The Sportsman's Vehicle

Last fall I made the biggest purchase of my adult life. I bought my first car. Granted my father has given me two cars, both in better condition and worth more than my latest edition, this four-wheeled piece of heaven is titled and insured solely in my name.

After my father and I flipped a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 the year before, I developed a business model and decided I would try my hand at flipping desirable cars on my own. However, I made a huge miscalculation. In searching for my first project, I happened upon what has been a dream car of mine since childhood.

The Range Rover County Classic.

This particular car was found on Craigslist, and at a price way above what I could feasibly spend. But I gathered what cash I had, and convinced the owner to sell me the classic Rangie for half of what he was asking.

I accidentally fell in love. Where my family and girlfriend saw 6,000 pounds of poor judgment from 1993 with unsightly clear-coat damage, I saw an Aegean blue British bombshell batting her brush guards and begging me to bring her back to life.

My family has now accepted her into the family, and even my mother admits she is a very cool car, even though I have decided to keep the last car my father gave me, a 2004 Tahoe.

The Tahoe has been a great car, and will continue to be for a long time. I've enjoyed throwing a load of gear and friends into the back and going camping or paddling for years. But what the Tahoe will always lack is any sense of passion. If you were 12-years-old, you wouldn't have a picture of one on your wall. And for me, that was the original Range Rover.

Beyond all of this, in buying my Rover I stumbled upon what is perhaps the greatest sportsman's vehicle ever made. Honest mud seems befitting on the Range Rover, even on your way to a nice dinner. The four-wheel-drive, after 17 years, still outperforms anything in its class. It's spacious enough for guns and dogs and the functionality of the tailgate and parcel shelf are ever present.

It has likewise been surprisingly reliable. Despite its 170,000+ miles, it being a pre-BMW Range Rover, even the factory six-discs-player, sunroof and heated seats work

It really is the perfect meeting place of form and function. And all that is not to mention that you look good in it. Toss on a Barbour jacket and tortoiseshell sunglasses and look out Savile Row.

My girlfriend's mother recently bought a 2010 Range Rover and it is an absolute technological triumph. It is stunningly good looking, unbelievably powerful and more comfortable than any 4x4 I've driven. The interior is its decadent showpiece, where brushed aluminum, soft leather and solid timber meet to create a unique and pleasant place to sit.

However the classic is just more masculine. The steering and brakes are heavy and industrial feeling, and the radio has a button just for the NOAA weather band, so anywhere in the lowcountry you can pretend you're in the Coast Guard. Beyond that, it's more exclusive. I almost never see another County in Columbia, and therefore people constantly commend me, even if it's just a smile from a passing pedestrian.

With all that said, it has become obvious to me that there is one car for the modern dignified sportsman. New or old, nothing tops a Land Rover.

I truly love my Range Rover. In recent months I've made a few upgrades including all-terrain tires, a Yakima rack and even a union jack plate for the front. Oh yeah, and of course a proper British name: Mildred.

My Last Few Months on the Congaree

In my time spent at the University of South Carolina I have enjoyed Columbia's rivers to a great extent. Not only do they offer the best way to battle the Midland's infamous heat, but they provide a serene outdoor atmosphere in the heart of downtown.

After I graduate in May I will be leaving Columbia, and the more I think about it, the more I realize how much I am going to miss paddling on the Saluda and Congaree rivers. Last Sunday Rachelle and I went on a short trip down the Congaree in my 16 foot Dagger Legend canoe. I found the shell of the canoe in the woods in Roaring Gap last summer and the Roaring Gap Club's manager (my boss during the summer) said I was welcome to it. After pressure washing and waxing the shell my father and I refitted it with new seats, a thwart and yoke. Now the 20-year-old boat is one of my favorite all time possessions.

As Rachelle and I sat and talked in the flat water of the Congaree, I began to fall prey to nostalgia. I spent three years as a river guide on the Saluda and Congaree and, though I love my summers in Roaring Gap, it has been my favorite job to date. Mostly because it never felt like a job.

As an Eagle Scout myself, guiding groups of local Boy Scouts was always my favorite, despite their tendency to not tip. I would always joke that blue herons were in fact pterodactyls, and call common loons, "Daffy Ducks."

I always loved the process as well. In the same way that I love preparing for a hunt, I took pride in tying off boats and giving my spiel of safety instructions.

For example: It is nearly impossible to roll a canoe as long as you never touch the gunwales. This is my number one rule. Do not touch the gunwales.

Guiding was a great job, but just as I said farewell to my dreams of being a rockstar after high school and an astronaut before that. This part of my life has become another casualty of change.

I've since put up my Perception, Mr. Clean (a whitewater kayak) for sale on consignment along with several other gear I won't need after my next move. But beyond the Shandon rapids and the endangered spider lilies, the true beauty of the river is that wherever I go, I know its flow will be unwavering. She will always be flowing, and I can always pay her a visit.

The Fleeting Innocence of the Carolina Cup

Every March college students, among others, flock to Camden, South Carolina for a day of racing, a taste of spring, and seemingly above all else the opportunity to ruin their Sunday best with failed keg stands and spilled Jello shots.

I, admittedly, love the Carolina Cup, but in all honesty this love has been fleeting over the last several years.

Growing up for the most part in Sumter, S.C. My family often attended the Cup, and each time I marveled at the elegance and opulence around me. Likewise, I was fascinated by the sport of racing.

As a college student, unfortunately, my innocence is long gone. I am reluctant to say that any semblance of class has diminished entirely, but in the college park area dignity was rarely visible or audible.

I recognize that the sophistication soapbox was not the original purpose of this blog, but southern lifestyle is a large part of what makes me tick. Frankly, I was embarrassed by fellow university representatives. I'm all about having a good time, but restraint and humility are key to maintaining the level of class that the professional and social realms in the South demand. Having said that, I recognize that it is perhaps better to get it all out of your system now.

The girl on my arm, as usual, is my lovely girlfriend Rachelle. Rachelle, as a woman, is perfect. As a companion, she is without fault. And as an accessory, well just look at her. At some point in this blog I will address what makes the perfect southern sportsman's girlfriend, and why finding that girl is absolutely essential.

Rachelle wore a light blue gingham Lily Pulitzer dress with a standard white hat. I originally bought her a dress at a local boutique, but also as usual, her style represents a monumental triumph over mine. I tried to avoid the pastel and bow-tie cliche often seen on stumbling frat boys at the cup and went for a more equestrian look: Gucci bit-loafers, Burberry's leather belt, and a jockey themed Salvatore Ferragamo tie; all to accompany a light blue Lacoste oxford and tan and white seersucker slacks from J. Crew.

If you are planning on attending Cup in the future, here are a few tips to make your trip a little easier.

• Find some friends and charter a bus. It's still cheaper than a DUI.
  
• Bring enough food and drink to get you through the day. This includes water.
• Wear comfortable shoes and sunglasses.
• Stay Classy.