Great Smoky Mountains National Park - May 2013

Sunday - May 5, 2013

"Beergueritas"  in hand, we toasted Cinco De Mayo with our buddies, the Duponts.  Our official first day of vacation began leisurely tailgating the Bob Dylan Concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheater.  Perfect weather accompanied our evening of entertainment as we kicked back and enjoyed the deep, raspy and still quite unintelligible lyrics of Mr. Dylan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ---So what's next on our agenda?

 

 

 

 

 

Monday - May 6, 2013

I need to reconnect  with my inner mountain woman so off we go to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park for some "souling".

Departed Palm Coast 1030

1230 tire blow out!
1310 tire blow out #2...yikes!

$250 later, thanks to some awesome folks in Brunswick, GA who attended our tire needs in a timely fashion, we were back on the road at 1500.  Made it as far as Irmo, South Carolina before calling it day.

Tuesday - May 7, 2013

Stopped at a "waffle house" along the way and as we exited our truck, Lana (our chihuahua) leapt out, landed and broke a puppy nail off.  Blessedly, the bleeding stopped in a short time after applying pressure.  I ended up getting my patty melt to go.  Close to our destination we stopped to stretch our legs and her wound started to bleed again...held pressure for another 30 minutes before it let up.  Finally arrived at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cosby, TN at 1500.  We're heeer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday - May 8, 2013

The landscape is a brilliant green and so different from our trip here last October.  We decide to revisit our favorite trail noticing some of the changes that had taken place.

 

  Wild iris are spotted along the way and some fallen trees that must have made a big boom when they landed on the ground.  A few dogwood trees still hold onto their blooms.

Thursday - May 9, 2013

I enjoyed some time playing with my paints today. 

 

 

 

We made a lovely little campfire in the late afternoon, the sun still offered a bit of warmth and dazzling light as I sipped on my wine.  I felt content.

 

Friday - May 10, 2013

Feeling adventurous on this fine morning, we decide to explore Hen Swallow Falls.  A distance of 2.2 miles didn't seem too far out of our capabilities.  Well, halfway into the hike and climbing at about 1 mile an hour, we began to feel our lack of mountain hiking conditioning.  Tenacity is the word of the day and best describes our pathway laden with tenacious tree roots competing with one another for a bit of precious mountain soil for survival…

 

 

So quiet at times you can hear a bumble bee buzzz and then suddenly a noisy creek can emerge chasing your daydream away.

 

 

 

 



Is that fairy dust I'm seeing?

            
At last our tenacity pays off and our reward is the majestic waterfall.  A splendid show of water sluicing over massive, gleaming rock in a rush to the mountain's bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 Back down we go for a total of 4.4 miles...not bad for a couple of Florida flatlanders.

 

Saturday - May 11

Mother Nature is truly the master designer using repetition with an unending variety of flora. 



an interesting mushroom sprouting from a fallen hemlock tree

 

 

Sunday - May 12 

Happy Mother's Day from the Smoky Mt National Park in Tennessee.





a mountain road winding thru our camp

 

 

Monday - May 13

We took a road trip thru Gatlinburg on our way to Cades Cove.  A mountain cove is a sheltered valley with deep, rich soils and this one was inhabited by pioneers long ago before it became part of the National Forest.  A beautiful and most interesting mountain stream led the way for us, twisting and turning, up and down, over and under it wove thru the landscape.  Peacefully meandering or with roaring gusto, the water steadily followed its course until we arrived in the Cove. 

 

 

We drove the loop along mountain meadows, past ancient log cabins, and thru tracts of forest  in the hopes of seeing a black bear.  We did spot a mamma and baby from afar.  Very cool.

 

 

Tuesday - May 14

A hike on Snake Den Ridge Trail near our camp in Cosby was most satisfying.  Amazing weather was our companion boasting blue skies and warm temperatures.  I tried to savor each lovely detail encountered here in the Smokies.  Noticing the groupings of mountain wild flowers, graceful ferns, furry mosses, the way the sun shines on the cascading water of a stream, a bowl made of rock holding pebbles in a brook, ancient trees standing tall and majestic against a backdrop of brilliant green foliage, earthy scents wafting my way as I carefully chose my footing on the rooted and rocky path.  My heart rejoiced and I was grateful for the journey.

 

 

 

 

 Wednesday - May 15

Fly fishing may be my next passion thanks to two young men I met while hiking my favorite trail.  They were traversing the wild creek at Cosby, rock hopping with their poles in hand and having a grand day!  They stopped to chat with me and I learned so much in just a short time.  Like, where are all the fish?  Hiding under river rocks, of course.  Apparently, one has to lure them out with a "fly" on the end of their pole and with a quick flick of the wrist, the fish is snagged.  So one of the guys actually demonstrated how to catch a wild brook trout.  Within a few minutes, he had a gorgeous little trout, which they promptly photographed and released back into the stream.  Well, that clinched my desire to become a fly fisherwoman and is right up there with my ever evolving  mountain woman status.  Its amazing the impact we can make on each other's lives in just a few precious moments.  Unfortunately, I left my camera back at the camper and missed this important "photo op".

 

 

                                                                             Thursday, May 16

This is our last day here in the Smokies, so I decide to go for one last hike of course.  Sweet mountain air fills my lungs as I breath a little harder walking up the steep rocky incline.  For my delight, I always discover something new and I love to collect bits of nature to add to my journal reminding me of where I've been.  I imagine myself as a tree growing in the same spot year after year, season after season, thru good weather and bad.  What would it be like to be planted in the same spot your entire life?  Does the tree wish it could just once take a little journey and move up the path?

 

 



 

Gathering wood for our last campfire with Little Lana watching!

 

 

       

 

 

 

Rolex 24

January 26-27, 2013

 

 

We arrived with the sun on Saturday morning to see the Daytona International Speedway come alive for the Rolex 24.  I was excited to be doing something very different from our usual camping venues.  We hung out with our neighbors, Cathy and Russ, sharing in the day's festivities.  After setting up camp, we all set off to explore.  Lots of interesting people, displays, and activities back dropped by the deafening noise of the race cars as they made endless laps around the track. 

 

The weather was perfect!

 

One of our goals was to find the Chili Cook off competition.  Well, we found it and managed to sample over 10 different kinds of chili.  When we couldn't take another bite we voted for our favorite recipe.  Later that evening we attended the wine tasting event and got pleasantly buzzed as the race continued to rage all around us.

 

 Somehow we managed to sleep thru the noise.  I awoke at 5AM and made my way outside to view the race from the empty grandstand and watch the sun come up.  The drivers seemed to be oblivious to the sleeping fans.

The race ended about 3PM on Sunday afternoon and it was quite astounding when the engines stopped and we could hear quiet for the first time in 24 hours.  I don't even remember who won but I will never forget this experience.

October 2012- Great Smoky Mountain

10-9-12



Jerry, Lynda, and Randy at their home in NC

During the first part of our October Trip we stopped in Blowing Rock, NC to visit with our friends, Lynda and Jerry. What a sweet little home they have, nestled in a charming mountain neighborhood, just blocks from the historic downtown section of Blowing Rock. We were very impressed with the natural beauty of this place. I want to live here! And its always a pleasure to have folks who know the area take us on a tour of the local sights. Afterwards, we enjoyed some yummy barbecue and a pitcher of beer before heading home to camp.

Blowing Rock, NC

Larry, Linda, Julie, and Randy

We also had the pleasure of joining up with our buddies, Linda and Larry in Boone, NC. They met us half way from their home in Virginia, staying in a hotel about 15 minutes from our campground. What a great time we had bumming around the area together while taking in the scenery and antique shopping. I ate far too much country food at the Dan'l Boone Inn, but boy was it good!

Randy in front of Cumberland Caverns entrance

Peter Rowan

On October 13, we awoke to a choice, blue sky kind of day in anticipation of the afternoon concert.  This was no ordinary concert because the location was in a cave down in Cumberland Caverns in Tennessee.  From the cave entrance, we followed our guide down 350 feet until we came to the Volcano Room, home to the Bluegrass Underground venue.  Cave lit niches illuminated this amazing space dominated by a huge, red beaded chandelier suspended above the seating area.  The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band did not disappoint us.  Perched on a rock up near the stage, I vibrated to the most perfect acoustics and spiritual, bluesy music.  Home to stalagmites and stalactites this place is now home to bluegrass too.  This was one of those rare times in one's life when seeking the unknown was priceless.

Volcano Room

We stayed for a few days at nearby Rock Island State Park and enjoyed the majestic waterfalls framed in fall foliage.  The countryside is quite lovely in this part of Tennessee and we certainly enjoyed exploring it.   







The foliage could have been more dramatic but we enjoyed it just as it was.

Randy is looking out at one of the waterfalls at left and to the right he is taking a stroll thru the NP.

 


Our next destination was The Great Smokey Mountains National Park at the Cosby entrance in Tennessee.  It soon became one of my most favorite campgrounds because of the wildness of the surrounding mountain forest.  We were able to sample a variety of interesting hikes while observing the details of water ways, degrees of shade, the tenacity of organic forms, fragrances, layers, patterns, and rock gardens.  Blessedly rejuvenating to my soul.

Julie contemplates the complexity and simplicity of this
mountain stream as the water follows us along our path.








This is bear country and we were always mindful of our surroundings.  On one of our hikes we came across some fresh bear droppings and wisely decided to change our course.

This trip we have enjoyed near perfect weather which is not always something one can plan on.

On our way home to Florida we took some of the back roads in South Carolina and happened upon fields and fields of ripe cotton.  We were in awe of something we had only read about and such an important part our Nation's history.

 

Florida West Coast - Little Manatee River State Park/Fort Desoto/Dunedin 7/13/12 to 7-22-12

I bicycled with my sweetheart in the soft, early evening rain. It was just enough to make our clothes damp and our glasses fog up.

We meandered thru the grounds of an ole plantation in the heat of a summer afternoon. Suddenly, the clouds opened up with heavy droplets, splatting onto the book I held protectively in my hand. Making our way back to the truck the sun reappeared without any excuses.

I emerged from my kayak to stand on the rippled sandbar lapping the riverbank of the Little Manatee River. Wading thru the cool, tea colored water, I listened to the quiet of this wet wilderness with nary a bird or insect to disturb it.

The sunset took my breath away as I stood on the mucky shoreline at our Fort De Soto campsite, snapping away with my camera. Soon, I became oblivious of the bites of small bugs and things crawling in the mud. I became one with the pungent, briny bouquet of the moist sea air comingling with the seaweed washed ashore. I am starting to fall in love with this place.

 

Santa Claus has come to town here in Tarpon Springs. It is Christmas in July and we couldn’t be more delighted.  Santas from around the state, dressed Floridian style, came together to partake in this purely southern event. These St. Nicks could be seen in restaurants and along the wharf on Dodecanese St. ho-ho-ing to each other as only a santa can.  Later, we feasted on char-broiled octopus and other authentic Greek cuisine at a place called “Mamma’s”.

Loved the old sponge boats tied up along the wharf.  The St. Nicholas III captured my imagination with the fabulous patina and chipping paint hinting of a time when she sailed the gulf for sponges on a daily basis.

Sponges of every imaginable size, shape, and texture are displayed for sale throughout Tarpon Springs.  So hard to choose.

I am fascinated with finding things in the most unexpected places, like this mushroom sprouting forth from a stump all by itself in the middle of the river.

Indiana Randy is pictured here, navigating the Little Manatee River.  He is so brave.