There and Back Again!

May 24, 2015 - Greenfield, MA

After visiting with Lyn and Steve and Caleigh and Ryan in Hamilton, NY, we made the last leg (via Cooperstown and a great visit to the James Fenimore Cooper Art Museum (http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/), we traveled across Rtes. 20, 7, and rolled back into W. Mass along the Mohawk Trail (Rt. 2).  Totaling about 6,500 miles arrived to find the lawn all burnt up due to drought.  A little different landscape from the snow covered 1 deg temp when we left.

Prior to visiting with Lyn's family we had spent a number of one night stands, really motoring to get back.

After Doughton Park, on the Blue Ridge parkway (by the way we LOVED traveling along the various parkways (Natchez Trace ~250 miles, Blue Ridge Parkway - 400+ miles, Skyline Drive (Shenandoah National Forest ~110 miles)  they were just the right speed, given the steep hills, narrow winding roads, etc. and the R-Pod being towed), we stopped at:

Peaks of Otter Campground - Milepost 93(?)  where we had a really good hike up SharpTop, originally thought by Virginians to be the highest peak in the State (close but no cigar).

Cool balancing rock on the Buzzard Roost Trail.

Next we made it to the Big Meadow (counted 11 deer at once), and hiked along the Appalachian Trail to the Lewis Spring Falls.  This is on the Skyline Drive, near Stanley, VA.

Then on to Maryland, Cunningham Falls State Park, in Thurmont, MD, right next door to Camp David!  (Didn't see the President however.)

Our last campground was in Chenango Valley State Park, Port Crane, NY after a harrowing drive along I-81.  We spent about 95% of our miles OFF of Interstates, and didn't enjoy much of the time we spent on Interstates.

All in all a great Journey #1 in the R-Pod.  Looking forward to picking it back up again after the summer in New England.

Aiming for the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Smoky Mountains Post

May 18, 2015 – Doughton Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

We left the Natchez trace in Mississippi a week ago and spent a couple of nights at Lake Guntersville in NE Alabama.  Huge campground on a big lake, first time the water was clean enough to go swimming in, since we were on the Rio Grande in Big Bend!

From there it was time to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I’ve got to say that towing a rig like the R-Pod with a vehicle  like the Toyota Highlander.  These parkways (no commercial vehicles and 45 MPH speed limits) are just the ticket, gets the best gas mileage of the trip and is just the right speed for these setups, despite the inclines on the Blue Ridge Parkway!  Arrived in Bryson City, NC (end of the Blue Ridge Parkway), where Connie and I had been rafting with college friend Eric Nies some 35+ years ago.  Still a youthful, outdoor activity driven community down here.  Saw rafting and kayaking  along the Nantahala River Gorge (our campsite at the Smoky Mountain Meadows Campground off the Alarka Road was hosting the Georgia Canoe Club during our visit, as well as 70 boyscouts from Charlotte, NC!)

We hiked in the Deep Creek area of the Smoky Mountain National Park, and saw some good waterfalls, and tons of Butterflies (not quite as many as we saw down in Texas).

We also drove in to the Clingmans Dome road (spectacular winding roads and views).  And hiked into Andrews Bald for the “spectacular view”.

Did you see it?  We didn’t either, up in the clouds while we were there.  Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet is the highest point in Tennessee, and you can drive right up to it leaving a ½ mile hike to the summit and observation tower.

After Bryson City we set out on the Blue Ridge Parkway, passing it’s high point.

Stayed in our BEST CAMPSITE EVER in Pisgah Campground, but watch out for the Bears!  (Luckily we didn’t run into any.)

And you know there are bears in the area when Campsite #1 features a Bear Trap!

Next we continued North along the BRP stopping at Linville, for Linville Caverns, neat rock formations a good 30 minute tour, and “blind trout” in the river that flows through it.

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama - Where next?

May 11, 2015 - Lake Guntersville, AL - Heading North and East once more.  Traveled across Central and East Texas after leaving Davis Mountains where we were chased out by wild Javelina

Did some birding at South Llano River State Park (great bird blinds!)  Saw plenty of Painted Buntings, Indigo Buntings, Bells Vireo, Black Capped Vireo and Summer Tanagers and Armadillos

Stayed at Guadalupe State park, sat in the Guadalupe river under some Baldcypress:

Next on to Lake Livingston, North of Houston then across the state of Louisiana and to Natchez State Park in southern Mississippi.  Woke up and drove most of the Old Natchez Trace. 

If you aren't in a hurry, this is an awesome find! History, history, history. President Jefferson in 1800 decided we (as a nation) needed to be better connected between the east coast and the growing Westward expansion, so he decided to ' enhance' some Indian trails for better Postal service and the Natchez trace was granted a little more. Civil engineering. What a great call. This is such a peaceful passageway. 

And now we're playing on the shores of Lake Guntersville in Northeast Alabama getting closer to the Blueridge Parkway.

If you aren't in a hurry, this is an awesome find! History, history, history. President Jefferson in 1800 decided we (as a nation) needed to be better connected between the east coast and the growing Westward expansion, so he decided to ' enhance' some Indian trails for better Postal service and the Natchez trace was granted a little more. Civil engineering. What a great call. This is such a peaceful passageway.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60746-d550082-r271443225-Natchez_Trace_Parkway-Tupelo_Mississippi.html#

If you aren't in a hurry, this is an awesome find! History, history, history. President Jefferson in 1800 decided we (as a nation) needed to be better connected between the east coast and the growing Westward expansion, so he decided to ' enhance' some Indian trails for better Postal service and the Natchez trace was granted a little more. Civil engineering. What a great call. This is such a peaceful passageway. Enjoy it!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60746-d550082-r271443225-Natchez_Trace_Parkway-Tupelo_Mississippi.html#

If you aren't in a hurry, this is an awesome find! History, history, history. President Jefferson in 1800 decided we (as a nation) needed to be better connected between the east coast and the growing Westward expansion, so he decided to ' enhance' some Indian trails for better Postal service and the Natchez trace was granted a little more. Civil engineering. What a great call. This is such a peaceful passageway. Enjoy it!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60746-d550082-r271443225-Natchez_Trace_Parkway-Tupelo_Mississippi.html#

Still seeing "miles and miles of Texas!"

May 6, 2015 - Guadalupe River State Park - Spring Branch, TX

Traveled from Junction, TX (South Llano River State Park) to the San Antonio - Austin region yesterday.  We're back into a pattern of afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity after over a week in the Chihuahuan Desert air.  

After leaving Big Bend and Terlingua, we headed up to Fort Davis, TX and the Davis Mountains (some over 8,000 feet!).

  We stayed at Davis Mountains State Park.  What a gem, particularly if you are a birder!

This place has some really nice hikes (don’t expect any cell service, and the WiFi is sketchy), but you should be here to get away from it all anyway!  Convenient to the McDonald Observatory, 12 miles down the road.  What a great resource for life altering star-gazing (take in a Star Party on  a Tues, Fri, or Sat night) or a sun program during the day!  We encountered wild peccary on our hike this morning (he backed down after a little tete a tete.)   The birding here is outstanding, the local volunteers provide some bird blinds, and if you are lucky you’ll be rewarded with a siting of the local Montezuma Quail, wow!

A truly great spot here is the McDonald Observatory.   After having listened to Stardate on NPR for the past 20+ years, we were so EXCITED to be actually visiting the McDonald Observatory (part of the University of Texas at Austin).  We took in a Star Party (Tues, Fri, and Sat nites usually) 9:30 to midnight.  Got a chance to view, the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and several star clusters through at least 8 of their telescopes (UNREAL!).  Also were treated to a 45 minute constellation introduction courtesy of their, very entertaining, staff.  A thoroughly enjoyable visit. Great resource!

While we were here we visited the Fort Davis National Historic Site where we felt like we were on the Southern Leg of the Oregon Trail!  The National Park Service has done a really good job of maintaining this historic, American and Civil War site.  Along the San Antonio – El Paso trail, Fort Davis played a significant role in shaping Westward Expansion. We can debate and discuss the impact on the Native American population, slavery and Afro-American history during and post-civil war, and this place is full of inspiration!. It is a very well preserved piece of this time period (1860’s on).  Nice spot, hope you like bugle music!

 

Making the Turn!

Happy May Day!, 2015 - Terlingua, TX

We're making the turn, and heading "Chang" our R-Pod camper back toward New England.  Finishing up a wonderful, amazing, visit to:

Yesterday we spent hiking the Chisos Moutains and the Chisos Basin in the center of the National Park.  Saw perching (nesting?) roadrunner on the way in:

A subspecies (Carmen Mountains) of Odocileanus Virginianus

And again, amazing panoramas, every step you take:

And today we had a 1/2 day canoe trip on the Rio Grande, up in the enormous Big Bend State Park, the largest state park in Texas.  Including a snack break in the Dark Canyon:

Hard to beat all of this, if you can take the desert, heat and dust!  Viva Terlingua!