Author Archives: llsjkstvc@gmail.com

Christmas 2023

Merry Christmas! Jan and I send holiday greetings to one and all. We are looking forward to enjoying the holidays here with friends and family. This has been a good year for us as we move beyond the Covid world and the heavy-handed health issues that are now a thing of the past. Although, Larry has managed a couple embarrassing side-steps recently, drawing attention and mandatory timeouts. It seems like staying out of harms-way has become a full-time job. Ending this year in good shape and looking forward to what comes next. Already planning next year with a balance of travel and other fun actives.

Still loving the South Carolina upstate area. So many recreational opportunities. We enjoy checking out the little southern towns as well as quality time in the bigger cities. The first half of this year was spent taking care of the ever-demanding yard and to do list, balanced with just the right number of fun outings to make us feel a bit guilty. With our interest in gardening, wood working, photography, genealogy, tapestry, hiking and traveling in our RV there is never enough time. Retirement is one of the best jobs ever and as we near 80 we like to think we are just getting started.

At the end of July, we hit the road in the RV heading to Michigan for six weeks. It had been five years since we had been back. Along the way we caught up with friends and family. It was good to reconnect and catch up one on one. The trip started exploring the Lake Michigan side of the state, ending up in Petoskey. Over Labor Day weekend the Snyder siblings gathered at Forest Lake near Alger for their annual reunion. Early this month the New York contingent of our family flew in for holiday fun, interesting food and good times. As usual there was more food than we could eat. The planned outings were hampered by rain and unseasonable cold weather. The rebound was a nice micro-brewery to fill the gap with more face time. It was good to have everyone here. There are now plans to meet somewhere in New York next summer

Larry and Jan on the Treat Trail Sleeping Bear NP

If you want to catch a glimpse into our life for the past year, take in the photos that follow.

Both of us enjoy the garden. There was a good return even after fending off the rabbits and deer. When we travel the gardening keys are turned over to Angie. She also takes on the care and feeding of our house full of plants.

Our garden in all its glory. Love the herbs, a key ingredients in our famous Plant-Based dishes.

View from above. This shot sometime in June.

These lilies came from Michigan. Jan sister-in-law, Ginger saved them for us. There are well traveled from Michigan to Missouri ending up in South Carolina where they now thrive again.

One of Jan’s favorite flowers.

Our horse friends next door are interesting company. We keep close tabs on them from our deck, a favorite hangout for us year-round.

Our close friends next door. They do love to eat…

The planters have become an integral part of our deck’s summer landscaping. In the winter the geraniums are replaced with pansies.

Here are two photos taken from our great room.

Rainbow captured from the inside.

Fun photo from the inside out.

There is always something happening at the Biltmore. Our annual membership gives the opportunity to go whenever the mood strikes. The spring flowers are striking, during the summer great place to ride your bike and the holiday decorations are outstanding this time of the year. If you are ever in Asheville, check it out.

Biltmore in the spring.

This is called the Azalea path in all its glory…

Really liked this natural view of the forest. The Biltmore Estate at its best.

This lake was on the Biltmore master plan and has withstood the test of time. The sun makes this a fun photograph on this day.

Here are fall photos taken in the Caesar’s Head State Park. There are so many good mountain views plus challenging hikes that call us back. If you are in the area, check it out.

Caesar’s Head in the fall.

Caesar’s Head view. South Carolina fall view.

This fall we checked in with the white squirrel in Brevard, North Carolina. We like to see him a couple times of the year. Brevard is one of our favorite places to hang-out.

Famous Brevard white squirrel who loves to pose for photographs.

Jan had to check out the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, our first time. Jan is into the yarn scene with her love of tapestry. It is on our list for next year.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Show – pulls in a lot of vendors with outstanding wares.

Fiber Show temptations

Two Fiber Show friends…

This guy was engaging.

Here we are once again ready to get out of “Dodge”. The RV is packed, the GPS set and there is a reservation for every night for the next 45 days. The old RV is hanging in there as it hits its 13th birthday. It is now back in the hands of the Airstream folks who are giving it a renewed lease on life for next years adventures. Really miss seeing it in the its parking place in our yard.

Ready to hit the road. This will be our home away for several weeks.

The summer trip started in the Smoky Mountains at the National Park Elkmont campground. We found Mrs. Owl waiting for us telling us to stay clear of her young ones. Lots of good hikes with Gatlinburg just fifteen minutes away. A yearly stop…

Mrs. Owl

We could hear this creek from our Smoky Mountain National Park campsite.

Love the characters we find in Gatlinburg.

Downtown Gatlinburg…

This was a first time at the Holland, Michigan State Park. Nice campground although a bit like a parking lot. Had a great time checking out the city with a side trip to Grand Rapids for a quick lunch and beer at the Founders Brewery.

Found these lovers in downtown Holland.

…more Holland!

Love the Holland beach. These folks were just hanging out.

Holland light house…

One of the favored Holland photos…

Ileana and Larry enjoying the path along Lake Macatawa in Holland.

There was a three day stop in Breckenridge area, the area where Jan and I grew up. Found a campground on the Pine River which was just two miles from the Neitzke farm. This area was considered the “other side” of the tracks when we grew up so reluctantly made reservation. In the end it was a good choice with a new respect for the area and the Pine River. We used the campground as a basecamp. The objective was to check out some small township cemeteries to fill in holes in our never-ending genealogy project including the Snyder and Neitzke branches.

This was our campsite on the Pine River in Midland County, Michigan

Pine River. Our RV trips always include electronics with ebooks for Jan and audiobooks for Larry.

Next stop was the Sleeping Bear National Park. This was our old stomping grounds. Had a fun time checking out the trails and views in the park.

Great campsite at the Platt River Campground at Sleeping Bear. The only issue was no electricity and no generators allowed. Really had to rough it…

This is a favorite trail to Lake Michigan called the Treat Farm Trail.

This is the trail to the Treat Farm in the Sleeping Bear NP. Great walk back from Lake Michigan through the open fields to the old homestead. I think the purple flower is a type of Phlox.

Love this photogenic view at Sleeping Bear. Surprised at the amount of erosion since our last visit. Great reward at the end of a two mile hike.

Jan enjoying the Lake Michigan view. Great view with lots of wind to mess up her hair.

Larry enjoying the same view, note his hair is not blowing as much…

The iconic sand dune climb is not as high as I remember it.

Attended the Buckley Old Engine Show. It had been a while since we had attended. This is a great show, brings back fond memories. Lots of old red and green equipment lovingly cared for. The problem was we can remember when much of it was new.

The Old Engine Show at Buckley was a fun side excursion. Jan remembers threshing time on the Neitzke farm back in the early 50s. The amount of vintage equipment and the real time demonstrations was impressive.

This JP model of John Deere was used on our farm through the 60s. It was my Grandpa Snyder’s first mechanical tractor back in the 20s.

This International Harvester reminded me of my Grandpa Woodards last tractor purchased in 1948 after World War II. I fondly remember that he would wipe it down at the end of day.

Our next stop was the Petoskey State Park. Trips to Harbor Springs, Cross Village, the county fair and downtown kept us busy for two weeks. Looking forward to going back soon.

A stop in Harbor Springs is always warranted. The homes are outstanding plus checking out all the boats is totally impressive.

…more Harbor Springs.

The trip from Petoskey on M119 to Cross Village is a must when we are in the area. Discovered the Legs Inn back in the 60s when we were camping at the Wildness State Park nearby. Note the namesake stove legs on the roof. Polish based food is always fun and interesting.

Legs Inn tree root-based interior is unique to the point of being awesome. This shot is above the bar. Lots of other interesting wood sculptures to take in.

The Legs Inn grounds and outside dinning overlooking Lake Michigan is just plain cool!

As luck would have it the Emmet County Fair was in in Petoskey during our visit. We had not been to a fair in over 20 years, so it was a walk back in time…

Many of the rides were new to us. Fun to look at but way too old to take any of them on. Well, maybe the merry go round would be ok.

Found that the 4H clubs are still alive and well. Fun exhibits and displays.

Walking out the pier in Petoskey is fun and there is always an opportunity for a photo or two.

What is a trip to Northwest Michigan without a stop in Mackinaw to take a picture of the bridge?

Next stop was the Snyder reunion on Forest Lake. It is always fun to catch with everyone. It seems like we can just pick up where we last left off. The only issue was we are starting to look like our grandparents…how did that happen?

Yes, we are all smiling. The Snyder siblings are still having fun. Not often you can get them in the same place at the same time!

Aunt Bonnie’s garden(s) are impressive, always a photo opt or two. This young lady drew my attention.

Our Snyder host has an impressive fire pit. Master fire builders at work.

Great place to catch up and maybe even solve the world’s problems.

A good campfire will keep you warm on a cold evening.

Uncle Duane enjoying the banter.

When in Michigan we always have to catch up with niece Betty and Husband Tom.

Catching up with niece Betty and husband Tom a highlight of the trip.

Every year our sons and granddaughter make their way to South Carolina from New York. It is one of the highlights of our year. There are always good times with plenty of laughs.

The group shot of the Snyder annual holiday South Carolina get together. Another great time together with good food and lots of laughs.

Presents under the tree, a sign we are getting in the spirit of the season. Finding a “real” Christmas tree takes a lot of work in this part of the world. This tree does not have any needles as you can see.

One thing the majority of this group can agree on is life is good if you can find a great micro-brewery.

Fun stop with some outstanding brews and good food.

Hanging out…

These two are tuned in to the camera.

It was so good to have granddaughter Fiona and David with us this year!

Really enjoyed seeing Mark and Kevin at this wonderful time of the year!

Just enjoying the action.

The one thing we do well is the food. Getting ready for breakfast on a cold and rainy morning.

I think the photographer lost control. All I can say is this was not the first time! At least it is not a boring group shot.

Love taking sunset or sunrise photographs. Here are some from this year’s collection.

Sunset photo are a favorite of mine. Taken from the deck in the spring.

This was taken in Holland while enjoying the end of the day on the Lake Michigan beach.

Sunset on Lake Michigan.

Sunset over Lake Michigan at the Sleeping Bear NP.

Have an enjoyable holiday. Jan and I miss everyone at this time of the year.
Happy New Year and God Bless!

Larry and Jan

Christmas 2022

Merry Christmas! Wishing all of you a happy holiday. Celebrating the reason for the season brings this holiday celebration into focus for us, especially this year. Our web presence is still a comfortable way, on this end, to send our holiday greetings and to share what has happened in our lives. My compulsion to document life with photos provides a level of detail that is awe-inspiring and takes some determination to work through.

Another year, another Christmas picture! Agreed we look another year older.

A look behind the scenes. Hanging out with our tablets in front of a cozy fire.

Our retirement strategy is to see as much of this great country as we possibly can. In the last thirteen years Jan and I have spent time in every state, Canadian Province, and explored the majority of National Parks. Next up on the travel bucket list was to explore the Great Mississippi River, set for the summer of 2022. The idea was to meander along the River from the Gulf to the headwaters in Minnesota with some quality down time in New Orleans. Reservations were made early for a stop in Petoskey for a month to catch up with life in Northwest Michigan. Finally, on the way back home catch up with family and friends for some quality one on one time long overdue.

I think Robert Burns said it best in his poem “To a Mouse”. “The best laid schemes o’ mice an men often go awry” (well something like that anyway). Last October my doctor threw the red flag that called for a timeout, totally interrupting our lives. To make a long story short, a diagnosis of prostate cancer took precedence. Little did we know what lie in wait. With the help of great doctors, awesome technology and proven treatments life is getting back on track. If the body cooperates (and with the blessing of the good Lord) the expectation is to be back on the road by spring. Plenty of ups and downs along the way but neither Jan or I have ever lost faith. Timeouts like this bring into focus what is really important in life.

This is where I spent the better part of this year…

We are traveling this path together, mostly with a smile. There are so many milestones along the way. Here we mark the completion of radiation treatments with the ringing of bell.

Being grounded kept us hanging at home. Not as many waterfalls or mountain pictures to share.

Trying out the new porch swing. It soon became a go to place to kick back and relax.

Peaceful scene from last January. The only snow for the winter.

For a minute, I thought we were back in Michigan.

These guys are wondering where the grass had gone.

Getting our hand dirty was good therapy. Both of us love working in the garden. Summer produce was good, now working a fall gardening adventure.

The spring garden is off to a good start. The black ground cloth will help keep the weeds in check.

This early summer shot shows off our very successful vegetable garden. Tomatoes anyone?

Audio books became my friend. Jan and I spent countless hours enjoying the summer weather and the view from our deck. Then there was our ever presence equine friends next door who always seemed to be posing for that next camera shot.

Spring view from the deck. Spring flowers getting off to a good start.

By fall the landscape is more colorful.

Still enjoy following our friends next door. At the moment the horse in the middle has been banned to another pasture due to poor behavior.

Here are two fun pictures that caught my eye from the oversized digital pile.

These are common visitor to our garden. This guy did a great job posing for this shot.

Sharing a bit of our summer color with a photo shot of the Crepe Myrtles in full bloom.

Celebrated the summer holidays with good food and fun music in the comfort of home.

Grounded at home for a few weeks in the spring trying to stay out of harms way. However, that did not prevent donning the chef hat to create a fun Easter Breakfast. Jan did the Wool Roll, a filled pulled apart bread.

4th of July, blue skies, sunshine, what could be better…

Finally, in late September we were able to hit the road. Local hikes, a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountain in North Carolina and ending up in the Smoky Mountains.

It was fall when the travel light turned green. Pulled the RV out of storage with plans to hit the road. After a little TLC plus some spit and polish we were ready to go.

A yearly adventure is a hike at the South Carolina Botantical Gardens. This is a fun trail.

Another stop along the trail. Great old building with cool landscaping.

Another fun shot taken on a really fun hike.

Here we are back in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Never tire of these expansive views.

Another Blue Ridge Mountain scene taken near the end of September.

The Blue Ridge Highway called us back. Love fences with character. Hardly a cloud in the sky.

A popular stop along the Blue Ridge Highway is the Linville Falls. This stop actually exceeded expectations.

Another Linville Falls…just a bit of hiking to get a view.

A return visit to the Moses Cone Estate near Boone, North Carolina. I think I took this same shot last year.

Lots of trails to choose from at the Cone Estate. This time was a trip around the lake as climbing the mountain sounded like a lot of work.

They grow their Golden Rod very tall here in North Carolina as you can see from this shot.

Great trail around Price Lake. Just had to stop to enjoy this view.

We found ourselves back in the Smoky Mountains enjoying the Little River Trail. This trail was just right for a day hike.

This is our fifth year for an annual visit to the Smoky Mountain National Park. We have found several favored campgrounds. This time setup in the Elkmont Campground, near Gatlinburg, TN. The National Park Service has been restoring Daisy Town. This log cabin goes back to the 1890s.

Here is an example of a successful restoration. There are so many interesting stops here in Daisy Town.

Fall is not complete without a stop at Grandad’s Apple Farm in Hendersonville, NC. Again, we got our yearly apple fix. Two months later we are still working through the bounty.

“Grandad is ready for Halloween with a large inventory of pumpkins and a corn maze.

The green machine on top of the silo always gets my attention.

Blowing Rock, NC is a great stop in the fall, if you like flowers plus the mircobrewery is not bad either.

Jan and I wish everyone a happy holiday. Looking forward to seeing or hearing from you soon.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from South Carolina!

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Link To Our Family Fall Gathering…

Fall Family Gathering – 2022

Fall Family Gathering – 2022

Getting together at the holidays can be complicated. The suggestion for a family gathering in early November became reality with some herculean effort on the part of the travelers. Getting ahead of the holiday travel rush proved to be a bonus in scheduling travel plans.

It was so good to see everyone. It was fun finding things to do as well as enjoying good food. Putting our Plant Based Chef skills to the test was an adventure, well at least for the chefs. Finding things to do was easy. The final list came down to enjoying time together, a trip to the Biltmore Estate, a hike on the Brasstown falls trails and capping it all off with a brew at the Jocassee Valley Brewing Company.

What is a family gathering without good food. Would you believe all of this is plant based?

A campfire on the deck, great way to catch up and to finish off the dinner dessert.

Nothing can beat a warm evening, a campfire and a little wine to end the day.

Our timing for the Biltmore was right on. The Christmas exhibits had officially kicked off the day before. The day of our visit, it rained so staying dry became a full-time job. The bright spot was the house tour, the holiday decorations and enjoying the botanical gardens.

Back at the Biltmore Estate to enjoy the Christmas exhibits. The weather forecast double crossed us with a dreary rain instead of the expected sunshine!

Here we are just trying to stay dry.

Colorful shot of the waning fall landscape, in spite of the weather.

Still smiling – looking forward to a fun day.

Touring the house, the highlight of the day.

Of course, a tour of the gardens is part of the visit.

Found someone to take a photo of this smiling group.

Being in the conservatory was a good way to keep dry…

Is everyone ready for this shot!

The Biltmore Estate Stable Restaurant an excellent choice for a late lunch.

There is always a hike or two in our times together. This year was no exception. Traveled to Long Creek to hike the Brasstown Trail taking in the three falls. This is an enjoyable easy hike with impressive waterfalls. Took in a new brewery which was a great way to end that day.

Then there was an outing to the Brasstown Falls an impressive stop.

Good hiking trails makes it easy to see all the different falls.

Loved our time together.

More camera opportunities.

So much fun to have visitors from the north.

The pull to get your feet wet was irresistible for some.

Looking forward to next year.

Link To:

Christmas 2022

Christmas – 2021

Love this time of the year. It gives us a chance to stop time to reach out to friends and family near and wide to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. Growing up in central Michigan life was community centric. Everyone who was important in our lives was within easier reach. Memories are still strong of those large family gatherings and local holiday events. Times have certainly changed over the last 70 years changing the way we think and view life.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We are in good health (although a little older and hopefully wiser) with more than enough to do. Our to do list is pretty much self-inflicted doing the things we like. This year, it was good to be out from under as many Covid restrictions. We got to hitch up the RV to hit the road after a summer off. Still being on the cautious side, we spent our time exploring close to home. Our revised travel plans took us beyond South Carolina to North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The plan was to spend a week on the road then be home for a week providing a nice balance to our lives.

Today, life is good for us. We are not missing the Michigan snow and cold weather. Most winter days here in the Upstate area the sun shines and the temps average around 50 during the day. Getting snow for a couple days in January or February works for us. No snow shovels required. Spring and fall are the best times here. Summers are easy although they can be on the hot side during the day. The mountain are minutes away an easy escape to cooler temperatures. This summer got our hands dirty with a bit of gardening. Keeping track of the three new horses provides us with plenty of entertainment. Plus, there is always one more photo to take…

Looking for snow pictures had to go back to last February

Love our little garden. Our travel schedule was built around keeping track of everything green plus fending off our four-legged friends! This fall we had a repeat performance providing even more goodies.

These three friends next door keep our interest. Our deck is a great spot for viewing all that goes in in the pasture.

These guys are always on the run. It seems they are playing or maybe a bit on the competitive side.

You can learn a lot living next door to horses. Never knew they slept standing up. They stand perfectly still for long periods of time. The newest addition (on the right) is a Haflinger, a laidback workhorse..

Close up of a garden visitor. These Swallowtails are attracted by our Zinnas and ultimately parsley as their lifecycle plays out in the chrysalis stage.

This rainbow came late in the summer and in the north.

It was good to get the RV prepped and road worthy. There are so many wonderful sites in this part of the South. The summer schedule was built around our stays at State or National Parks. Being on the road making new friends is an important part of our life. There were so many pictures taken over the summer. It was hard to chose which ones to share with all of you.

Packed, ready to hit the road. The plan to explore the surrounding States takes the right gear. Kayaks, bikes along with good hiking shoes are key to successful exploration.

What could be better than a bit of history with some character.

A stop at the zoo is always worthwhile. Enjoying a beautiful summer day in Columbia.

These feisty feathered friends were both loud and colorful.

Stopped here 50 years ago, also with a RV in tow.

The Foxfire campus is an Appalachian treasure. This heritage center is dedicated to preserving and documenting the unique lifestyle. Plan a stop if you like history and learning about the arts and crafts from the past. The old church is a very photogenic.

The Etowah Indian Mounds caught our interest. Great job on curating. Using your imagination, you can visualize life here a thousand years ago.

Liked this photo, a lot going on! Chattanooga and the Tennessee River never disappoints. It is easy to spend a day on the extensive river walk.

Caught this young lady deep in thought…Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Beautiful spring day in the Smoky Mountain National Park! Sunshine and warm weather, what could be nicer…

Peaceful scene in the mountains of Georgia. Quiet time stop on an early morning hike.

Blue Ridge Highway has amazing vistas.

What do you think of this shot taken somewhere in North Carolina? The dead tree caught my interest.

Found the stone fence supports eye catching. My take is they have survived the test of time. This trail took us to even greater views.

This is the “great” view. The Georgia Cloudland State Park exceeded our expectations. Plan a return trip next year.

Idyllic setting…

This trail goes under the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is actually the beginning of a five mile to the top of the mountain

These two are enjoying life by taking time to take in the commanding view.

This scene could be picture for a jigsaw puzzle.

Another mountain view that demanded a stop and look. The clouds being the attention getter.

Never get tired of these sunset pictures.

It seems like waterfalls are a magnet for us…so many falls, so little time. More photos to follow:

Love this river in the Smoky Mountain National Park… Perfect place to set up a tent.

Rainbow Falls at the Jones Gap State Park is a new favorite. Bit of climb to get here but well worth it.

Spring brings more impressive waterfalls.

Nice place to stop to enjoy the scenery.

The big drop adds to the drama here…

Had to work to get this shot…

Mark and Kevin met us in North Carolina for a few days. Good to catch up with them after Covid.

Mark and Kevin catch us on the road… Managed a couple of hikes to enjoy our time together.

Stopping to take pictures along the trail come easily.

Our last four trips were cancelled with a time out for some back physical therapy. This gave us time to stay close to home catching some fall color.

To start fall, out travels took us to Missouri. The color is just starting to pop.

Here is a fall shot along the Ocoee River which is part of the TVA project.

Strong fall color found along a trail somewhere this fall…

The Maple Trees along our driveway doing their fall thing! Love Fall in the South Carolina foothills.

Our plan for the holidays is to hang out around home. Hopefully there will be a visitor or two from the North.

Dressed for the holidays…first time for a suit in two years.

The decorations are hung…

Each of our trips are each documented in the following eight post. Feel free to check them out to follow our adventures. Use the travel link on the right.

Happy Holiday,

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Number 8 – Blowing Rock North Carolina

Here we are starting trip eight of twelve. This summer is on fast forward. The schedule of out one week then home the next is keeping us busy. After a week at home, we are always ready to hit the road. This schedule has been good for the garden and keeping the yard mowed.

For trip eight we head to North Carolina, again staying in a campground along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The campground is Julian Price Memorial Park near Boone and Blowing Rock North Carolina. This will be a first time visit to this area.

Splendid scenery from the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

The Julian Price Memorial Park has a lot going for it. Nice access to trails, fun lake, and a comfortable campground. Once we get set up the RV routine falls into place. Again, we brought the kayaks, but they never got off the truck.

Julian Price Memorial Park has lots of recreational offerings. Great campground too!

Calm and peaceful morning along the lakeside trail…

The best part of this trip, Mark and Kevin joining us from the Hudson Valley in New York. After the two years of Covid it was great to catch up with family again. Lots of road time for them. Our time together was rewarding hiking, sharing good food, and just catching up.

Fun side of RVing…cooking outdoors.

Mark and Kevin join us for a plant-based lunch. Yes, they are still smiling.

The Park has a nice hiking trail around the lake. A good time was had by all…

Mark and Kevin joined us for a North Carolina mountain hike.

On the trail…

Sun shining through the trees added highlights to this river crossing photo.

Tree roots added interest to hiking this trail around the lake.

Another face along the trail, can you see it? I think my imagination may be working overtime.

The Moses Cone Estate was an unexpected find. This is an early 20th century estate. This was the summer home for Moses and Bertha Cone and is now part Historic Park Service. The estate has miles of carriage trails for hiking, running, or just enjoying the long-range mountain views. When we were there the main house was undergoing major repairs. Our trail of choice was to the top of the mountain where there is a tower to climb to get a 360 view.

Tunnel under the Blue Ridge Pwky on a Moses Cone Estate trail.

Had to stop to take in this view along the trail.

Carriage trail inclines are comfortable. The old fences along the trail are fun!

As we reached the top the question becomes, where is the rain gear.

Took a quick side trip to check out the original Mast General Store. The Mast stores are found in Georgia, North and South Carolina.

Mast General Store a southern shopping tradition. It all started here in Sugar Grove, North Carolina.

Mast General Store…

An old Ferguson tractor brings back memories from farm days. Mast displays take you back in time.

Blowing Rock has a vibrant downtown. We found that it is a great destination with plans to return. Good shopping, good food and plenty of places of interest. Found an enjoyable micro-brewery to end our time here.

Blowing Rock North Carolina is a popular tourist stop.

Downtown has a lot going for it…

Walk along Main Street with a stop at the library.

Group Hug!

This trip is coming to an end. One last photo to remember our time spent here!

Looking forward to coming back. There is still a lot to do plus it is just beautiful country.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Number 7 – Black Rock Mountain State Park Georgia

Black Rock Mountain State Park Georgia

This is a return visit to the Black Rock Mountain State Park. After moving to the Carolinas this was one of our first southern adventures. It drew our attention as this part of Georgia is known for its recreational opportunities and mountain vistas. Although the campground is older with smaller RV sites, we found one available that would fit. The Park is just 50 miles from our home making it an easy trip, although the winding mountain highway does take some extra time.

Great RV spot. It was hard to find one that fit our rig.

Checked out several of the hiking trails. The various mountain trails gave us a chance to climb a bit, take in some good views, and bring home some memories on the camera. There is a small lake with an easy hiking trail. This will be a good place to catch some fall color. As usual we dodged the afternoon rain drops.

Took advantage of the several hiking trails.

Outstanding view from the trail…

On the trail in the afternoon means dealing with a mountain thunder storm.

Even along the sidewalk you can find nature

Great day to be out with a camera and hiking poles.

Great trail to stop and enjoy the view.

The foreground, background and clouds makes this nice photo.

One of the campground trails takes you around the lake.

From the lake trail…you should see what is on the other side of the dam

It is short mountain drive across the state line to Highlands, NC. I did a blog post years ago after a visit. Highlands has a vibrant downtown. After checking things out we found a great place to eat. Last time we checked out the surrounding waterfalls. There are four of them within easy reach. We had heard good things about a Micro-brewery in Clayton. Had to check it out on the way back to the campground.

Highlands, North Carolina has a fun downtown…

Lots of city sponsored flower displays

Great old buildings in Highlands…check them out for yourself!

Found a new favorite microbrewery on this trip in Clayton.

Have you heard of the Foxfire Center? We remember their books from the sixties and seventies. A local school back in the sixties started an effort to document and preserve the mountain heritage. This led to a magazine and books. The royalties provided funding to start the center. We found the center interesting, educational, and entertaining being from the north.

There are now 22 buildings. There is also an impressive paper archive plus the audio, and video recordings. The center provides heritage skill classes that look interesting. The blacksmithing and carving classes caught my interest. Jan was drawn to music, making brooms and weaving. Looks like we will be back soon.

The Foxfire Center dedicated to preserving the mountain heritage

The displays in the buildings are well done.

A team of artists keep the mountain arts alive with classes and in person demos.

Creative and colorful displays…

Mountain toys!

Impressive…

Mountain folks are proud and self-sufficient

This display was curated as a typical kitchen during world War II

The buildings are well maintained. The downloadable app added to the walking tour. The mountain lifestyle comes clearly into view by the end.

Most of the buildings are original to the area and were moved to the center

Fun stilts available to the brave and coordinated.

This building is a replicate built by the alumni and students of the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School

Working blacksmith shop is a favorite stop for many

The grist mill was moved here…great old building

The Bell Grist Mill lives on…

The second floor of the grist mill…interesting pieces and parts

The Beck Barn

When hiking at Firefox wear your hiking boots

This was a nice adventure. Really enjoyed the time spent here. This area has a lot going for it. Now back home to “real” life for a week.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Number 6 – Red Top Mountain State Park Georgia

Red Top Mountain State Park with Kayaks and Bikes in tow.

The first week of July we head off to Georgia again. This is trip number six, mid-way for the summer planned adventures. Looking toward to this trip to take advantage of the large lake and biking trails. Red Top gets its name from the red soil caused by high iron-ore content.

This Park was a different experience. Being close to Atlanta, the larger crowds took a bit to get use to. Again, the ailing back got in the way plus there was a lot of rain to work around. The Park itself has some outstanding sites for both tents and RVs. The Park is undergoing a major update with lots of construction all around. On the positive side, with all the rain the park landscape was lush. There were a lot of deer around to keep us company.

The refrain of this trip was rain and a grouchy back.

This is a great park. Plenty of space between sites. With all the rain, everything is lush.

The forest floor is impressive

At least there were two of us up for a morning walk…

This young guy tagged along too!

The Park trails are old forest roads, level and easy to hike. We enjoyed the hiking taking in the landscape and the views of the lake.

Managed a seven mile hike through the woods.

Flat trail, the greenery was went on forever…

Found cairns all along the trail. Someone has a sense of humor.

No long views but plenty of interesting attractions along the way.

No flowers along the trail today. These mushrooms caught my eyes.


\

A local site of interest is the historic Etowah Indian Mounds which we wanted to check out. It is a State of Georgia Historic site. We found the museum and the grounds were both educational and interesting. There is an excellent video plus the walking tour is well documented and curated. Came away with a clearer understanding of life around 1000 A.D. Our visit ended with a nice walk on the riverside hiking trail.

Etowah Indian museum and mounds caught our attention.

This site was home to several thousand Native Americans from 1000 A.D. to 1550 A.D.

Replica of dwellings used by the Native Americans

Native Grasses under cultivation sponsored by the State of Georgia.

The grounds here are well maintain with access to six earthen mounds

The mounds were home for tribal leaders

Easy access via the stairs…

After exploring the mounds found a river walk

Along the river walk

Nice river walk…well done!

Next, we headed to the Pickett’s Mill Battlefield. This military historic site is described as one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields. The visit was interrupted by a major thunderstorm forcing us to head back to the safety of the RV. This site is on the list for next time as our time here came to an end.

The Pickett’s Mill Battlefield recommend as a historic must do!

The summer marches on. Back home and ready for the next trip!

Back home unpacking and getting ready for the next trip

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Trip 5 – Cloudland Canyon State Park Georgia

Cloudland Canyon State Park near Chattanooga Tennessee

For the 5th trip this summer, we head to Cloudland Canyon State Park in Northeast Georgia. This Park offers a wide variety of hiking opportunities and is within easy striking of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The reviews for this park and this part of the state gets high marks.

The start of our stay was quite rainy. In between the rain drops we found terrific views. Wide range of trails easy, moderate to challenging. The views along the rim trails are outstanding. There is an impressive falls on the canyon floor. Getting down was easy. Took a lot more effort to get back up.

Our arrival was rainy with plenty of low flying clouds

On a clear day you can see forever…

Impressive canyon trails. Prominent fencing with unique stone posts.

Easy hike to this scenic view just outside the campground.

The clouds added interest to this view

These stairs have withstood the test of time.

Lots of stairs to work your way down to the floor of the canyon

This bridge leads to the other side of the rim where the trail continues.

Takes a bit of work to get to this falls but worth it!

Always looking for that “interesting” friend along the trail. I think this fellow looks like an Eagle?

Guardian for anyone entering the campground

Then there was the side trip to Chattanooga. The city has done a great job with the Riverfront. The Riverwalk is extensive and well done. Checking it out was both fun and rewarding. The City Aquarium is outstanding then there is the Hunter Museum of America. The art along the trail kept us entertained. There is a pedestrian bridge making it easy to check out both side of the river. So many good places to have lunch, it was hard to decide.

Downtown Chattooga has a lot to offer

This is the other side of the impressive aquarium

The Hunter Museum of American Art is very impressive. This couple is celebrating the pile of money they are sitting on. The creator leaves it open as to where it came from?

There are eye catching and imaginative sculptures along this very pleasurable Tennessee River Trail.

This guy is keeping track of downtown Chattanooga.

A wheel chair friendly way to access the riverfront trail.

The Walnut Street pedestrian bridge is an asset to downtown Chattanooga. We crossed this bridge twice. The first time for fun and the second to get to the restaurant of choice on the other side.

The Walnut Bridge view that caught my eye.

This park has lots to offer. Fun stop for sure.

On our way to Florida in 1971, we stopped at Lookout Mountain. We repeated the Lookout Mountain Parkway drive, looking forward to its commanding views. One of our stops was Point Military Park where we had visited in 1971. Unexpectedly, it brought back a flood of memories. Life for us is certainly different for us now as we edge our way through our seventies. The military park is a historic treasure along with the impressive overlook of the city and river.

The Lookout Parkway has so many eye catching views.

Lookout Mountain Parkway a must do drive. Along the way we took in the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park at Point Park.

The park is well kept plus more importantly tells a rich historic story at a key point in time.

Jan and I were here in 1971 on our way to Florida…wow, was that 50 years ago!

The park has a commanding view of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River

Jan caught me taking one last look before we had to leave.

Jan and I really enjoyed the time here. There is a lot to do at the Cloudland Canyon State Park and in Chattanooga. The plan is to return soon. Now our thoughts turn to our next trip to Red Top Mountain in north Georgia.

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Number 4 – Mount Pisgah North Carolina

Here we are kicking off trip four. As summer approaches, we head to the mountains for cooler weather and less humidity. Travelling in North Carolina we have repeatedly heard you have to check out the Pisgah Mountain area. Here we are with a long list of recommendations of hikes and sites to experience in only four days. The selected campground was on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Great location for our stay. As expected, the mountain weather tends to be wet.

Here are some fun views. These are easy to find along the Parkway.

Great view along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Impressive long view.

The clouds add interest to this Blue Ridge Parkway scene.

Blue Ridge Parkway views are great when the sun shines creating interesting shadows.

Being June there were lots of flowers. The displays were spectacular. Here are some shots I picked to share. We toured the area in the car and on foot. Lots of photo opportunities. If you have not been here, it is worth the trip.

The Rhododendron’s come into full bloom in June.

June flowers are impressive, nice close up photo.

Interesting!

In June the Mountain Laurel is still in bloom.

In the Pisgah Mountains plenty to see…

Easy access to this impressive waterfalls.

I thought this looked like an alligator. Jan thought it was a stretch. What do you think?

A surprise find was the Cradle of Forestry in America, a historic forestry school. The school came about from an arrangement between George Vanderbilt, the Biltmore Estate and Carl Schenck. Schenck was engaged to manage the reforesting of the estate that had been logged. Today the school is credited as the start of professional forestry management in America. Recommend this as a worthwhile and educational stop.

Impressed with the Cradle of Forestry. It is credited as the birthplace for forestry management.

The school was created by George and Edith Vanderbilt to support the development of the 87,000 acres of the Biltmore Estate.

The buildings are original or re-creation of the originals. The site was created by a very supportive alumni support group. This building served as a store for a period of time.

There were so many interesting buildings. Loved the look and feel of this residence.

The interiors were well stage for the period.

Many of the buildings had a German look and feel.

This was the office.

The detail on his house was fun.

The food was prepared and served by the wives of the support staff. This could be a look at an early cafeteria?

You can think of this as an early laundromat. This is the spot where students did their laundry.

The trails here are easy.

Trails here have plenty of interest. I am easily taken when there is rail fence and have a camera in hand.

Rail played a big role here back in the day…

Well preserved steam logging crane.

Rail Logging cars was an easy photo opt. Messed up the shot of the locomotive.

The saw mill was a mechanical wonder. Lots of lumber was made here.

For our last day we decided to change things up. The day was spent checking out Asheville. It started by taking advantage of the history-based walking tour. The tour was educational, found a great vegan restaurant and ended up with refreshments at a fun micro-brewery. It was good to get out the hiking boots for the day!

Asheville has several microbreweries. Here is the choice for this stop. Good stop!

The Basilica of St Lawrence was the final stop on our Asheville walking tour. Impressive! You need to see the inside.

Loved the Pisgah Mountains. The plan is to come back soon.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2021 Number 3 – Table Rock State Park

Our summer adventures continue with a trip close to home to Table Rock State Park. The objective to do serious hiking climbing the trail to the top of Table Rock. This is our second stay at this park. This will be the second time that an ailing back put a damper on the main goal. Not all was lost as there are plenty of outstanding trails here and the surrounding area that are more moderate. Plus, this is a beautiful state park with plenty of photo opts.

Table Rock State Park – Close to home with plenty of things to do

The infamous Table Rock Mountain, a challenge for hikers

Early May is a great time to visit this park in the South Carolina mountains

The set up got interesting right away. A visit from Mr. Bear got our attention for sure.

We just got set up when we had this visitor.

This guy came over for lunch so we thought it best to leave… However, I still got off one last shot.

This Park has a major trail head for local and regional trails. Took advantage by doing a nice hike around the lake as well as along the mountain streams. Lots of spring flowers this time of the year.

The goal for this visit, climb the mountain and take advantage of the many trails.

Caught this colorful scene on a walk around the lake.

Stopped to enjoy the view

The question is how tall is this mountain anyway.

The park was originally a CCC project. The lodge has that CCC look and feel. Still in use today.

Very different constructed dam, looks like another CCC project.

Interesting small cascade on a backcountry hike.

Caught this photo on a nice hike along the creek.

Could not resist this shot…

Caught this cool picture through the trees along the river…

Spring in the mountains, lots to see.

The Mountain-Laurel an awesome spring display.

Simple spring flower.

Lots of yellow flowers here…

This shot withstood the cut from many photos.

I have always liked Moonflowers.

Took a trip up the Mountain to North Carolina. Curious stop at Bald Mountain. Ended up at Brevard. This is a favorite town of ours. If we had it to do over again this may have been home.

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve near Caesars Head State Park. Graffiti at its “best”.

Bald Mountain view.

Solomon’s Seal a very interesting plant…

Took time out to visit Brevard, North Carolina to catch up with the white squirrel.

Jan and Mr. White Squirrel.

Jones Gap State Park is a sister to Table Rock. This is a very popular park. On the week ends you to have reservations to get in. The main trail is to Rainbow Falls. After our visit this hike and falls are now in our top 10 favorite. The hike is over seven miles in and out with a 1,200 Ft climb. This is a hike we will repeat for sure. The Park headquarters was a CCC project.

050.010

Another CCC project, Jones Gap State Park

Jones Gap hike to Rainbow falls, the beginning.

The Rainbow Falls Trail crossed the creek several times.

This trail has a little of everything…here are the structured stairs.

This trail was harder the higher we went.

Just had to capture his scene. Setting and lighting good.

More trail and creek photos…

Rainbow falls, worth the climb. The rock scramble here was an unexpected treat.

If you are up to a nice hike, this falls is worth the effort.

This ended up being a great trip. Getting ready for the next one to the North Carolina Pisgah Mountains.

God bless,

Larry and Jan