5) Guadalupe Mountains National Park June 7-June 10, 2009

Leaving Big Bend we headed north stopping at Davis Mountain State Park. Our goal was to go to the McDonald Observatory. We were not disappointed as we spent the whole day there, touring the grounds, going through the museum, and seeing their two largest telescopes. We then left to drive the Texas Scenic Drive on highways 118 and 166, and it was quite gorgeous with the rolling hills, grazing cattle, and at times lush vegetation. After dinner we went back to the observatory for the evening program and the Night Star Party. They are must-do events. The evening program was given by one of the astronomers and covered how the stars are mapped and the relationship between astronomy and astrology. It also covered how the stars and sun are used in navigation and the relationship of the various planets and stars to the earth. It was very interesting and informative. The Night Star Party was a maybe because of rain and cloud cover. As luck would have it, just at the right time the rain stopped, the clouds began to thin and we got to view the moon and Saturn through different telescopes of various sizes. It was amazing. Saturn looks just like all the photographs you have seen.

The 107" Telescope at McDonald Observatory, 2nd Largest

Anyone Seen Any Loose Livestock?

I Believe I Found Them

The next day we toured around the state park, visited the lodge which had been built by CCC in the 1930’s and recently renovated, and drove the Skyline Drive in the park. We visited Fort Davis National Historic Site, which served as a post on the San Antonio to El Paso Road. Later in the day we went to Balmorhea State Park which is known for its swimming pool filled by a spring that supplies 1,000,000 gallons of water per hour. It is truly quite fantastic because you are actually swimming with the fishes and turtles, and it is in the middle of a blazing dessert. Part of the pool is cemented like a normal pool, but part is natural with rocks and sand making you feel like you are at the old swimming hole.

Reenactor In Men's Barracks, Fort Davis, Texas

The deep end of Balmorhea Springs Pool

The drive from Fort Davis to Guadalupe Mountains was desolate with no traffic or cross roads for extended periods of time. That is until we reached Lobo, TX where a pecan orchard appeared rising out of the arid dessert earth and seemed to be thriving. What a shock when for miles all we had been seeing were cacti, mesquite and creosote bushes and flat, flat, flat dessert. The orchard was quite extensive and went as far as the eye could see. Quite amazing is all I can say.
Arriving at Guadalupe Mountain we were dismayed to discover RV camping was in a parking lot, literally. The gorgeous tent camping sites was off limits to our little pop-up, so we had to join the big guys, even though there was at most 3 other campers there any night we were. Once we got set up we headed to the nearest trail for a hike, which is the only way to see this park since there are no through roads.

Parking Lot Camping at Guadalupe Mountain National Park

Our first hike was Devil’s Hall and it was gorgeous. You start up the side of a mountain and after a short period drop down into one of the arroyos and follow the dry wash into a canyon where vegetation increases and you have the sense the desert is far behind you. As you proceed you pass the rock formation known as The Staircase and can only imagine how it looks after a downpour with the water rushing through the arroyo forming a waterfall at this formation on its way out of the canyon. Climbing the stairs is another proposition in dry, summer heat. The short, strenuous climb is worth the effort when you reach the Hall. It is formed by two sheer cliffs, is about 20 feet wide and breathtaking. One thing that made this hike really special was the meeting of a park ranger who led our way pointing out some of the more interesting points along the way. It was like having a personal guide and we really enjoyed the information he shared with us, such as sniffing between the bark plates of a Ponderosa pine to find that there is a strong vanilla scent. It seems that Ponderosa pines are a source of vanillan used in the manufacture of imitation vanilla. When we finished this hike we went to the Pinery Trail next to Visitors Center. It crossed the desert floor and ended at the ruins of a stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach Road. Only ruins are left, but they give an idea of the layout of a stagecoach stop.

The Staircase on Devil's Hall Trail

Devil's Hall

In a moment of insanity we decided to climb to the peak of Guadalupe Mountain, the highest point in Texas at 8749 feet. It is an eight and a half mile round trip with a three thousand foot altitude gain, and took us about 7 hours to complete. Needless to say it is uphill all the way. What a climb but well worth it when you reach the summit and feel like you are on top of the world. The view from the top is outstanding as you peer into the adjoining canyons and out over the desert floor as far as the eye can see (over 100 miles on a reasonably clear day). Once we returned to our campsite we crashed and spent the rest of the day very quietly. We did go to the visitor center (air conditioned) and went through the exhibits .

On The Way to the Top, Guadalupe Peak Trail

We Made It!

We also hiked the Smith Springs Trail and McKittrick Canyon Trail. The Smith Springs Trail begins at the Frijole Ranch, an example of a homestead of the early settlers of the area. The ranch house is now a museum of local history. The house grew from a one room adobe to a comfortable ranch house for a large family. Around the house is a schoolhouse, post office, fruit tree orchard, and corrals for livestock. This ranch became the focal point of the community. The hike from the ranch house takes you across the desert floor and into a canyon where the spring that supplied water to the ranch appears. It is a true oasis in the desert. The spring is encircled with moss and maidenhairs ferns, anchored by a towering oak tree. The temperature dropped a good ten to fifteen degrees and it was truly a refreshing break. As we drove away, a bull snake lay across the road and decided he didn’t need to move. We got out of the truck to take a picture, and a park employee noticed that we had stopped in the road and came over to “guide” the snake into the grass. The hike into McKittrick Canyon followed an arroyo, crossing a creek three times, and ended–-sorta--at Pratt Lodge. Pratt was a geologist by training who fell in love with the area and its geology. Before he died, he donated this property to the national park system. It is a beautiful place and a great example of the multiple ecotones that one can see in a short distance in this part of the country.

Smith Spring

Bull Snake at Frijole Ranch

Pratt Lodge

We hadn’t seen everything there is to see at Guadalupe Mountains, but we saw a lot and had a great time. Ready for the next adventure.

4) Big Bend Naional Park - June 1 - June 5, 2009

Business is finished at home, and we headed back out on the road again on May 26. Since Big Bend National Park is over twelve hundred miles from home we decide to take several days getting there. Our first day we travelled as far as Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, LA, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. It is a beautiful park with a beach on the lake, hiking trails complete with alligators, and great amenities including WiFi. We really like being connected. Over the years we have come to recognize Louisiana state parks are some of the best we have visited. No trip to Louisiana is complete without a side junket into New Orleans. During our trip to New Orleans we stopped by Café du Monde for beignets and café au lait, ate a scrumptious lunch at Muriel’s--imagine goat cheese crepes topped with fresh crawfish in a buttery Chardonnay, tomato sauce-- walked the French Quarter, and purchased the necessary box of pralines. Leaving New Orleans we went to Abita Springs and “toured” Abita Brewery. The tour lasted less than three minutes, but they had a serve-yourself tasting room, 12 beers on tap, before and after the “tour.” For all you beer lovers this is the place and not too shabby for all that walking.

Sunset over Lake Ponchartrain

Cafe du Monde, New Orleans, LA

Leaving Fontainebleau, we headed for Avery Island, LA to tour the Tabasco factory. As you pass onto the island there is a gatehouse where you must pay a small fee. The man in the gatehouse sticks a long pole with a clothespin on it out his window. Using the clothespin you clip your money on the pole and he then returns your island pass on that same pole. Very quaint! The tour was interesting, and at the end we got to taste ice cream made with peppers, yes peppers, at the company store. Johnny liked the Jalapeno ice cream while my favorite was the sweet and spicy. Who would ever think of making ice cream with Tabasco? From there we went to the Konriko Rice Mill and Store in New Iberia, LA. It is the oldest operating rice mill in the US and was put on the National Register of Historic Places by the government. We then stopped that night at Sam Houston Jones State Park in Lake Charles, LA.

Gatekeeper's House, Avery Isaland, LA

Tabasco Factory

Bottling Line, Tabasco Factory

Deer, Sam Houston Jones State Park

Our next stop was New Braunfels, TX, in the hill country, to canoe the Guadalupe River. We stayed at the KL Ranch Camp right on the river. It was so lovely to rise each morning and be able to see the water moving lazily by the campsite. While at New Braunfels we took an inflatable kayak ride down the river, twice unsuccessfully tried to find the bats exiting Bracken Cave -- over 20,000,000 Mexican freetail bats migrate to the cave each year-- ate dinner at Huisache Grill and Wine Bar, yum, yum, and bought pastries for breakfast at Naegelin’s Bakery, the oldest operating bakery in Texas. What a way to start the day.

Kayaking the Guadalupe River, so Peaceful

Our goal the next day was to get as close to Big Bend as possible and we made it to Marathon, TX where we stayed at the Marathon Motel and RV Park. Marathon is considered to be the gateway to Big Bend National Park. This RV park provided a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and a breathtaking desert sunset.

Courtyard Marathon Motel, Toward Fireplace

We got up the next morning and drove to Big Bend. We checked out the Rio Grande Village; only one camper at that campground, looked at the full hook-up campsites; cement parking lot set-up, and decided to locate at the Chisos Basin Campground. It is down a windy, curvy road that has a 15% grade. After going down into the campground the issue became will we be able to get out? Shortly after setting up our campsite, the campsite across the road was visited by a pack of javelinas, about six in the group. From the safety of our trailer it was fun to watch them forage and then move on their merry way. We hiked part of the Window Trail and spotted a black bear below the trail as we were returning to the campsite. It was looking like we were going to be surrounded by wildlife in this park. The bear never noticed we were in his neighborhood, and we were very happy about that. We then went and walked the Window View Trail up by the lodge. It is a very short trail and takes you to the overlook directly behind the geological formation known as The Window. This provided a lovely view of the sunset and we were glad we took the time to do the walk. When we got back to our campsite deer were grazing in the same campsite where the javelinas had been earlier in the day. Life can’t get much better.

Big Bend , at Last

Javelinas Across the Road

The next day we drove the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Ross Maxwell was the first superintendent of the park and a geologist by training. He designed this road to include the park’s most significant geological features and historical sights. We saw the Sam Nail Ranch, Homer Wilson Ranch, Sotol Vista Overlook, Burro Mesa Pouroff, Mule Ears Viewpoint, Tuff Canyon, and followed the Rio Grande over to the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook. All of these sights were either breathtaking , interesting, enchanting or all of the above. We completed the loop by taking the unimproved Old Maverick Road (not recommended for your standard sedan) back to the highway. Once we hit the paved road, as we headed back to camp, an oncoming RV threw something under our truck resulting in a flat tire less than 3 minutes later. Nothing is more fun than changing a flat in the boiling sun in the middle of the desert. Wish I had the presence of mind to get a picture of poor Johnny sweating away getting us out of this predicament. Hindsight is still 20/20. For contrast by the time we got back to the campsite the heavens had opened, and we witnessed a rare summer thunderstorm, which brought a chill to the air and made life a lot more pleasant. Before it stopped raining there were two deer outside our camper. They may have been looking for shelter from the weather, but alas we didn’t have room.

Mule Ears, Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

Santa Elena Canyon Cut, Distant Mountain

Now it was time for the great adventure of our trip to Big Bend, rafting the Rio Grande. We used Desert Sports in Terlingua, TX, and our guide Jeff was informative, knowledgable, and entertaining. We also can say we were fully protected on this trip. As the raft was being launched into the Rio Grande, two vans of Border Patrol pulled in at our launch sight, hopped out of their vans with their fully automatic weapons and began patrolling the river bank. Our guide and van driver were really incensed by this but that is a tale for another day. The trip normally takes two days, but because the water was so high and swift we were able to complete it in just one day. The scenery was unbelievable and once we got into the Santa Elena Canyon words are not sufficient to describe the magnificence and beauty. At times we were 1500 feet below the canyon rim with beautifully colored rock cliffs towering on either side. We made one stop at Fern Canyon. The raft was tied up and we walked around the rock outcropping out of sight of the river to see a fern glade, if you can believe in the desert. Gorgeous! We also stopped for a delightful shady lunch that came with a tablecloth covered table, dishes, fresh fruit, sandwiches, and dessert. The take out point for this trip was where we had been the day before after our Ross Maxwell drive. This trip is truly fantastic and highly recommended for anyone visiting Big Bend.

On the Rio Grande

Rapids at Santa Elana Canyon Entrance

Jeff, Our Guide, Exiting the Canyon

Being really tired from our rafting trip we decided to have dinner at the lodge that evening. It was a good meal, but the more interesting topic was the story of the mountain lion that had followed a deer out of the woods and onto the lodge parking lot. He wasn’t looking for a playmate. That was about 8:30 in the morning and two more spottings of a mountain lion in the afternoon a little farther up the hill were reported. This is very unusual behavior for these big cats as they tend to be more nocturnal and shy. It made sense why two game wardens were having dinner at the lodge that evening.Our last full day at Big Bend was spent hiking the Lost Mine Trail. This trail is the favorite of several park rangers so we decided to give it a try. There was a lot of beautiful scenery for just moderate effort. We had more deer by the campsite and then we went to an evening ranger talk on the geology of Big Bend. It was under an ocean millions of years ago and the mountains there were created by volcanic action as so many in this area were. Because of its remote location Big Bend is the largest, least visited park in the National Park System, but it is one of the more remarkable.

Juniper Canyon, Lost Mine Trail

JEK at Top of Lost Mine Trail

Sunset at "The Window"

Moon Over Casa Grande

3) Hot Springs National Park – May 5-May 8, 2009

Hot Springs National Park is the only urban park in our national park system. In 1832 President Andrew Jackson (we Tennesseans have such good ideas) signed an executive order that preserved the springs as a reservation for all the people of the United States. This was the first time any land had been set aside for public use and this act is said to be the beginning of what we now call our national park system. This was 40 years before Yellowstone was declared our first national park in 1872.

Arlington Park at the end of Bathhouse Row.

When we drove into the Gulpha Gorge Campground at the park, it was pouring rain, I mean by the buckets. We donned our rain gear and set to work getting our creek-side campsite together. The more it rained the higher the creek rose. The campground host assured us the creek had never breached the wall between the creek and us, but at times we had our doubts. After getting the trailer situated we headed out for the closest Mexican restaurant to get a margarita and to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. By the time we got to the restaurant, the rain had stopped only to start again about 3o minutes after we returned to camp. It poured all night and the creek rose, but like the host said it never came into the campground. I should say Gulpha Gorge is a gorgeous campground, small and in a lovely setting. We were able to listen to the babbling brook lulling us to sleep through the rainstorm.

Gulpha Creek behind the Camper.

Our first order of business at Hot Springs was to check out the Bathhouse Row area and go to the visitor center for information. The Visitor Center is in the Fordyce Bathhouse (no longer an operating bathhouse), and the self-guided tour through this bathhouse is well worth the time. It was one of the more opulent bathhouses and quite beautiful. The stained glass ceiling mosaic in the men’s dressing area is exquisite. We discovered that only two of the bathhouses are open for baths now, and we chose the Buckstaff Bathhouse because of their offer of the traditional bath like done during the early to mid twentieth century. Also it was a walk-in bathhouse and no appointment was necessary. The Quapaw, the other open bathhouse, required a reservation and is more typical of a current day spa experience. We decided to wait until the next day for our bath. It then became a maintenance day for doing the laundry, shopping for groceries, and purchasing a few trailer items we felt would make life easier.

Bathhouse Row Looking South.

The next day came and it was off to the baths. Johnny went along, even if a little less enthusiastic than hoped. You go from a whirlpool bath, to a sitz bath, to the steam cabinet then a hot pack, and finally a needle shower. Johnny got a cool down and I don’t know why that was not included in mine. I loved the whole experience because it was so peaceful and relaxing. You will need to ask Johnny what he thought about the experience.We got in two hikes, one along the Promenade behind the bathhouses and the Gulpha Gorge Trail up to Goat Rock. Goat Rock offers a wonderful overlook of the surrounding hills and forest, a beautiful vista. We had lunch at Angel’s, a good Italian restaurant across from Bathhouse Row. You look out one window and see the national park sign and out the other window and see a sign “Home of Bill Clinton.” We also ate at McClard’s BBQ. Their bar-b-que is world famous, and Bill Clinton’s favorite. He had it shipped to the White house while in residence. We thought it quite tasty, also. The next day saw us headed back to Huntsville to finish up some business we couldn’t get done before we left for the Smokies.

JEK on the Promenade.

More Promenade.

The View From Goat Rock.

2) Mammoth Cave National Park - April 28-May 5, 2009

On our way to Mammoth Cave we spent the night at Standing Stone State Park in Tennessee. We had time to get in one hike that afternoon along the creek behind the cabins. It was full of wildflowers, and I saw my first prairie trillium. This was our second encounter with a snake and it likewise went well. As he ran between my legs in mid stride I jumped only to be concerned, as I was going up, if I would land on him when I came down. He survived. The next morning after a swing through Nashville, we were on our way to Mammoth Cave. On the road going into Mammoth Cave, turkeys were everywhere. This bird used to be very elusive, but on this trip we have seen so many that we are developing an “Oh it’s only a turkey” attitude. What we thought would be a two or three day stay at Mammoth Cave turned into a week. There are twelve cave tours, now, and we managed to get in three; the Historic Tour, the Grand Avenue Tour, and the Violet City Tour. There are 367 miles of trails in the cave and we covered 11 of them. I guess we will have to go back and do some more at a later date.

The Historic Entrance with Public Television Film Crew.

Tours have been given consistently at Mammoth Cave since 1816. It is a dry cave, with only one area having stalactites, stalagmites, and other flow stone. As the name implies the Historic Tour goes in the Historic entrance, the one we both had visited over 50 years ago, and covers the historical significance of the cave. Saltpeter was mined in the cave for the War of 1812 after E. I. DuPont purchased the cave. At four miles long, the Grand Avenue Tour is the longest and most strenuous walking tour and enters the cave at a newer entrance. This tour included the above-mentioned stalactites and stalagmites, Fat Man’ Misery, several steep climbs and descents, and lunch in the cave. It was four and a half hours well spent. The Violet City Tour was the lantern tour and it was awesome. After going in the Historic Entrance, we were taken back into areas of the cave that are not electrified. This tour simulates what people on the tours of the 1800’s experienced. I don’t believed I have ever experienced a blacker black than when all of our lanterns were extinguished. Wow!

Rangers Dave and Joel leading the Grand Avenue Tour.

We also got in two ranger-lead, surface walks. The first was to Three Springs with an explanation about supplying water to the Mammoth Cave Hotel in the early years. The second started on the Green River Bluff Trail, finished on the Dixon Cave Trail, and covered the geology of the Mammoth Cave area. One of our self-guided hikes took us by way of the Campground Trail, along the Whites Cave Trail, part of the Mammoth Dome Sink Trail and part of the Echo River Spring Trail. This took us down to the Echo River Spring and the point alnog the Green River where we had earlier driven to pick up the Green River Ferry. We also hiked the rest of the Visitor Center trails and Southside trails: Cedar Sink, Turnhole Bend, Sloan’s Crossing Pond, Sand Cave, Heritage Loop, and the River Styx Trail. We also made it a point to ride the ferries at Green River and Houchins Crossing. We did not have time to hike any of the Northside (backcountry) trails or ride the 11 mile bike/hike path, but will look forward to those on our next trip.

Cedar Sink Trail.

The Green River Ferry.

While at Mammoth Cave we took two day trips. The first was to Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace at Hodgenville, KY. It is a designated National Historical Site and has displays about Lincoln’s life as well as a reconstruction of the log cabin where he was born. From there we went on to Lexington and did a driving tour of the bluegrass country horse farms. It is truly a beautiful area and the farms are like none we had ever seen, manicured would be an understatement. As luck would have it we were in town on Derby Day, so we went to deSha’s for mint juleps, hot browns and derby pie that were all delicious. The race was being simulcast at Keeneland Racecourse, and the crowds were unbelievable trying to get into the grounds. They had two lanes of the highway in each direction blocked with people trying to get through the gate. You had to see it to believe it.
From Lexington, we went to Berea, KY to look at the Berea College campus and visit the craft store associated with the college. Berea College was founded so the children from Appalachia, who could not afford a college education, could earn a degree. Each student must work in one of the colleges craft departments. All students work at least 10 hours per week in campus and service jobs in more than 130 departments, such as textiles, glass, woodwork, metalcraft, etc. For their work, their tuition is free. The items in the student store were exquisite and displayed the highest level of craftsmanship. Tours of the campus are given on weekdays by the students, but we visited on Saturday. We covered a lot of territory that day but saw a lot of very interesting spots. It would be fun to go back and spend more time in Lexington. It is quite beautiful. Also, Kentucky has a bourbon trail that goes through the area and it looks like it would be fun and informative to do that at some point in time.

Lincoln's Birthplace Memorial.

Our second day trip took us to Louisville where we visited Churchill Downs and the Derby Museum. Since it was the Monday after the Derby, the track was not yet open for tours, but the museum was very informative, outlining how horses are trained for the Derby beginning at birth and how jockeys likewise train (but not from birth). There is also a fitting tribute to the horse Barbaro that is very moving. After Churchill Downs we went on the Louisville Slugger Factory tour. Quite a few major league ballplayers use their bats, and we had a chance to see them being made. Obviously, they come from a different wood-stock than the bats made for the rest of us. A good tour and well worth the time spent. They gave us miniature sluggers too! After returning to the Mammoth Cave area we went in search of the Sinkhole Plain in front of the Cave City Mammoth Resort. You stand on a hill and look out over a bucolic farm scene of grazing cattle and the landscape is pock marked by numerous sinkholes indicative of the karst landscape. It was really beautiful.

Louisville Slugger Factory.

Churchill Downs and Derby Museum.

Sinkhole Plain.

On line at last - Great Smoky Mountains National Park – April 21-April 26, 2009

Pearl of Wisdom: You Can’t Suck Cake through a Straw.

Well, at long last our dream has begun. Tonight we are sitting in a campsite in our first of 59 national parks. We won’t be camping in all 59, but we will be visiting each of them. We are really excited to say the least. We finished all our chores at home, got Watson, our kitty, all settled in with a wonderful friend who is going to nurture and provide him sanctuary while we are away, and stuffed the trailer with all those items necessary for human comfort. There is barely room for Johnny and me. The weather cooperated, giving us a beautiful day with a gorgeous blue sky, wispy upper layer clouds with marshmallow pillows below. The trip to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was uneventful, but the scenery in the park was gorgeous with the trees budding in the varying shades of fresh spring green and wildflowers blooming profusely along the roadsides. As we pulled in to Cades Cove campground, three deer were grazing among the campsites. We didn’t seem to bother them, and when they had gotten their fill they headed back into the woods. What a treat!

Cades Cove Campground Deer

Boy, were we lucky! The week we were in Smokies was the Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage and this year it happened when the flowers were at their peak. Saying they were spectacular would be an understatement. I have never seen whole hills of white fringed phacelia before but it filled many shaded hillsides Dwarf crested iris, white, red and yellow trillium, bluets and two yellow lady slippers boldly blooming along Little River Road are just a few of the wildflowers that seemed to be putting on a especially dazzling show this year.

Yellow Lady Slipper

It wouldn’t be the Smokies without some wildlife and we had encounters with deer, a black bear, lots of turkeys and one startled black snake. There are stories involved with some of these but we’ll save those for later.

Isn't he cute?

Hiking is another component of any trip to the Smokies. We saw the Walker Sisters homesteadand couldn’t believe the ten foot tall boxwoods surrounding the house and outbuildings. We hiked Little Greenbrier Trail, Alum Cave Bluff Trail, including Arch Rock and Inspiration Point as well as the trails to Mingo Falls and Grotto Falls. We also did a 13 mile bike ride that included the Cades Cove Loop. What was I thinking? Another story for later but this involves one of my “Pearls of Wisdom” – Never let anyone run you off the road unless you are next to a moss covered embankment.

Wlaker Sisters' Homestead

Arch Rock

The Smokies are not known for great cuisine, but we always make a trip to the Great Smoky Mountain Brew Pub whenever we are close. This would also be in keeping with our craft brewery theme, plus they make pretty good pizzas.

“Doin’ the Dragon” is a drive everyone should take at least once in their lifetime, and thanks to our camping neighbor at Cades Cove we found out it was easily accessible from Parson Branch Road out of Cades Cove. Officially it is called Tail of the Dragon and is an eleven mile stretch of US129 starting at Deal’s Gap, NC and heading north. In this eleven mile stretch of road there are 318, yes 318, curves. It is remote, it is wooded and it is beautiful. By many, it is thought to be one of the best roads for motorcycles or sports cars in the world, so here we come in our Nissan Frontier truck. On strategically placed curves photographers sit under umbrellas, snapping your picture. You can hear their cameras clicking if a rumbling motorcyclist is not in the vicinity. Just go to their website and they will allow you the opportunity to purchase their picture of you “Doin’ the Dragon” for a small fee. After the dragon we went to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. It is one of those spots on earth, like the giant sequoias in California, that afford a true spiritual experience. There were huge first growth tulip poplars and a profusion of wildflowers, including at least seven varieties of trillium. We must go back because we only had time to hike one of the two loops. What a fantastic experience!

Deal's Gap, NC; a motorcyclist's paradise

And then there was the two-day search for the Gatlinburg Public Library only to find it closed. We just wanted a Wi-Fi connection, but it was not meant to be.

***More photos to follow****