Southern Wanderings

The Savage Gulf

2011-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Savage Gulf

Savage Gulf State Natural Area is an incredible spot located in the Cumberland Plateau. From the air, Savage Gulf looks a lot like a giant crow's foot carved in to the plateau. Here you'll find numerous hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic overlooks, swimming holes, caves and even a natural Stone Door.

There are multiple spots to take in the wonderful views of the gulf. The Stone Door Ranger Station offers a short, relatively easy trail to the Stone Door, 10 foot wide, 100 foot deep crack in the rock. The Savage Gulf Ranger Station features the Savage Gulf Day Loop Trail, a 4.2 mile loop trail that offers views (and a short access trail) of Savage Falls and a wonderful view of the gulf itself (featured in the photo above) from Rattlesnake Point Overlook. And there are many hikes that take you down in to the gorge. Collins Gulf, for example, features the very popular Horsepound Falls on its journey down. You can find long day hikes and there are a number of spots to camp out to make a full weekend of exploration.

For a few more pictures of this lovely area, check out my SmugMug Gallery.

World's Largest Treehouse

2011-06-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, my pal Sarah and I visited what might just be the world's Largest Treehouse. Located in Crossville, TN just a mile or so off Interstate 40, this monsterous treehouse was created by Horace Burgess, a local minister who was inspired to start builing the treehouse eleven years ago, and essentially never stopped. According to one of the treehouse employees, Mr. Burgess started with one tree, and now the house has expanded to encompass ten large trees. Most of the materials have been donated.

Just one corner of the multi-story treehouse

When you drive up the gravel road to the treehouse and view it for the first time, it is just astounding. Sarah and I stared at it in wonderment before exploring all its nooks and crannies- which include a bell tower, chapel, swing, and several trap doors. A young man and his mother employed by Mr. Burgess patroled the grounds and treehouse in an effort to stop graffiti (despite their best efforts it is still pretty rampant). There was also a tin teepee set up nearby that I assumed served as a bunk for overnight patrols. Apparently they had just busted some teens the night before who had broken into the treehouse at around 3 a.m.

Sarah enjoying the 'swing'

Once you get to the very top of the treehouse, be sure to look down and you will see the word 'Jesus' written out in landscaping across the field below. Mr. Burgess holds church in the chapel on most Sundays and there have even been several weddings in the treehouse.

It amazes me that this place is open for free to the public. It is a definite must-see if you are in Tennessee. You can find directions by searching for 'the Minister's treehouse' at Roadside America. Although entrance is free, there is a donation box and trust me, you will be inspired to donate after seeing Mr. Burgess's eleven-year effort born out of personal inspiration.

The Space Needle

2011-06-07T13:16:00.001-07:00

One of the many tourist attractions in Gatlinburg, TN.

Pigeon Forge!

2011-06-05T05:58:00.001-07:00

A friendly mascot from an abandoned mini-golf wants to stab you for visiting Pigeon Forge.

Running down Short Mountain

2011-06-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Earlier this Spring, my friend Sarah and I participated in the Stones River Relay, a 22-mile relay of running, biking, and kayaking across Cannon County, TN that benefits the Stones River Watershed Association. Since my right arm was fractured only a few weeks before in a biking accident, and Sarah was having leg pains from marathon training, we decided that I would run and she would bike and kayak. Together, our two broken bodies made a full team- and an excellent one at that, but more on that later.

We arrive at the Cannon County Arts Center early despite a brief, unsuccessful attempt to find trail mix in the town of Woodbury. The one gas station we stopped at was literally empty with the exception of one lone shelf that held a couple of old candy bars. Why they needed two cashier's to handle my purchase of a circa 1990s Snickers bar is beyond me. No luck at the grocery store either- but fyi, they do have quite an excellent selection of refrigerated corn dogs.

Once we signed in and tagged our gear, we loaded up on one of three school buses that take participants up to the top of Short Mountain to begin the relay at a mountain-top bible camp. Although Sarah didn't run, she rode the bus to the very top of the mountain where the run begins. As we rode up the mountain and I saw the descent I would have to run back down, I realized: Shit. I am so not prepared for this. But, since I didn't plan on staying the night at the Short Mountain Bible camp, I decided to just go for it, and I actually made really good time (despite waking up with severe calf cramps the next day). Once I made it to Short Mountain school, Sarah was able to take off on her bike as I waited for the school bus to take me back down to the Stones River.

By the time I did get back to the kayak entry point for the Stones River, Sarah had already beaten me down there on her bike, so I hopped in her car and drove over to the finish line at the historic Readyville Mill. I watched Sarah paddle in at 11th place, thus making our team the 11th overall and 1st all-girl team to finish this year's race. I will definitely do this race next year- it was scenic, not too crowded, and the proceeds go to a great cause: preserving the Stones River watershed. Plus, there's a catfish mascot.

Somehow I Knew Col. Sanders Was Mixed Up in This...

2011-03-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

Rachel, NV.

In the deserts of Nevada you'll find the small little town of Rachel, NV. It is best known as the jumping off point for exploration around Area 51 and is home to the Little A'Le'Inn. It is also home, mysteriously, to a giant-assed painting/mural of Col Sanders. Why? Is the Col part of some great alien-fried chicken mystery? Was one of the secret ingredients from another world or even possibly alien meat? Nope, apparently it's an advertising stunt. KFC wanted to have the first ad visible from space, and they apparently got it. You can read more about the ad here. And you can look up the Col yourself on Google Maps by clicking here.

Unusual and Wacky Hotels

2011-03-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, we're in desperate need of posting around here, so we'll make an "easy" post by linking to a list of some of the world's most unusual hotels. I particularly love the cave hotel in Turkey and the most odd to me, for some reason, is the Capsule Hotel in Japan. Why does it remind me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer kept some visitors from Japan in his large oversized dresser drawers?

See Rock City, or We'll Cut You!

2011-01-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

If you've driven anywhere in the South, there's a really good chance you've seen a billboard or barn rooftop advertising "See Rock City". High on top Lookout Mountain you'll find this rock garden tourist trap.

Lovers Leap at Rock City

FUN FACT: Two indians leapt to their deaths here!

You simply have to go here at least once in your life. Depending on which way you swing (and they have a nice swinging bridge here, by the way), it's either gloriously beautiful or gloriously cheesy. The beautiful part of the park is the rock gardens and views from Lookout Mountain. I took Jessica here for her first time visit a few years ago. Her thoughts? "It's... definitely unique." That's a ringing endorsement!

Jessica attempts to prevent being crushed
at Rock City's "Rock Compactor Alley"

The main feature of Rock City is the "Enchanted Flagstone Trail". Here you'll wind your way through, over and under various rock formations. There's a "Fat Man's Squeeze" and "Needle's Eye" to walk through along with a Balancing Rock and "Rainbow Hall", an amazing stretch of passage with windows covered with multi-colored gels. Okay the multi-colored windows seemed a lot neater when I was a kid. And there's a view of "7 States" which I don't think is entirely true. There's actually a lot of debate about the validity of this named view, but regardless, it's an impressive view.

"Warning: Neon and Killer Gnomes Inside!"

The cheesy part of Rock City is the final act - Fairyland Caverns. The "Caverns" takes you through a number of scenes depicting evil garden, or actually, cave gnomes who stare at you, grinning evilly:

The one on the right took a shine to Jessica.
His head cock is disturbing.

After the gnomes are through with you, the tour continues on to an even more bizarre site - Mother Goose Village - a room featuring glow-in-the-dark figurines depicting various Mother Goose nursery rhymes. It is truly bizarre. And it's a lot of fun. I've been fascinated with caves, both real and fake, for years, so I always enjoyed the conclusion to Rock City's tour.

It was impossible to capture this properly
because it's simply too awesome.

The cost of a ticket has steadily risen over the years as the cost to upkeep the rock has, um, risen? There are "Lookout Mountain" combo tickets you can purchase if you're planning to also see nearby Ruby Falls and ride the Incline Railroad. So definitely look in to purchasing one of those to save a few bucks. For more info about Rock City, visit their website here.

FUN GAME: If you drive from Nashville down to Chattanooga, play the game: Who has more signs, Rock City or Ruby Falls? Hint: if you want to win, don't pick the attraction that uses the birdhouse barn.

Dirtiest Hotels in America

2011-01-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

Thick balls of hair, film on the carpets and loads o' stains
await you here at the Grand Resort Hotel!

Trip Advisor recently released its list of the 10 Dirtiest Hotels in in the US and #1 is the Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, TN. And yes, I've stayed there! The hotel carries the lovely designation of having 87% of its customers to NOT recommend it. I love this review:

“There was dirt at least 1/2" thick in the bathtub which was filled with lots of dark hair.”

And others mention that layer of film you can feel on the carpet. Awesome. Many of the reviews begs you to wonder, "What part of this room ISN'T covered in hair?"

Honestly this place fits right in with many of the other "hotels" you find in the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area. These are motels that were built in the 80s and many of them have either not been renovated or cleaned, or both, in the past 20+ years. My brother and I stayed at a "lovely" Best Western in Gatlinburg for my bachelor's weekend that was a real winner. The place smelled simultaneously of cigarette smoke and baked ham. The furniture was made of stuff cheaper than particle board. In fact if you laid your suitcase on top of the dresser it would crack and almost collapse. It's major feature or convenience was it's proximity to a pancake restaurant. It had ramps lined in lovely mini-golf "grass" carpet. I could go on...

So give this list a read and know which motels to stay away from, especially if you're planning on a pancake/outlet mall run to Pigeon Forge.

There's Hope Ahead

2011-01-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

Over on the Fail Blog they have a funny "fail" they have named "Juxtaposition Fail". Tennesseans, specifically those who drive between Nashville and Chattanooga, will recognize that familiar sign (and the "hope ahead") as a winery located near Manchester, TN. And seeing that sign reminds me of a mystery I know a few people have had as they pass it - is it Bear's Creek or Bean's Creek? It's hard to tell by their choice of font. If it's Bear's Creek I call the sanitation of the water in to question.

Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon

2011-01-16T14:35:00.001-08:00

Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon
Originally uploaded by Wilsonedit

Near Page, AZ, off US 89, you'll find a rather inauspicious sign for Horseshoe Bend. I remember not wanting to bother with the hike but Jessica wanted to go. The sign in no way prepares you for the site you'll see. The trail from the parking lot immediately heads up a moderately steep hill. There is absolutely ZERO protection from the elements, so be prepared and wear sunscreen. The hike isn't very long and leads you to the edge of the Colorado River. Here you are greeted to an amazing view of the Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon. I believe we simply stared (and took pictures) for close to 30 minutes. We probably could have spent an hour or more. It's simply awe inspiring to see.

On this trip I brought along my first "real" camera, the Canon T2i and I took the picture you see here. Unfortunately I only had the "kit lens" that came with the camera which limited how wide a shot I could take. So I couldn't fully capture the scene without cutting off parts of the river. Still, I'm very happy with the resulting image.

Colorado River journeys through Glen Canyon.

So if you find yourself heading to Page, AZ and to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, do yourself a favor and pull off at the parking lot for Horseshoe Bend. We definitely want to return one day... with a much wider lens of course!

More Abandoned Places

2011-01-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

The Kingston Lounge (link via Gawker) chronicles the exploration of an abandoned quarantine hospital on North Brother Island up in New York City and they include some great photos. I particularly love the spiral staircase shot (above) . I really wish I had a place like this nearby to explore and shoot.

Lost America

2011-01-14T09:40:00.001-08:00

Mercury Julep
Originally uploaded by Lost America

Over on my video blog I posted a link to a film called "Undercity" which explores the underground subway tunnels and ancient sewers of New York City. I'm utterly fascinated with this sort of thing and I can stare at photographs of abandoned sites and ruins for hours. Watching the video reminded me of one of my favorite sites that I haven't visited in years - Lost America. Lost America not only captures abandoned places in America's Southwest, but does so using night photography, a technique using long exposure times and "light painting". The end result is an often stunning and always surrealistic landscape that's amazing to stare at.

Chattanooga

2011-01-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

Forgive us for a moment as we leap around the country as we jump from Nevada and back to the Southeast. Nestled between Lookout and Signal Mountains is Chattanooga, TN. For a lot of people, Chattanooga is known for it's Choo-Choo, or as that city you pass through when you're heading down to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. But Chattanooga deserves a few days (if not more) dedicated to exploring it's wonderful downtown area and the nearby attractions on Lookout Mountain.

Pardon me boys...

Downtown

A lovely 1:1 scale model of the riverfront

I remember trips to Chattanooga in the 80s with my family and we'd rarely EVER venture downtown. If you went to the Chattanooga Choo Choo, you didn't dare set foot an inch away from the grounds because of crime, or the perceived threat of crime. Today the downtown area is home to restaurants, museums, an aquarium, IMAX Theater, minor-league baseball stadium and so much more. The Riverfront itself has nice waterworks features where kids (and kids at heart) can splash in the water. There is a nice long greenway to bike, run or jog and various paths to stroll along. There's even a somewhat hidden amphitheater underneath a bridge proving Chattanooga figured out how to use almost every available inch of space along the river.

But Chattanooga didn't stop with developing it's downtown-side of the river. Take a stroll across the pedestrian bridge to the North Shore, a slightly more funky, eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. There is also a large park, plenty of nice, cool grass to lay out on and a large fountain for more kids to play in. Be sure to stop at Clumpie's Ice Creamery, a local Chattanooga favorite for ice cream treats. Also take notice of the fact that Chattanooga is home to a surprising number of hippies.

In future blog posts I'll dive in to some of the other attractions in the area, like Rock City, the Incline Railroad and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

Rock City - where human-sized gnomes force
hapless families to enter dangerously
narrow passageways.

Melting in the Valley of Fire

2010-12-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

Oasis in the desert along Northshore Road

Back in early September, Brian and I traveled to parts of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. You can read about the first part of our vacation spent at Hoover Dam and Lake Mead here, but I wanted to continue with our journey by writing about our time spent outside of Vegas at Valley of Fire State Park. When I last posted, we we were just about to check into our casino/hotel, the Station Inn, and pig out at the hotel's dinner buffet. The next morning, in an effort to burn off some of the calories we just consumed, we drove back out to Lake Mead and headed north up Northshore Road to Valley of Fire State Park. The scenic drive alone was worth the trip- along the road you will encounter beautiful red stone formations and hidden springs surrounded by palms (but don't drink the water!), with sparkling blue Lake Mead as a backdrop. We encountered several bicyclists, and if it hadn't been hotter than Hades, then I would have loved to join them.

Rogers Spring

Park entrance to Valley of Fire SP

After approximately an hour's drive, we reach the back entrance to Valley of Fire State Park and realize we don't have enough cash to pay the entrance fee (I believe it was $7) and there's no ranger on duty so we stuff $5 dollars in an envelop along with a note that says, "Sorry- from out of state and didn't have enough cash. If you find us we can pay the remainder with debit". I'm sure park officials were amused. The park itself is full of enormous red rocks, stone beehive formations, and ancient petroglyphs, and we decided on a relatively short trail to hike. When we get out of the car our faces start to melt (the car's temperature gauge says its something like 107 degrees), and we hit the short trail to Mouse's Tank in order to see petroglyphs and a watering hole where a renegade Indian hidout in the 1890s. As we trudge through the hot sand with the sun beating down on us, I realize, it is just too damn hot to be out here. We take a quick look at the less than impressive, but no doubt lifesaving, watering hole and promptly return to our air-conditioned car. It's really a lovely state park and I would have enjoyed exploring it further had it not felt like the equivalent of standing on the surface of the Sun. I would suggest going anytime other than Summer, unless you have a hankering for face-melting heat.

Petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock

Trail head to Mouse's Tank

After leaving the park, we drive to Vegas where we've booked two nights at the Mirage and have plans to see friends renew their vows and catch 'O,' the amazing Cirque du Soleil water show. More on that in a future post...

Zion

2010-11-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

After my first visit to Zion National Park in 2000, I left knowing I had visited the most beautiful spot on Earth. I've been back two more times, including most recently this past September, and I still feel the same way. There is something very special about this place and you have to be there to truly feel it. And of course pictures do not do the place justice.

Virgin River

What makes Zion so special to me are two things: 1. You're IN the canyon. As opposed to Bryce or the Grand Canyon where you're on top, here in Zion you are the bottom of the canyon. It's awe inspiring being able to look up in Zion and see those towering mammoths of granite high above you. 2. The Virgin River and the oasis in the desert it provides. Zion is located in a desert environment, and the temperatures can be sweltering there in the summer. But thanks to the Virgin River you can take a swim and sit under the trees that surround the river. You can easily see why settlers were attracted to this area.

What To Do

The ascent to Angels Landing

The free shuttle bus is in itself the first attraction at Zion. For most months of the year, automobiles are barred from entering the main drive in to the park. The shuttle ride gives you an amazing tour of the canyon with views out either window. Of course you have to get off the bus and take a walk (especially when the buses become overcrowded and you must escape from either overly talkative tourists and/or the overpowering scent of BO). Some key hikes are: Weeping Rocks and the Riverside Walk offer two of the easier hikes in the park. Weeping Rocks takes you up to a rock alcove with a hanging garden and dripping water.

Hiking the Narrows

The Riverside Walk, found at the very last stop in the park, is a paved trail that takes you to the mouth of the Narrows. The Narrows hike itself can be quite strenuous as you hike across swift moving water and step on slick, uneven rocks. The Lower and Middle Pools hike gets you off the valley floor allowing you to walk to a series of waterfalls. And finally, for a strenuous hike with an incredible view, the Angels Landing hike is a MUST. Just be warned - you will climb almost 1500 feet and walk on trails that have steep drop offs. But the view is well worth the effort.

And there's nothing like ice cream and relaxing on the cool grass at the park's lodge. This is a must reward after a long day of hiking.

Springdale

A great view in Springdale

Nearby Springdale is the closest town to Zion and offers a handful or so restaurants, outdoor shops for Narrows hiking supplies, a bike shop and several stores to buy (overpriced) gifts. The Best Western Zion Park Inn is a nice, moderately priced option for lodging. The back patio offers a nice, commanding view of a nearby granite cliff and witnessing a sunset here is simply the best way to conclude a day at Zion.

When Vacations Attack

2010-11-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

So I keep seeing previews for a show on Travel Channel called "When Vacations Attack", which is basically an overly-dramatic name for a show about bad stuff that happens to people while on vacation. Looking back over the many years and many trips I've been on, I can say I've been pretty blessed with good vacation karma (except for the time my mom stepped on a sting ray and ended up having to go to the hospital...) Two weeks ago, in a roundabout way, my anniversary vacation to St. Augustine attacked.

Here's what happened: After a wonderful weekend of ghost touring and beach lounging in sunny Florida, Brian and I embarked on an approximately 11 hour return trip to Nashville (which includes several hours of driving through what I've deemed "the I-75/Southern Georgia wasteland...unless you REALLY like pecans"). Long story short, we arrived home exhausted and I ended up dumping my suitcase in the middle of the living room floor rather than remove its contents and stow it in the attic. The next morning, I wake up at 6:45 to the sound of my dad knocking on the door because he's bringing back our dogs after watching them all weekend. I unhook the chain and suddenly I hear Brian call out, "Remember the alarm..." So, I turn to unset the alarm, trip over my suitcase, and "OHGOD, OHGOD, OHGOD I'VE BROKEN MY WRIST!!!" My dad busts through the front door and Brian runs out from the bedroom, look at my clearly broken and twisted wrist, and start running around like chickens with their heads cut off while I alternately bark orders and black out from my position on the floor. "Take me to the hospital!" "Get my flip flops!"

I lay down in the back seat of Brian's car and start breathing like I'm going through labor (it really does help with the pain). Walk into the ER and am the only patient there so I immediately get pumped with Dilaudid and eventually a morphine drip. I get X-rays, and learn I'm scheduled for surgery at noon to reset my arm. I wake up from surgery and "Holy Hell, my right forearm and wrist is all wrapped up and I have two sets of pins sticking out from under my skin. What is this contraption?" I later learn this is called an external fixator and its basically pins screwed into the healthy part of the bone and held externally while my wrist heals. It also elicits tons of sympathy and an equal amount of horrific stares in public. Oh, and did I mention I'm right handed and the comp exams I'm required to take for graduation are scheduled in two days? (Don't worry, I arranged to take them on the scheduled date by typing them out with my left hand using a computer in an empty office...and I passed!)

Surprise! Hope you have a strong stomach...

Right now I'm in week three of the healing process, and have about three weeks left until the pins are removed and I start physical therapy. For the most part, I've kept a positive attitude about it- afterall, it could be much worse, but I do get frustrated at things that I can't do on my own right now...open bags of chips, twist off bottle caps, wear long-sleeves, hold up an umbrella, shower without covering my right arm with a Kroger bag and a rubber band, etc.....But it also means I have an excuse not to cook or do dishes (which comes in really handy considering tomorrow is Thanksgiving).

In conclusion, I leave you with this one piece of advice when traveling: Always put away your luggage immediately after returning home, no matter how exhausted you are.

St. Augustine

2010-11-06T08:05:00.001-07:00

Actually this is Vilano Beach, near St. Augustine. Taken from a recent trip to celebrate our 2nd Anniversary. Vilano Beach is located just across the Halifax River from St. Augustine. There were grand plans for Vilano, with a city center and other developments planned. But the recent recession killed all of that. A Hampton Inn & Suites was built here and I highly recommend staying here, especially if you want to be away from the "hustle & bustle" of St. Augustine.

Oasis in the Desert

2010-10-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Each year, Brian and I leave our work behind and spend a week exploring the U.S. This year, we flew into Las Vegas, rented a car, and made a loop that took us through Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Sunset Crater, and back through the Mojave desert into Las Vegas. In the last post, Brian talked about our stay in Cliff Dwellers, Arizona, but I'd like to go back to the first day of our vacation, spent in Nevada.

Our first stop on this trip was Hoover Dam. I've always wanted to see this engineering feat after seeing Chevy Chase get lost on the tour in National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation. While we didn't do the full tour, we did enjoy walking through the dam's leaky tunnels and viewing the Generator Room. On top of the Dam, we got to walk around in approximately 110 degree heat as I searched desperately for a water fountain.

Hoover Dam with the new bypass bridge in the background

After the Dam tour, we had some time to kill before driving over to Bootleg Canyon for our flightlines tour, so we went into the town of Boulder for some ice cream and then drove along Lake Mead, where the turquoise blue lake visually pops among its desolate, moon-like desert setting. After a quick drive, we found our way to the flightlines office where we geared up in paragliding garb and hopped in a van that took us to the top of the mountain so that we could descend via flying through the air at approx. 75 miles per hour. When we first got hooked up to the line and I looked down to see how far I might possibly fall to my death, I got a little nervous.....but as soon as the guide released the brakes and I went flying, all nervousness was forgotten as I was having the thrill of a lifetime. There were a series of 4 lines that we got to go down before reaching the bottom, and each one offered a unique perspective of the canyon as the sun began to set. In all, the tour took about two hours to complete, and after spending all that time flying through the air, we were ready to head back to the casino/hotel and pig out on our first of three (yes, three!) buffets.


Bootleg Canyon flightlines

Modeling my flightlines gear

Stay tuned for a future post on Vegas and Valley of Fire State Park...

Get Solar Death Rayed in Vegas

2010-09-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Picture from Trip Advisor.
Death Ray NOT pictured.

Thanks to a fancy, curved design, the Vdara Resort is causing a "death ray" of focused light that's terrorizing sunbathing guests at the recently opened Las Vegas hotel. Think of the hotel as an angled magnifying glass and you, the sunbather, as the ant. You can't make this up.

Cliff Dwellers

2010-09-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here's the first of a number of posts on our recent Southwest vacation. One of the locations we visited was the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I had intended for us to stay two nights at the lodge there, but I failed to book a second night. Thankfully I discovered this before our trip, so I scrambled to find options for the second night thanks to the lodge being sold out. I did a Google Map search for motels somewhere between the North Rim and Kingman and came up with the Cliff Dwellers Lodge in Cliff Dwellers, AZ. Actually it's technically Marble Canyon per the US Postal Service, but the actual Marble Canyon is a good 15 minutes away.

Cliff Dwellers Lodge is one of those one-story motor lodges you see on old US highways. Our room number was 1, and the walls were covered in wood-paneling. Our AC had the option of turning it on or off, that's it. The air that came out of it smelled moldy with a hint of ham. Thankfully though it actually cooled the room down. In fact it became so cold that my wife slept in jeans and a flannel shirt. The shower was a stand-up stall that didn't allow for you to bend over to pick up the soap. The water heater was conveniently in the bathroom just in case you get some sort of comfort from that sort of thing. It was exactly the kind of place I would normally not spend the night in (although Jessica claimed to love its quaintness and retro-factor). In some ways we probably should have feared for our lives, however thanks to Trip Advisor we knew a pretty decent number of people had stayed there and no one mentioned being ax murdered to death.

The Vermilion Cliffs frame the Lodge.

The highlight was the restaurant. The food was delicious and there was a good crowd for dinner. I love hot food and the waiter brought me a cup of chopped habaneros with my fajitas. Awesome. The Lodge is the starting point for a rafting company that runs the Grand Canyon starting in nearby Marble Canyon. So there were lots of conversations about rafting, waves and such. Roaming around the grounds was TJ, a 17 year-old dog who knows how to beg for his food. He was clearly hit by a car (if not a truck or both) at some point in his life as he had a noticeable limp. And that night the stars were out in full view.

Remaining walls of a cliff dwelling.

Also nearby were a series of ruins and homes built in to the rocks giving the area it's name. During the day you can find people selling Native American jewelry and other items. In a future post I'll talk about nearby Marble Canyon and Lee's Ferry. Both should be visited when you're in the area. If you need a decent place to spend the night, and want a great place to eat, definitely check out Cliff Dweller's Lodge.

There's literally nothing around you in Cliff Dweller's.

To see more photos from our trip in higher resolution, please visit my Flickr page which you can access on the right side of our blog.

Wild, Wild West

2010-09-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Brian and I just returned from a week and a half long vacation out West and can't wait to share the details of our trip in upcoming posts. This evening, however, finds us sitting on the couch trying to decompress from today's three and a half hour flight from Vegas to Nashville. I was lucky enough to sit next to a woman who decided to bring and devour an oh-so-aromatic (read: stinky) salad on the plane, and Brian was lucky enough to forget his brand new camera on the plane. Luckily he realized he left it before the plane took off, but he had to get a special pass and go back through security to retrieve it while I was left to wrangle all our baggage. Good times. So.....for now, I leave you with this photo taken from the parking garage of the Las Vegas Stratosphere. Viva Las Vegas!

Don't worry, mom and dad- I didn't heed his message.

Lynchburg, Home of the Funky Lemonade

2010-08-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

Lynchburg, TN

The small town of Lynchburg, TN has a pretty famous name. There's the famous Lynchburg Lemonade, a drink you certainly wouldn't want to serve to your kids. Lynchburg is also home to the famous Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House where you can partake in a family-style Southern meal. But what really makes Lynchburg famous is it's home to the world famous Jack Daniel's Distillery. The Jack Daniel's Distillery tour is a must visit even if you don't enjoy a drink now and then, but fair warning - the smell of distilling whiskey is, quite simply, pungent.

Jack posing just outside
his man cave.

Computers monitor the dis

The old meets the new at Jack Daniel’s where you'll find the oldest registered distillery in the US with modern, state-of-the-art control rooms monitoring every aspect of the distilling process. Your tour starts off with a short film about the history of the distillery and is followed up by a nice meandering tour through the hollow Jack Daniel's is nestled in. It is amazing to think that every drop of whiskey the company sells is made right here.

There are buildings and pipes everywhere, and the usually-humorous tour guides fill you in what role each of them plays in making the famous whiskey. The smells really kick in to high gear when you step inside the Sour Mash building. Here you'll witness the stage called sour mash up close and personal. All of the water used in the distilling process is obtained from a nearby cave, and there are dozens of barrel houses all over the hillsides housing the aging whiskey.

The tour also includes a visit to the infamous safe. The way in which Jack Daniel died should have been more dramatic. I always imagined it was in a hail of gunfire as he was escaping the police as he ran illegal whiskey to the thirsty masses. Or that his death involved a particularly intense, and lengthy, bear fight. In the end the bear won, but he did not leave with all of his limbs intact. In reality, Jack died by kicking his safe and the ensuing infection led to his death. Actually, this is kind of a manly way to go - taking your anger out on an inanimate object and not heading to the doctor when the pain gets intense. Jack reportedly uttered, "One last drink, please" before kicking it. Now that's exactly what I imagined he'd say. You get to see the safe close-up on the tour.

At the end of the tour there's a chance to buy special editions of the various Jack Daniel's brands. Sadly, due to the fact that this distillery is located in a dry county, there are no free samples. But there's plenty of delicious lemonade (though sadly of the non-alcoholic variety as well).

Jack sure has an impressive set of pipes.

For more information about the Jack Daniels Distillery and Lynchburg, check out their official website where you can lie about your age to gain access to the site.

Cummins Falls: Paradise on the Highland Rim

2010-08-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

Cummins Falls overlook

Last weekend, Sarah and I continued our summer waterfall tour with a trip to Cummins Falls (which I now believe is the most beautiful place in Tennessee). Located in Jackson County, TN, Cummins Falls is one of those rare gems that is privately owned, but the current owners generously allow access. Sadly, I attended nearby Tennessee Tech University, and in my five years on campus, I never made the trip to Cummins Falls despite it being a favorite destination for college students. Better late than never…..

Getting to the base of the falls, however, is not for the faint of heart. In fact, you must be in great athletic condition since the trek requires both a descent and ascent via rope (that is scarily frayed in some places). Absolutely not a hike for children. You are reminded of the dangers of this hike as you reach the primitive trailhead surrounded by crosses and memorials to folks who have died here. But if you are able to make it to the base of the falls, then a vista unlike any other in Tennessee awaits you.

Memorials at the trailhead remind you to exercise due caution

Sarah's descent down the rope trail

Cummins Falls sits within a natural amphitheatre and drops about 50’, but what’s so spectacular about it is that it cascades over a series of ledges into a deep, turquoise pool. You can launch yourself into the swimming hole and swim right up to the falls or approach it from the side and enjoy exploring the different ledges. You can even make your way behind the falls. I found the perfect spot in the sun to rest my back along one of the ledges while water rushed over my shoulders and legs. There is no greater serenity than being outdoors, listening to the sounds of rushing water in surround sound. Sarah and I literally spent an entire Saturday just lounging around until dusk.

Butterflies at dusk

The fate of this natural wonder is currently undecided. The property came up for auction in May 2010, but the Tennessee Parks and Greenways foundation were able to come up with a contingent bid to stave off a developer. What happens next is anybody’s guess, but for now, I feel truly blessed to have been able to visit Cummins Falls in its present, rugged state.

View from the base of the Falls

I Wonder What Happened to Wonder Cave….

2010-08-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Image from travel.nostalgiaville.com

Recently, a coworker and I had to travel to Chattanooga for business. On our way back, we decided to travel a portion of US Highway 41 that parallels Interstate 24. We exited at New Hope and wound our way up Monteagle Mountain. On our descent from the mountain, we entered into the Valley Home Community near Pelham and passed by an old rusty sign beckoning us to visit Wonder Cave. I remember hearing about Wonder Cave as a child, but it’s been closed for several years, which brings me to the question: “I Wonder What Happened to Wonder Cave?”

When I got back home, I did a quick Google search and learned that Wonder Cave was discovered by college students in 1897 by following the Mystic River. Years later, an inn was developed and tourism soon followed. However, I found a Roadside America thread that says it’s been closed for nearly a decade because the family that owns it no longer has anyone willing to operate it. Apparently it reached its tourism hey-day in the mid 1900s when US Highway 41 was the main artery for travel from Miami to Chicago, but the number of tourists dwindled once traffic rerouted to I-24 after its completion in the 1960s. If anyone reading this has memories of visiting Wonder Cave, I’d love to hear them!

Can Someone Text the Park Ranger to Bring Us a Pack Of Smokes?

2010-08-23T18:42:00.000-07:00


But apparently if you have a GPS, ignore this sign, let the kids dangle off the side and taunt bears. Park Rangers will be by directly to save you.

So, get this: people are bringing more and more tech in to National Parks. Like smartphones and GPS devices. And what are some people doing with these devices? They're doing lots of stupid sh*t like texting park rangers to bring them hot chocolate, or video taping animals close up, giving commentary about how this animal might charge at them, and then videotaping that very thing. Or using the SPOT device that can send out emergency signals via satellite:

Last fall, two men with teenage sons pressed the help button on a device they were carrying as they hiked the challenging backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park. Search and rescue sent a helicopter, but the men declined to board, saying they had activated the device because they were short on water.

The group’s leader had hiked the Grand Canyon once before, but the other man had little backpacking experience. Rangers reported that the leader told them that without the device, “we would have never attempted this hike.”

The group activated the device again the next evening. Darkness prevented a park helicopter from flying in, but the Arizona Department of Public Safety sent in a helicopter whose crew could use night vision equipment.

The hikers were found and again refused rescue. They said they had been afraid of dehydration because the local water “tasted salty.” They were provided with water.

Helicopter trips into the park can cost as much as $3,400 an hour, said Maureen Oltrogge, a spokeswoman for Grand Canyon National Park. - From the New York Times

Technology clearly doesn't make us smarter. It makes folks a whole lot dumber and makes the park rangers and emergency officials' jobs a whole lot harder.

Read the full NY Times article here.

US Highway 70

2010-08-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Brian and I drove east to Knoxville to meet our new niece. On our way there we decided to take a short detour on Highway 70 in order to break up the monotony of Interstate driving. We exited at the Crab Orchard exit just past Crossville, and joined up with Highway 70. Just a few miles down the twisty road we came to our first roadside stop- Ozone Falls. Ozone Falls is a 110' waterfall that plunges into a swimming hole and eventually flows underground further up the stream. Apparently, it was also used as the backdrop for the Disney film, The Jungle Book. From the parking lot, you walk just a few feet to the top of the falls, but because of the large rock outcroppings, you can't get a good view unless you stand on the edge (which I do not recommend if you have poor balance or are afraid of heights- this is also the reason why I don't have a good picture of the falls). However, if you choose to walk the 2/3rd of a mile to the base of the falls, then be sure to wear good shoes. Since we were on a casual road trip, and I was wearing sandals, we opted not to walk down to the base since it appeared that scrambling over boulders was a requirement to get to the bottom. While we were there, we also noticed this creepy hybrid monkey-baby placed in a tree. From the bottom of the falls, we heard a child's voice repeatedly yell out, "Daddy!" I assumed it was just a family enjoying some swim time, but maybe it was the lonely cries of the monkey-baby.

Monkey-baby cries out for Daddy

Next stop was Roosevelt Mountain, a wildlife management area in Rockwood, TN with a great view of the valley below. I'd always seen the mountain from the interstate- it's hard to miss since its topped with cell phone/TV towers, as well as a now-rotting wooden fire tower that was built by the CCC during the Great Depression. While the view is certainly impressive, the mountain top is absolutely littered with graffiti; likely put there by bored teens who go there to drink and smoke cigarettes at night. Definitely not a place where I'd go to seek solitude.

CCC firetower

Hazy view of Rockwood and Watts Bar Lake

And the verdict is....you're a poor excuse of a graffiti artist.

This Sums Up Gatlinburg

2010-08-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

One of the indoor mini-golf places in Gatlinburg has this oddity going on outside:

The anamontronic is synced to the song. The gunshot is awesome! I wish I recorded more.

But What Will Become of the Wax Statues?

2010-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

I've lost enough of my face already,
please don't also take my home!

Knox News is reporting that the building that houses a wax museum, seafood restaurant and a distillery in Gatlinburg has been seized by the bank. I've never been to the wax museum but hope for the sake of all that's good and kitschy in Gatlinburg that it survives.

Read more about it here.

Helen, GA

2010-08-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Helen, GA - a Bavarian-Appalachian-American-Georgian Village

Do not be confused - you are not in Germany. You are in Northern Georgia. Much like Gatlinburg, Helen is an attempt at a European mountain village, specifically Bavarian. The area was originally populated with miners who were attracted to the discovery of gold. Roughly 35 years or so ago, the townsfolk got a hankering for all-things Bavarian and decided to dress the entire town up as if it were a German village. Soon after, as typical with mountain villages, fudge was discovered.

In Helen you'll find a few German-style restaurants, shops (with an emphasis on Christmas and terrible t-shirts), sweet shops (selling fudge and the other required candy of mountain villages - taffy) and, well, that's about it. There are also an incredible number of horse-drawn carriages in this town. Unlike Gatlinburg, you won't find tourist traps like go-cart tracks or mini-golf. There is a water raft and tubing company located just north of the city, and that's it. The attractions in the area are the mountains, hiking trails and waterfalls (like in nearby Unicoi State Park). In a future post I'll talk about nearby Brasstown Bald and Anna Ruby Falls, both definitely worth a visit.

High Five, Santa!

The Battle at Waterloo Falls

2010-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Waterloo Falls

Continuing with my waterfall theme, let me take a few minutes to talk about Waterloo Falls near the Putnam/Overton County line. I vaguely remember going there once when I was in college at nearby Tennessee Tech, but when someone mentioned it on a friend's facebook page a few months ago, I suddenly had the urge to return after all these years.

I googled it and found some very vague directions, and my pal Sarah and I set off one Sunday in July with her two dogs for a day in the water. After a couple of turn-arounds and one close call with a boarded up biker bar in the middle of nowhere, we found our way to the falls. A warning for those interested in going: the creep factor is extremely high here. You basically turn down a gravel road surrounded by residences with posted 'No Tresspassing' signs, and there's no indication that the public is welcome here. There were a couple of dudes in trucks who would randomly drive by multiple times and if we were lucky, a family or two.

We made our way to the falls and sadly realized that since the falls are surrounded by high cliffs, the only way to the base of the falls was via trespassing on private lands. It's really a shame, because the swimming hole below looked absolutely perfect and inviting. (If anyone knows a legal way to the bottom, please let me know!) Luckily for us, the stream above the falls, Spring Creek, was crystal clear and equally inviting. We let the dogs splash around and walked through the stream until we came upon a smaller stream of water trickling from the cliffs above, and landing on the most perfect moss-covered throne, just waiting for us to sit down.

Sarah's moss-covered throne

Further up the stream, we found a place to lay down in the bed of the shallow stream as the water flowed over our arms and legs. The sun was out, the dogs were content, and butterflies were flitting around above us. Perfection.......until we heard the gun shots. I don't feel we were in any danger, but someone was definitely using the adjacent property for target practice. In fact, I went back the next Sunday with my mom and Brian and this time the gun shots were even louder. It almost sounded like they were actually shooting into the cliffs above. Not wanting to accidently get shot, we made our way back to my car and moved on to Plan B- swimming in the Caney Fork River. Maybe next time I should return on a weekday since apparently Sundays after church is shootin' time in Overton County, Tennessee.

Kentucky is Cave Country

2010-08-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hidden River Cave in Horse Cave, TN.

Tennessee, the state I currently live in, has more caves than any other state in the union. But when people think of Cave Country, they think Kentucky, or more specifically Kentucky's south central region near Bowling Green. Kentucky gets this distinction due to the fact that it's home to the longest cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System. But it's not just Mammoth Cave that has helped create the name, but many more commercial and wild caves surrounding the park and two nearby towns - Horse Cave and Cave City - that truly sell the name.

Cave gates became vital to protect caves during the Cave Wars.

The Kentucky Cave Wars

A fascinating development occurred in the early 20th Century called The Kentucky Cave Wars. Dozens of caves were opened to the public with their owners vying for the numerous tourists heading for Mammoth Cave. One common practice was cave owners hiring someone to pretend to be a state trooper, stopping cars full of families on their way to Mammoth Cave. The actor would tell the family something to the effect of "Well, Mammoth Cave has flooded and is closed. You should head over to So-and-So Cave instead. It's a much prettier cave". There were roadside stands selling onyx and other cave formations. Often times the people selling these formations were not the true owners of the onyx, but were thefts who broke it off the ceilings of other peoples' caves.

A broken formation.

And a man named Floyd Collins, who's family owned Crystal Cave, was desperately searching for a cave closer to the main highway since Crystal Cave was located just a bit too far away from the main road. He found one and sadly, it took his life. Today only a few of these commercial caves remain open to the public.

A totem pole and a giant knight are oddly enough the official
symbols of kitsch in Kentucky.

Since tourists have been heading to Kentucky's Cave Country for decades, other attractions have sprouted up. While not quite the tourist trap mecca that Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge-Sevierville is, the area is still home to a few mini-golf courses, go-cart tracks, a Dinosaur World, an amusement park (specializing in gunfights), and of course competing commercial caves. This area is literally so rich with caves that they accidentally discovered one building the parking lot for the amusement park. And in nearby Jellystone Park campgrounds, tourists sleep in their own individual caverns. Well, not really, but there are probably enough caves "lying" about on the Jellystone property to give every overnighter their own cave. And if you're not keen on sleeping in your own tent, you can sleep in a giant one - Native American style:

Come to Mammoth Cave, stay in a wigwam.

Hidden River Cave and the American Cave Museum

Looking up from the Hidden River sinkhole at the
American Cave Museum.

Just up I-65 a bit from Park City and Mammoth Cave is Horse Cave. The town was built on top of a large cave entrance and the system is named Hidden River Cave thanks to the fast moving stream found inside there. The town used the cave both for its water supply and to create electricity. Over time the stream system became polluted. Today, the cave has been cleaned up and is once again open to tourism. The tour is short, but certainly worth it since it includes a tour of the American Cave Museum. The museum houses a number of exhibits about - you guessed it - caves and also further illuminates the visitor on the history of Mammoth Cave and the Great Cave Wars in the area.

What Hidden River Cave looks like from the inside.

Diamond Caverns

Not only does Diamond Caverns have a lot of formations,
they also have an abundance of stairs.

It goes without saying that you have to visit Mammoth Cave. I highly recommend the Historic Tour if you're short on time, and for a longer trip take the Grand Avenue Tour. And bring along your bike as the national park has miles of bike paths. But if you want to hit one of the caves outside of the National Park, check out Diamond Caverns which is located on Mammoth Cave Pkwy just outside the park. Diamond Caverns has a number of formations (something the main parts of Mammoth Cave don't have) to gawk at, sadly some of which are broken thanks to the Cave Wars.

Flowstone, stalactites and stalagmites await you
at Diamond Caverns.

Sadly, one of my favorite caves in the area is no longer open. James Cave, located on a nearby resort's property, is currently closed due to a bat colony that lives there. There is also the ever imposing threat of the White-Nose Syndrome, a syndrome that's striking bats in caves all across the country. When you go to Mammoth Cave you'll see plenty of signs about this disease and whether or not you could be potentially spreading it to their cave. So far there haven't been any sightings in Kentucky's caves, and hopefully it'll stay that way.

For Jessica's view on this same trip, check out her blog post (note she ends her post with the exact same picture - completely accidental).

Jessica says goodbye to the official
Kentucky Cave Country monkey.

This Can't Be Good...

2010-08-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Water spills out of caves on the hillside next to the
Center Hill Lake Dam.

In a future post we'll write about a recent kayaking trip we took down the Caney Fork. One of the highlights of the trip was paddling up close to the nearly 60-year-old dam at Center Hill Lake (before they started generating) and seeing some of the caves that are, literally, leaking water from the lake. I don't know the full story, which you can read more about here, but essentially the dam at Center Hill Lake is considered endangered - as in endanger of collapsing. The bluffs the dam were constructed in are limestone and filled with caves. Water from the lake is leaking in to these caves and entering the river. Army Corp of Engineers calls this "seepage", but as you can see it's a straight-up gushing waterfall. This kind of defeats the purpose of a dam if water is able to escape the lake without control.

Seepage.

Restoration plans are underway to shore up the dam, including plugging the caves with concrete. I love caves, and kind of hate hearing that they'll be plugged, but for this purpose I completely understand.

Bald River Falls

2010-08-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

Bald River Falls, TN - this is the view from the road

Located a few miles up the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, TN is Bald River Falls. Bald River Falls is the ultimate "drive-by" waterfall. You don't even have to get out to see the falls. I was witness to this fact as multiple SUV and mini-van loads of fairly large individuals simply drove by, spied the falls, took a picture or two, then turned around and headed back the way they came.

Believe It Or Not: that's a deep pool of water (note the overflow
in the foreground is essentially a "spillway")

If you're actually in to getting out of your car and seeing things closer-up, you're in for a treat. Take the trail to the top of the falls and you'll find a nice, deep pool where you can go swimming. To me this is fairly unusual as you usually only find the deep pools of water at the BOTTOM of the falls. But not at Bald River Falls. There is a nice natural dam that contains the pool and provides a natural defense against accidentally being pulled over the falls.

Where you don't want to be swimming - Bald River just moments
from plunging over the main waterfall.

If you find yourself in southeastern Tennessee, it's well worth your time to make a quick stop to Bald River Falls, hike to the top and stick your feet in (or jump all the way in) and enjoy all that good positive ion goodness that only comes from fast moving water.

Tourist Trap Heaven

2010-08-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

DO NOT pretend that you don't want this.

As I mentioned in my previous blog about the Smokies, the nearby towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville have to be considered one of the great meccas for tourist traps in the US. There are dozens of attractions that range from mini-golf to go carts and bungee jumps. There are oddball museums, cheesy redneck shops and several outlet malls. There are TWO Nike Outlet shops located on different sides of Pigeon Forge. The traffic is so terrible in this town that by the time it takes you to drive from one Nike store to the other, your brand new shoes will be officially out of style. Actually, chances are that they already are since we're talking about an outlet store here.

Because there are so many mini-golf courses in the area, each one has to create a unique twist to attract tourists. Ripley's operates two places, one based on Davey Crockett and another on Old MacDonald (as in EIEIO MacDonald). There is a Hillbilly Golf in Gatlinburg that is based on, as you might guess, hillbillies. What truly makes this attraction unique is a 300-foot tall Incline tram that you'll ride up the mountain to the courses. At one point in time there was a Bunny Golf that featured - get this - live bunnies. Sadly, Bunny Golf is no more due to the unfortunate bunny slaughter that took place. It was a sad ending to an unusual attraction.

Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg, TN - getting a lot of use out of this one picture.

Think of Gatlinburg as the quaint mountain village, but not really so quant and perhaps, to most folks, quite cheesy. However there is a charm to the town, and it's surrounded by the foothills of the Smokies so there's a real beauty to the place (at least when you look up). Here you'll find a few mini-golf courses and several haunted houses (included the Mystery Mansion, a haunted mansion themed attraction that has its guests roam around, from room to room, where there may or may not be human actors waiting to scare you). In the 90s, there was a great fire that burned down the original Ripley's museum. In the embers of the fire spread the seeds of Ripley all over Gatlinburg sprouting a new museum, a Motion Theater, Aquarium and several other Ripley-themed attractions.

Ripley's Haunted Adventure is a fairly decent permanent haunted house

Tourist Trap Pick in Gatlinburg

Ripley's Believe Or Not Museum -- for some reason they
skipped the construction of stairs. All guests must
climb a rope to access the second level.

The Ripley's Believe Or Not Museum gets my highest recommendation for this town. I should add there's a caveat as things in Gatlinburg are honestly not that incredible, so don't expect to have your mind blown or skirt blown up or down, or whatever, when you come here. However it's a fun way to blow at least an hour seeing all of the oddball attractions Ripley has collected over the years.

Surprisingly Gatlinburg only looks like a series of lights at night.

There is also a Sky Lift and ski "resort" here. You might be surprised to learn that the Sky Lift does not take you to the ski resort. You can get to the ski resort via the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tram. Here you'll find ski slopes (complete with snow making towers that fire large chunks of ice at great speeds), a really cool alpine slide, MORE mini-golf and other attractions to blow your money. The Sky Lift itself is a slow moving thrill ride that takes you up a nearby mountain to a t-shirt stand. There are a number of attractions to do here including buying t-shirts, buying an overpriced picture of yourself that captures the very moment you realize that the sky lift is only taking you to a lousy t-shirt shop, and a view of Gatlinburg and the Smokies. Seriously, only do this if you're bored and want to kill some time.

The Zoder Inn right on the Roaring Fork

There are a handful or more pancake joints and some really mediocre to decent motels to stay in. Seriously, there seems to be one hotel in this town that's rated 3-stars, otherwise everything is in the 2.5 and lower range. This doesn't mean there aren't some fairly nice places to stay. I recommend the Best Western Zoder Inn which is nestled along the Roaring Fork. The rooms are a bit dated, but there's nothing better than having the sounds of a roaring mountain stream to fall asleep to at night. Plus the hotel throws in free wine and cheese each evening, and milk and cookies before bed!

Also, a trip to Gatlinburg simply isn't complete without eating some mountain fudge! I'm not sure what it is about the mountains and fudge, but you'd think it literally oozed out of the streams as you can't seem to go to a mountain village without someone peddling some hard brick-shaped chocolate. Finally, Gatlinburg is, for some inexplicable reason, home to approximately 1,000 ninja shops selling stars, swords and airsoft weaponry . So if you find yourself having a hankering for some fudge and an airsoft M-16, Gatlinburg is your place.

Pigeon Forge

This represents everything you need to know about Pigeon Forge.

Pigeon Forge is, well, really just one long strip mall. The town primarily consists of the vaguely named Parkway, a 6-lane highway that runs down the center of the valley. Crammed along each side of the Parkway are the majority of the mini-golf and gocart tracks to be found in the area. You'll also find various bungee jumps and sky coasters and other odd attractions that all seem to involve propelling, slingshotting, or dropping humans at great speed. Oh, and there are many, many more pancake places here as well. Pigeon Forge is also home to Dollywood, a wonderful (and I'm not being sarcastic here) theme park home to a nice collection of thrill rides and some truly wonderful food. There are also a number of shows here that might strike your fancy, but sadly this writer hasn't seen any of them.

Santa invites you to stay for pancakes and/or fudge

Sevierville

Finally, Sevierville used to be that small hometown of Dolly Parton that you had to travel through to get to the good stuff in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and, oh yeah, that little National Park that attracts more visitors than any other. Today it has grown to be a land of large musical theaters (the great country/gospel musical theatre craze that once took over Branson moved here earlier this decade), many more motels and restaurants, and some of the larger attractions in the area including a Nascar Speedpark, a Wonderworks that appears to be some sort of "imagination" museum who's building is literally upside down, and a giant waterpark resort. There is also a Black Bear Jamboree (which by the look of their website contains ZERO bears) and the nicer of the outlet malls in the area - the Tanger Outlets. And if you're really, REALLY in to apples, there's the Apple Barn Farmhouse. And, as the saying goes, an apple is truly greater when consumed in a barn.

Sadly, this extremely long blog post only cracks the surface of the many things you can do in the area. In future posts I'll highlight some of my other favorite attractions to do in the area.

Summer Waterfall Tour

2010-08-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Stillhouse Hollow Falls

This summer has been dreadfully hot, and as a result I've been hanging around a lot of natural water features each weekend. Besides my normal summer weekend routine of kayaking, I've also (as you can guess from the title) been seeking out swimming holes at the base of waterfalls. In fact, my friend Sarah and I have dubbed it, "The Great Middle Tennessee Waterfall Tour of Summer 2010."

Since Sarah is out of town this weekend, Brian and I decided to take the dogs and venture out to Stillhouse Hollow Falls located 20 minutes southwest of Columbia in Maury County. Its a state natural area and features a small waterfall and a larger waterfall (Stillhouse Hollow Falls) with a 75-foot drop. The trail is only about 2/3rds of a mile, but features a pretty deep descent into the hollow. When we reached the base of the falls, there were a couple of families swimming in the shallow pool below, but we noticed an area where we could climb to a ledge under the falls and let the cool water rain down on the tops of our heads. We let the dogs off leash and watched them revert to puppies, splashing around and running back and forth between the different families.

Since we got a late start, we didn't stay long since I wanted to visit the gravesite of my paternal great-grandparents. They're buried next to an old church and spring at Cave Springs cemetery (est. 1853) along Liepers Creek Rd. in Maury County. We encountered quite a few detours on our way due to the extensive damage caused by the May flood, but with the aid of modern technology (Brian's iphone), we finally found our way to the cemetery. As I was taking photos of Emry Davis and Mamie Davis' gravestones, an elderly man with striking blue eyes and one arm stopped by and informed me it was Decoration Day. We also determined we were distantly related and shared the same last name, but as quickly as he appeared, he got back in his truck and drove off down the gravel road.

Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains NP

2010-08-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Great Smoky Mountains (view from Charlie's Bunion)

It is only fitting that my first blog post here be about the Great Smoky Mountains. First off, I love the desert, and find the beauty found at places like Zion and Grand Canyon unparalleled. But if I had to pick my favorite spot on Earth aside from the desert, it would be the Smoky Mountains.

Gatlinburg, TN

In many ways these mountains are a polar opposite of the landscapes in the Southwest. The Smokies have lush vegetation, gushing mountain streams, a moderate climate and tourist traps. Oh yes, just outside out of the National Park is the trifecta of tourist trap towns - Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Here you'll find mini golf, go-carts, bungee jumping, cheesy gift shops, outlet malls, dozens (and I mean dozens) of pancake restaurants, and so on. While the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the US, there are many millions more who will never set foot inside the park, but instead hit up one of the touristy towns.

National Park Tip:

Appalachian Trail

If you make it to the Smokies, and are in the mood for a moderate hike, I highly recommend a hike to Charlie's Bunion. Starting from the Newfound Gap parking lot, you hike the Appalachian Trail for roughly 4 miles until you reach this bald rock outcropping with a commanding view of the mountains. Even with the clouds the views are still impressive.

A view from Charlie's Bunion

Also head over to the Roaring Fork Motor Trail for a beautiful drive through the mountains just outside Gatlinburg. There are plenty of places to get out and explore, including pioneer cabins, waterfalls and the popular trailhead to Rainbow Falls (a moderate to strenuous hike) and Mt. Leconte (definitely in the strenuous category).

Roaring Fork

In my next post I'll write a little bit about the wondrous tourist traps you can visit in the area.

Cold Beer Under Bridge

2010-07-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

I’ll be the first to admit: I am a Southern girl and love my native Tennessee, but dang, “Why there gotta be so many rednecks?” I really looked forward to a weekend of kayaking down the Buffalo River and mountain biking/swimming at Bryant Grove in Long Hunter State Park, but had no idea I would be surrounded by my mulleted brethren almost the entire time.

I guess my first indication was when we pulled up to Bells Bridge, the put-in spot for kayakers and canoers on the Buffalo River, and noticed a handmade sign that stated, “Cold Beer Under Bridge” and pointed to a beer shack that indeed was under the bridge. It was only 9:30 and the shack was hoppin’ with underage kids trying to buy a cold can of Bud Light. Brian and I determined it was too early to hit up the beer shack and promptly took off down the river in our kayaks, only to be surrounded by drunk/high teenagers in canoes and dudes with rebel flag doo-rags. The few times we were able to break away from the crowds and experience the soothing sounds of nature, were quickly interrupted with the distant yelling of the “F-word” by rowdy teens who apparently cherished the use of this particular curse word.

We still managed to have a good time (and got in a grueling workout) despite the crowds and empty cans of beer that lined the river banks, but will undoubtedly never return. The 2-hour drive from Nashville just isn’t worth it when there are less crowded rivers like the Piney nearby.

The following day, I met up with my pal Sarah to hit the Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail at Long Hunter State Park. We pulled into the empty parking lot at the trailhead and I was relieved to find that we had the whole trail to ourselves. The Jones Mill Trail offers a 4-mile and 2-mile loop so we opted for the longer 4-mile loop and enjoyed hopping numerous rock formations and riding along a ridge overlooking Percy Priest Lake. We both managed to stay on our bikes the majority of the time, and I was only thrown from my bike once- where I promptly remembered to scream out that word that the teens on the Buffalo River were so fond of. I woke up to bruises on my knee and ankle, but I’m quite proud of my “battle scars.”

After the ride, Sarah and I decided to head over to the Bryant Grove swimming area to take a cooling dip in the lake. Mistake. First of all, the water was murky and not at all cooling- it felt more like tepid bath water. Second of all, we were surrounded by children in swim diapers (gag) and a young boy with a shaved head and rattail that put my long hair to shame. We promptly exited the swim area and returned to Sarah’s car where we passed a man with sagging pants and teardrop tattoos lugging his two kids toward the beach. It was time to go home.

Septo-what?

2010-05-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

A little less than two weeks ago, I had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction. What is this, you say? Hell if I know, but it has something to do with straightening out the cartilage in my nose and reducing the size of my sinus cavities. Oh...and it hurt like hell.

For years, I've had problems with my sinuses and problems breathing during sleep so the hope is that this will correct all that. For those who are considering this surgery, here is a brief description of what to expect:

On Monday morning, my husband drove me over to St. Thomas hospital where I checked in, got a wristband, and sat around feeling out of place in a sea of elderly people. For the next few hours, I was transferred from one room to another where I doled out free samples of my urine and blood, and finally landed in the recovery room where I got dressed in a hospital gown and socks. Here, Brian and I sat behind a curtain and listened as they wheeled in post-op patients either crying or moaning. This is a not a good place to be while waiting for your own surgery. Soon, the nurse came in and told me I was not pregnant (okay- I already told you I was on birth control), and took my vitals. Next, I was wheeled into yet another room where they stuck my hand with a needle (Ouch!) and administered some kind of chemical that made me sleepy. Next thing I know, I wake up with a gauze mustache taped across my face, the surgery is done, and I feel awful.

The nausea from the anesthetic causes me to throw up blood in the recovery room, but the nurse tells me this is normal. Since when is throwing up blood normal! They release me to go home and that's where the real fun begins.

The next few days are a haze of nausea, headaches, a swollen nose, and constipation. I have splints stitched into my nose to prevent my newly staightened septum from collapsing and as a result, I can only breathe through my mouth. Four days later, I have the splints removed and although I've never had a baby, I imagine its somewhat like giving birth, except out of your nose. The rest of the week is spent battling headaches, fatigue, and jaw pain. I still cannot breathe well out of my nose, but I'm supposed to go back to the doc's next week to have my nose vacuumed. Lovely.

So far, I can't tell the results- it takes a few months for the nose to completely heal. At this point, it has not been worth it, but once healing takes place, I may be singing a different tune. Okay- now where's my Afrin?

Crossing the Finish Line

2010-04-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I accomplished a goal that I began working on last November- I finished my first half-marathon. It was one of the most physically and mentally challenging things I've ever completed, but the rewards far surpass any pain I experienced along the way. To top it off, I completed the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 24 minutes, averaging around 11 minutes per mile. Not bad considering I hadn't trained in nearly a month, and was still dealing with pain from achilles tendonitis.

To recap yesterday's events, I woke up at 5 am, pinned on my racing bib and laced up my running shoes, and Brian drove me over to the starting line at Centennial Park. Along with approx. 30,000 other runners, I made my way to my corral and began to stretch for the longest run I've experienced at this point. I really don't know the science behind the proper fueling of my body pre-race, I just ate a huge pasta dinner the night before, and listened to my body during the run. I could tell when I needed water, or when my body needed salt.

Before I knew it, the race was on and I made my way down Broadway as hordes of spectators cheered us on. I gave children high fives as I raced past them, watched a guy run while juggling at the same time, and passed a group of spectators dressed as the band Kiss as I made my way through the Gulch. I was pacing myself particularly well for the first 7 miles, but around mile 8, I could really feel my mental and physical energy begin to drain. I could feel blisters forming on the bottom of my feet and began to feel a little sick from the mixture of water and energy drink that I inhaled at each fuel station. By the time I hit mile 12, I felt like I couldn't go any further, but I knew I was almost to the end and had to keep going. I wish I could say I sprinted to the finish line for the last mile, but it was more of a shuffle. Regardless of my pace, I crossed the finish line and it was an incredible feeling. As soon as I crossed, we were herded through a line where we recieved our medals, grabbed up food and water, and had our pictures taken. At this point, I felt like my legs were going to give out at any moment and all I wanted to do was find Brian and go home.

Brian and I reunited in the family reunion area and promptly headed for Mitchell's Deli for a turkey sandwich, and then I just crashed and enjoyed a nice nap. My legs are very sore and stiff today, and I'm suffering a bit of post-race depression, but I'm already planning my next race. I'm hooked!!

John C. Clayborn Millennium Trail

2010-04-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

April in Tennessee brings out a kaleidoscope of colors as wildflowers blanket the forest floor. My mom is a wildflower enthusiast (or maniac depending on how you look at it) and wanted to see the colors in their full glory by taking a long hike. We've been talking about hiking the 8 mile Millennium Trail for a couple of years now, so we decided to quit talking about and just do it.

Located within Edgar Evans State Park, the John C. Clayborn Millennium Trail follows the outline of a peninsula in Center Hill Lake and passes by old homesteads where the only remnants of human influence are seen in the low rock walls so typically built by Scots-Irish immigrants to Tennessee. We also passed the remains of an old springhouse before we began our strenuous ascent up the ridge. The wildflowers did not disappoint, and every switchback revealed a new flower, a new color. While I highly recommend this trail for its scenery and history, it is extrememly strenuous and literally sapped me of my energy. I was so grateful for the PB&J sandwich and trail mix that my mom packed because it literally gave me the boost I needed to make it over the last few hills.

If you do decide to hike this trail, I highly recommend you stop at the visitor's center at the entrance of the park and climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower. The tower overlooks the Center Hill Dam and from a distance, you can even see the abandoned cooling tower from the defunct nuclear plant in Hartsville, TN- which is nearly 40 miles north of Edgar Evans State Park!

Urban Bicyling Expedition

2010-03-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

With temps in the 60s and the sunshine casting its golden rays, the past few Saturdays have been ideal for a bike ride in Nashville.

As many of you already know, I've been training for the Country Music half-marathon in April and have suffered a few leg injuries as a result. My orthopedist recommended riding my bike as a low-impact alternative, so I've been spending the last couple of weekends in the saddle. Luckily, my friend and fellow half-marathon trainee, Sarah, has joined me on my cycling adventures, and can testify to the strange characters we've encountered along the way.

Two weeks ago, we set out from the Shelby Bottoms trailhead in Shelby Park and rode all the way to Percy Priest Dam. Along the way, we decided to follow an unpaved trail to McGavock Spring House that piqued our interest. The trail was most certainly not a mountain bike trail, and after wrestling with and ultimately destroying a small sapling, we decided to ditch our bikes at a fallen tree and walk the remainder of the way. The trail was quite overgrown and right as were about to turn a corner, Sarah tells me, "I could totally see a homeless person living out here." Sure enough, we turned the corner to find a homeless man spread out on a blanket surrounded by a multitude of jugs. We turned and hightailed it out of there, laughing the entire way. Further along the trail, we passed an Elvis-look-alike, nearly escaped a 3-bike accident at a busy intersection on Lebanon Road, and witnessed a young boy begin to pull his pants down to expose himself to us as his grandparents fished from the pond nearby. Afterwards, we inhaled ice cream cones from Pied Piper Creamery.

Last Saturday, we met up at the Downtown Presbyterian Church and decided to do some urban exploring. I had heard that you could technically ride your bike from the Metrocenter greenway all the way to Percy Priest Dam. We decided to ride the portion between Shelby Bottoms and Metrocenter since it was 'new territory' to explore. Starting from Church Street, we rode all the way to Metrocenter, encountering all kinds of industrial scenery, homeless persons, and various tent cities along the Cumberland River. The wind was ferocious on top of the Metrocenter Levee, and we pushed to make it back downtown, even though the ride is primarily flat. After we passed under the Jefferson Street bridge, we rode over to the Farmer's market, locked up our bikes, and enjoyed New Orleans-style snowballs from Fleur de Lis (owned by a New Orleans native and colleague of mine, Tanisha Hall).

Post-Snowball consumption, we continued on our journey by riding over the Shelby Street pedestrian bridge, down Davidson street, and into Shelby Park. More industrial scenery here, with views of the PSC Metals scrapyard and a Feed the Children warehouse. On our way back, we rode our bikes along a portion of Broadway, and at one point as we waited for the light to turn red, I looked over to see a horse-drawn carriage in the lane next to me. With no metal shield to separate me and the horse next to me, I realized how alive I felt by being on my bike.

Peaks and Valleys

2010-02-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

I'm now in my second month of training for the half-marathon with the East Nasty Running Club. I've surprised myself by how far and long I can run. Overall, I feel great. Running has honestly kept me sane in these cold, dreary Winter months. Normally at this time of year I would slip into a depression- not wanting to leave the couch or visit with friends, and just generally feeling blah. Instead, I've made new friends and feel like a part of a close-knit community. I've also improved my physical fitness, can pretty much eat whatever I want, and have a reason to get off the couch the four days a week that I run.

But while I am certainly achieving new "highs", running does come with its lows. Mainly, I've been having a lot of problems w/ asthma and aches and pains in my legs. This causes me to feel mentally and physically weak. I've never been an athlete- as a teenager I was more content to brood alone in my bedroom, playing guitar for hours at a time. However, I am a perfectionist and am disappointed to find that running doesn't come naturally to me and is quite a challenge. I wish I could keep up my friends without huffing and puffing, and without my shins screaming from pain. Everyday I google something new about running, hoping I will find the ultimate key to running faster without pain. Everyday I am disappointed. My impatient, competitive self wants to just be there already, but my body is holding me back.

Regardless of the emotional/physical peaks and valleys I experience in my training, I know its making me a stronger person, teaching me patience, and fostering new friendships.

Resolution Run

2010-01-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Most people spend January 1st nursing hangovers from a raucous night of drinking, partying, and staying up late. Instead, Brian and I spent January 1st running the Resolution Run 5k in 30 degree weather. It wasn't exactly how I imagined spending New Year's Day, but now that my partying days are mostly behind me (I only drank one margarita and went to bed promptly at midnight...yawn), it wasn't a stretch for me to wake up early the next day and run. Besides, it was a pretty fitting start to 2010 considering my plans to train for and run the Country Music half-marathon in April.

We bundled up and drove downtown where we met other like-minded (read: crazy) people at Hall of Fame park. We picked up our packets, and with numb fingers attempted to pin on our racing bibs. I managed to stab myself multiple times, but luckily my fingers were already frozen at that point. Then we followed a mass of people to the start line and several minutes later we here the BANG! of the gun go off.

For the first mile, I was on fire. I took off running past all kinds of people, but by the second mile I was hitting the proverbial "wall." My face was numb from the cold air and my shins cried out in pain. Still- I didn't stop. I kept running to the beat of my iTunes playlist and before I knew it, I was crossing the Shelby Street pedestrian bridge and crossing the finish line with a race time of 30 min. and 50 seconds! Not bad considering it equals out to less than 10 minutes per mile. In the end I placed 23rd out of 68 women in my age group.

Once I crossed the finish line, I realized I was the equivalent of drunk. I stumbled around looking for Brian and managed to randomly lay down my gloves and walk off without them. Good thing they were $0.99 cheapies. I quickly downed some free cornbread and water and then headed for the warmth of my car. On the way home we stopped at the Wendy's drive-thru and splurged on burgers and fries, thus negating any calorie deficit we may have earned that morning.

I didn't inhale....

2009-12-30T18:29:00.000-08:00

About 23 years ago, when I was in 2nd grade, I had to stay in the hospital for nearly a week after developing a severe case of pneumonia. What I didn't know at the time was that I was much sicker than I thought and quite possibly could have died. My potassium levels nearly bottomed out and I was stuck with an IV and went through nightmarish breathing treatments where I had to inhale some horrible smoky-tasting treatment followed by a nurse practically beating the shit out of my tiny 7-year old back in order to loosen up the phlegm in my lungs. My mom stayed with me the entire time and I shared a room with some older lady behind a curtain. I have no idea why she was actually there, but as I child I convinced myself that she was in the hospital for eating cigarettes.

I share this because I had to visit the Walgreen's clinic today and was diagnosed with sports-related asthma. I'm pretty sure my bout of childhood pneumonia left me with a somewhat reduced lung capacity. I knew something was wrong when I started riding my bike and running outside earlier this year. At the end (and sometimes during) my exercise, I started coughing and wheezing. I felt like I had the weight of a post-Jenny Craig Kirstie Alley sitting on my chest. So the Walgreen's doc prescribed an albuterol inhaler and I was on my way home to deal with the fact that I will now have to carry an inhaler with me when I run.

In reality its not that much of a setback. Initially I was a little concerned since not one hour earlier, I had signed up for the Resolution Run 5k with expected high temps in the low 30s (cold air aggravates asthma). Could I really do this knowing I would have to rely on an inhaler in order to do something as critical as breathing? As always, I turned to the internet for expert advice. A google search for sports-related asthma revealed that I share this diagnosis with Jackie Kersee Joiner. She was a pretty good runner I guess...... In other words, I think I'll live.

New Year, New Direction

2009-12-25T17:38:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't noticed- I haven't posted in a looooong time. As much as I enjoy writing about my travels, I think I would utilize this blog more often if I strayed from my travel theme and just started writing about everyday life, memories, travel, etc. My resolution for 2010 is to write more often so I can look back at the end of the year and see how life has unfolded.

For years I kept a personal journal to sort through the severe anxiety and depression I battled as a teen and early adult. Every once in a while I'll flip to a random entry just to see where I was at that point and how far I've come since those dark days. Sometimes its very difficult to revisit my past like that, but as I age, I've come to realize that I'm the only person who can help myself. As a result, I've really put myself in situations I would normally avoid in order to grow. I hope this year will find me reaching out more to others, adhering to goals rather than dropping them out of fear of failure, and conquering my desire to please everyone (which we all know is impossible), and instead doing what I think is best for me.

Just a few weeks ago I decided to train with a group for the half-marathon in April. I expect to not only push myself physically, but emotionally as well. The hardest part for me was showing up at that first group run. Most people don't know it, but interacting socially with people I don't know can be crippling for me. I ended up forcing myself to join the group on its first run even though I felt my chest tighten and breathing shallow at the thought of meeting new people. My fears were realized: Noone talked to me during that first outing, and I couldn't even keep up with the runners. I felt like such a loser, but rather than walk away feeling hopeless, I returned for a second time. I can't give up this time- I've done that way too many times in the past. I have to see this through.

Stay tuned....

Land Between the Lakes

2009-10-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my mom and I got cabin fever and decided do some off-road bike riding. With the sun partially out, we choked down some Egg McMuffins and headed north to Kentucky and entered Land Between the Lakes. Here, there is a 11 mile mountain bike trail called the Canal Loop trail that appropriately borders the canal between Lake Barkley (Cumberland River) and Lake Kentucky (Tennessee River).

Mom had never mountain-biked before and quickly learned that it primarily consists of riding over roots and rocks, thus leading to inevitable scratches and bruises. However, I give the ole' gal props for mountain biking at nearly 60! Neither one of us ever fell, and enjoyed the adventure of riding in a new place. I can't say that I was enamored with the beauty of Land Between the Lakes- maybe it was having an off day, but it did have some good roads for bicycle riding, and was surprisingly hilly.

When we got done, we loaded our muddy bikes into the back of the truck and headed back towards TN. For some reason I got a jones for Arby's curly fries and we refused to stop until we found one- which was an hour later in Clarksville, TN (we were so happy we cheered). It just goes to show you that life's simple pleasures can be found working up a sweat followed by eating greasy curly fries.

Paddle Faster, I Hear Banjos

2009-07-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

Brian and I decided to finally brave the rapids of the Hiwassee River over the July 4th weekend. We left at the crack of dawn on Friday and drove all the way to the old town of Reliance, TN in the Cherokee National Forest. As we drove into town, we followed an old rickety farm truck full of people getting ready to run the rapids, and I so hoped we would be riding in a similar vehicle, but our outfitter drove us along a scarily narrow road to the put-in spot in an old short bus instead.

Once the bus let us off, we took our inflatable kayaks and foul-smelling life jackets and hopped in the cold mountain waters and prepared for paddling two hours of Class 1,2, and 3 rapids. I’d like to think of myself as a good paddler, but I was not prepared for some of the sheer drops we had to make, and by some stroke of luck I managed to keep from falling in the river. Brian never fell either, but he did get stuck on a couple of rocks jutting out just below the river’s surface, and I got to laugh as he attempted rather violent body movements to wrench himself free from the rocks.

The last rapid we reached, Devil’s Shoals, was by far the most fun rapid I’ve ever run. Waves of water spilled into my boat as the water bucked me up into the air. Those few seconds of terror were absolutely exhilarating! Oddly enough, you can also go down the Hiwassee in an inflatable tube that offers no protection. I was surprised to not see a mass of floating bodies and abandoned inner tubes as we reached the take-out point.

Kayaking the Hiwassee was so much fun that we were depressed to have to exit the river in order to get a ride back to our car. We were the first ones from our group to finish and waited for our short bus as a nearby group of deaf kids excitedly signed over their river adventure. After we dried off and got back to our car, we snapped a few pics of cool, old buildings in Reliance (such as this old school/church below) and made our way home.

Frozen Head and Brushy Mountain Prison

2009-06-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

After departing from Oak Ridge, Brian and I decided to take Highway 62 from Oliver Springs to Clarkrange, where we then opted to drive south towards Crossville and join back up with I-40 so we could grab a bite to eat and get home quickly. However, we made several side trips on the way home in order to see Brushy Mountain prison, Frozen Head State Natural Area, the Obed National Scenic River, and Bee Rock.

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a strange fascination with places associated with deviant behaviors: prisons, abandoned mental hospitals, battlefields, crime scenes, etc. I suppose I feel that these places hold a special energy that always makes me feel uneasy and a bit agitated at the same time. In simpler terms, these places put me on edge and make me really feel alive. That's why I felt so compelled to see Brushy Mountain state Prison located in a remote valley of Morgan County.

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary first opened in 1896 to house prisoners previously used as convict laborers in the nearby coal mines. It held some of the state's most dangerous prisoners, including James Earl Ray who assasinated Martin Luther King, Jr. He and six other prisoners escaped for four days in 1977, but were eventually found and hauled back. Considering that Brushy Mountain sits in a cove directly surrounded by mountains, its a wonder anyone escaped at all. Just this year, Brushy Mountain closed its doors to prisoners after operating for 113 years.

After Brushy Mountain, we drove on to Frozen Head State Natural Area where we hiked a short stretch of Panther Trail branch to see a waterfall. According to their visitor's brochure, Frozen Head was originally acquired as part of Brushy Mountain State Prison so that convicts could deep mine coal and harvest trees to supply timbers for the mine. The land was then transferred to the State Parks system in 1970 and features several hiking trails.

Next, we drove through historic Wartburg and on to the wild and scenic Obed River where pioneers used to fish and trap game. The Obed is overseen by the National Park Service and features difficult Class II to Class IV rapids. My goal is to kayak the Obed one day, but my ability probably stops around Class II.

Leaving the Obed, we drove through continuous pastures dotted with oil rigs on the Cumberland Plateau. Here we exited Highway 62 and rejoined I-40 where we took one last detour to Bee Rock in Monterey, TN. I went to college near Monterey, and Bee Rock was a favorite spot of local adventurers who repelled off the cliffs overlooking the unspoiled valley carved by the Calfkiller River.

After our day of roadtripping across Eastern and Middle TN, we made one last pit stop to join my parents at a local Mexican restaurant where we consumed massive amounts of chips and salsa and diet coke. Carbs and caffeine, mmmm.........

The Secret City

2009-05-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

The past couple of months have rained like there's no tomorrow. I guess its really a blessing since Tennessee went through a terrible drought just a couple of summers ago, but it really has put a damper on my spring traveling plans. I've managed to escape the rain with a trip to Charleston, SC (actually it rained while we were there) and Las Vegas, but I'll post on those trips another day. I feel like I need to get back to my roots and write about my travels in TN.

About two weeks ago, Brian and I headed to Oak Ridge so he could compete in a bike race. While he was riding around on the hot blacktop, I set off to explore the Secret City (a.k.a. Oak Ridge.) Oak Ridge was established in 1942 by the U.S. Department of Energy as a laboratory for the Manhattan Project. It got its nickname of "Secret City" because the government kept its existence a secret, providing guard stations and fences to keep folks out. In addition, Oak Ridge didn't even appear on maps until 1949.

At present, Oak Ridge is no longer a secret, but it still has that eerie feeling of secrecy thanks to the numerous Dept. of Energy signs posted along abandoned roadways advising you to keep out. As I was exploring one of the many greenways within the city, I came upon the historic community of Wheat, TN.

Wheat, TN was an old 1800s farming community that was displaced in 1942 when the Department of Energy bought up the land as part of the Manhattan Project. The only building still remaining is the 1901 George Jones church and the Wheat Community cemetery. I walked around the grounds of the cemetery and took special note of a gravestone carved to look like logs. On closer inspection, the grave marker indicated that the deceased was a member of the woodworker's industrial union.

Who knows what other "secret" places exist in Oak Ridge. There were so many abandoned roads that were off limits to the public, and although they beckoned to my desire to explore, the thought of being jailed for trespassing on federal lands associated with nuclear weaponry stopped me dead in my tracks. Maybe next time....

Cultural Confusion

2009-03-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

Snapped this picture on top of Signal Mountain. Looks like a place that would serve a dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans rather than wonton soup and Peking duck.

Bok Tower and Spook Hill

2009-03-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

It seems odd to be writing about my Florida Christmas vacation when its March 1st, but my last Florida post didn't include my day trip to the lush Bok Tower Gardens and Spook Hill.

Bok Tower was built in 1927 after Pulitzer Prize winning author Edward Bok commissioned the gardens and tower on top of "Iron Mountain", the highest point in Florida at only 298 feet above sea level (my grandfather jokes that he'll run to Bok Tower in case the sea levels begin to quickly rise). The Tower contains a carillion that is still played today during daily performances.

As a kid, my parents and grandparents would take my brother and I to Bok Tower to walk around the gardens and feed the dozens of domicile squirrels that scampered along the grounds. I remember my parents buying a bag of peanuts and using them to trick squirrels into climbing up my legs. I was a kid so I didn't think twice about their potential to bite me despite the warnings from elderly onlookers. (I never did get bit, by the way)

Now, as a newly married adult, I decided to return to Bok Tower with my husband, mom, cousins, and Grandfather one balmy December day. I watched as my mom attempted to feed the swans and they bit at her feet in return. I basked in the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze. I watched my husband take photos of the lush, scenic landscape. I truly felt at peace.

On the way back from Bok Tower, we decided to stop at an odd roadside attraction known as Spook Hill. Supposedly you can put your car in neutral at the base of a hill, and it feels like you're moving upwards rather than backwards. It worked as a kid, but as an adult I didn't buy it. A group of motorcyclists stopped to experience Spook Hill, but the looks on their faces told me they didn't buy it either. Needless to say, I did not get my thrill on Spook Hill.

Excuses, excuses....

2009-02-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been on several adventures lately- including a mother/daughter trip to Chattanooga and a vacation to Charleston, South Carolina. I promise to write again soon, but I just happen to be taking a graduate class at night that requires me to write weekly papers concerning classical organization theory, organization structure, qualities of a leader, blah blah blah...... I'd honestly rather pluck each of my eyelashes out one by one.

Needless to say, writing has become a chore as of late, but I intend to post something new next week when I go on Spring Break (which means I'll work 7.5 hours a day, then come home and possibly go to the gym or watch some mindless TV show on VH1 that i recorded on the DVR rather than get drunk on the beaches of Florida and come home with some terrible air brushed tee)

Islands of Adventure

2009-01-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

Brian and I decided to spend Christmas in Florida with my maternal grandparents and cousin who live in Winter Haven. Winter Haven is just south of Orlando so we decided to spend the Saturday after Christmas at Islands of Adventure, which happens to be part of the Universal Studios complex.

We knew what we were getting into. According to information we found on the internet (which is always correct....) the Saturday after Christmas is THE busiest day of the year for theme parks in Orlando. On our drive down, this information was further enforced after being stuck in horrendous traffic just trying to make it to the IKEA right off Interstate 4. (Side note: Our visit to IKEA consisted of a hurried walk-through of the store while dodging disoriented adults and screaming children). Since neither of us can handle crowds of little more than 5 or 6 people, we decided to spend the night before our theme park adventure strategizing on how we would conquer the rides before the swarms of people descended upon the park.

First, we get detailed instructions on which rides to go to first from Brian's brother, who happens to be a huge theme park enthusiast. Next, we wake up while its still dark outside and get to the park by 7:45 (15 minutes before the opening). From there, we basically run from ride to ride with little to no wait and have basically experienced every ride by 11:00. (i should also mention that by this point I look like a sewer rat between the wet rides and Florida humidity) Right before we leave the park, we notice a bridge where you can insert 25 cents into a machine which then lets you aim and fire a water cannon at unsuspecting riders on the raft ride. This was probably the best part of the day- myself, Brian, and a nearby teenage girl even coordinated to fire all the water cannons at once on a group of people. I know- we're horrible people and deserve retribution, but we ultimately get it at the end of the day.

Before we leave the park, we decide to do one last ride that will most definately get us wet. It's a log ride with a huge descent into waves of water. We figure, "what the hell" since we were leaving anyways. The only question was what we would do with our camera/phones. So I stick both phones in my bra (one in each cup) and we use an empty Doritos bag to secure the camera (resourceful, right?). We got absolutely DRENCHED!! As we left the park, we walked against the masses of people just arriving for the day and noticed everyone staring at us since we looked like total freaks with our dripping hair and wet, clingy clothes. Islands of Adventure pales in comparison to Opryland (R.I.P.), but definately had its moments. Overall, it was a good way to recapture our youth for a day.

Mountain Biking at Lock 4

2009-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Back in December on a semi-warm day, Brian and I drove out to Lock 4 in Gallatin where we met our friend Brad for a day of mountain biking. For those of you unfamiliar with Lock 4, it is not for the faint of heart or inexperienced. This is why I am crazy- it was the first time I've mountain biked, ever. To be fair though, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just thought I'd be riding in the woods along some nice even trails. Maybe, just maybe, there'd be a challenging hill or a low branch to watch out for. Little did I know I would cheat death several times and nearly destroy my bike in the process.

First of all, they have these things called whoop-de-do's, which are basically these deep U-shaped dips that causes a bike to often go airborne. I didn't get enough speed going before I hit the whoop-de-do, so I ended up almost getting to the top before gravity dragged myself backwards and I ended up back at the beginning. It was like something you would see in a cartoon. I spent the rest of the time getting off my bike and walking through the muddy whoop-de-dos. Below is an example of a Whoop-de-do, but isn't an actual picture of me or Brian:

Also- did I mention that part of the bike trail runs along the edge of Old Hickory Lake? I almost learned this the hard way as I nearly lost control on a hill and tumbled into the icy-cold lake. Several times thoughout the ride, either Brian or me would let out a big "Ooph" as we fell (or ran into a tree) and hit the earth. Autumn leaves make for a nice padded fall.

When we finished up and got back to the car, it was such a sense of accomplishment despite all the challenges and bruises. My reward for all our physical activity was stopping at the gas station and buying Pringles, Laughy Taffy, and a diet Coke, thus throwing out any calorie deficit that I accumulated throughout the day. I'll leave you with a picture of my mud-covered leg.

Final days in Mexico

2009-01-05T16:58:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting around to posting about the tail end of our honeymoon in Mexico. In my last post, I ended before writing about Xel-Ha the Cultural Water Park, a.k.a. Tourist trap. Here- we planned on spending the afternoon snorkeling. That lasted about 5 minutes. Between the confusing life jackets, suffocating face mask, and snorkel that caused me to gag, we abandoned all hope of enjoying this activity and instead spent our time wandering aimlessly around the crowded park just praying for the time for our departure to draw nearer. We got stuck walking behind an annoying hippie who wouldn't shut up about the Grotto at the Playboy mansion. Who knows why....

Lastly, we attempted to relax on the isle of hammocks, but I quickly learned that I have the balance of a drunken fisherman as the hammock not-so-kindly spilled me out. When we finally got on the bus, we ended up in horrendous traffic due to construction. While Brian dozed off, I watched all the locals walk in the dark on the side of the highway and construction workers labor in the dark with nothing more than some cones lit up with tiny bulbs on the inside. This would definitely not occur in the U.S.- OSHA would throw a fit.

On Friday, our last full day, we spent the somewhat overcast day lounging around, but in the evening, a hotel shuttle took us into the fishing town of Puerto Morales where we ate dinner at a real Mexican restaurant and shopped for gifts. We ate at a place called Posada Amor and I had this yummy chicken enchilada thingy and Brian had chicken fajitas. When the waitress brought out our chips and salsa, we dug into the pico (Mexican salsa in this region is chunky and very unlike the saucy salsa that we get in Mexican restaurants here in the States). We wrongly assumed that the red chunks were tomatoes, when in fact they were extremely hot habanero peppers. Brian loved it and sweat with his meal.

Saturday morning we woke up and sadly began to pack. It was good to get home, but depressing to get on the plane and head to our layover in Chicago where the temperatures were in the 30s as opposed to the 80 degree weather we left hours earlier.

Over the next couple of weeks, we would ocassionaly catch a whiff of sunscreen from our laundered clothes and it was the most depressing feeling to know we were back in Tennessee, working the daily grind, and facing cold, wintery months ahead.

Part II- Riviera Maya Honeymoon

2008-11-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I spent mine with family in Atlanta, and enjoyed my four day weekend. With the weather being dreary and cold outside, I figured it might cheer me up to reminisce about the last part of our vacation to the Riviera Maya.

Day Three found us relaxing around the hotel, taking advantage of the pools and ocean view. That morning, we got a couples massage at the resort spa. The ladies who massaged us started off with a foot scrub and then had us inhale this scent that was so calming. In hindsight, I wish I had asked what it was, but i was too relaxed at that point. Then they went on to rub out all our aches and pains (which is saying alot since I have chronic back pain due to stress). I left feeling drunk and completely relaxed- I could barely keep my eyes open. Later that evening, we had a special dinner on the beach. Just me and my husband surrounded by ocean and stars. Our five-course meal came complete with our own personal waiter, a bottle of champagne, and a harp player named Gabriel who serenaded us with Antonio Carlos Jobim. After dinner, we left feeling a bit tipsy and walked over to the theatre where we caught the tail end of a Mexican circus act. When we got back to our room, a bubble bath had been drawn by hotel staff, and incense was burning on the side of the jacuzzi. Perfect end to the perfect day.

On Thursday, we set out once again for adventure and took a bus ride down to the Mayan ruins at Tulum. The ruins of Tulum are located on a cliff overlooking the turquoise-colored Caribbean Sea. Here, our guide lectured on how advanced Mayan civilization was and we witnessed their ingeniosity in the form of architecture that predicted storms. We also learned that Tulum was founded during a very violent time in Mayan civilization. Because of this, there is a platform in front of the main palace where human sacrifices were held to appease the Gods.

After leaving Tulum, we headed over to Xel-Ha, or what Brian and I nicknamed Hell-Ha. Don't get me wrong, Xel-Ha was absolutely beautiful and had tons to offer, but it was also full of annoying tourists from nearby Cancun. More on that in my next post.....

Mayan Riviera Honeymoon- Part 1

2008-11-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

So I'm pretty depressed to be sitting in my unkempt house surrounded by gray clouds and cold weather after spending a whole week in beautiful, sunny Mexico. Brian and I traveled to a seaside town called Puerto Morelos (located just south of Cancun) where we stayed at the all-inclusive Excellence Riviera Cancun. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a glass of champagne and then led to our room where two towels shaped like swans surrounded by rose petals awaited us on our bed. The room was amazing- jacuzzi tub, marble floors, balcony looking out over the turquoise ocean.... but the hotel pools and grounds were really the crown jewel of this resort. A total of six meandering pools, along with botanical gardens served as our playground for the week.

We spent the first day recovering from our day of flying by lounging around the pool and beach. Food and drinks were gratis since we were at an all-inclusive, so there was a frozen umbrella drink in my hands at nearly all times. I especially liked a drink called the Miami Vice- it was a mixture of strawberry daquiri and pina colada. Tasted like heaven. Brian enjoyed them too as evidenced by the following photo:

Day Two consisted of more lounging in the sun followed by an afternoon of zip-lining, mountain biking, and cenote (cave filled with water) swimming. Zip-lining through the Mexican jungle was really exhilarating and at one point, a guide let me flip upside down and spun me around as I zipped from tree to tree. After the hour long zip-line tour, we hopped on mountain bikes and rode a mile over to a cenote where we were able to zip-line and then drop into a cave filled with water. If you look closely, you can see me in the photo below right before I drop into the water.

Once we mountain biked back, they served us a dinner of chicken, rice, and beans and then we went back to the hotel and cleaned up. Later that night, we ate at one of the six restaurants located at the resort. It was an Asian fusion restaurant called Spice and all meals ended with dessert. The packing on of the pounds begins.....

I'll write about the second part of my trip in my next post.

An apology

2008-10-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting in nearly a month. I've been concentrating on a big mid-term paper that was due last week, and more importantly- my upcoming nuptials that will take place this coming weekend. We'll be going to Mexico for our honeymoon so I promise to post about our trip soon after we return.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this short write-up of my recent explorations on the Shelby Bottoms/McGavock area greenway. Last week, I bought a hybrid bike that can be used for mountain biking or road biking. Just about every other day, I've been peddling back and forth between Inglewood and East Nashville via the Shelby Bottoms greenway. This is an easy 6 mile ride that is relatively flat and meanders along the Cumberland River. It really is a nice afternoon ride.

However, this weekend I decided to do some exploring, and Brian and I crossed the new pedestrian bridge over the Cumberland River and rode through Two Rivers Park, past McGavock highschool, and on to Ravenwood country club where the greenway meets up with Lebanon Rd. near Kohl's in Hermitage. The stretch between McGavock and Ravenwood is so beautiful and its hard to believe you're in the middle of Davidson Co. The trail takes you past rolling farmland with cows, and the point where the Stones River enters the Cumberland. This part is also the most challenging to bike due to the rolling terrain. My goal is to make it up the hills without huffing and puffing like I did yesterday. All in all, it was about an 18 mile ride and I was exhausted at the end of it. I can't wait until I build up the stamina to ride all the way from my house to Percy Priest lake!! I'm so lucky to live near such a great greenway.

I'll leave you with some earlier photos I took of the pedestrian bridge that crosses over to Two Rivers Park.

Booby punch and Old Hickory Lake

2008-10-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

So what do booby punch and Old Hickory Lake have in common? Absolutely nothing. Unless you spent the weekend with me, however.

Thursday afternoon the wonderful people at my work held a bridal luncheon and shower for me. A couple of us ladies went to lunch at The Standard at the Smith House, Nashville's only remaining townhouse from the 1800s. Built sometime in the 1840s, the Standard originally operated as a boarding house and later as a Social Club. Nashville's first bowling alley was built underneath the ballroom sometime in the late 1800s. While we were there, our waiter pulled a nearby table away from the floor and we saw the outline to a trap door that supposedly served as a secret passage for the Underground Railroad. Lots of history abides in this house and the food is tasty as well. I especially loved the mini biscuits they brought out before the main course.

After the meal, my coworkers and I headed back to the office where they had cake and punch waiting for me. My supervisor had planned to make a punch ring, but wasn't able to find the mold and ended up using muffin cups to freeze a maraschino cherry and create decorative ice cubes. Unbenownst to her, the ice cubes ended up looking very much like breasts floating in the punch. Hence the newly christened name, booby punch. The look on my male coworkers' faces as they viewed the punch was priceless.

On Saturday, Brian and I decide to head over to Mt. Juliet to go boating on Old Hickory Lake with my parents. Created in 1954, Old Hickory Lake is located along the Cumberland River and serves as the backdrop to several famous peoples' homes. Johnny Cash lived on the lake until his death and then his home was bought by former Bee Gee, Barry Gibb. Tragically, the house caught fire during renovations and all that's left is the foundation. We drove past the ruins so that Brian could take a picture.

Lastly, Brian decided to get out on the tube for some good ole' fashioned redneck fun. I grew up tubing on the lake so its only appropriate that my future husband be released in the cold waters of the lake and held at the mercy of my dad at the helm. He had a good time.

Stating the obvious in Ashland City

2008-09-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this short but sweet as I am still recuperating from my bachelorette party last night. Last week I had a meeting in Ashland City along the Cumberland river at a restaurant called Riverview. As we drove up to the restaurant we found this sign:

I think it speaks for itself, but am amazed that they found this sign to be necessary. Could someone really be so stupid as to not notice that they are driving into the Cumberland River? In addition, Ashland City's McDonald's has an alley leading to its entrance called, get this: Burger Alley. You just can't make this stuff up.

Polly Crockett Festival

2008-09-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, two of my best friends, Rachel and Tiffany, and I drove to Cowan, TN to attend the Polly Crockett festival. I'd been to Cowan before and fell in love with the quaint little railroad town so I was excited to learn I'd be returning. Rachel is from nearby Decherd, TN and Saturday happened to be her 31st birthday. What better way to celebrate than to attend a street festival celebrating Davy Crockett's first wife.... complete with a parade, bull riding, cornhole tossing, and skillet tossing.

We headed to the festival at 10:00 that morning and walked around all the artisan booths (I wasn't too impressed- most of the crafts offered were ugly purses) We quickly noticed how the festival brought out some good people-watching material. We saw all kinds of strange folk, including a redneck in racing gear holding two kids attached to leashes, and an obese lady wearing an apron for no apparent reason while smoking a cigarette. But imagine our glee when we see a man dressed up as Davy Crockett! Rachel immediately went up to him and told him it was her birthday and asked if she could have her picture taken with him. He was more than happy to do so.

Next we decided to eat lunch at Sidetrax. Our meal was really good, but I wish we had eaten at the Whistle Stop Cafe this time. It looked like an old diner inside and was packed with people. Must be good food! As we left the restaurant, we saw this strange stuffed bobcat sitting under a tent with no explanation as to why it was there. In fact, this festival was full of strange things that seemed to have no place at a street festival.

Anyways, we walk over to the "Adventure" area and see a sign for skillet tossing and this gets me all worked up because I fantasize about being the champion skillet tosser of Franklin County. Alas, it was not to be since I later found out that the skillet tossing competition wouldn't start until 3 p.m. I didn't intend to wait around a few hours, so Rachel and I settled for mechanical bull riding instead. As I hopped up on the bull, I noticed a sadistic look in the operator's eyes since he had been giving rides to small children all day. It was obvious he was going to make sure Rachel and I got our money's worth. I fell off the bull after just a few seconds, but hopped back on for a second time and held on for what seemed like quite a while, but then was violently bucked off and fell head first against the inflated cushion below. See picture for proof. Rachel didn't fare any better than me. She fell twice and in the process exposed her butt crack to all the festival goers. By the way- mechanical bullriding is a great workout for your abs. Who knew!

After our foray into bull riding, we decide to grab a slush from one of the street vendors. To my surprise (or horror) I noticed they also served fried oreos, fried moon pies, and fried twinkies. I saw this picture of the fried oreos and they look absolutely disgusting. Still- I'm intrigued.....

Finally, hot and tired of walking, we decided to leave, but left with great memories and a dayful of laughs. Click here to see more photos from the Polly Crockett festival.

Rock Island State Park- A Hidden Gem

2008-09-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

After returning from Atlanta over Labor Day weekend, Brian and I had planned to raft the Nantahala, but the weather took a turn for the worst courtesy of Hurricane Gustav and we opted to drive up to Rock Island State Park on the way home. Located just north of McMinnville off Highway 70S, Rock Island is not only the namesake to a State Park, but a small community as well.

Rock Island State Park sits in the Caney Fork River Gorge. It's a very unique place in that its natural wonders are attributable to man. In 1917, the Tennessee Electric Power Company built a hydroelectric plant and dam downstream from the Caney Fork and Collins River. The dam created Great Falls Lake and since the Collins River sits at a higher elevation than the Caney, water drained towards the Caney Fork and created the stunning Twin Falls that are there today. TVA took over the power plant and dam in the 1940s and still continues to operate at Rock Island.

Also located at Rock Island State Park are a historic textile mill from the 1890s and a community spring house that looks like a castle.

My one regret is that I didn't bring my bathing suit. Several people had made the short (but slippery) hike down to the water where they could hop across rocks to some great swimming holes. It looked like so much fun. We even saw where a couple of people had managed to climb up on a lower ledge under the waterfall. I was able to find a perfect spot at the base of a small falls (as seen in the picture below) where I could dip my feet in the cool water and feel the breeze blow across my face. I could have sat there for ages.

Georgia Aquarium- A Trip to Atlanta

2008-09-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

So I realize I'm straying once again from all things Tennessee by posting about the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, but my rationalization is that it makes a good weekend trip if you're looking to escape the Volunteer State for a day or two. Brian and I traveled to the Atlanta area over Labor Day in order to visit with his family and while we were there we checked out the Georgia Aquarium and adjoining Centennial Olympic Park.

We went on a Sunday afternoon about an hour and a half before closing and this seemed to be a really good time to avoid the crowds, yet it left us with enough time to truly enjoy our visit. The aquarium is divided up into several exhibit areas depending on climate, region, etc. There was a tunnel where visitors could walk underneath a whole sea of fish above them. We saw whale sharks, sting rays with leopard spots, and all sorts of schools of fish that would swim around and over us.

In other exhibits we saw playful otters (my personal favorite), as well as starfish, alligators, beluga whales, penguins, all kinds of colorful jellyfish, an octopus, and I even got to touch a sea anemone since there are several touch pools located throughout the aquarium. It was fun to see all the different kinds of animals and feel like a kid again. After we left the aquarium we stepped outside to the Olympic Centennial Park where all sorts of people were enjoying a game or football, strolling around, or just laying down reading a good book on a balmy evening. The mood was a far cry from the bombing that took place here during the '96 Summer Olympics.

Before we left the park we sat down and watched several kids playing in the Fountain of Rings. It was fun to see the sheer delight on their faces as the water spouted out of the ground at irregular intervals. A grape sno-cone would have made the experience even more delightful. Across from the aquarium sits the World of Coca-Cola where you can sample over 60 types of products (I've heard that some of these products include Cokes from Around the World- just don't drink the Indian Coke if it was bottled in SE Asia since it was found to have unhealthy amounts of pesticides in it due to the bad water supply) I seriously doubt the World of Coca Cola advertises that tidbit. Anyhow, we didn't tour the Coke musuem since we arrived so late in the afternoon, but I hope to return one day since I'm an avid fan of Diet Coke. (I know- not good for you, but what is these days?) So, if you're in Atlanta for a couple of days and want to play the tourist, then you should check out the Georgia Aquarium.

Final Days of Tour de Tennessee

2008-09-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to post about the final two days of my week-long trip across Tennessee.

Day Four

Thursday found us driving to Lynchburg, Grundy County, through Chattanooga, and on to Monroe County and Loudon, TN before settling for the evening in downtown Knoxville. Lynchburg was our first stop, and most of you know it as home to the Jack Daniels Distillery. I've been here twice and will post about it separately one of these days, but for obvious reasons we didn't stop here while on our business trip. Next, was Grundy County which is home to some of my favorite hikes in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area and South Cumberland State Park.

Later in the day, we drove over to Sweetwater, TN- home to the Lost Sea. I've never been to the Lost Sea, but it calls out to me with its fascinating history. It's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest underground lake in the United States. Over the years it has hosted cockfighting, an underground dance floor, and moonshining activities. I HAVE to return and visit one day.

Day Five

After a good night's sleep in Knoxville, we head out for Hawkins Co. and Grainger County in East Tennessee. Here, we drove through some of the most beautiful valleys and hills in the state, but I was definately itching to return home after spending a week on the road. Before we concluded our trip, however, we made one last stop to Bulls Gap so that Dr. Burton could show me an old abandoned hotel located right along a major rail line. The Gilley Hotel was built sometime in the late 1800s and used to be a place where visitors could hop off a train and get a room for the night. Many railroad workers stayed here for extended lengths of time as well. Currently, it is in major disrepair, but there are several parties interested in renovating it back into a hotel. Dr. Burton mused, "Imagine how cool it would be to sit out on the balcony with an ice cold beer in your hand while watching the trains pass by." (On the flip side, I imagine getting a good night's sleep would be next to impossible!)

After our stop at Bulls Gap, I head back to Nashville and turn in the car I had been driving all week. Guess how many miles I logged over the week?? 1800!!! I suddenly felt like a long-haul trucker. And wouldn't you know as soon as I get home, Brian and I leave for a weekend trip to Atlanta.....

Tour de Tennessee- Days Two and Three

2008-08-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm picking up from where I left off on Day One (see previous post).

Day Two

After leaving the luxurious LaQuinta in Jackson, TN we headed toward South Central Tennessee just east of the Tennessee River (Linden, Centerville, Decaturville, and Charlotte). My only objective for the day (besides work) was to find and snap a photo of the Minnie Pearl statue in downtown Centerville. Driving through through this part of Tennessee, we soon realized the area is largely agricultural and still very rural. The small towns that dotted the countryside largely consisted of a couple of houses and maybe a gas station at best. And much to our surprise- A Dollar General. Let me just say that Dollar Generals were located in almost every single town we reached. We even created a game to see who could spot the first Dollar General in each town. Just now I checked out their website and they currently operate over 8,200 stores and are based in Goodlettsville, TN. They specifically target communities that aren't large enough for a Wal-Mart. I guess that explains why so saw so many along the way.

Around mid-morning we reached Centerville and I was able to find the statue of Minnie Pearl directly across the street from the County courthouse. The statue was erected after the town recieved an anonymous donation of $150,000 in honor of the late Sarah Cannon (a.k.a. Minnie Pearl) Many people think that Minnie Pearl is from "Grinder's Switch". Although there is an actual railroad switch named after the Grinder family, there is no such town by the same namesake. It is a fictional town located just outside of Centerville.

After we finish driving the rest of our routes, we decide to have a late lunch at the famous Loveless Cafe on the way back to Nashville. The Loveless Cafe and Motel is located along Highway 100 near the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Loveless Cafe began serving their southern style dinners in 1951 out of the early 1900s house owned by the Loveless family. Famous for their fried chicken and biscuits, the Loveless Cafe is frequented by celebrities and locals alike. The adjoining motel ceased operations in 1985 and the rooms were converted to small shops. The Loveless gift shop is a must-see as it is full of kitschy souvenirs: Dr. Burton purchased Loveless band-aids that look like bacon strips. With my belly full of fried chicken, mac n' cheese, creamed corn, and biscuits, we called it a day knowing we would be back on the road bright and early to drive out to the Upper Cumberland region for Day Three.

Day Three

Day Three of our trip found us driving around the Upper Cumberland region. Specifically, we visited Carthage, Smithville, Gainesboro, and Byrdstown. I lived in this region during college when I attended Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, so I'm very familiar with how beautiful the landscape is as you reach the Highland Rim. We saw lots of rolling hills and scenic farms and took a beautiful scenic route (SR-52/SR-53) from Gainesboro to Livingston that took us by the entrance to Standing Stone State Park. Unfortunately we had a job to do, so no stopping at the park! We decided to have lunch at the The Apple Dish restaurant/antique store on the historic Livingston town square. Here you can order a hamburger and peruse various antiques all in the same spot. They have some really cool antique jewelry here and I coveted several pieces, but seeing as how I have a wedding coming up in the near future, I need to save my money.

I didn't really take any photos that day because the weather was so overcast, but I did take the following photo of a souped-up Rascal scooter at a gas station in Livingston. I was impressed at the time this older man took to "pimp his ride". Check out the awning and cooler.

Well, I'll continue with Days Four and Five in the next few days or so. Hope you're enjoying!

Tour de Tennessee- Day One

2008-08-28T16:27:00.000-07:00

This week I happen to be traveling all across Tennessee for a work-related project. Myself and two UT professors, Dr. Mark Burton and Dr. Larry Bray, have been driving around Tennessee in order to collect data for a planning/economics research study being developed. We've specifically visited 19 counties, and in the process have driven just about every corner in Tennessee. I of course brought my camera along, and while there is no way I can possibly cover every place we visited, I'd at least like to hit some of the highlights from each day.

Day 1:

From Nashville, we started West on I-40 and exited the Interstate at US 641 just past the Tennessee River and drove through Camden until we reached Paris, TN. In Paris, I had to stop off at Memorial Park and see the famed Eiffel Tower replica. (It was constructed in 1991 I believe) After taking a couple of snapshots, we continued west on State Route 54 and drove on to Reelfoot Lake/Tiptonville. When we reached Reelfoot Lake, Dr. Bray (who recently retired from TVA) told me to pull over and check out the Reelfoot Spillway located on State Route 22/21. The spillway was built in 1931 and controls water levels for Reelfoot Lake. TDOT just recently obtained permits to build a new spillway about a 100o ft. upstream since the old spillway is deteriorating and has outlived its design life. I'm not sure what will happen with the historic spillway, but I hope the community steps up and preserves its past by at least documenting its existence through photos and oral histories.

After leaving Reelfoot Lake, we drove back down to Southwest Tennessee before heading to our hotel rooms at the luxurious LaQuinta in Jackson. (I joke because its the only hotel in Jackson that takes state govt. rate, but I can't knock it too much because I slept great that night.) Unfortunately, on the way there we encountered torrential downpours (the remnants of Hurricane Faye) and since I'm the only one authorized to drive the state car, it fell upon me to drive us through the mess.

I'll post about Days 2,3,4, and 5 of my trek across Tennessee when I get back into town. I'm in Atlanta right now with my fiance's family and plan on driving to NC on Labor Day in order to raft the Nantahala. I'm always on the go.

New Feature

2008-08-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

I'm just letting any readers out there know that I'm adding a new feature to my blog. For now on, I'm going to try my best to link the locations I write about to a Google map. So, as you're reading about a specific place like Cedars of Lebanon State Park, for example, then you'll just click on the link and it will take you to a map of the site. From there, you can enter in your address and Google will give you directions to the location. Let me know if you encounter any problems with this feature. Thanks to all for suggestions!

Hidden Hollow

2008-08-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

Sadly, as I write this, rumor has it that Hidden Hollow no longer exists. Throughout my college days at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, TN, my best friend, Rachel, and I would often shirk our homework responsibilities and escape to this rural retreat located off Mt. Pleasant Road southeast of Cookeville.

Hidden Hollow was created by Arda Lee in the 1970s as a tribute to his mother and is a popular destination at holidays due to the elaborate light displays. The private park includes a 50-foot tall illuminated cross at the top of a mountain (this can be seen from I-40), outdoor wedding chapel, petting zoo, game room, large swings over a pond, and various odd sculptures. Words cannot describe the crazy things you can find at Hidden Hollow. Did I mention that bunny rabbits roam the park? Rachel and I had a theory that Arda Lee had magical powers and misbehaving children were turned into rabbits and doomed to a life of roaming Hidden Hollow.

We'd often go to the park at sunset, and our favorite thing to do while visiting was to swing over the algae-ridden pond at dusk as soon as the millions of Christmas lights illuminated the park for the evening. Then we'd drive up to the top of the mountain where the illuminated cross gleamed against the night sky. Sadly, during our last year in school, Arda Lee passed away and we found the park in major disrepair. Last I heard, the park had closed but was going to be re-opened for weddings and events. I can only hope that the park "art" remains as is for the public to enjoy for years to come. I leave you with some photos of interesting "objects" found on the grounds, and ending with a shot of the cross taken at the top of the mountain.

Horse Cavin'

2008-08-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

With Labor Day weekend coming up soon, I thought I'd reminisce about last year's Labor Day trip to Horse Cave, KY. Brian and I set out early that day to tour Horse Cave as well as Diamond Caverns in nearby Park City because you just can't beat being in a cave when the weather's hot and humid. Kentucky is famous for its many limestone caves, but we chose to go to lesser-known ones in order to avoid the holiday tourist rush. We started in Horse Cave, KY where we found a practically abandoned Main Street.

After a quick look around the caving museum, we descended into Horse Cave which (according to Wikipedia) housed the world's only air-conditioned tennis courts around the time of World War I. In fact, several of of the historic buildings located on Main Street got their air condition by pumping cool air out of the cave. The town also got their drinking water from the cave, and unfortunately it became severely polluted with sewage and the cave was forced to shut down to tours for 50 years. Due to reclamation efforts, the cave now boasts pristine waters once again.

After our tour of Horse Cave, we drove down historic Highway 31W (aka Dixie Highway). Highway 31 originally began as a buffalo path and later became the first paved road and toll road in Kentucky. For you fellow Tennesseans, 31W eventually becomes the blighted, prostitute-ridden Dickerson Rd. in Nashville. Highway 31W in KY, however, is full of kitschy mid-century tourist traps such as the Wigwam Village motel (built in 1935) and greasy Shoney's-style diners such as Jerry's. We couldn't resist the charm of Jerry's neon sign and the fact that my dad's name is Jerry, so we decided to eat lunch there. It was nothing spectacular, but we noted that slaw comes with EVERYTHING on the menu.

Last stop on our trip was Diamond Caverns. This was a bit more of a tourist trap and although it has some nice formations, the tour just wasn't as interesting as Horse Cave. So if you happen to be in KY, I'd recommend driving Highway 31W between Horse Cave and Cave City, and skipping Diamond Caverns. Finally, I'll close with this picture of me kissing a giant concrete ape outside what appeared to be an abandoned motel on Highway 31.

UFOs on Signal Mountain

2008-08-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

So I'm going back in time to last May when my fiance and I traveled down to the Chattanooga area. I could write a novel about all the interesting places we visited while there, but for now I'd like to focus on Signal Mountain.

Just north of Chattanooga on Walden's Ridge, Signal Mountain was used during the Civil War as a communications spot where Union soldiers maintained a signal line. In 1913, a streetcar line was extended to Signal Mountain and the Signal Mountain Inn was erected. This Inn catered to those on their way to Florida, and as a result, a resort town was formed.

As we drove up the mountain, we were struck by the quaintness of Signal Mountain and its densely clustered lots comprised of early 20th century architecture. We stopped at a park called Signal Point that commemorates the Civil War history of the mountain. From here, you overlook one of the most stunning views of the Tennessee River Gorge (which happens to be protected by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust). We happened to go at sunset and it was truly spectacular.

While on Signal Mountain, you would be remiss if you didn't stop and check out the "Spaceship" house located along Highway 127 inside a hairpin curve. The Spaceship house was built in 1970 and surprisingly is almost 2000 square feet. Just this year it sold at auction. I'd love to see the interior-if only it were open to tours!

There's so much more to post about my experiences in the Chattanooga area, but its nearly 9:00 pm and this ole' gal needs to wind down before going to bed. I'll be going back to the area next weekend since Brian will be cycling 100 miles for the Three State/Three Mountain event. You can bet I'll be taking my camera.

Search for the pearl necklace

2008-08-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those rare August fair weather days that makes you want to get out of the house and go on an adventure. So I drove to my parents' house without a plan; and my mom (pictured at right) and I decided to hunt for a vintage necklace to go with my wedding dress. I hadn't been to the antique shops on downtown Lebanon in a while, so we hit Highway 70 headed east towards the square.

We looked through several stores, including the infamous Cuz's- home of the half-human, half-mutant head that used to sit in the storefront window. (I didn't see it this time, so perhaps someone bought it??)

No luck at any of the stores, so we take a break and get delicious thin crust pizza at Painturo's and take a look around Goodwill. On our way back to Mt. Juliet we see this insane sign located on Highway 70 at a ice-cream dive named "Emo's":

I'm terrified of clowns so of course I had to snap a picture. (It's kinda like staring at a car wreck- I know its bad, but I just can't look away)

At the end of the afternoon, we ended up at Rawling's antique shop in Mt. Juliet where I walked away with a gorgeous vintage 4-strand faux-pearl necklace. Score!

Coca-Cola in Coffee County

2008-08-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I drove down to Decherd, TN near Winchester in order to pay a visit to my best friend who just moved back from Utah. She's living at her in-law's house along with her husband, two babies, and dog. Needless to say- she needed an escape plan for the day and I was more than willing to oblige her by driving down and whisking her away to the nearby town of Tullahoma.

We have a tradition of driving to Tullahoma and making a stop at the discount shoe store Marti & Liz, followed by stops at Sweet Aroma Cafe and various antique stores in the historic downtown area.

Sweet Aroma Cafe is a cool little retro cafe located inside what used to be the Coca-Cola bottling and distribution plant for Tullahoma now known as the Coker building. The Coker building is a cool 1930s Art Deco building with huge glass windows originally intended to show off the bottling functions of the plant. Now it houses Sweet Aroma cafe and some other shops, with Silver Mine being one of our favorites for its beautiful, yet affordable jewelry. At the cafe, I ordered a delicious ham and cheese sandwich (with an ice-cold Coca-Cola of course!) and Rachel and I split an iced sugar cookie covered in chocolate sprinkles.

I didn't end up making any purchases, but Rachel found a cool World War I bayonet that she bought her husband for their 11th anniversary. Although I love my hometown of Nashville, its nice to get away every once in a while to a small town located off the beaten path for some good ole' rest and relaxation.

Davy, Davy Crockett.....

2008-07-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

I traveled down to Davy Crockett State Park today. Located just west of Lawrenceburg on US-412, the park is a relatively small park filled with cabins, a restaurant and pool, trails, and the historic clock that once sat atop the Lawrence County courthouse that was torn down in the 1960s in order to make way for this 1960s-era monstrosity:

But before we get to Davy Crockett state park, we decide to take the backroads through Amish country. After turning off US-43, we drove through Summertown and took a left on Buffalo Rd. This beautiful stretch of county road took us through miles of Amish homesteads. The homesteads were simple white weatherboard houses surrounded by at least seven or eight outbuildings. We saw kids working out in the fields, men on buggies hauling produce, and women hanging laundry to air dry on a clothesline.

We attempted to take a photo of one of the men riding in his buggy, but apparently the Amish do not want their picture taken. As soon as my passenger raised the camera, the man driving the buggy waved his hand in a gesture for us to stop and bowed his head so that the brim of his hat covered his face. I felt really bad- I had no idea, but should have guessed that they wouldn't want their image taken. I did take one picture of an Amish homestead from a distance because no people were out and it was just too interesting to pass by without taking a photo.

Now, back to Davy Crockett state park. After our meeting, my coworker Del, takes us down a maintenance road where we find the original top to the old Lawrence County courthouse. It's just sitting there rotting in the middle of a field in front of a park maintenance building. It's a neat old clock and shameful that its in such bad condition, but it made for great photos.

I'm not sure where I'll be traveling next, but I can only hope that the weather is as crisp and clear as it was today. Today was one of those days where the sun's shining, I'm not stuck behind a desk, and I realize how much I love my job.

Mindfield Cemetery

2008-07-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Bear with me here as I'm going back in time to the beginning of May when I stumbled upon Mindfield Cemetery in Brownsville, TN. Located along SR-54 directly west of the historic downtown square, this metal monument appeared out of the blue as my coworkers and I headed through Brownsville on the way to Covington in West Tennessee.

At first glance we thought it was some strange kind of electric substation, but as we neared it, it quickly became apparent that we had stumbled on to a welded oddity that cannot be explained with words.

Apparently, artist Billy Tripp began this memorial in 1989 and continues to add on to it until he dies. Upon his death, it will become the site of his internment. It also serves as a memorial to his mom and dad.

To see more photos of this roadside treasure, visit my flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/packleader79/sets/72157604942468203/

What is it that you do again? An introduction.

2008-07-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

As a transportation planner, I'm often asked, "So what is it that you do again?" I realize the title of transportation planner is rather vague and can mean several things- Do I plan travel arrangements for buses of senior citizens? Do I plan where roads will go? Make maps? Sit on my ass and surf the internet all day?

I actually can't give you a concrete answer of what I do, not because its classified, but because its so varied and so complicated that not even I know what I do on occasion. I do know, however, that I work specifically as a rural planner and as a result I travel throughout Tennessee meeting with local officials and discussing transportation issues. (Clear as mud, right?)

Anyways, my point of all this is to introduce the fact that I often travel the backroads of Tennessee (for both business and pleasure) and have experienced my share of local situations/oddities that would be a shame not to relate to others. From the gigantic welded scrap metal monument in Brownsville to the BYOB strip joint, Fuzzy Holes, in Johnson City, I'm here to share it all. I hope you enjoy.