only around 25 Velodromes in the entire country. Before the ceremony, my husband and I had a chance to talk to a couple who is moving to Riverwalk from Tennessee specifically because of The Velodrome. Prior to the opening of the Giordana Velodrome, the closest Velodrome to them was in Atlanta. It will be very interesting to see how the Velodrome and the Riverwalk Development as a whole influence the future growth of Rock Hill. With the overall emphasis of both The Outdoor Center and that of Riverwalk being on health, wellness, and the importance of physical activity, it will undoubtedly be a positive influence. It is certain that Riverwalk will be a one of a kind development and maybe even a model for other communities.

Short Video of 2 riders on the track

I look forward to following their progress!

Currently there are two builders building in Riverwalk, Saussy Burbank and Evans-Coghill. Saussy Burbank currently has homes under construction and Evans-Coghill plans on breaking ground in the next few weeks.

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Evans-Coghill, Giordana Velodrome, Riverwalk Rock Hill, Saussy Burbank

Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill, SC -Grand Opening March 17th

March 1, 2012 By Christin M Leave a Comment

OK -I’ll admit it. Before I heard about the Velodrome being built in Rock Hill, SC, I had no idea what a Velodrome was. Still don’t have much of an idea. Apparently it is an arena for track cycling. The one being constructed in Rock Hill is a 250-meter banked oval designed by German Architect Ralph Schuermann. It is designed to be the Piece de Resistance of the new Riverwalk Development, a 1,008 acre mixed use village being developed just off Highway 21 and a short distance from I-77. Development of Riverwalk is still in its infancy, but it is really beginning to take shape. Saussy Burbank has houses under construction, a 2 1/4 mile paved trail along the banks of the river has been open to the public for a while now, and the Brakefield, a beautiful new event venue overlooking the Catawba River, is preparing to open its doors.

The Giordana Velodrome is just one part of the $4 million Rock Hill Outdoor Center. Other cycling amenities being constructed include mountain biking trails, a cyclocross course (had to look that one up too), and a BMX supercross track which will be the only Olympic-caliber training facility on the east coast. The Rock Hill Outdoor Center will definitely go a long way toward putting Rock Hill on the map. Not only will it bring many new people to the area, but it will give those of us already here access to a sport and a form of recreation that many of us know little about.

It looks like the future of the Giordana Velodrome is bright. It has already been selected to host the USA Cycling’s 2012 and 2013 International Omnium Track National Championship. The fact that the Giordana Velodrome will be one of only 20-25 Velodromes in the entire country means it will garner national interest among cycling enthusiasts. It is expected to have a $4 million impact on the Rock Hill economy each year, with the potential to bring 10,000 people to the area for large events.

The grand opening of the Giordana Velodrome is scheduled for March 17th from 10:30am to 2 pm. There are several programs planned including cycling exhibition races by pro-cyclists. There will also be an opportunity to tour the track, tunnel, and buildings. Representatives from Sauusy Burbank, Evans Coghill, and Brakefield Event Center will also be present with progress updates and they will be available to answer questions.

Operation of the track is being run by the City of Rock Hill Parks and Recreation Department. The track will be open to the public following the Grand Opening. A track certification program must be completed before using the track. This certification process is currently being developed by the Parks and Recreation Department.

Riverwalk’s Facebook Page is a great resource for all things related to the Riverwalk Development, including the Giordana Velodrome.

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Giordana Velodrome, local attractions rock hill sc, Riverwalk Rock Hill

Treehouse Vineyards

October 21, 2011 By Christin M 2 Comments

When I learned a few months ago that there is a Vineyard located in Monroe, NC I was very intrigued. My father’s family hails from Monroe and I spent a great deal of my childhood there. Since my grandmother died about 5 years ago, I no longer have any living family in Monroe. Thanks to the Treehouse Vineyards, owned and run by the Norden family, I now have a reason to visit again.

Treehouse Vineyards has been open just shy of a year. Development of the Vineyard started back in 2005 when 2 varieties of muscadine grapes were planted. They now have 8 varieties and they produce 6 wines: Crystal Creek, Bailey’s Blend, Tack Shack Red, Date Nite, Sunset Hills, and Sweet Union.

There was quite a crowd when we went for our visit this past Saturday. One look at the line to do wine tastings and we opted to do the tour first. The tour was given by the Norden’s son and it provided an interesting behind the scenes look at how they produce their wines. Interestingly, the whole process is pretty much done by hand. We saw the hand-operated corking machine and the label maker which is merely a block of wood that ensures each label is affixed in the correct position.

Machine that fills the bottles

Corking Machine

Bottles ready to be labeled

Next we moved on to the room where the grapes are fermented in large stainless steel tanks. We learned a little about cold stabilization, checking for acid level so the grapes are harvested at just the right time, and that the main factor determining the quality of the grapes is the amount of rain in August. Too much rain and the flavor is less concentrated.

After the tour we went back to the wine tasting room. There was still quite a crowd so we decided to buy a bottle of wine and drink it on the patio. Just next to the patio is a 30 foot tall treehouse from which the Vineyard gets its name. The story is Phil Norden built the treehouse for his wife Diane during a time when his elderly mother was living with them. The treehouse gave them a place to have private date nights. How romantic is that? I’m thinking Dianne must be a pretty special lady because one look at the treehouse and it’s evident that a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into making it. It’s magnificent.

There is a second newer treehouse further back on the property next to a pond. This treehouse is 2 stories inside, has a kitchenette, bathroom, and Queen-sized bed. It is available to rent for $100 a night. A bottle of Date Nite Wine is included.

While we were on the patio sipping our Crystal Creek wine, we got a kick out of watching the Norden’s dog swing children on the swing. He would grab the end of the rope in his mouth and run in circles. Around and around whoever was on the swing would go. One girl cried out, “Mommy! Make him stop I’m getting dizzy!”

He got tired and came to sit with us.

We finished our wine, and walked back through the soft, undulating hills that make up the Vineyard to pick some Muscadines.

We booked the treehouse for our Anniversary in May, but I have a feeling we’ll be back before then.

Tasting Room Hours

Mon-Sat 11am-7pm

Sun 12-6pm

Tours at 2:00 and 4:00 on Saturday and Sunday

301 Bay St

Monroe, NC 28112

704-283-4208

Filed Under: Local Attractions, Things To Do Tagged With: monroe, NC, Treehouse Vineyards, wine

Maze Mania at the Amazing Maize Maze

October 10, 2011 By Christin M Leave a Comment

We have been blessed with near perfect weather for the last week. Mornings are cool, afternoons are warm, and the sky is a brilliant blue (Carolina blue, of course). We took full advantage of the gorgeous weather Saturday with a trip to the Amazing Maize Maze at Rural Hill Farm in Huntersville, NC.

It was a little bit of a drive from Fort Mill, a few miles past Latta Plantation Park. To make a full day’s trip, stop at the Raptor Center while you are in the area. The road leading to the farm (Neck Rd) is rather narrow and windy. You’ll want to be careful driving it. It’s beautiful though,with the trees completely rising up on each side to intertwine with each other, turning the road into a tunnel.

The corn maze consists of 7 acres and about 2 1/2 miles of pathways. Every year the maize has a different theme and this year’s theme is “Fit to be A-maized”, a focus on family fitness. An aerial view of the maze reveals a swimmer, a bicyclist, and a runner outlined in the maze. The exit from the maze is down through the runner’s leg.

You will go through a short orientation before you begin, during which you will be handed a game board on a piece of paper. As you make your way through the maze, you will look for 12 mailboxes in the maze each one containing one of 12 map pieces. There is tape next to each mailbox so you can tape the map piece to the corresponding space on the game board.

Before you start, you have the opportunity to grab a flag, 1 per group. These are to signal for help if you or someone in your party becomes distressed or needs out fast. We found the flag to be heavy and cumbersome and rather unnecessary. In addition to one employee staffing a tall tower at one side of the maize, there are also a number of employees within the maze itself. They seem to be able to sense when you have worked yourself into a fit of frustration and offer helpful “suggestions’ about which way to go.

Making it out of the maze was arduous work. Average finish time is between 45 and 90 minutes. We finished in 1 hour and 15 minutes. We rewarded ourselves with fried oreos at the food tent outside the maze. This was my first time trying fried oreos. The oreo became soft during the frying and the whole thing tasted like a warm ball of cookie dough- Delicious!

In addition to the maze, there are quite a few other activities to keep you busy. On Saturdays and Sundays, there are inflatable rides for kids to enjoy for a small extra charge. There are also soccer goals set up as well as an area to play cornhole. You can enjoy a 30 minute hay ride through the farm and there are an array of pumpkins for purchase.

Every Friday night the corn maze is open after dark for those who really want a challenge. Be sure to bring a flashlight.

On Oct 15, Rural Hill Farm is introducing the first 7 on 7 challenge, a 7 km trail run around the trails of the farm followed by a race through the 7 acre corn maze during which 7 map pieces must be collected. More info can be found at rural hill.net.

Amazing Maize Maze at Rural Hill Farm

4431 Neck Road

Huntersville, NC 28078

Adults 13 and up $10

Youth 5-12 $7

4 and under free

Flashlight Maze tickets are $15 and $10.

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Amazing Maize Maze Huntersville, Rural Hill Farm

The Sylivia Theater in York

September 20, 2011 By Christin M Leave a Comment

Paul Finnican purchased and restored the Sylvia about ten years ago. Finnican, a Charlottean, had been in York in 2001 for a business meeting when the building caught his eye. The building was originally built as a hotel in 1904, but was transformed into a theater in 1935 and remained one until 1968. In the years after, the building was put to a variety of uses, including teacher supply store.

Finnican spent more than $200,000 transforming the building back to a 200 seat theater and its main function now is as a singer/songwriter showcase and performance venue. The Sylvia also shows movies and recently started a Performing Arts Academy.

Before the opening of the Sylvia, the closest place to watch movies for York residents was Manchester Cinemas in Rock Hill, a nearly 30 minute drive. The Sylvia shows one movie at a time, with a Thursday-Sunday viewing schedule.

Upcoming Movie Schedule

Winnie the Pooh

Thursday Sept 22 @ 6PM
Friday Sept 23 @ 7PM
Saturday Sept 24 @ 3 & 7PM
Sunday Sept 25 @ 4PM
Thursday Sept 29 @ 6PM

The Help

Friday Sept 30 @ 7PM
Saturday Oct 1 @ 3 & 7PM
Sunday Oct 2 @ 4pm
Thursday Oct 6 @ 6PM

Ticket Prices- $6 adults, $4 17 and younger, $4 65 and older

Thursdays are teacher appreciation days, free ticket with identification.

Thursdays are also ‘Dinner Theater’ Nights. You are welcome to bring your own meal to the movie.

This Thursday (Sept 22) is a special preview night for the upcoming 7th Annual Blues and Jazz Festival taking place in Rock Hill from Sept 29- Oct 1. Doors open at 7:30, cover is $10, and live musical performance by Biscuit Miller and the Mix.

For more information on upcoming performances - Sylvia Theater

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Biscuit Miller and the Mix, SC, Sylvia Theater York

Scarowinds is Open

September 18, 2011 By Christin M 1 Comment

Scarowinds had its opening weekend this weekend for Halloween Haunt XI.

Reviews on their Facebook page seem mixed.

This year they are debuting Fury, a 6,082 square foot maze.

If you are looking to let out a few screams, Scarowinds is open weekends from 7pm-midnight.

Ride the roller coasters, tour the haunted houses, and try to find your way out of the mazes.

Watch out for the more than 400 actors in costume and make-up lurking through the park.

Scarowinds is rated PG-13 and not recommended for young children.

Front gate pricing $45.99

Online pricing starts at $29.99 for the first 2 weekends.

If you’ve been before, please leave a comment and tell us how you liked it.

Scarowinds.com

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Scarowinds

Awesome New Event Venue Coming to Rock Hill

September 17, 2011 By Christin M 1 Comment

A new event venue named Brakefield is under construction in the River Walk community along the Catawba River. Riverwalk is a 1,000 acre live, work, and play community currently under construction in Rock Hill, SC. From the looks of the architectural drawings, it will be nothing short of spectacular. Carol Goodwin is the mastermind behind Brakefield, which is named after her mother-in-law. The building, European in architecture, will be 6,500 square feet with a 3,000 square foot Great Hall lined by 5 sets of 8 foot tall french doors on one side opening onto a 1,200 square foot covered loggia. I would imagine there will be some pretty incredible views of the Catawba River from the loggia.

Other architectural features will be a 12 foot wide stone fireplace and a turret that will house a bridal parlor.

Brakefield will be available for weddings, corporate retreats, reunions, and receptions. They are already booking weddings for 2012. Building is scheduled to be completed in February 2012.

For more info, contact Carol Goodwin at 803-324-3400.

Filed Under: Local Attractions, Local News Tagged With: Brakefield, event venue Rock Hill, Riverwalk Rock Hill

The Peach Stand

September 5, 2011 By Christin M Leave a Comment

If you live in Fort Mill, you’ve no doubt been to the Peach Stand many times. If you don’t live in Fort Mill, it alone is reason to move here. There’s no other place quite like it. It’s a gas station, farmer’s market, ice cream shop, bakery, butcher shop, restaurant, and general store all under one roof.The Peach Stand is owned and operated by Springs Farm. This Peach Stand is actually the new Peach Stand. The original, built by Elliott Springs in the 1930s, is located directly across Hwy 160.

The right side of the building houses the ice cream shop. They carry Hershey ice cream and also offer homemade strawberry and peach ice cream in season. On the left side of the Peach Stand is the bakery where they make fresh pies, cookies, and brownies. They also now make fresh cake style doughnuts most days. When these things are fresh they are absolutely wonderful, rivaled only by the apple cider doughnuts at Windy Hill Orchard in York. In addition to plain doughnuts, they also make chocolate, apple cinnamon, and strawberry.

The Peach Stand also sells their Springs Farm grown strawberries and peaches in season, plus an array of locally grown vegetables and fruits. As a business, they have really embraced the local foods movement and sell a variety of products from little mom and pop businesses. The brown and serve biscuits made by Lit’l Taste of Heaven in Monroe, NC are a little taste of heaven. The cinnamon biscuits come with a packet of icing to drizzle on top. At $5 they are a little pricey, but are good for a treat every now and then. Sassy salsa, made by Tina Gargiulo is another popular local product.

At the back of the Peach Stand is a restaurant that is open for breakfast and lunch (closed Sundays). On the menu are a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. If you are in a hurry, there is a case of premade sandwiches and salads. The chicken salad wrap made with the Peach Stands homemade chicken salad is my go to lunch when I’m hungry, in a hurry, and need something I can eat in my car. My son loves the egg salad sandwiches which are very economical at under $2 a sandwich.

The Peach Stand is one of the few places you can buy raw milk (you can’t buy it anywhere in the state of North Carolina). It is produced by Milky Way Farms in Starr, SC. Raw milk is not pasteurized or homogenized and proponents of it claim it is creamier, sweeter, and has greater nutritional value than pasteurized milk.

The butcher shop carries all natural, grass-fed beef raised by Greenfield Farms. I frequently buy chicken breasts here because you can purchase just the number you want. They are also a good size (not like those mammoth things at the grocery store) and are well-trimmed of fat. If you are looking for cold cuts, they have Boar’s Head meats.

Other interesting finds are Frozen rabbit, duck, bison, and crawfish tail meat. The frozen manicotti is so good, I don’t think I will ever make it homemade again.

You also must try the banana bread and the chocolate oatmeal cookies they sell next to the cash register.

I purchased a jar of blueberry jalapeno preserves last week and found it to be most delicious paired with the leftover Bosky Acres Goat Cheese I had in the fridge. It would also be delicious on top of some warm, buttery Brie.

The Peach Stand

1325 Hwy 160 West

Fort Mill, SC 29715

6:00am-9:00pm M-F

8:00am-9:00pm Sat

8:00am-8:00pm Sun

http://www.springsfarm.com/SpringsFarm.com_peachstand.asp

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: bison burgers, Milky Way Farms, Peach Stand Fort Mill, Raw Milk, SC, Springs Farm, Windy Hill Orchard York

It’s Apple Season!

September 1, 2011 By Christin M 5 Comments

These last few mornings you can just get an inkling that fall is on its way. We are so fortunate to live in an area where we get to experience all four seasons. Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, and not just because my birthday is in fall – or because the kids go back to school in fall. There are so many things to like about fall: the crispness in the air, the changing leaves, football games, Halloween, and of course apples

Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill, South Carolina’s only working orchard and cider mill, is open for the season. Windy Hill is a family run business, founded by Fritz and Catherine Gusmer. They are located 5 miles west of York on Hwy 5.

At Windy Hill, you can typically pick your own apples from early September through mid October. Their website indicates that pick your own started August 27th and that the best picking will be late August- early September. Apparently they experienced an early bloom this year and were impacted by the hail damage.

Gala Apples from Windy Hill

If you don’t want to pick your own, just stop by the roadside stand where you can purchase apples (of course), homemade fried pies, fresh apple cider, apple and pumpkin butter, fresh apple cider doughnuts (the best!), and their 3 varieties of hard cider. They also offer hay rides, stories from Johnny Appleseed (aka Fritz Gusmer), and educational farm tours. Many area kids go on field trips here – my son did in kindergarten.

Windy Hill also produces three hard ciders all of which have a 6% alcohol concentration. Hard cider is made from fresh pressed apple cider that is naturally fermented and the whole process takes about six months. Hard ciders are not currently very well-known in this country but they were very popular 150 years ago.

Ginger Gold has been around since 1996 and is similar to a traditional English Draught Cider. Strawberry Pippen was developed in 2010 and is a dry cider with fruity undertones from the addition of strawberry essences.

And just this year they introduced Gala Peach which is much sweeter than traditional hard cider. I bought a bottle of this and will be buying another bottle as soon as I have the opportunity. It has a nice sweet, fruity, floral taste. They suggest mixing it with a shot of vodka to make a Gala Peach Cidertini. Yum.

All three ciders are available for the reasonable price of $10.

October 15th is the date for the annual Apple Harvest Festival.

Open Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm and select Sundays noon-5pm.

Windyhillorchard.com

1860 Black Highway

York, SC

803-684-0690

Filed Under: Local Attractions, Things To Do Tagged With: apple cider doughnuts, apple picking, Gala Peach Hard Cider, SC, Windy Hill Orchard, York

Anne Springs Close Greenway

August 31, 2011 By Christin M 2 Comments

The 2300 acre Anne springs Close Greenway, located between Highway 21 Bypass and Steele Rd in Fort Mill, SC, is a real treasure for both nature lovers and history buffs. The land was owned by the Springs family for 200 years and gifted to Fort Mill in 1995 by the children of H. William and Anne Springs Close. If you go midweek, you almost feel as though you have the place to yourself. It’s like your own private oasis where you can escape the demands and stresses of everyday life, for an hour or two.

Lake Haigler

There are approximately 36 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails that meander through the greenway. A color coded trail map can be obtained from kiosks in the parking lots. My favorite is the trail around the 28-acre Lake Haigler. There really are some gorgeous views of the lake and you get quite a bit of elevation on the far side. The lake is open for many activites including kayaking and fishing. There are 8 campsites next to the lake that can be rented.

Suspension Bridge

There are several suspension bridges in the greenway which are great fun for kids and adults alike. Dogs are welcome in the greenway, but must be leashed. Many of the trails are also open to horseback riders and be aware that they leave evidence behind. You’ll want to keep an eye out as you are walking or jogging.

The land that makes up the Greenway has a rich history. Just past the Nature Center on the trail that leads down to the swinging bridge is a marker for the historic Nation Ford Road which was part of the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road. This road dates back to the 1600s and went all the way from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Augusta, Georgia. On the Springfield Parkway side of the Greenway is a grist mill with a working water wheel. It is from this grist mill that Fort Mill obtained its name.

The Greenway is open from 7am to sunset everyday. A family membership costs just $96 a year and is available to anyone who lives or works in York, Lancaster, or Chester County. Admission for nonmembers is $2 for hiking trails, $3 for mountain biking, and $12 for horseback riding. Honor system drop boxes are present in the parking lots for payment.

Upcoming events at the Anne Springs Close Greenway include the Dog Gone Good Times Festival benefiting the Humane Society of York County on September 10 and the Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival September 23 and 24.

For more information click here

Filed Under: Local Attractions Tagged With: Anne Springs Close Greenway, Lake Haigler