Summer Travels 2019 – National Park Tour – Part Three

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Greetings from Larry and Jan. We are back in South Carolina after an enjoyable summer adventure. Finding time on the trip for the blog post is a challenge so this post is not as timely as I would like. Finding the balance between getting out on the trail and sitting behind the computer screen is a push, pull effort, well at least for me. This is the third post for our National Park Tour – 2019 covering the last four NPs. FYI, there will be two more posts. The fourth post will be the time spent with the Snyder Clan in Michigan then finishing the blog posts with our time in Michigan back to South Carolina.

This phase of the summer ended up being a wind down as we worked our way towards the mid-west. These parks were not as dramatic as those earlier in the south and west, although we found them interesting in their own rite.

After leaving the Nevada and Utah desert we headed to Hot Springs, South Dakota to the Wind Cave National Park. The main attraction is the cave. The bad news was the cave was closed due to a broken elevator and would not reopen for several weeks. However, we were able to regroup and find plenty to do. The park is not just about the cave. The setting is great plus lots of diverse wildlife. If you are looking for prairie dogs and bison this is a good stop for you. The park is close to the Custer State Park and Mt Rushmore which were nice side trips.

Wind Cave National Park – Sadly the elevator was broken

Getting to Wind Cave was half the fun. Fun stop along the way in South Dakota. Love the West!

Hot Springs, South Dakota the home of Wind Cave National Park

Had plenty of time to tour the countryside plus found interesting hikes.

The Wind Cave Park Service proud of the pure Bison gene pool. Yes, they can be found everywhere.

This stop confirmed there is still a large number of Prairie Dogs in South Dakota.

Although no big mountains to climb at Wind Cave, found some nice hiking trails to explore.

Nice stop along the trail. This country has a charm all of its own.

Looking north to the Badlands…

…also found some nice drives. Fun country!

Took a nice drive through the South Dakota Custer State Park ending up in the Badlands.

Passed by Mt Rushmore without stopping…

Rained the last day, produced a fun rainbow!

Our next move was north to North Dakota, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The heart of this park is the Little Missouri River and the Badlands setting. This park also has a lot of bison. Nice trails along the river plus the Badlands are just fun to experience.

Onward to North Dakota, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park

…more bison at Theodore Roosevelt.

This area is the Little Missouri River Badlands. This it in the south unit.

South Unit Bad Lands.

Nice South Unit Drive, not many places to hike.

The North Unit is a 80 mile drive from the South. Cool day trip to the Nouth Unit. Just over a 80 miles one-way.

The North is just a little different.

The North Unit still has that “Bad Lands” look.

Found this guy on a short hike. Thought he had an interesting expression.

On the way back, just outside of Medora found many fields of sunflowers. Of course it took several shots to get just that “right one”.

Moving from the Badlands, the next stop was International Falls, Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park. This park is all about the water and the historic waterway made famous by the French-Canadian Voyageurs. The park’s history is grounded in the era of fur trading in the 1700s between the Ojibwe Indians, the traders and filling the demand of the European markets. The Voyageurs were the transporters of their day. Lots of lore that made this an interesting and educational stop. Today this area supports a large sports fishing effort plus there is a strong environmental focus on the ecosystem. At this point we wished we had brought the kayaks. It was fun to poke around International Falls which reminded us of cities we had visited north of the border.

Moving north to Voyageurs National Park at International Falls, Minnesota.

No hiking here but lots of water. Over 200,000 acres to explore by boat.

Rainy Lake…got very wet on our tour plus had to duck a bit of lighting!

Fishing camp of the past. No more commercial fishing here.

Had fun checking out International Falls. Even got to meet Smokey the Bear.

…more rain! The upside another rainbow.

Our future travel plans include spending time along the Mississippi River. On the way back south, we stopped at Sandy Lake, a Corps of Engineers park at the head waters of the Mississippi. Stay tuned as we take on that adventure in the next year or two. Again, we wished we had the kayaks and a fishing rod.

Just had to check out Sandy Lake. Head water for the Mississippi.

Interesting area…lots of wildlife and plenty of fishermen.

The final national park was Cuyahoga Valley. Our RV site was near Akron. Over the years had been by this park many times and did not know it existed. The park is centered around the canal between Cleveland and Akron opened in 1827. The park has over 125 miles of trails for hiking and biking. The park includes the Cuyahoga and Crooked Rivers. Here we hit the trails but wished we had our bikes to take full advantage of the canal tow path. Lots of history to check out. The plan is to go back and make this a destination stop.

Last National Park on this tour – Cuyahoga Valley National Park…between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.

Stayed at a RV park in Akron, the Nimisila Reservoir Metro Park.

Early morning shot at Nimisila with ducks in the background and a slight feel of fall in the air…

Cuyahoga Hiking Trail follows the canal and the river.

Brandywine Falls an awesome view along the trail.

Ended our time here along the Cuyahoga Gorge Rim Trail.

The rest of the trip was more about visiting with friends and family. Made a stop at Traverse City to see if we could go back home again. The next posting coming very shortly.

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travels 2019 – National Park Tour – Part Two

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The 2019 summer tour of the national parks continues. Leg two of the trip is now past history. This section tended to be off the grid resulting in a mismatch of internet access and time available. In trying to figure out what to call this leg the lowest common denominator seemed to be the desert, most of it in the high desert. The stops along the road were the national parks of the Grand Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Grand Canyon-north rim, and the Great Basin. Utah state parks also called us to Dead Horse and the Escalante Petrified Forest which included time at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This leg was just short of three weeks.

Once we got past the generator side trip, things have gone fairly well. Well, except for the encounter of a rock with the under carriage of the RV. That is a story for another time. The weather has been really good except hitting the Grand Canyon at the monsoon season. Although the daily routine quite often does require working around the midday heat.

The first stop was the Grand Sand Dune. The area is unique in that it maintains itself with wind and water. It was created by nature from grains and pebbles from nearby mountains. It has kept its overall presence for hundreds of years. Lots to do here climbing/hiking the dunes and climbing nearby mountains plus just playing in the water which is relaxing. Normally the water in the creek would be gone by this time but this year there has been plenty of rain.

Great Sand Dues National Park and Preserve South Dakota

Great Sand Dune and the Medano Creek

Medano Creek the ripples are actually a type of wave action. Great place for family with children.

Great Sand Dunes is self contained. It continually rebuilds itself. Very cool!

Very early morning hike at the top of the first ridge. Still a couple of miles left to get to the peak.

Early morning hike and was able to catch the sunrise. The Medano Creek at the base of the mountains.

The next stop was the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Really did not know what to expect here. The gorge cut by the Gunnison is dramatic. It is so deep and steep it is hard to see the bottom. The striated painted wall cliffs are impressive. There are rim hikes as it is not very practical to hike down. Great place to visit and take pictures, not a lot of hiking for us.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Very different experience with great views.

Coming into the park set the stage for leaving the desert and climbing the mountains.

Jan stopping to enjoy the view as we climbed higher.

The canyons are deep, steep and narrow. Hard to find an angle to get a good photo. The Gunninson is way down there…

Canyon view…best in person.

Gunnison River up close. The drive down into the canyon was steep. Very good test of the exhaust brakes on the truck.

Last time we were in Utah we fell in love with Moab and the Dead Horse Point State Park. It looks like a smaller Grand Canyon which it makes easier to hike and get good photo shots. It is a favorite place for photographers to get outstanding sunrise and sunset pictures. At the bottom is the Colorado River which you will see again, once we get to the Grand Canyon. The park gets its name from The Legend of Dead Horse Point. There is an area in the canyon called the neck where the cowboys of old would herd wild horses to pick the best. The story goes once they left the remaining herd behind in the corral where they perished within a few feet of the river. They also mine Potash here which is pumped into pools, dried and they used for fertilizer. Yes, we plan to come here again.

Dead Horse – Utah State Park near Moab…repeat visit…this is surely a favored stop.

Colorado River is impressive…

The potash ponds stand out in the canyon. Not sure it adds to the view. However, the color makes for a great picture.

West rim view. The detail is amazing.

Jan hiking on the east rim.

Lots of interesting formations. Yes, I took a lot of photos and was hard to pick just one.

Looking from the rim trail you can see we are in the desert.

This guy joined me while I was waiting for the sun to come up. Lots of Ravens around to make life interesting. They will pick up anything glittery.

Dead Horse is a great spot for sunrises. This is day one.

Sunrise day two.

Sunrise day three.

Sunset from the campground. It rained almost every evening and this day was no exception.

Last time we visited Utah there was not enough time to catch the Grand Staircase-Escalante area. This is diverse and colorful area as you will see from the photos. The landscape puts on a show all by itself. The layers and the colors never stop. There are many slot canyons which are fun to explore and experience. We did a lot of hiking and driving. At the end we wished we had one more day!

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Known for the colorful layers in the mountains and cliffs. Another great adventure in Utah.

Grand Staircase mountains…

Long view from the top.

The Grand Staircase is known for its slot canyons and red rock. Nature here at its best.

Great hikes, just fun to be on the trails. Note the different rock on each side of the canyon.

This drive from Escalante to Canyonland is highly recommended. Loved the views being between the canyons.

The Calf Creek trail has impressive views. There were a large number of folks also enjoying this hike.

The layered rocks, the different colors makes for an interesting experience.

Calf Creek Falls the reward at the end of the trail. This is listed as the highest falls in Utah.

Cool shot with trees in the foreground. The Utah red rock is dominate however.

In this shot the sky is a nice backdrop for the different color rocks. The Grand Staircase at its best!

A destination side trip is Devil’s Garden. However getting there was 30 plus miles on a very rustic road which was an adventure in its own rite.

This is a small representation of Devil’s Garden. It was a truly unexpected experience. Reminded us of Bryce Canyon just down the road a 100 miles.

Great shot. Had a fun time there even with the temps pushing 100.

We sited the RV at the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. This park actually had a lot of Petrified Wood more than we have seen at previous stops over the years. Unpredictably, we spent some time exploring the park and trails. There was an easy /lower trail which was curated and very fascinating. The higher section was more aggressive, more interesting and not well marked. Yes, I got lost on one of those early morning hikes. Mainly because, I was more interested in what was along the trail instead of focusing on where I was going. However, I did find my way back, eventually.

The base camp for the stop in Escalante was the Petrified Forest State Park. An unexpected experience. Actually there was a lot of Petrified wood everywhere.

The park had a small lake and a very large dam. Walking the dam you could see where the main road use to go. For some reason this scene caught my eye telling a story of days gone-by.

The petrified wood here is very colorful. This piece along the trail and standing the test of time.

The petrified trail in the state park was brutal. Was an early morning walk getting into a little more than I bargained for. Note the large pieces of petrified wood along the trail.

The Grand Canyon-North Rim was out of the way for this trip. After doing the South Rim a few years back it just seemed like we should do it. The word on the street was it is not as busy. The footprint seemed smaller. In the four days that we were there we did all the trails we wanted and saw many great sights/views. The weather did get in our way but never stopped us for a full day. Good experience and yes, we could go back if the opportunity ever presented itself.

The north rim of the Grand Canyon has been calling us. It is hard to get to so this time it was a destination.

The lodge at the park. Great place to hang out. Being there in the monsoon season gave us plenty of time to check it out. Here is a shot from the last day when finally there was sunshine.

The trail to Bright Angel Point. Great day for a hike. Earlier in our trip we did this walk with rain coats.

This point is called angels window.

Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. Can you find where it goes?

It is a long hike to the bottom. At least a two day hike down and back.

Grand Canyon

More Grand Canyon views. Note all the haze from local fires and smog from the West.

Grand Canyon, still hard to see the Colorado River.

View from one of the rim trails. We did several during our stay. Great experience!

Set the timer on the camera for this shot. You can surely tell this was over posed!

The final stop for this leg was the Great Basin National Park in Baker, Nevada. You have to want to go there as you need get through the desert if you come from the south. The high elevation worked ok but glad we had got to practice breathing thin air before we got here. It was very hot during our time here. The park also has the Lehman Caves which are unique in their own rite. The hikes were challenging and rewarding. The remoteness for this park was a bit scary. The pictures tell the story of our stay which was fun, interesting and educational.

Next stop was the Great Basin National Park in Nevada.

Lots of desert to get to this park. Drove all day and ended up in Baker which has a population of 68.

Finally the desert gives way to the mountains.

Great mountain setting, very high, a self-contained basin in a somewhat narrow area in Nevada and California. Any rain that falls here stays here. It is a sagebrush desert with very interesting shallow salt lakes, marshes, and mud flats.

A surprise was Lehman Caves. Actually most of the visitors came for this experience.

Lehman Cave – very different, has lots of history and was a much different experience than Carlsbad earlier in the trip.

More cave pics…

A large area dedicated to the Bristlecone Pine trees. The oldest living trees dating back over 2,000 to 3,000 years or more. This tree just refuses to die adapting to adversity successfully.

Bristlecone Pine Grove

Another fun hike here to 13,000 feet to the Wheeler Glacier. It is getting smaller over time. Still a nice experience to get away from the 100 degree temps at the bottom of the mountain.

Jan on the glacier, getting ready to head back down.

Teresa Lake has great color plus a fun stop heading back down the mountain.

Stella Lake a second stop on the trail. There are fish here but none in Teresa Lake. Still above 12,000 feet.

This creek was below the lakes. It was a tranquil natural park like setting. Note the Wild Primroses along the creek. Nice way to end the hike.

This completes this section for the trip. Next time there will be more national parks, four to be exact. The last post will be our time with family and friends as we get back to Michigan and the Midwest. This trip has gone so fast. It is hard to grasp that the trip is already 50% over. Really enjoying seeing the country and meeting new people. Home is still a long way off and is not calling us back.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2019 – National Park Tour – Part One

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The check list is done, ready to hit the road again. Trip title National Park Tour – 2019.

We are packed and ready to take on another summer road trip. This adventure is titled the National Park Tour. There are 61 National Parks and to date we have hit 36. This trip will hit 9 more with repeat stops at Hot Springs and Grand Canyon plus two National Lake Shore Parks both in Michigan. Planning has already started to take on the other 16.

The actually planning for this trip started in January with the majority of the reservations in place by the end of March. For this trip, the plan is to shorten the average of the daily drives and stop and smell the roses more. This translates to 78 days on the road, leaving June 30 and getting back home mid-September. Beside the parks, there are other planned stops to meet up with friends and family along the way.

This first blog post ends with us leaving New Mexico and moving to Colorado at the end of 18 days. There has been limited internet access so getting this first blog update has been a challenge.

Our first stop is the David Crockett State Park in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Pleasant first two nights out where we ironed out the packing issues plus we were able to get in a little hiking and of course a great place to use the camera. The plan is to come back in the future and spend more time.

Caption id=”attachment_4072″ align=”aligncenter” width=”1500″] First two nights in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee at the David Crockett State Park.[/caption]

The Crockett State Park has awesome stone work the result of the CCC. The umbrella adds some color.

Behind the rock wall and along the hiking trail is the Shoal Creek. This is the view from the back of the RV site.

The Shoal Creek Falls not large but worthy of a blog photo.

The next stop is Hot Springs National Park. On the way by we caught the Shiloh Military Park. Educational stop and learned more about the Civil War period. This was a timely stop as we have just finished the Ken Burns Documentary on the Civil War.

Shiloh National Military Park was a nice mid-morning stop. Met a man from California whose Great-Grandfather fought in the battle at Shiloh.

For Larry, Hot Springs is a welcome destination. Taking in the what the spas have to offer has been on the list since the last visit. We toured the old bath houses, did some shopping and hiked as many of the trails as time would allow. The park service has done a good job preserving the history. We enjoyed coming back.

Hot Springs National Park called us back.

Enjoyed a stop at Buckstaff Baths now run by the National Park Service. Soaking in the hot water and Massage was an early trip luxury. The facility dates back to the Hot Springs heyday for public spas.

Fun ceiling stained glass in the Park’s show place. Touring this historic building was a step back in time.

Main Street Hot Springs is exceedingly well kept with a large selection for shopping and eating. This shot just past Bathhouse Row.

The Promenade – This was in response to what they did at the European Spas. It was a work in progress to the 50s. Enjoyable place to walk and relax today, a far cry from the fashion era of the past.

The water coming out of the hot springs is 140 degrees. Over time this environment makes for photo opportunity. The bright green catches your eye.

The Gulpha Gorge Campground sites are on a first come basis. It worked for us to snag a river site which had a great green space. This made the stay super fun!

During the bathhouse era there was a wellness craze. Lots of exercise trails with doctor’s names from that period. We hiked as many as we could and some everyday. Climbing Hot Springs Mountain took some effort.

One nice thing to do in Hot Springs is to tour the Garven Gardens done by the University of Arkansas. The site also has an impressive Chapel. Good experience.

An unexpected find was the Garven Woodland Biotanical Gardens by the University of Arkansas. We have toured many biotanical gardens over the years and this one is definitely in the top 10% in our book.

It is truly amazing what was done in this garden. Very creative with lots of surprises around every corner.

This setting looks likes it has always been here. Very tranquil for sure.

Is this natural or man made. It was hard to tell.

Fun tree house…would you believe it cost over two million dollars. It took some time to explore all the nooks and crannies.

Anthony Chapel at Garven Gardens. Truly awesome, I took a lot of pictures of this very unique building. Very popular for weddings.

The drive to the next stop was rather long so we broke it up into two stops. The first was at a Corps of Engineer Park near Hugo, Oklahoma. We explored the area the two days we were there. The next stop was an overnight in Haskell, Texas. It seems every town has a story to tell.

On the way we stopped at the Corps of Engineers Park -Klamichi near Hugo Oklahoma. The weather was great with super sunsets every night.

Haskell City Park has free overnight parking. Arrived early and toured the town. Found an antique store that had a classic books I had been searching for…

Haskell is proud of their history. The old Harvey Hotel on the Santa Fe rail line has been turned into a museum. It was closed the day we were there, disappointing.

The first National Park was Carlsbad Caverns. The New Mexico Brantley Lake State Park was the base camp for our three nights stay. Talk about rustic in the middle of a desert!

For the Carlsbad Cavern National Park adventure we state a New Mexico State Park – Brantley Lake. It is in the middle of the desert with a Corps of Engineer’s made lake. It was a very different experience.

The Brantley State Park had several hiking trails. All outlined with rocks. Found a new trail to experience everyday.

Brantley Lake Sunrise.

Brantley Lake sunset from our RV site…

Carlsbad Caverns National Park exceeded expectations. The park service has done a very nice job making the caves accessible and educational. This was a great adventure and highly recommend it if you get the chance.

First time stop at this National Park – Carlsbad Caverns.

Many switchbacks that descend the 750 FT to enter the cavern.

Taking photos in a cave was a new experience so bear with me.

So many interesting formations…it was hard to pick from the hundreds of shots.

This tour exceeded expectations!

Lets your imagination run wild…

Every stop was different. Learned a lot about the formations and how they grow over time.

Actually, this one was better in person. I really liked this space.

Tried to find a name for this one, what do you think it looks like?

After Carlsbad Caverns, the next park was Guadalupe Mountains National Park. A 70-mile drive from New Mexico to Texas. To enjoy this park, you need to get out on the trails. Again, we hiked as many as we could. Great experiences and great pictures. It was hot, over 100 almost every day. The strategy hike early and then find AC. By the end of our stay we were getting acclimated to the heat and anything under 90 was ok.

Second new National Park was Guadalupe Mountains.

Great trails at Guadalupe National Park. This was an easy one.

Many of the trails had great views plus the weather was very good. The strategy is to hike early before the 100 degree temps set in.

The Devil’s Hall hike is a must do. Although the trail sign has seen some abuse.

Much of the Devil’s Hall hike is in a wash. This translates to climbing over big rocks like this for several miles. Jan said uncle before the end. However, I made it…pictures to follow. Looks like fun, right?

Devil’s Hall, a reward at the end of a challenging climb.

This proves I was there. I found a fellow hiker to finish the hike.

This was just before the end of trail. It looked to me like stadium seating.

Another Guadalupe hike to a mountain lodge. This lodge was built in the 30s and used into the 60s. Note the slate roof. There is a barn and a building that housed the generator all built with the same materials. Very cool. Note Jan setting in the rocking chair on the porch.

Guadalupe has its El Capitan. Parting shot the day we left.

After Guadalupe the trip took us north to Santa Fe. In past travels we had spent two days in Santa Fe. It was a memorable experience. We decided to go back to experience the “real” Santa Fe by exploring off the beaten path.

The challenge here ended up being our two old generators both decided to take a time out. One was 20 years old and the other 12 so they had lived a good life and served us well. Since our travel plans included more desert stops and the repair turn around was weeks, we ordered new ones to be delivered along the way. Long story made short; this was a huge distraction that ended with us successfully waiting in a Home Depot parking lot anxiously watching for the UPS truck to make the delivery.

We return to Santa Fe once again. Fun city and enjoyed the return trip.

Lots of interesting area and little shops. Here Jan is checking out Donkey Alley.

Santa Fe color. Found this as we wandered the streets.

Found this market off the main drag.

Would you guess this the Santa Fe Art Museum?

Lots of churches to explore. Liked this one the best.

Another Harvey Hotel. This one is truly “Santa Fe”. It is still an operating hotel now called the La Fonda. The history has been preserved nicely.

We parked near the rail yard. Like this shot I took at the start of our city tour.

Santa Fe has very good craft beer breweries. This time the stop is at Second Street. Very good, I strongly recommend a stop.

The final stop on this leg of the journey was Taos, New Mexico. The trip up the mountain was very enjoyable. Taos had been on the list for a long time and we were never able to work it in. It is a fun place and we plan to return. Actually, we put it higher on the list than Santa Fe. The shopping, artistic climate and eclectic atmosphere calls us back. We decide we could almost live here.

Great ride from Santa Fe to Taos. This was our first trip up the mountain.

This view of Taos warranted a stop.

Jan loves the adobe look.

Blue Accent a Trade Mark in Taos

Plenty of little art shops like this. Yes, we used our credit card here!

One of the top things we told to do – check out the Rio Grande Bridge.

Here is the Rio Grande from a distance. The varied colors made this a worthwhile stop.

Our travel rule…never eat at a chain. This place was an excellent choice.

Taos not only does it have good art, it also has excellent beer. Had to sample it a couple of times.

This has been a good trip so far. The advanced planning is holding up and the weather has been excellent. It is good to be back on the road. Lots to come on this trip as we still have 60 more days.

Still trucking… This has been a great trip so far. More to come as we move into the mountains.

The next leg of this trip takes us into the mountains of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada. As I post this, we are just finishing the mountain phase of the trip. Hoping to find better internet to post the next update a little more timely.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Spring 2019

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Greetings to friends and family. Since we no longer live next door and family dynamics are ever changing, this blog attempts to reach out to keep the connections alive.

The holidays were good for us this year. It seemed too pass way to fast. Once we got past the holidays, we focused on house projects and travel. We have a master schedule to set the target and timeline for all of our projects as well as our planned weekly outings. Our retirement life feels as busy as when we had to go to work every day. Our goals along with an action plan are well in place for the next three years.

As the post comes together, we are thankful for good health and the ability to have an active retirement schedule. We cover a lot of ground and stay on the go. Although we do notice things do take longer now.

Celebrated the New Years and now time to pack up the Christmas Tree. Note the absence of winter snow!

The Upstate of South Carolina works for us. The four equal seasons give us windows to fulfill our interests and life-style. The setting and view out our windows are ever changing, fun and full of life.

Love spring in the South. It is April and already mowed the grass a few times.

Every morning Tummy comes into view. Great neighborhood friend for sure

This spring the stream of Goldfinches visiting us was unrelenting. They were stocking up before the migratory trip north.

After the first of the year we took on many projects inside and out. Our trees needed a lot of attention so we took on the project. Learned a lot from local landscapers and come to conclusion that next year we will seek professional assistance. Climbing ladders and falling branches takes expertise and plenty of muscle. Very visible, if you visit are the updated guest quarters. Bringing the Breakfast Room into the 21st century has been on the list since we moved in.

Love all the mature trees we have. However, they demand a certain amount of care to keep under control. Note all the new tools to make the job more efficient! One positive is we know the route to the Oconee County landfill. This picture taken mid-February and the temps were in the 70s. This routine is now an annual event.

Many house projects this spring. The big one taking on the breakfast room. This is the before picture.

Replacing the carpet with tile certainly had a learning curve. DIY project that almost turned in a career.

This is the after shot. What do you think? Tile a nice solution in an eating space. Pleased with the new wood window valances, a much crisper look and feel.

With us being on the road missed working in the garden and getting our hands dirty. That project was kicked off this spring. The growing methodology is certainly different in the South. Still trying to figure some of it out. Overall good success. More to come in the future.

One of the reasons to move to the country was to have a garden space. Here is the space that was yard last year. Good to get our hands dirty again.

Missed our Michigan perennial garden. Took on creating one here in South Carolina. Learning how to grow things in the South, a new experience.

Recent shot of the garden space. Our green thumb still works here. It was cool to have ripe tomatoes before Memorial Day.

The Airstream is home for three to four months every year. We really like the size for getting into National Parks and many State Parks. We keep talking about one that is larger but for at least the next two years it is still the best fit for what we are doing.

A little elbow grease and some TLC on the old Airstream and it seems again we are ready to hit the road.

The winter was very mild. Almost every week we were able to get on a trail somewhere. Once it got to April we took off on overnight adventures.

Plenty of pictures attached documenting our life this spring. The pictures can tell the story very well.

Our weekly schedule includes at least one hike each week. Once into April, we start the travel season the overnight adventures. Here we are at the Table Rock State Park for several days.

Locally, we travel with a lot of gear…makes for a cluttered campsite. This trip involved kayaks, bikes, hiking shoes and of course a camera. This spring the weather has been outstanding albeit a little on the warm side of the spectrum.

Of course the Biltmore is a regular stop. Roaming the grounds is always fun and entertaining.

Edith and George Vanderbilt, a legend in their own rite. Front and center is Cedric who gets considerable historical press.

A major exhibit this year was the Biltmore House Party. The event showed off vintage party clothing (recreated from pictures) as well as many party settings. Great fun talking with staff on the process to bring the past alive.

The dining room in all its glory. Took several hours to set up. The guests of George and Edith were treated royally.

Jan and I being amateur chefs really get a kick out of kitchen tour. This kitchen would still work today. A somewhat center for Biltmore gatherings and parties. The kitchen range has awesome technology.

What is a visit without a stop in the library? In this setting love the period dress. Presentation was “everything” noted by the fact George and Edith would change clothes several times a day.

Biltmore grounds early in the year shot. Note later photos.

The garden is ever changing. Catching it at the best time takes some planning. Here is a very early spring shot.

Biltmore conservatory a setting that has withstood the test of time.

There are so many conservatory photos. It is hard to pick the best one. The hot house we find is an educational experience.

Spring is bringing the country side landscape to life here. Stopping to take a picture from the main house balcony is a must do stop.

Jan taking in the Azaleas along the path. Not sure orange goes with floral display.

Impressive shot!

Strolling the grounds found many views such as this. Love the diversity of color and subject matter in this shot.

…more Azaleas!

The spring display never seems to stop.

A very interesting tree. A type of Bald Cypress.

The Biltmore estate adopted a working estate ideology dating back to 1895.. The Canola is used today for cooking oil in their restaurants and then used as biodiesel fuel to power farm equipment plus the setting provides an outstanding photo opt. The Canola program started in 2013.

On many outings we find ourselves at the Chattooga Belle Farm. A great stop almost any time of the year.

The setting is outstanding. The farm setting is very tranquil and with the mountain views make for an ideal lunch stop.

One more shot of the vineyards. Spring rain bring things to life.

Another countryside view from Chattooga Belle restaurant deck. The mountains of Georgia call us across the state line.

Lunch is good with a fine local micro brew.

We have been here before. The Chau Ram park and hiking trail. Fun footbridge and nice challenging hike.

Jan on the trail at the Dupont State Park in North Carolina. Stopping to enjoy the view after a lunch along the trail.

One of many Oconee County waterfalls.

The Little River in the Smoky Mountains National Park. We planned a week stay in the park only to be sidelined by an equipment failure requiring us to return home after only one day. The take away, things break even in an Airstream.

Fun waterfalls at the Table Rock State Park.

Table Rock Mountain in the background. The mountain has been calling us to do the 3,000 FT – six mile hike. All set to do the hike but back issues asked us to take a time out.

Table Rock – Pinnacle Lake Dam. Very interested engineered dam built during the days of CCC.

Waterfalls at Table Rock along a very nice hiking trail.

Dynamic falls again at Table Rock SP.

Devils Fork State Park our very favorite overnight stop very close to home.

Jocassee Lake setting very rustic in the mountains. Only public access is at Devils Fork. This provides for a great outdoor experience.

Jan on Lake Jocassee.

Larry enjoying the 80 degree weather on a morning paddle.

More pictures at Devils Fork with just a little commercial color.

Jocassee shoreline is a lot like this in many places.

Morning on the water…very quiet.

Dupont State Park – High Falls.

Dupont State Park – Triple Falls.

Dupont State Park – Hooker Falls.

More Dupont State Park after a heavy rain.

Yellow Branch Falls hiking trail.

The “real” Yellow Branch Falls.

Yellow Branch River.

Very interesting Yellow Branch River.

Oconee waterfalls on a recent outing…

Love the display of wildflowers in the mountains. Yellow Trillium bathing in the sunshine.

A favorite of ours are the white Trilliums.

White Trilliums…

The Mountain-Laurel can capture your attention easily.

It seemed to be everywhere this spring.

Oconee Bell Flowers are very specific to the Upstate of South Carolina.

The Oconee Bells like a damp moist setting…The Oconee hiking trails follows that theme.

Lady Slippers are found in good numbers here.

Not sure of variety so I call them white mountain flowers.

This blog is winding down. My signature photos are sunrise and/or sunset so fitting they take a key slot at the end of the blog.

Only one this time taken this spring after dinner.

The photos in this post end with a sunset shot from the back deck.

It is that time of the year when we hit the road. The end of the month we head off for 12 weeks. The reservations are done, the house sitter in place, the equipment is ready to roll so all we have to do is the last-minute packing.

This summer stops planned at 14 National Parks. Ten of them a first-time experience. Our trip will take us as far south as Texas, Nevada in the west and Minnesota in the north. At the end planned stops in Michigan followed by stops with family in the east. As we head home in the fall, we will wander down Atlantic coast to enjoy the outer banks of North and South Carolina.

We miss everyone. Do keep in touch and if you get a chance stop and see us.

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Christmas – 2018

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Happy Holidays 2018! Here are some pictures captured along the way taken with several different cameras and mobile phones. It was so cool to have everyone here in the South. Weather much more “South” like this year.

Looks like Christmas…ready for the holidays

Best Christmas Tree Ever…

Greenville Spartanburg Airport – Several stops here this year…

The Christmas Crackers…

The big holiday meal…

Christmas setting…looks festive!

Traditional Christmas Pudding…first time in this house!

Kitchen Time…everyone got in on the homemade pasta event

The salad prep process in full swing.

Helping hand with the Christmas Pudding!

The pizza is coming together…

Opening the presents action shot!

Relaxing after the big holiday meal…

Present time…

How about a friendly game of Clue?

Random shot…

Random shot…

Random shot…

Random shot…

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Working off those holiday extra calories!

Fun stop at the Whitewater Falls in the mountains of South Carolina.

Stop along the Whitewater Falls hiking trail…

The bridge over the Whitewater River.

More shots along the river…

Cool shot of the Whitewater River. Nice day pushing 60 temp-wise.

Here we are all together…well except for the person behind the camera!

Happy group taking a stop along the trail.

Photo shoot, up close and personal. Again missing the person behind the camera.

Fun stop in the town of Brevard with lunch at The Square Root.

Brevard the North Carolina town of the white squirrels…

Once again, what is a trip to South Carolina that does not include the Chattooga Belle farm.

Nice contrast between the trees with this December sunset scene.

January 2019 photo. Very mild winter, this day mid-60s, showing off the sun and green landscape – as the result of above average rain fall!

Great family gathering. Looking forward to doing it again.

Holiday Message – 2018

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Happy holidays from the South Carolina Snyders! It is fun to create the holiday message online, although I do miss the process of sending the traditional Christmas card. As long as we are traveling the blog site will stay in place. The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us as we experience the last-minute scramble to make sure everything is falling into place.

For those of you who follow our blog, you already know that we still spend time on the road. Plenty of local and regional adventures in the spring and early summer. The big trip was several weeks in the Canadian Maritimes with the ultimate destination of Newfoundland. This was our third trip to that part of the world in the last 20 years. There is always another point of interest there that calls us back. The down side of the trip was Larry’s aging shoulder cut the trip short. As a result, we missed seeing the family in New York City and Pennsylvania.

The last three months has been devoted to the shoulder and physical therapy. The good news on that front is I get to keep all my original body parts, at least for now. The plan is to hit the road again in the spring enjoying stops in the mountains of Georgia, South and North Carolina. Next summer will be spent visiting several national parks mostly in the South and West. More on that as the plan comes into focus.

It was cool that Brother Duane and Bobbi were able to stop on their trip to the South. Cousin David and Ileana were able to be here at the same time so we were able to catch up and relive the past. Jan’s nephew Steve and Ellen made a stop on their return from their son’s wedding. Again, this year we are looking forward to having our family here between Christmas and New Year’s.

You can always follow us on our blog site. Enjoy the post for our spring and summer trips

Life is falling into place for us here in the South. Making the move was a lot of work. As we assess things, today the decision to move has withstood the test of time. At first, we second guessed our decision to live in the country. Over time we can now say we have grown to love the house and the location. The Upstate area has a lot going for it with the climate, mountains, rivers, lakes, hiking trails and southern hospitality.

Home sweet home. Great home base to support our nomad tendencies.

The Upstate area works for us with four distinct seasons each lasting three months.

Winter came quickly. Several inches of snow this time which mostly disappeared by morning. It was all gone by noon!

One of our favorite get away is the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville. It is truly impressive, one of a kind and have made it our mission to learn more about it. Here are more pictures capturing our time there exploring…

A favorite haunt is Biltmore. We made several visits this fall. The best was the last one when the house is all decked out for the Holidays…

The Biltmore grounds are impressive. In the beginning it was a blank slate with 8,000 acres of open land… The landscape design was truly visionary.

The Biltmore estate hosted a Chihuly blown glass exhibit. It is impressive art, colorful and photogenic. There were lots of shots to chose from…

Could not resist this shot. I waited a long time but there was always someone in the way enjoying the garden…

Summer seemed to last forever this year. As a result fall colors were late. This shot was taken the first part of November.

Jan stopping to take in the Japanese Maple fall colors…we want one just like this in our yard!

Do you like Mums? The design and colors really make a lasting impression, at least they did for us. This was a beautiful mid-November day.

In December we came back to see all the holiday decorations. The lions here are getting to be good friends…

Jan shot this one with Larry with the lion on the right…

The main hall is certainly impressive. It is different every year which calls us back to check things out…

Off the main hall is the dining room. Loved this setting with the tree next to the room’s fireplaces, setting the mental image for Holiday’s of the past…

The dining room from the other side.

Our favorite room is the library. One could live in here full time.

Hard to capture this room with just one shot. The tree is two stories and must take some time to decorate!

The tapestry room goes on forever with three very large fireplaces.

Jan posing in the conservatory.

Larry in the Conservatory kicking back after a long day…

The Whitewater falls is a great stop for us. We love spending time there as well as the winding/challenging drive through the mountains to get there.

The Whitewater Falls is a favorite stop…plus some great hiking trails in the mountains of South Carolina.

Whitewater falls…400 feet at least…

Chau Ram park is close to us near the town of Westminster. Great hiking along the river with several waterfalls. Always a rewarding experience.

Chau Ram falls a fun Oconee County stop.

Chau Ram Falls Park bridge over the Ramsey Creek dumping into the Chauga River.

Out for a drive, we like to end up at the Chattooga Belle Farm in the Upstate South Carolina Mountains for lunch…

What is fall without a stop at Chattooga Belle Farm for lunch and a basket of apples.

Chattooga Belle view with Georgia in the background.

Chattooga Belle Farm…

A new discovery is the Tallulah Gorge State Park. A popular Georgia State Park. The views are awesome and the hiking taxing. However, my photos were not that great so you will need to take my word for it… We will go back so stay tuned.

Like to do stairs? Then you would like Tallulah Gorge State Park. There are over 900 steps to challenge one’s fitness.

North Carolina Dupont State Park was a good find for us. Fairly close to home with lots of trails and three impressive waterfalls. As the name sake suggests, the tract was donated to the State by the Dupont family.

Dupont Forest State Park in North Carolina has a covered bridge, great hiking and waterfalls. Already planning a return visit…

High Falls one of three falls at Dupont Forest State Park…

Triple Falls – Dupont State Park – Great Water Action

Hooker Falls – Third on the trail

Highlands in North Carolina has some unique shops. Although it is a tourist stop it is worth a visit. The experience for us was memorable and we plan to go back soon. It is in the mountains and fairly high so we are not sure winter is the best time to go back.

Highland, North Carolina – Dry Falls on the Cullasaja River another impressive stop!

Dry Falls, a shot through the trees… Fall colors like this are hard to find in the south.

Bridal Falls just out side of Highlands. You can walk or at times drive behind the falls!

We found these guys downtown Highland at Halloween!

From others, we heard a lot about Helen, Georgia and its German heritage. They host an Octoberfest which is legendary and goes on for several weeks. Since we did not make the festival, we caught up with them later to see their Christmas decorations. The best part of the visit was the waterfall Anna Ruby.

Do you like the German theme? If so you will enjoy Helen, Georgia. A fun Place to visit especially during the holidays.

Lots of color in downtown Helen…

Does this look like Germany?

Resident of Helen, Georgia

The Anna Ruby Falls near Helen is the reward of a short hike…

The drop for Anna Ruby is over 150 Ft.

Enjoyed the hike along the Chattacoochee River…nice fall day!

Fall Hike…dressed for the below average temps…

Peaceful setting plus some fine scenery

At Easter we were RVing near Atlanta and stopped at the little town of Dahlonega to attend church. It is a vibrant place so we returned in December to check out the Christmas decorations which gets a lot of press. Several really nice antique stores and of course found a few more treasures to add to the collection.

This was our second visit to Dahlonega, Georgia…a town with a gold rush background plus an eclectic experience today!

Dahlonega goes all out for Christmas…

Dahlonega home to a federal mint before the Civil War! Plenty of history to take in…

The roads in the South and North Carolina mountains are an adventure and fun to drive. Well, that is if there is no snow and ice. Recently experienced such a drive with a stop at Caesars Head for a hike and some photo opts along with checking out Devils Kitchen.

Caesars Head State Park – Great drive up the mountain…

Top of the mountain…long view!

Devils Kitchen is an interesting spot along one of the Caesars Head trails.

Another town that calls us back is Brevard. It is a tourist town with some really fun shops and restaurants. It would be fun place to live if the winters were a little nicer but if definitely makes the short list anyway!

A very favorite shopping stop is Brevard, North Carolina, the home of the white squirrels. Here is a town’s mascot.

The white Squirrels hang out on the campus of the Brevard College. Here is one up close and just a little personal!

Jan and I send our very best to each of you at this special time of the year. Enjoy the season and the reason.

Holiday greetings…from Jan and Larry!

Always good to kick back on the deck and enjoy the sunsets!

If you come this way, do stop and see us. We would love to catch up and as you can see, we would enjoy sharing the adventures offered in this part of the world

Happy Holidays,

God Bless.

Larry and Jan

Summer Travel 2018 – Part Two

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Here we are in the Fundy National Park, great park nice site.

This post picks up as we move from the US to Canada specifically the Maritimes. If you have not already done so check out the first part of trip in the previous post. The US part of the journey went very well and came off as planned. However, we were not so fortunate on this next leg. Even with all the advance planning things frayed more times than we would have liked. Overall, we had a good time and were able to roll with the punches, well up to the end.

Our take a way experience is clouded by the really bad roads. The experience 7 years ago was they were bad but not as bad. Over the course of our trip we lost several tires, pop rivets on the trailer, broke off a cabinet door and were constantly tightening the pieces and parts as they shook loose. This was a common theme with many of the other travelers we met along the road. At this point, not sure we would take the RV back to Canada again if things there do not improve. Then to top it off once we got back in the US the cooling system on the truck failed which was fixable with a little time and a credit card (luckily the service folks had the parts in stock).

The fateful part was we had to cut the trip short by two weeks as Larry ended up with a shoulder/rotator cuff problem that took over. Not being able to sleep, the quality of life on the road seemed to be going down hill so we headed for home base. It is hard to be in an RV when you are not feeling well. It was difficult decision to come back early and really left a void.

Update on the shoulder, to make a long story short, we are in an assessment period working on what comes next. It has ended up being more than just a shoulder issue. The good news is the quality of life is better thanks to our medical support team, steroids and physical therapy.

That is more than enough of the downside of the trip, life moves on… The Maritimes are beautiful and a great place to visit. The people are interesting and there is so much history that is so different from that of the US. We love the historic sites along with all the recreational opportunities.

The Maritimes are known for their seafood. The decision was made before we left that we would/could compromise our plant-based diet. Jan stayed on track but Larry not so much.

Of course we take our culinary talents on the road. Maintaining the plant based life-style on the road takes a bit of work, well maybe a few work arounds!

Summer comes late this far north. The spring wild flowers were in bloom. It was a pleasure getting out to see what spring and summer had to offer.

The photo library ended up with lots and lots of flower shots…

The Bunch Berries were in full bloom…great presentation!

The Blackberry along the hiking trails were in full bloom.

The stands of yellow and orange Hawk Weed were impressive.

This was our third trip to this part of Canada. Each time we spent time on the Bay of Fundy. Watching the tides come and go never seems to get old. The tides here can vary between 30 and 50ft depending on the time of the year.

Greetings from Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy. Had to do a little scaling the rocks to stage this one.

Color on the Bay of Fundy at low tide. Tides vary here by 30 feet every day.

The tide is in…background is Alma, New Brunswick.

Does this remind you of a dinosaur or maybe the Star Wars All Terrain Armored Transport. Bay of Fundy at low tide.

The tide is in. Access is via kayak instead of walking on the ocean floor.

Fun to explore the Hopewell without getting your feet week…although a bit muddy at times.

Very interesting seaweed, worth checking out.

Another Hopewell creature.

Prince Edward Island is a special part of the world. It is like walking back in time. The land is beautiful, the people are so friendly and for us this time the weather was outstanding. We stayed in the National Park on the North Shore. Great location to use as a base. There you find really nice beaches with plenty of places to bike or hike. The largest city is Charlottetown a colorful stop with lots of history. We poked along the coast checking out the farms and small towns. It was easy to spend a few days on the island again. It would be easy for us to go back again.

Here we are on the idyllic Prince Edward Island. Here is an iconic scene.

Nice stop on PEI along the coast where building an Inukshuk is the thing to do. These structures are used traditionally as landmarks or commemorative by Inuit people.

Found this fun beach on PEI. Good to take a long walk in a remote setting.

Morning walk found the home for Bank Swallows. Also large restricted areas for the Piping Plovers.

Enjoyed our stop in PEI’s largest city also the Capital. Last time we visited they were commemorating the War of 1812.

Charlottetown downtown where you can find some good food…

There are 35 lighthouses on PEI. Just had to check this out, fun setting.

Historic St. Paul’s Anglican Church.

These two guys are discussing the Confederation which seems to still be controversial with some… Lots of history here.

There are lots of National Canadian Historic sites to check out…this one focuses on Cod fishing.

Lots and lots of potatoes. Potatoes are the primary farm crop on the island.

Potatoes in bloom, nice backdrop,

…also many hay fields.

Here we at Cavendish taking an early morning walk.

What a difference a day makes…great early morning color this day.

Liked this early morning shot…

PEI is the home of Anne of Green Gables. For past visits this historic site never hit the to do list. When we were here six years ago the site was very popular for weddings especially those from Japan. This time we put it on the list for a half day visit. I must say it exceeded expectations and now can recommend it for anyone who comes to this part of the world and knows about Anne. The setting and the grounds are very well presented. Several curated hiking trails are worth the time.

Anne of Green Gables Historic site. This is the uncles house that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to write the ever popular book. Did you read the book?

Jan in Anne’s garden.

This is the barn that went with the farm in Anne of Green Gables, how used as a center piece for the historic site.

Our schedule included four ferry trips. Newfoundland takes some planning, i.e. reservations. There are two main ports one on each end of the island. We came over on from Nova Scotia to the west end which takes about 7 hours and the return from the east end takes 16. Off the north side of the island is Fogo, a day ferry trip which we did. We had booked a ferry to Labrador but due to tire issues had to head back south to find replacement. That part of the world is very remote with limited services. The last ferry was from Digby in Nova Scotia to St John, New Brunswick saves a day drive time back to the US.

This trip was all about ferries. This is where we staged for the trip across the water to Newfoundland. Here we are on Bras Lake d’or a very picturesque setting.

Evening on Lake Bras d’or from the Arm of Gold Campground.

Site near North Sydney, home base for the Newfoundland ferry. Actually this was our third visit to this location in the last 15 years.

Another North Sydney, Nova Scotia view. The blue water is impressive.

Waiting for the ferry seemed to be a regular pass time for this adventure. This small ferry picked us up on Fogo Island.

Another ferry shot…yes, it was very windy.

I liked this shot. The trip to Newfound took 7 hours and the return trip was 16 hours.

The first stop was the Gros Morne National Park. This was a highlight of the trip. The weather was great. The pictures tell the story.

Here we are at the Gros Morne National Park on an early morning hike around the lake.

Gros Morne is beautiful…

Found this spot along the trail…the Blue Flags are impressive.

I walked this trail every morning we were at Gros Morne…great trail. On some mornings was greeted by Mr and Mrs Beaver out for their morning swim.

Awesome view…

More Gros Morne hiking views…

Liked this shot taken along the trail…

Life is good. Nice day, warm weather with a light breeze makes for a memorable time.

Gros Morne has mountains and Newfoundland can be cold all year.

Gros Morne Tablelands is where two continents collided. One side of the road is barren/rocky and the other side wooded. Interesting terrain!

This hike started in the rocks and ended with us getting our feet wet.

This is what was on the other side of the rocky trail. Bit of a swamp plus some very steep slopes along the way.l

Long Gros Morne view…

Melting snow creates running water, enjoyed this hike a lot!

Behind the mountain is the Gros Morne Fjord. The hike was too long for the amount of time we had which we regretted. The hike requires at least one overnight on the trail plus forging a river or two.

Jan taking a break along the trail.

Larry catching a few rays along with a water and snack break…

Exploring we found this beach which was very busy. The temps were way above average and the locals were looking for relief.

Of course Newfoundland has its share of light houses.

This was a view behind our RV site at the Sir Richard Squires Provincial Park.

A very fascinating and fun part of the island is the Twillingate area on the north shore. It is a very colorful fishing area. As the fishing industry slows down the area is promoting tourism so change in play. The people there are very proud of their heritage and push to promote their peninsula as the best in Newfoundland.

Newfoundland’s north share has great views, unbelievable seafood and fun towns to check out.

If you ever get to Newfoundland check out Twillingate. Our stay at the Dildo Run Provincial Park was very interesting and exceeded expectations.

Jan stopping along the coastal trail to get another shot.

Twillingate lighthouse where we saw several mink along one of the trail.

Aggressive hiking trail supported by the town of Twillingate…

Twillingate color…

Twillingate museum with a whale or two on display.

From Twillingate we took the ferry to Fogo the largest offshore islands. It too is a well-known fishing area, moving to more tourism and also known for an inspiring arts scene. Yes, it does have a lot of character and we were glad we made the trip. The downer was the icebergs are staying north this year.

Pictures from a day trip to Fogo Island, a very different part of the world. More pictures to follow.

Fogo is known for fishing, being artistic and now has a new large hotel which dominates the landscape.

Brimstone trail a great hike with some good views.

Fogo Island view.

Here is where Fogo gets interesting, have you heard of the the Flat Earth Society. According to the sign this is one of the four corners of the world.

Fogo Island Brimstone Hill.

Fogo Island…

Fogo Island view

This view caught my eye, it has a lot going on that makes it interesting.

Fish related buildings make for nice shots…

Tourist stop supporting the history of the fishing industry on Fogo…

These boats were all lined up just for this “photo”.

Another photo that tells the story of life on Fogo.

Continuing east, the next stop was the Bonavista peninsula. Historically it came from the same roots as Twillingate. We found the two communities are very competitive both with their assessment of the quality of seafood and for tourist dollars. The area is worth checking out. Here you can get up close and personal with the Puffins.

Elliston the capital of the world for root cellars…they were everywhere plus still in use.

Next stop was Elliston on the Bonavista Peninsula to get a glimpse of the Puffins

These guys landed almost within reach. They have some personality.

Puffins in the clover…

This guy seemed to be posing for everyone with a camera.

Jan took this picture and I wish that I had… It almost looks like a painting.

…more of the Newfoundland coast.

Bonavista folks tells us they have the best seafood, the same thing the folks in Twillingate told us as well.

A fun find on Bonavista was the town of Trinity. Here we found good theater, great places to eat, lots of history, a micro-brewery and lots of local color.

A surprise was finding Trinity, Newfoundland. Very colorful and full of character.

Trinity Historic District which now includes local theater.

This man was carrying his catch of the day…

Finding the Skerwink Trail a well-known hiking trail was a surprise.

The Skerwink Trail is one of the 25 top hikes in North America. The day we took this on the fog moved in and visibility was down to zero. No worthwhile pictures!

This is the start of the hike before we hiked up into the clouds…

Of course, there is always the coast, a lighthouse and several state historical sites.

Of course there is a lighthouse on the Bonavista Peninsula.

Newfoundland coastline, another great view!

…More Insukshuks…

Ryan Premises National Historic Site…another stop to catch up where Newfoundland came from…

“The” store Ryan historical site…

The final stop in Newfoundland is St John’s. Cape Spear is the eastern most point in North America. A well developed and well visited site. Again, will let the pictures tell the story.

Final stop in Newfoundland, St John’s staying at the Butterpot Provincial Park.

Enjoying Cape Spear St John’s, Newfoundland Eastern most point in North America.

Cape Spear Lighthouse

Larry enjoying the view and Newfoundland…

Cape Spear view across the bay

Cape Spear, what do you think of the view…

After Cape Spear you have to do Signal Hill. This is an area that overlooks the harbor and the city of St. John’s and dates back to the 17th century.

St John’s vista from Signal Hill.

Another view from Signal Hill…entrance to the St John’s Harbor

Signal Hill…the communication and emergency warning system for St John’s of the past…

Jan found another Inukshuk…

Documenting our visit to St John’s, Newfoundland

Of course, there is always another micro-brewery. In this case Quidi Vidi Brewery. Fine brews for sure…

Quidi Vidi Brewing Company – Fast food. Took a time out from the Plant Based diet for some very good fish and chips!

Great place for some good beer. You get to bring in food from next door.

The next day there were over 50,000 people here for the St John’s regatta.

This brewery has a very colorful history.

Our stay in St John’s was the Butterpot Provincial Park. Truly outstanding setting with lots of views and some really good hiking.

Butterpot mountain the name sake for the Provincial Park. This picture taken on a early morning hike.

The Butterpot trail.

As I said the trip back to Nova Scotia takes 16 hours. The plan, have dinner on the ferry and book a stateroom. The unplanned part was the roughest crossing of the year. The next stop was the Fortress of Louisbourg. A national historic site from the 17th century. This is a stop we have done with each of our visits.

Louisbourg historical site and unbelievable experience. The site was completely rebuilt in the thirties.

The historical site was reconstructed during the depression somewhat like the CCC in the US.

Nice perspective, don’t you think?

A park official told us the the roof was just replaced at over 9 million dollars. Many events and crafts are demonstrated daily. Very interesting, this was our third visit over the years.

This young man was very serious with his craft.

We enjoyed the interaction with those playing the their role and the on-grounds experience.

What is a visit to Nova Scotia without a few photos at Peggy’s Cove. The setting of the lighthouse in the rocks is awesome and again, a very enjoyable stop.

Cannot resist a colorful sunset. This one taken from our RV site at Peggy’s Cove, Newfoundland.

The shadows are long and soon to give to the dark of night.

The setting at the Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse.

Peggy’s Cove is all about the rocks. This shot has a colorful backdrop.

Peggy’s Cove is very popular. Mid-morning it is even hard to get a parking place.

Much more peaceful here early morning…

Jan and I climbed over the rocks to get this shot…

The last stop in the Maritimes was Digby to catch the ferry. The surprise was the pan-fried scallops…outstanding!

One of our last stops was Digby where we found some great seafood and caught the ferry heading back to the States.

The first destination in the States, Acadia National Park. What can I say other than why did we wait so long to come back…

Enjoyed a stop at the Acadia National Park. Yes, the Maine coast has plenty of fog.

From the Acadia Loop Drive Road.

Found this cove on one of my early morning walks.

Impressive stone work and lots of bridges that make Acadia special.

A day without any fog…

Fun early morning shot…

Lots to do and plenty to eat in Bar Harbor.

Bar Harbor waterfront

Bar Harbor, iconic Maine setting right here!

As part of my family genealogy project, the trip included a stop in Salem, MA. There is family history here dating back to the 1600s and the Witch Trials.

Salem Witch House… Lots of interesting old buildings with lots of history.

My eighth Great-Grandfather was hung as a witch in 1692. We came to Salem to personally check things out. The National Park Service does a great job bringing that period of time into perspective. The media presentation was well done.

The memorial wall for those who died in the 1600s.

Toured the historic waterfront. The district is very well done and where you can learn a lot about Salem’s past.

After Massachusetts the next stop was Connecticut. After those two states the only states still left on the retirement bucket list are Rhode Island and Maryland. The plan is catch them next year.

Now the trip plan called for us to catch up with family in New York and Pennsylvania. It was short drive from Connecticut to Kingston, NY. There we catch up with Mark and Kevin. We had a good visit with them. There we managed to get out on the trail and find an outstanding Vegan Restaurant in Woodstock. This is where the truck got fixed to continue the journey.

A highlight of the trip was getting to catch up with Son Mark in Kingston, NY

Here we are on the top of Overlook Mountain near Woodstock.

Mark and Kevin on top of Overlook…

Overlook Mountain Hotel a relic of the past – Active from 1820 to 1920. Great hike to get there…

It was good to get back home. The medical support team here is great. Now the hard work begins to get things fixed and to get back in the swing of things full time.

Although we were down for the count for this trip we are not out. Plans are in the works for what comes for the rest of this year and next. There are always so many options it is hard to narrow them down to the time available.

Overall this was a great trip with many good memories.

Back to home base always seems good, well at least for a few days.

Now we get to put feet up on the back deck. Good to see “Tummy” again although he was more interested in a good meal!

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

Summer Travels 2018 – Part One

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Ready for a summer adventure heading north

As the summer breezes come on, Jan and I find that we are ready for another summer road trip adventure. Now that we are living in South Carolina full time we find that escaping the summer heat and humidity is a good thing for us.

We start the trip in North Carolina in the Smoky Mountains, plan to get as far north as Newfoundland/Labrador in the Canadian Maritimes then returning home following the East Coast back south. One of our goals when we retired was to stay overnight in all of the 49 states and Canadian Provinces. There are 5 states left on the list and one Canadian Province which cannot be reached by road so we took it off the list the same as Hawaii. After this trip Rhode Island will be the only state remaining.

This trip is planned for 67 days and around 7,000 miles behind the wheel.

Our first few nights out we stayed at the Smokemont Campground in the Smoky National Park. There had been lots of rain so the trails were soggy and the rivers overflowing. Between the rain drops we did a couple of good hikes and got to enjoy the abundance of color and plant life along the way.

First stop Smoky Mountain National Park

Lots and lots of rain made for a raging rivers in the Smokys

Just a little on the scary side with all that rushing water, however the rest of the hike was great!

The mountains were lush and very green

Lots of smaller eye catching streams along the trail

Several of these type bridges over the water and wet lands. Well done National Park Service!

The rhododendrons were in bloom all along the way

All the moisture translates to a colorful fungi landscape…

There were lots of these

Found the red ones very photogenic

Eye catching for sure!

The Blue Ridge Parkway has been calling us. We drove the entire 450 miles enjoying the views along with quite a few twists and turns. It does require one to slow down and enjoy the scenery at a much slower pace (for sure). There were three full days so there was plenty of time for pictures and taking advantage of the National Park curation.

The Blue Ridge Highway is a great national treasurer

This road is high and winding

Always a different view around the next curve in the road

The view from the top never stopped. Enjoyed the drive even with all the twist and turns

These are the type of vistas you see starting on the south end

Sometimes we drove through the clouds

…and then vistas give way to just great scenery

The curation along the road was educational. This stop focused on the fences of the past. Many examples in this shot.

Where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park picks up. Driving the road is about the same as the Parkway with a few less mountain scenes and more evidence of civilization. Here are some shots as we travel that section of highway.

The Skyline drive an extension of the Blue Ridge gives way to more civilization and less wilderness. However, these are still great views.

Another take from the Skyline Drive in Virginia

Skyline Drive…made lots of stops and took advantage of the views

The Shenandoah National Park has been on our to do list for some time. Although we did not spend a lot of time we got to know what the park has to offer. Our plan is to make it a destination trip next year. There is already a Shenandoah to do list on file.

The campground in the Shenandoah National Park is at Big Meadows. Nice base camp with some nice hikes.

Early morning hikes often finds some interesting sights

This is “The” Big Meadow at sunrise

The mountains of West Virginia are wonderful. It was really quiet and we found the area very rustic as well as interesting. Staying in Seneca Rocks was fun as I got the T-Shirt. We just changed the Rocks in Seneca Rocks from a Noun to a Verb.

Here is where we pause as we cross over the mountain from Virginia to West Virginia

West Virginia has its charm as well

West Virginia one more state on the retirement bucket list. Found this great National Forest campground.

The campground is in the Seneca Mountains. Lots of World War II history as this was a mountain climbing training location for the Army. Considerable curation on the local involvement.

This is Seneca Rocks, yes we climbed it!

Looking down from Seneca Rocks Mountain top

Jan coming down from the mountain…look at all the big rock that has fallen over the years.

After West Virginia we quickly made our way through Pennsylvania and New York. Staying in State Parks that were close to the interstate. Nice overnight experiences.

Bald Eagle State Park in Northern Pennsylvania.

Another overnight stop in the State of New York. The park was convenient.

Vermont was another state that needed to be checked off the list. In past travels we had stayed a few times in New Hampshire along the East Coast. We had heard a lot about the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We were able to spend a day in each one. Great country and as usual want to come back to spend more time.

The Green Mountains of Vermont, another check mark on the bucket list.

Found the original Vermont Country Store. Fun stop. Walk back in time to a simpler era.

Camped out at another National Forest Park (Hapgood Pond). Great find with some very nice hiking in a very remote setting.

The Green Mountains have their own personality. Enjoyed the look and feel.

We never get tired of the long mountain views and Vermont did not let us down.

Next up on the bucket list was the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The white is in reference to the granite which was hard to see with all the green on top.

Our last stop in Maine is our first overnight stay in a private park. The goal was to find good internet to catch up on life, get provisions before crossing the border into Canada and finding a place to do laundry. After doing a lot of hiking it is always good to stop to shake off all the dirt collected along the way. On my morning walk I did find a bit of Maine color along the path!

We are ending our time in the US with the last over night stop in Maine…

Life is good being on the road again. Looking forward to Part 2 as we catch the Bay of Fundy, make our way to Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador in the great nation of Canada.

God bless,

Larry and Jan

Spring Action – 2018

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Jan and I decided it was a perfect time to do a blog update. Spring is ending and we are packing for our big summer adventure. If you read our preceding blog you find that the last year was a challenging adventure. There is always a sleepless night or two before and after you pick a new place to live. Given we were giving up our native home this move came with many unknowns. Well, it has been ten months in the new house. We can now report that it does feel like home and the reason/motivation for the move has withstood the test of time.

We love the South Carolina Upstate area. It has four distinct season all lasting three months. The spring and fall is beautiful, the winters are mild and yes, we will always be traveling north in the summer to escape the heat and humidity.

The house has come together and we are working on the yard. It was fun to watch spring come to life in the yard with all the trees and plants. Things grow great here although sometimes I think almost too fast. The long-term plan for the yard is falling in place. Our little plot of land in the country is great, just the right size. All the trees are a nice plus and we are enjoying them a lot.

Love the South…spring comes in full bloom much earlier here. Jan always wanted a Dogwood.

The Dogwood shows its colors. Our first spring here brings many surprises,most of them good…

Our neighbor friends – Rojo and Tummy. The sad new Rojo passed earlier this spring.

Love the view from our deck…sunsets are a lot of fun!

The Crepe Mytle’s are blooming. The white ones first then the pink ones. Grass looks pretty good so far…

One thing we really like about Upstate South Carolina is the green.

There is so much for us to do here. The list of things to try and checkout will take us several years to work through. This spring we did five outings with the RV the longest being ten days and the shortest four. There would have been more but painting the deck and other house projects got in the way. Our stays included three South Carolina State Parks, a Corps of Engineer Park in Georgia (near Atlanta) and the Smoky Mountain National Park.

Dusted the RV off early. So far five trips this spring checking out South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.

There are over 100 waterfalls here in the Upstate, Northern Georgia and North Carolina. We are less than 10 miles from the mountains. We try to hit a trail at least once a week.

Jan on the trail to one of the many regional falls.

Jan catching a shot of Larry while trying to get that perfect water shot!

Here we are in the mountains doing a day hike. Love those trails that follow the water!

Another day hike…most days we hike in short pants.

The falls come in all forms. It was hard finding the best photo to post!

Jocassee State Park only 15 miles out is a gem. The RV sites are very nice plus a great place to Kayak.

We now have a favorite lake, Jocassee. It is already calling us back.

Early morning walks are good.

Jan on Lake Jocassee…great day for a paddle.

Being on the water is always good…

Since we retired we had not been to the Smoky Mountain National Park. The decision was made to check out the main campgrounds: Smokemont, Elmont and Cades Cove. This gave us the opportunity to explore Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN both of which now calls us back. We spent 10 days exploring, hiking to become familiar with what the park has to offer. We plan to make a return trip this fall and then again next spring. The spring flowers were awesome as our visit was in April.

Here we are 10 days hanging out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Great views from the mountains. The blue skies are a nice touch as a backdrop.

On this trip we kept getting our feet wet…

Cool Nineteen Thirties bridges…

This CC Bridge was off the back our RV site. Have designs at trying to reserve the site again next year.

The rivers and streams are awesome. Lots of action as the result of spring rains.

Fun shot from under the bridge…yes I was wearing water sandals.

Shot from the river trail…

We came to see the spring flowers and was not disappointed.

The flowers comes in all colors…

Trilliums are plentiful here too!

Lots of moisture makes for green moss everywhere.

Mingus Mill is a working water turbine driven gristmill from 1886. Impressive!

The engineering for this operation was massive as well as impressive.

The business end of the grist mill.

A surprise was the Cades Cove area. This was a mountain farming community which the park has chose to preserve. Not as much nature hiking but lots of history along the Cades Cove Loop Road

This Methodist Church two doors is a sign of the times with separation of men and women. Although the national park curation says it was never practice at this church.

Ancestors of the early settlers can still be buried in the park’s church cemeteries. We find it interesting to discover the stories old cemeteries tell.

A functional building from the past.

I do remember the wood shed from my early life on the farm for many reasons…

The corn cribs from the mountains in the south do not resemble those of the mid-west.

The hog pen was a key building in mountain communities as pork was a mainstay.

This mountain barn architecture is unique to the region. The mountain buildings in Cades Cove present interesting photo opts.

Here houses come in all sizes, shapes and layouts. This one near Cherokee looks very functional for the time.

Many of the mountain homes were small. The split rail fences took you back to the past at least visually.

This house was on one of the more successful farms in Cades Cove.

This one of the many stop along the Cades Loop Road. We actually drove it twice.

This house had a spring house and running water to some degree.

Then there was Gatlinburg where we got to do the real tourist thing!

What is a trip to Tennessee without a stop in Gatlinburg?

Of course it is always fun to seek out the local Microbrewery and in this case the Smoky Mountain Brewery. Recommend their IPA from personal experience.

Plenty of whimsy along the Gatlinburg Streets…Jan posing for that spur of the moment photo.

Across a CC bridge at the Elmont campground was the old city of Daisy Town. I took lots of pictures of the decaying buildings being allow to return to nature. It is an interesting setting and would like to go back overtime to track the changes

The abandoned Daisy Town was a fascinating side trip. It just across the river from our RV site at Elkmont Smoky Mountain Campground.

Good information available on Daisy Town. The National Park strategy is to let nature reclaim the land.

This house is fighting the good fight as Mother Nature does her thing.

The houses and cottages here comes in all styles and sizes.

These dwellings all have a story or two to tell.

The insides were as interesting as the outside.

This is a great old building. It is still straight and standing the test of time.

Now being so far from friends and family it is great when get visitors especially from the north. Our visitors this spring were cousin David and Ileana who were in Atlanta for a reunion and brother Duane and Bobbi who were at a retirement party in Pensacola. They were followed by Nephew Steve and Ellen returning after their son’s wedding in Savannah. It is fun for us to see everyone and be able to show them around.

David and Illeana stop to see us on their spring travels in the South, so cool!

Cousins David and Duane…Their paths cross here.

Larry and Duane sharing a morning workout. Two older guys trying to slow down that aging process. Yes, it is also suppose to be fun!

Duane and Bobbi exploring the Oconee County waterfalls.

What is a trip to the Upstate without a stop and lunch at Chattooga Belle Farm? The vistas are remarkable.

If you get a chance checkout the Chattooga Belle. There is always something interesting going on…

Foxfire Appalachian museum and Heritage Center. Their focus is on keeping the crafts and life-style of the past alive.

Can you see yourself preparing food here? We have come a long way in the last 150 years.

This building is a re-creation. The workmanship was good and we had a good time checking it out.

Local artist demonstrating her weaving craft. Weaving classes are taught here.

Good stop to learn more about the craft of making brooms.

Steve and Ellen stopped for a few days as they passed through the Upstate.

We checked out the South Carolina Botanical Gardens at Clemson University Campus with Steve and Ellen.

We always have a curiosity with the carnivorous plants. There is a nice display here.

Carnivorous plants comes in all colors.

Many stops along the trail.

Photos of paths always pull me in. Here is a path that is mowed and heads off down the hill.

The Clemson Botanical Gardens cover about 300 acres and represent all the South Carolina ecosystems.

One of our favorite haunts is the Biltmore Grounds and Mansion. The more we go there the more we appreciate the experience. The idea that one person conceived this and had the resources to pull it off from scratch is mind blowing. The fact that it has been preserved for the public is a cool twist of fate as well.

The current exhibit is blown glass by Chihuly. It was very enjoyable.

This year we have made several trip to the Biltmore. It is always different plus we see something different each time.

Would you believe this area was logged before George Vanderbilt bought it?

I think we have said this before. The library is our favorite room at the Biltmore.

These tapestries took ten years to complete.

Have you heard of the Glass Artist Dale Chihuly? His works are on display throughout the grounds. We saw it during the day. It is suppose to be awesome after dark.

Display in the main courtyard.

Colorful glass everwhere!

Caught the reflection in the early afternoon light.

Impressive display with a supporting background. The very blue sky helps set the mood for this shot.

The mix of glass in the gardens was a theme we saw as we toured the grounds.

Our most recent adventure was the Greenwood Flower Festival. This is Parks Seed land which has had a presence here for a century. Jan and I both grew up on the farm where Park Seeds were used so wanted to check things out. The festival was a nice local experience. The Parks Company has been sold and no longer has “that” local focus. Plus, we took the opportunity since we were in central South Carolina to check out the Capital and the Congaree National Park. Since we retired we have stayed in 35 National Parks with 29 more to do.

The Greenwood Festival of Flowers was started by the Park Seed Company over 50 years ago.

What is a festival without a car show? If I bought an old car it we be a 50’s Chevy Pickup. The one from the farm was the typical green.

Our first new car was a white Chevrolet Malibu Convertible from the same time period. Has it really been a half century already! This surly brings back the memories.

The restored Model A is a reminder of the early days for the auto industry.

Greenwood has taken the art of Topiary displays to a new level. There is an actual Jeep under there.

There are over 40 topiaries along the streets. This guy looks competitive.

Can you guess who sponsored this one?

Did not expect to find a seahorse on the main street.

One shaggy beast.

Jan thought I should scratch this one. He looks like a school mascot to me.

This one looks very elaborate.

These lean a bit more to the whimsical side of the art.

You know I like Giraffes so could not resist at least one picture.

Close to our RV park at Lake Greenwood was the town of Ninety Six. This area played a role during the revolutionary war. The struggles between the Loyalist and Patriots were harsh in South Carolina. The differences here lingered long after the war was over with the British. Lots of interesting history that was new to us. It also gave us a new insight to the culture of South Carolina.

The town of Ninety Six was halfway between the Indian village of Keowee and Charleston. It is strategic historic location of the Revolutionary War. By the way Keowee is now underwater.

The longest battle of the Revolutionary 28 days was fought here during a time when the war was turning in favor of the Patriots from the Loyalist.

You can hike a trail leading to Charleston.

Next stop with the Congaree National Park. The area is a little like the Everglades but is actually a forest and bottomland.

This stop was checking off the 35th National Park on the list of 54.

The Congaree National Park experience is all about elevated trails to help keep your feet dry and out of harms way.

This area does have a reputation. You need your bug shirt and insect repellent to help make this a less memorable experience.

This park is all about the trees. It is a large tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest.

This was a fun setting as the sun made its way through the tree canopy. The high water was the result of recent heavy rainfall.

More sun showing through…

The majority of the trails were closed. What is the old sailor saying “water water everywhere but not a drop to drink”

This trail ended at the waters edge.

Next stop Columbia. The capital of South Carolina. The Riverbank Zoo and Garden gets good reviews.

It was a hot day for our visit. This Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo had the right idea.

This Koala seems pretty laid back. Do you think you could get this relaxed?

Amelia the latest giraffe addition with mom…

What is a stop at the zoo without taking in the elephants.

Here the zebras share a space with the ostrich’s. Today this one ostrich was on the feisty side.

This guy sure draws your attention. Don’t think it is his good looks.

Here is an iconic zoo shot.

The Golden Lion Tamarin looked like a character.

You can get to the gardens by either a nice walk over the river or taking the shuttle.

As you come into the botanical garden from the zoo you are greeted with many tropical plants.

The fountains and water run right down through the middle of the gardens.

Little water action going on…

The final stop on this trip was the Riverbank Zoo and Gardens in Columbia. There was also a side trip downtown for lunch where we found a very nice Vegan restaurant.

The wall gardens go all the round…

We are heading back to Newfoundland and Labrador in the Canadian Maritimes. This will be our third trip to that part of the world. We start at the Smoky Mountain NP following the Blue Ridge Highway to the Shenandoah NP. After winding our way north through the States, we will spend quality time on Prince Edward Island and then Newfoundland/Labrador. Near the end of summer, we start back south stopping to see our guys in New York and Pennsylvania. As a finish there will be a leisurely tour of the East Coast to complete the summer travels.
Back in time to enjoy the fall weather and relieve our house sitter from all the chores around the house.

After all the spring trips, we are now ready for that big summer adventure…

Have a great summer. Jan and I miss all our friends and relatives in Michigan and Alabama. Hope to be able to catch up with all you soon.

God Bless,

Larry and Jan

New Years 2018

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What a way to start the New Year. It was great to have everyone together to start the 2018 New Year. It was good to have plenty of space for everyone to hang out. One of the positives for the move from Michigan and Alabama. Catching up with everyone was cool and looking forward to doing it again next year.

Here some “just hanging out” photos.

Hanging Out at the key board

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out and staying connected

Just Hanging Out doing a bit of tapestery

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out

Just Hanging Out

,

Just Hanging Out

Everyone was here to bring in the New Year…

New Years Eve

New Years Eve

Taking a walk back in time looking at all the old pictures was certainly interesting adventure. This project will continue next time…

The old picture project

The old picture project

The old picture project

There was lots of food for sure. The side bar was most of it was Vegan…

Lots and lots of food…

Lots and lots of food…

Lots and lots of food…

Lots and lots of food…

It was good to get out of the house to do a couple of hikes. There are over 100 waterfalls close by…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Getting out to check area waterfalls…

Here is a sample of the family group shots taken near the end of our time together.

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…

Family Group Shots…