All settled in

Our only concern for the trip to Ohio was how Nox was going to feel about having Beau in his territory. Even though Nox is smaller than Beau it and Beau is pretty passive it could have meant 2 weeks of kennel for Beau. But they have done fine together and Trevor likes having Beau around too.

Yesterday was football camp in the morning and the pool in the afternoon. Today is the last day of football camp for Trevor and then we are going to the skateboard park for some afternoon fun.

I am attaching a picture or Trevor, Beau and Nox.

TTFN

We're in Ohio

So we were on the road again today. It was a pleasant drive to Ohio, 8 hours total. So now we are in Springboro and getting grilled by the grandkids. More to follow. But the weather here is great and everyone is well.

TTFN

Bristol Trail Days

Over the last weekend we did the Keuka Lake Wine Trail. We visited wineries, tasted different wines and had BBQ at each Winery. Had a good time and tasted a lot of great wines. Had a nice picnic up on Mossy Bank Overlook Park that in on top of a small Mountain that overlooks the hometown of Bath.



Today Jim hiked another section of the Fingerlakes Trail from Bean Station Road down to Mitchesville Road on the Bristol trail south of Hi Tor Mountain, about 9 miles. Weather was forecast for thunderstorms this afternoon but they came at 10 am when Jim was on the mountain, got a little wet but that was all.



Bear Facts: Carry the Deet lotion, it is more effective than the spray by far! Sprayed myself all over before this mornings start, but by the time I got to Huckleberry bog, I was swarmed around the head and arms. Applies some Deet lotion and was not bothered until the rain washed it off three hours later.



Animals: Lots of birds, deer and squirrels.



Old cemetery along the trail, interesting as they had stone plaques with poetry by Robert Frost and Bryant. Quaint stone wall around the headstones with a wrought Iron gate ajar. Picture above.

The Finger Lakes Trail

Jim hiked a portion of the Finger Lakes Trail. He saw a big deer and some wood chucks. And of course all the natural beauty that the woods has to offer. Beau and I have been hiking closer to home. It has been nice here up until today. The weather has been in the 70's and even cooler in the morning. So every morning we would go for a nice walk near the woods. This morning it was much shorter than usual and today the weather went into the 90's. I never knew it got that warm here. At least it isn't as humid as south Florida though.

I will post pictures from the FL Trail when I up load them. All is well and everyone is good.

TTFN

We're here

We made it to New York. It was a pleasant ride through the Pennsylvania hills. We will be here for 2 weeks. We plan on doing some hiking on the Finger Lake Trails, fishing in the Finger Lakes, going on picnics and of course visiting the NY state wineries. We'll keep you posted.

TTFN

We are in West Virginia

We made it to Harper's Ferry without too much trouble. Just one little bump in the road but quickly remedied. Jim went to the AT out post there and checked that out. Then we went to the historical district and had lunch at an out door pub. They even brought Beau a bowl of water. It was nice. And of course we sampled the local brews, a Shenandoah lager and a west Virginia pale ale. I liked the lager best. After lunch it was back on the road to our destination in Martinsburg for the night. Tomorrow we will probably be heading for Bath, NY unless we see something we want to do along the way.

I am tired from traveling so I am going to just veg out and finish the book I am reading. Another travel day tomorrow. The weather has been great and the scenery is nice but it does wear you out after a while. All of our previous journeys we have stayed put for a few days so after two days in the car I am tired.

TTFN

Sunday was a travel day

So Sunday was a travel day. We left the hustle and bustle of Hot Springs, NC and drove to another bustling metropolis, Waynesboro, VA. I must say though that Waynesboro looks like the Big Apple compared to Hot Springs. Anyway, we found our way after a little of a rocky start. The beginning of the directions out of Hot Springs were a little bit suspect on the correct way to go. They told us to go on 25N but according to the map we would never had crossed the road we needed to take from there going by going north. So we went south and low and behold it was the correct decision. But is was probably a good thing we were confused because in our "turn around" mode we saw some hikers coming across the trail and into town and that made Jim realize he left his hiking poles behind the door at the cottage. So we were able to go back and retrieve them. And since the entire town is 2 minutes from end to end it really didn't put us too far behind. So sometimes confusion is a good thing. The rest of the trip was fine. The mountains sure are pretty even from the highway.

We got in mid after noon and spend the day visiting and had dinner with Jim's younger sister and her husband. It was a nice relaxing end to the day.

Monday's plan is to travel to Harper's Ferry and check out the trail there. Then we will decide how long we will stay in that area before going on the New York. I can't believe we have been on the road for 3 weeks now. It seems like we just left. Of course if I was still sleeping in the van I might feel differently. It has been a fun trip so far and we have laughed a lot too.

TTFN

Saturday's Hike

Today's hike was up the same mountain, but hiked the area trails instead of the AT all day. Hiked the Pump Gap trail for 5.6M, a loop on top of the mountain. Great weather again, warm but cool in the hollows between mountain peaks. The first mile was along a mountain stream and this trail is not used as much as the AT so it was more overgrown . The canopy was also dense so the trail and rocks were covered in bright green moss and gray lichen. Had to be careful with your footings as it was very slippery. I slipped a few times but did not fall. Everything was so green I was expecting to see a Leprechaun pop out onto the trail anytime. Another trail that was like an enchanted forest walk. Took a picture of the rock face climb at the foot of the first mountain, but it did not come out, so I will try a shot from the river in the morning before we leave for Fishersville.

Bear facts: Should have put some insect repellent on before today's hike as I was buzzed by bee's and flies all day. Forgot and today left my day pack at the cottage, so I was swatting at the bugs whilst hiking across the rocks. Will have to remember to bring that and some water on even the short day hikes.

Animals: The 17 year Cicada's were out today and loudly! There distinctive humming noise reminds me of the 1950's scifi movie : The Day the Earth Stood Still, the sound of the flying saucers is the same as the Cicada's noise! They were in deep forest near the second or third mountain ridge and were very loud. Drowned out all other noise, and got a little irritating.

No humans today on this side trail. Did meet one hippie type at the local grocery. He wanted to know if there was a trail that did not go up a mountain........ha ha.....he was hiking from here to Damascus, about 100 miles so I don't think he will make it even one day. Most of the trails are up and down over elevations of 1500 to 4500 feet every few miles or so.

After Fisherville, we will be going to Harpers Ferry and will hike a little more near the AT center, then on to NY!

Saturday in Hot Springs

This morning while Jim was on the mountain Beau and I decided to go exploring around town. I saw a little pebble path that looked like it went into the woods so we decided to follow it. And we came upon a beautiful Bed and Breakfast. It was called the Mountain Magnolia Inn and Retreat. It was a big southern style mansion that was refurbished. The grounds were gorgeous. There was a big porch that ran around the building too. It was a nice find. Then we walked back down the other side of the dirt road that led into town. We strolled through town and then back to the cottage. When Jim came back from his hike we took him to see the Inn. Beau wasn't as excited making the trip the second time but he was a good sport about it. The town really isn't that big so it didn't tax the old hound too much. When we were walking in town this morning someone even said now that is an old hound dog just like in the Elvis song. He does get a lot of attention everywhere we go. And the sun is out. It is a pleasant Saturday on the trail. We are going out on the deck to read for a while until it's time to go to the local pub for a pint and dinner. They have a nice Carolina Blond that is quite good here.

TTFN

Sherpa update

Hot Springs North Carolina is really small time America. It amazes me that people live in places so small and rural. Although I really don't know how far it is to the nearest big town. But it isn't right around the corner for sure. It gives me new perspective to driving "off island" to get things at home.

The other thing that is amazing to me during this trip is the fact that you can drive on and on and on and not see anything but trees and mountains, no people, no houses, no gas stations, no stores nothing. But I have to say that 90% of the time we did have cell phone connectivity. Thanks Verizon. Keep up the good work.

Our routine has been to drive to the pick up spot and then to the drop off spot so I know where to get Jim after his hike. All spots are obviously places where the trail crosses roads and there is an area where I can park and wait for him to arrive. On yesterday's trip we were not able to find the spots outside Hot Springs where the trail crosses the road. Everywhere else there was an AT sign on the road and a little pull off area next to the road where you could park. We saw a gas station with a couple of older guys sitting outside talking so we decided to stop and ask them if they knew where the trail crossed the road. When Jim asked them if they knew where the trail crossed they told him if he wanted to find the trail he had to go up on that there big mountain. So needless to say we never found the crossing. But the trail does go right through the middle of the town we are in so Jim is still able to hike. He just has to go out and back or call me and tell me where he is.

So today Beau and I did a nice walk through town which took about 10 minutes even at Beau's pace. Then we hung out at the cabin. We did some housekeeping chores, one of which was to bathe Beau. You haven't lived until you've tried to get a 75 pound Basset into a shower. We both got a bath. Then we went out on the deck and sat in the sun to dry out. I read and he slept. Before we knew it the hiker was back and we all went down to Sweet Perfections for ice cream.

There is a hotel and bar here for lease. Jim wants to check it out. I don't think that will be happening.

So tomorrow we do more of the same and Sunday we head out for Virginia. It should be about a 5 hour drive.

The weather has been nice the past few days. It has been sunny and warm and I am even wearing shorts now. Hope that trend holds.

TTFN

Friday's Hike

Today's hike: Hot Springs up to Tankard gap. The day started out rainy, a light misty rain so it wasn't too miserable. Walked up mainstreet Hotsprings on the trail then turn off the bridge along the French Broad River. Nice flat quiet hike for half a mile along the river which here has Cat 2 rapids. There are a few rafting companies along here, so I am sure the river picks up to at least cat 4 downstream. Then straight up the mountain for a 2500 foot climb. A little scary in one spot , the trail turned into a goat trail along a rocky outcropping for a few hundred feet strait up. Trail was all rock and no more than a foot wide and did I mention no handholds, trees and ALL ROCK? Strait down, so I did not look down after the first time, just scrambled up and glad I had my trekking poles again for balance.

Big rock on top of the scramble, named appropriately : Lovers Leap ! If I hike this way tomorrow, I'll try to get a picture of the rock face of the mountain. Looking at it from the bottom one could not imagine a hiking triail going up this way. Passed three girls of high school or maybe college age doing a day hike with no packs or water and another pair of guys, one in his forties and the other with white hair, probably the father, taking a rest on one of the switchbacks going up. Did about 5 miles out then another five back. As we cannot find the road crossings for the other direction, I will probably hike this area's side trails tomorrow for fun. There is a Pump gap loop trail that hooks up with the AT and the Lovers Leap trail and the silvermines trail.

Suzy is hanging out with Beau today and catching up on Deseperate Housewives and Greys Anatomy while I hike, then into the thriving metropolis of Hot Springs for dinner. There are a couple of places with outside dinning that allow dogs outside on their patios. Had a nice Buffalo Bills burger two nights ago at the pebbles river pub, and there is a sweet shop will may visit tonight. Hot Springs is about 1/200 the size of Bath, NY FYI. The grocery is called the Hillbilly store.........

Bear Facts: The more you hike, the more you like, seems I am getting my mountain legs as todays hike of 10 miles did not tire me at all, had a breakfast bar on top of the mountain and lots of water.

Beau moment

Usually when we are traveling the van is loaded to the gills. We have a small table inside and usually our suitcases and duffle bags are under the table and Beau's bed is in the middle of the van. Since the roads we are traveling on twist and turn a bit there have been occassions when a book or cup or map or someother small item we may have left on the table has slid off and beaned Beau. Now that we are staying in a cottage most of our stuff is out of the van. On this morning's journey I looked back and saw Beau under the table with his nose on the cooler. I had to take this picture. I guess when he felt us going around the curves he decided to take cover. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks! He is a cutie.

Another view from Max Patch

Max Patch Mountain

This morning we drove up to see how far to the drop off point of Max Patch Gap and Lemon drop Gap. I was going to hike 6 miles between the two but the road up was less than desirable. It started out great but then turned in to a dirt road with lots of twists and turns and muddy, so we made it to Max Patch Gap Mountain top, but decided to not go further. We hiked around the top of the mountain, will insert a picture taken at the top of the hill. Suz and Beau hiked part way up and then went back down. I went about 2 miles to the top. Very scenic and the AT runs right across this grassy meadow on the mountain top.

Then we came down and looked for the next 2 road crossings of the AT in this area without any success, so next two days I will hike from the cottage in Hot Springs in each direction, then turn around and return. The AT runs right down main street Hot Springs, so we know where it is at least here.

Going to do Laundry today and will take a picture of the Verizon building here. Also passed two Verizon trucks on the dirt road up in nowhere land. It was amazing to us that we were on a one lane dirt road in the middle of nowhere but there were houses every so often. Even saw a sign for a notary and fax at some one's cabin. We were not sure what people would be faxing way up here but you never know. We think that some may be just hunting lodges and summer retreats, but others had gardens and cattle, and the occasional goat.

We will be staying here thru Saturday, then onward north to visit Kathy and then go on to maybe stay awhile in Harper's Ferry and hike some more. Harper's Ferry is where the Appalachian Trail Conference offices are located.

Bear Facts: When hiking and even day hiking, don't forget your pack as I did today. Left it at the cottage........

Animals: Wild turkeys, squirrels, hikers, turkey vultures.

Travel Day to Hot Springs North Carolina

Today was an interesting day. First we drove through Smoky Mountains National Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I now know why they are called the Smoky Mountains. The fog really settles into the mountains and it really does look like smoke. It was very beautiful. Although at some points it was so foggy that the going was very slow. We drove down to Clingman's Dome. It is one of the main points on the Trail. It was so foggy that we could not see anything other than the near by trees. We did see a wild turkey in the grass in the parking lot. But we couldn't see out into the ridge.

Then we drove on to Hot Springs, North Carolina. On the way there we drove through the Cherokee reservation and saw the huge Cherokee casino there. It was enormous and beautiful. At first we wondered why there were all these big hotels in the middle of no where. Then we knew.

Next we drove through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. That was interesting too. It looked like a typical tourist town. We wanted to stop at the Hard Rock to add to our shot glass collection but the parking was impossible and the traffic was non stop so we decided to keep going since we weren't sure how the rest of the drive was going to be. It will just have to be a destination for the future.

And if I can digress for a moment. Jim was reading the Sunday paper and he read an article about an amusement park that Hard Rock built in Mrytle Beach. All the rides are set to Rock music. It looked really interesting. They have an Eagles ride and a Led Zepplen ride. We are definitely adding that to our Bucket List.

So back to this trip. We finally made it to Hot Springs and started the drive to our campground. To make a long story short it was at the top of a very, very steep hill. We weren't real sure where we should be going and when we decided to turn around we got stuck in the mud. Next a young man came along and attempted to help to no avail. So he said I'll be right back and left. He came back with his tractor to pull us out of the mud. Which was only problematic because we were on the side of a mountain with very little wiggle room. At least Jim put me out of the van on the side of the road in case it didn't turn out well. But it did and we quickly went down the hill and looked for other accommodations. At this writing I am very cozy in a nice cottage with a real bed. AND A TV. I haven't watched TV in 2 weeks. Not that I am complaining. It has been great communing with nature. But it is also good to be back in the real world for a couple of days.

I am also posting a bear that we spotted along the way in the Smoky Mountains too. I forgot to mention that earlier. We named him Boo Boo.

Our Cabin at Bryson City NC

Beau sleeping in van

Nantahala Trial Crossing

The Nantahala Trail crossing is a neat little area. All in one spot you can go white water rafting, kayaking, mountain biking or hike the Appalachian Trail. It is is such a nice area Beau and I decided to hang there and Jim decided rather than do the 16 miles to the next pick up he would hike up to the top of the hill that was there and then back down. It was only 3800 feet up. He started at an elevation of 1800 feet and ended up at 5600! That's a good session on the stairmaster. Beau and I went for a walk along the river. Then we sat by the river under a tree. They had picnic benches and regular benches there for just that purpose. I read and Beau explored as far as his leash would let him. Then he found a nice sunny spot and took a nap. And before you knew it Jim was back and we had lunch there. It was a nice day for all of us. I am posting a picture of the river.

TTFN

Fontana Dam

We drove up to see Fontana Dam today. Very pretty but a small dam compared to Hoover. We scoped out the drop off and pick up spots for tomorrow and took Beau for a little hike on part of the trail for a little exercise. We are just going to relax for the rest of today. Will update after hikes tomorrow.

TTFN

LAST TWO DAYS HIKE UPDATE

Thursdays Hike: 14 miles in less than 7 hours and that was just about right, not real tough as a lot of the miles were on ridges along the top of the mountains and not a lot of up and down hill. Saw a rattler sunning himself accross the trail. Stomped my feet and banged my trekking poles on the rocks and he slithered off....of course then I did the fastest 100 feet past where he was and saw a snake in even root, shadow and stick for the next two hours.

Bear Facts: When the weather gets warmer, the bugs come out and the snakes come out to sun themselves! Passed about 16 hikers today of all ages.

14 miles in 6 hours 20'

Fridays hike: Hike from hell !! 16.7 miles and it was straight up the first hour, so I was soaked and out of my jacket. My breakthable gortex got all choked up!! Saw two wild turkeys, big ones, looked like small ostrich's, on the trail. They just looked at me for about 10 seconds and took off, still not enough time to get my camera out and turned on. IF I HAD A GUN, we would have had enough turkey for two Thanksgivings........met two older gents from Germany, both with snowy white hair.....asked how old they were, one 74, one 76 and were both in great shape. They said they had also hiked in the Alps and were going all the way to Maine!! Hope for me yet!

Also met a 18 year old girl from Florida who was going all the way to Maine by herself. Her plan was to stay where there were others camped every night for safety , currently was hiking with another couple.

Bear Facts: Thought that hikers were some of the cleanest most nature respectful people ever.........as I have not see any litter or garbage along the trail. Well was talking to the ridge runner at Walasi Center Outfitters and he cares for about 20 miles of trail. That day he picked up about 5 pounds of garbage along about 10 miles, so the hikers are really messy, just have some dedicated caretakers picking up after. The trail so far has been very well maintained, much better than the Florida trail. No deadfall of any kind that had not been cleaned up and the trail has been repaired for water damage when necessary. Signs about every 5-10 miles or so, some new, some old, but all in good repair.

Animals : Turkeys, hawks, various birds, bees , flutterbys, heard lots of rustling in the woods, either bear or dear.

Monday will be a 13.6 miler along the Nantahala river and mountains.

We are in North Carolina

We made it to North Carolina. We are in a cabin that is right along side of a creek. There are lots of people tubing down the creek. I kind of think the water might be a wee bit chilly. We may try it out after Jim's hike tomorrow. We'll see. I dipped my hand in the creek and it didn't seem too cold but it wasn't any where near warm.

It is very pretty here. The last part of the drive was beside a river with rafters and kayaks on it. It looked like fun. Tomorrow's hike is 12 miles so Jim should have another fun day. I am not sure yet what Beau and I will do. We are in Bryson City and it is very small and very rural. It may be another hang at the campsite day.

So we are tucked in safe for another day. I am posting a picture of our last campsite. We are in a cabin now. It is about the size of my bedroom at home and the bathroom is about the size of my closet. But it's a step up from the van and all we really need it for is to sleep and shower. We are spending most of our time outdoors. We just went for a walk in the woods with Beau. Now he is curled up on his bed sleeping.

TTFN

We are connected and on the road again

Yesterday while chatting with the woman in the store at the campground about our computer woes, she mentions that her son is and IT person. Making a long story short he came down to the campground and fixed our problem in 15 minutes and only charged us $25. Now that was a little bit of good karma. There really are still some nice people in the world. So for now we have connectivity as long as we have wifi. We are not sure if our next stop has it or not. They were in the "process" of installing which we are not sure what that means since it shouldn't be too hard to set up a router. Anyway, we will know by this afternoon.

So we are off to Bryson City, North Carolina. We will be staying at Deep Creek Cabins. Yes, I said Cabins. The good news is I now know what the pitfalls are for sleeping in the van and I have a new plan to fix it.

The band was in full swing last night. They were actually pretty good. I only had 2 glasses of wine so it wasn't that either. It was a nice cool evening and it was 52 when we got up. A little chilly but after a cup of coffee and the sun came out it has warmed up nicely. At least I have my coffee maker with me and can have a nice fresh cup of coffee every morning. That makes things a whole lot better.

So we have about a 2 to 3 hour drive ahead of us. We will be leaving shortly. Jim will be back on the mountain again tomorrow. I think he has a shorter hike than the last one planned.

Here is a picture of Jim when he came down from the 16 mile hike. His sherpa had a cold beer waiting for him. He looks like he needed it too.

TTFN

Rest day today - Happy Birthday Christine

Yesterday I was not able to get connected to the Internet. Our computer has really been acting funny. Jim did 16 miles yesterday and was really tired when he came down off the mountain. He said he felt like he had run a marathon. One of the hills he had to go over was very steep and took several rests to make it to the top. He said he met quite a few other people resting too along the way. When Beau and I got to the pick up spot he wasn't there yet so we started up the trail to meet him. Beau was like a dog possessed. I don't know what he smells when he gets in the mountains but he just goes and goes. I had to make him turn around after about 15 minutes. I was afraid he would not be able to get back down as some parts were rather hilly and steep. But he went down just fine. And we were only down about 5 minutes and Jim came off the mountain too. So we probably would have met up with him if we had gone just a little farther.

The campground we are staying at is really crowded now. It was nice when we had the place to ourselves. They weren't kidding when they said it would be full for Memorial Day weekend. There are more kids riding around on bikes and motor scooters and campers everywhere. Last night they had a band playing music at the pavilion. Mostly southern rock. They weren't half bad. Not sure what festivities they will have tonight.

Today we are going to see what is in town and then hang around the campground. They have a lake for fishing and a putt putt course here so we will probably check that out. Tomorrow we move to Deep Creek and are staying in a CABIN. Yeah, a real bed.

TTFN

It's a long hike today

So I dropped Jim off at 7:30 this morning. He is doing the stretch from Unicoi Gap to Hogpen Gap which is just under 14 miles. He estimates it will take him about 7 hours. So Beau and I are hanging out and doing laundry and other housekeeping items with the van. Then when we go pick Jim up we'll do a little more investigating in Hiawassee. It's another quaint little town. It is amazing how quickly I remember my way around in these hills. Although there aren't many roads so it is kind of hard to get lost. But if you miss a turn you could be going for a long way before you realize it. But that's what the GPS is for. I only had to use it once so far. Google maps have really been right on target for where we needed to go.

We are staying at Bald Mountain RV Park. It is really nice. The park has over 100 campsites and there are maybe 5 other campers here besides us right now. When we checked in they said they will be full by Saturday since it is Memorial Day weekend. So I guess we better enjoy the peacefulness of it now. Tomorrow the party is over.

Not much else going on. It was down in the 50's again last night so the mornings are still chilly. But now the sun is out and it is warming up fast. Beau is sitting in the sun warming his bones. I am too for that matter. We were both shivering at 6am this morning.

Will update later this afternoon after we extract Jim from the mountain. I am sure he will want to do his update.

TTFN

Travel Day

Today we are leaving Unicoi and traveling to Bald Mountain Campground which is in Hiawassee, Georgia. All of the parks we have stayed in so far have been gorgeous. The mountains and trees are something we don't get to see at home. The only complaint I have about Unicoi is that the bathroom was uphill. It's really hard to walk uphill when you have to go real bad. And if the weather could make up it's mind this trip would be perfect. Yesterday it was sunny and warm all day, then at dinner time it rained and got cool. We had a nice fire at the camp site so that was nice. And we slept under the sleeping bag so that was OK too. But then when you have to get up and get out of the van at 7am and it's only 56 out it wakes you up right quick. See, I'm picking up the lingo around here. Some of the folks sure do talk funny here. But everyone has been friendly and helpful.

So we are off to a new area. We are supposed to have wifi at this campground too so I will try to post again later. We'll see how that goes. The wifi has been pretty good here except that you have to go to the Lodge to access it. Bald Mountain is supposed to have it at the campsites. I'll let you know how that works out. It's only about a 40 minute drive to the next spot so we are going to do some exploring along the way. We'll check out the drop off and pick up spots for Jim's next set of hikes.

TTFN

Anna Ruby Falls

Yesterday we hiked to Anna Ruby Falls. It was only a half mile up and back. Beau went with us and he made it up and back too. Everyone who saw him was amazed that he was hiking. The falls were pretty and the woods around it were awesome. We spent the rest of the day at the campsite. It was a relaxing day.

Today I dropped Jim off at Hogpen Gap and picked him up at Neels Gap again. After my post he will give you his hike update and the details. We had dinner tonight at the Lodge. They have a buffet for $12 and it was awesome. Some of the highlights were fresh Georgia Mountain Trout and fresh Peach Cobbler. The salad bar was awesome too. Better than most I have seen at fancy restaurants. So we are stuffed and happy.

Tomorrw we head out to another camp ground. So far so good with the driving. And now that it has warmed up it hasn't been bad sleeping in the van. And Beau makes a good hiking campanion for me. While Jim was hiking today we went for a hike around the lake here. It was a total of 2.4 miles but we only went about a 1/3 of the way around. So out and back we probably did 2/3 of the 2.4 miles. You do the math. I don't have a calculator with me and I'm on vacation.

Todays hike: Hogpen Gap to Neels Gap, backtrack to an easy pickup. 6.5M in 3hrs 15', easier trail, with rolling trail along tops of the mountains. Can see for miles if you look to left or the right. Lots of butterflies and mountain wildflowers along the trail, the forest here is not as old, this area was logged a lot at the turn of the last century, until the Chattahoochee nathonal forest was formed and the forest is growing back, therefore smaller trees and more light gets to the forest floor. Breezy in the hollows but the wind picks up on the higher ridges and has a dramatic cooling effect and must me 15 / 20 miles stronger there, got to hold onto your hat!

Bear Facts: Hydration: Using about 1/2 qt of water per hour, dring one qt before I leave so, the cool has helped, but still sweat a lot going up the hills.

Animals : Bambi's mother, lots of bees and flutterby's, squirrels and alvin the chipmunk.

Great hike today.

Blood Mountain

I had another successful extraction getting Jim. I meet him at Neels Gap. I saw someone come off the mountain with their dog. The dog had saddlebags on and didn't seem the least bit phased by the hike. It was interesting at Neels Gap. They have a store and a hostel there where hikers can restock their supplies and spend the night or just rest for a while before they go on. They even had a washer and dryer if you needed to do laundry. There were several hikers there when we there too.

You won't believe this but it rained when we got back to the campsite. We had enough time to make lunch and then it rained. It is sunny today so I hope that weather pattern prevails for a while. I have seen enough rain for now.

Today's hike: Blood mountain is the highest point in Georgia at 4460 feet. Cool at the start and had my jacket on, but 10 minutes later I was sweating and had it open, then half hour later it was off and I was soaked. Pretty much a climb for the first few hours. Passed a lot of hikers of all ages, and some birders. Overcast at the start but the sun came out for a couple of hours until I made it to the top of Blood mountain, then it got cold and windy again. Will attach a pic of the view here, spectacular. Top of the mountain is all granite rock, have to be careful, no handhold or tree's, the blazes are on the granite rock ground. Going down was tougher than going up, steep decent and slow going, all rock. Got to Neels Gap 5 hours and 20 ' later with three breaks for rest and pictures. 11.6 miles. At Neels Gap is the Walasi Center, a hikers hostel and supplier / outfitter. Splurged an bought a shirt that says : Hike faster, I hear banjo music !

My head cold is worse so tomorrow is another rest day to see if I can shake it. Into town for some cold drugs!

Bear facts: Total elevation of my climb up Blood was 1500 feet. An standard stair riser is 8", so converting all that would make the hike up equivalent to 2250 stair steps! Not counting those ups and downs prior to the mountain and along the ridges. AND going back down.

Animals: One bambi and two woodchucks, one of which was in the road challenging the van to hit him.

He's on the mountain

I just dropped Jim off at Woody Gap. I will pick him up this afternoon at Neels Gap. It is about a 12 mike hike for him. Beau and I are going to hike around the lake here at the park today. We did part of it yesterday afternoon and it was great. Most of the other campers are leaving today so we should have most of the campground to ourselves. Unless of course some other people check in. But when we were at Amicalola we mostly had the park to ourselves until Friday. So we shall see what happens.

I have to say that the restroom facilities at both of these parks has been awesome. They are clean and have plenty of hot water. Kudos to Georgia State Park system so far. Very well maintained all around and well marked for where things are.

If we make it back to the Lodge this afternoon Jim can let you know how the hike was. If not I'll post again tomorrow. I don't like to leave Beau in van too long while I am in the Lodge. He is holding up pretty good but doesn't like to be alone too long.

We did see animals today. On the way to drop Jim off we saw a deer. It was in the trees near the road. On the way back I saw something by the road that was small and brown. I thought it was probably a bunny. When I got close it was a woodchuck up on it's hind legs. It was looking around and not intimidated by traffic at all. Very cute.

TTFN

Picture post

Today we are off to Unicoi

Well, it was supposed to warm up today but they forgot to tell the campground that. It went down into the 40's last night. It was really chilly and I stayed under the sleeping bag all night. When someone would roll over and take all the covers with him I got cold quick and had to steal them back. And yes there is room to roll over in our van bed. This morning when we woke up Beau was shivering and his teeth were chattering. Poor little boy. So we bundled him up in the beach towels. Don't think we will be needing them in the near future. It sure does get cold in this here hills.
So now we are in the Lodge having a great breakfast. They have a buffet and then we are going to shove off for Unicoi. The sun is out now so we will hike when we get there. And we are going to look for a small heater for the van in our travels. It is supposed to stay in the 60's at night for the next few nights but they are predicting low 50's by Wednesday. Right now a Caribbean cruise is looking good. Our next camping trip is definitely going to be to warmer parts of the nation. Now for Jim's hike update from yesterday. Beau and I hiked too. It is beautiful here and he goes nuts with all the good smells to sniff on the ground.

Left the campground 8:30a and hiked a mile to the head of the Len Foote Hike Inn trail on top of the mountain. I thought it was a 5.5 m loop trail returning to the lodge, buttttt, it turned out to be 5.5m each way, so I ended up doing about 12 miles getting back to the Lodge for lunch around 1pm. Great hike, lots of old forest tree's and giant granite rock outcropings. Some of the areas of the forest were dark and reminded me of those scenes from the Wizard of Oz and the Lord of the rings where old gnarled trees come to life and start walking and talking. I would not have been surprised to see a Gnome in these woods. Weather was chilly and my bronchitis persists, probably scaring off the bears with my cough, did see lots of chipmunks ! Lots of fog covered mountain tops and a couple of time the sun peaked out through the new leaf canopy creating a cheery sun dappled trail. One minute you are enveloped in fog, next you are in the sun looking out over a mountain view, very beautiful. Saw lots of hikers on this trail, some not in such good shape and some a lot older that one would think would be out on a strenuous trail.

Bear Facts: My titanium hiking poles are great. Don't know how anyone hikes without them. Help with balance on downhills and wet muddy trails, and they help power you up the hills, just like a x country skier.

Today we need to look for a van heater for Beau to stay warm, then some short hikes at Unicoi Park near Helen Ga.

Jim

While Jim was posting I was having the warm banana bread. It was awesome.

There is sun in Georgia

After spending almost the entire day yesterday in the van it is good to see the sun starting to come out. It is peeking through the clouds with greater frequency as the morning goes on. So hopefully by this afternoon it will be a little nicer out and I can finally take my coat off. Yesterday when it started to rain we headed for the van and camped out there the rest of the day and night. We forgot that we left some food on the picnic table and did not secure the cooler. So the raccoons had a feast last night and we need to go shopping again. The even ate our eggs. But they didn't get the coffee creamer so that was good. At least we had coffee and cereal this morning. Jim is doing a short hike this morning. He has a sore throat so he doesn't want to push it. Plus it was still pretty over cast so we were not sure what the weather was going to be like. Tomorrow we head to Unicoi in northern Georgia and he can do some longer hikes there.

When we come into the lodge to log on to the wifi we leave Beau in the van. It is really cool here so weather isn't an issue. Usually he would just curl up on his bed on the floor and when I would get back to the van he would be asleep. Yesterday when we went back to the van I peeked in the window and his bed was emptying. I could not imagine what happened to him. There is no room for him to go anywhere else so I was really freaked out. So I quickly opened the van door only to find him on our bed. And I think he may have been trying to get into the food which is stashed behind our bed. Just when I thought I had a plan in place he tests the limits. He is a male though so it's not entirely his fault. He always has to see what he can get away with before I'll pull the reins in on him.

So when Jim gets back it's either go get more food at Walmart or eat at the Lodge today. We have to get ice for the cooler for the milk and beer and soda so we will probably go out for ice. But dinner at the Lodge is sounding real good right now.

Hopefully we can post more when Jim comes down from the mountain.

TTFN

IT'S STILL RAINING

I can't believe it's still raining. They said on the news that it would probably rain until around 11 tonight. I thought they were kidding. I guess maybe it will be. Although it's only 5pm now. It rains hard and then lets up a little and just sprinkles and then hard and then sprinkles. I need to visit the girls room soon and I am trying to time it for sprinkle time. But it changes so often that I don't think it really matters. I may opt for a close bush if it lets up enough. Jim and Beau are both sleeping. I have done a gazillion sudoku puzzles and read about 10 chapters in my book. I may have to roust one of them for entertainment soon. Maybe I'll even take my chances with backgammon. Someone will have to leave the van soon. All the food is in here but the beer is outside in the cooler under the picnic table. I'll update on that situation when I can get on again. The aircard seems to be working but our computer is finicky as to what sites it will bring up. I think it is our embarq site where we get our email that keeps causing the problem so I am not checking that until last. That seems to be where is gets hung up. Maybe there is too many bytes for the card to handle. Although at times it does come up. I am at a loss. It's all a mystery to me. I just keep rebooting until it works. Well time to figure an exit strategy. It will be better than Bush's.
TTFN (can you hear the tandem snoring in the background?)

Update

So it's raining!!!

Bear facts: When out in the wet and cold, a hot shower feels really good!!!

Jim has been online with Vz for an hour, maybe he has the aircard fixed, it is working for now........rain is coming down really hard now.

So for those of you who may be confused by the Uncle Mike posts. We are referring to Uncle Mike Baxter who works for Verizon. This is a piggyback on our nephew Brian's blog post as he was having connectivity problems. Our connectivity has been great. We have aircard issues but for the moment it's working. We have bars in most spots here and yesterday when I called Jim on the mou ntain to check the pick up spot he said he had no bars and the call still went through. So Mike, keep on working for us. Thanks

We are heading into the van now because it is really starting to rain. If we have connectivity later we will post again.

TTFN (TA TA FOR NOW for you Non Winnie the Pooh folks)

Day Two More for Uncle Mike's List

So the extraction from the mountain went well. I managed to make it down the hill from the campground and up the hill to the base of Springer Mountain to pick up Jim from his hike. It was a lot easier driving than I thought it would be. Jim said he had a good hike. He will post his hike stuff next. And the Verizon cell phone reception was good so we were able to be in contact when he was on the hill and I knew right where to go to pick him up. That's the good news. Now for our Verizon nightmare. I am currently typing this in the Lodge using their wifi. That works great. But the Verizon aircard keeps shutting down the computer. So we went to a Verizon store and they said we needed to uninstall the aircard and reinstall it. Well they uninstalled it and were not able to reinstall it and so now we have no air card. And then they sent us on a wild goose chase to the Geek Squad to see if they could fix the problem and they were useless too. So now if I can't reinstall from their web page, which I will try next, then we are stuck until we get to Ohio and Christopher can have at our computer. But the good news is that we have wifi and most of the campgrounds have it. So we just won't be able to post as often as we hoped we would be able to. But we will let you know one way or another that we are ok.

Beau is having a great time. He loves the cooler weather and all the neat smells in the woods. I am loving the outdoors but would kill for a real bed. Other than that the trip is good so far. The woods are gorgeous and it is nice and cool out. Of course I am bundled up like it's winter. But it is supposed to get a little warmer tomorrow so that is good news.

Short hikes on the agenda for today. A long one tomorrow when it's a little warmer. We are supposed to get thunder storms this afternoon too so we didn't want to be stuck on a mountain in a storm. There may be a backgammon tourney in the van this afternoon if it rains hard. The dice have been in Jim's favor lately too. I have lost my edge. Yikes.

TTFN

The approach trail up to Springer Mountain was not as bad as most of the books made out. Couple of challenging climbs at the beginning and end, rest was rolling hills similar to the Fingerlakes trail. Wore my heartmonitor and most of the time it was not over 100, and 118 on the climbs, so the climbs would be equivalent to a moderate run / jog. Took some pictures at Springer Mountain and had a nice chat with Roger Dutton, the ridgerunner and caretaker of the AT southern terminus. Roger must be late 80's or early 90's, should have taken his picture.....full white beard and a hearing aid in each ear. I was the only hiker thru there today. Total Mileage 12 m in about five hours with three breaks . Going to rest today with some short side trail hikes as the storm front that caused the tornado's a few days ago out west is supposed to hit here with thunderstorms and I have a slight head cold and sore throat.

Bear Facts : Not all hikers are friendly, met two sets of college age kids , one grunted a reply to my good morning , the other didn't reply at all...oh well, they were dressed as for a snowstorm, and looked pretty miserable!

The First Day of Hiking

So he's on the mountain. Amazingly enough I was able to talk to him twice on the cell phone. The walkie talkies we bought just in case the cell phone didn't work have not worked yet. Go figure. So in a little bit I will be leaving to go pick him up at the extraction point. That is provided I make it down the hill out of the park and up the hill to get him. The park is nice but I am freezing. It is in the 60's but it is cloudy and cool. I want my sunshine back. Beau is surviving and likes the cooler weather. Yesterday we drove to Springer mountain so I would know where to go to pick up Jim today. We had to drag Beau off the trail and back to the van. Maybe he is a mountain dog. If I can get connected again I'll let you know how the first hike went. If not then you'll hear from us tomorrow when I am at the Lodge again. That is where I am now which has me thinking why aren't we staying here instead of the van??? Something to keep in mind for the next trip.
TTFN

Truckin up I-75

So this is our first attempt at posting while traveling. After wanting to throw the computer out the window we now have access. I have to remember that using the air card isn't always going to give me instant gratification like using a home based computer. This morning it only took 3 attempts. Last night on the computer at the hotel was another story. I had to relinquish control of the computer to Jim because I just couldn't do it anymore. And then we finally had to go to the lobby to get access at that. So this morning was a better computer experience in that respect.

It is nice to be driving in the mountains. We are just approaching Atlanta. Once we are north of Atlanta then the scenery will really get nice. Our plan is to make it to the park today. Just before we get there we will look for a grocery store and stock up for the next 3 days. Then it's off to Amicalola Falls State Park. We will be staying at a campsite there and Jim will hike near by trails each day. I will drop him off and pick him up at designated spots and bring him back to the campsite each day. Should be fun. Beau and I will do our own explorations while he is on the trail. We will do flat hiking as I don't think short Basset legs can climb very high. Unless there is food nearby. We stopped at a McDonald's just long enough to use the facilities this morning and when we got back to the van Beau was rummaging through the Burger King bag with this morning's breakfast wrappers in it. His nose definitely is still in working order.
If we have real WiFi when we set up camp at the park I will give you another update then.
TTFN

We made it to Georgia

So we made it to Valdosta and will stay here for the night. It is our last night in a real bed for awhile so we better get a good night's sleep. Although I think sleeping in the woods will be very relaxing. And now that we are out of Florida the driving will be better. Although we did have fun with the satellite radio and playing name that tune on the top tracks channel. The things you do to amuse yourselves when you are on the road. So far no bears but we aren't even in their neck of the woods yet. We will definitely keep you posted on all sitings. So it's TV without TIVO tonight which is torture and then off to enjoy nature tomorrow.
TTFN

We have arrived

We are back in our old neighborhood. We are staying with Mike, Vanessa, Ally, Sammy and Mya. Today is girls day. We are going to Wannado City. Then it will probably be time to just relax by the pool with a cool one. Tomorrow is Mother's Day festivities and then we will begin the next leg of our journey first thing Monday morning. So I probably won't post again until we are on our way. I want to see how the laptop works in the van with the air card. I sure hope Verizon doesn't disappoint me. That's it for now and Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's in my life. :-)

The first leg begins

We have the van packed up and are getting ready to leave the Island for other parts of the world. Beau is getting a work out going up and down the stairs. He has been literally glued to my side since the suitcases went in the van. He is making sure he does not get left behind. Normally he would be sound asleep by now. I am sure as soon as we are on the road he will be out like a light. That's my kind of traveling. At least until we are out of the state of Florida. Then the scenery will change and it will be worth staying awake for. So we will be on our way shortly to go to the other side of the state. Should be there in time to pick the girls up from school. That will be a nice surprise for them too.

Almost Time to Leave

We are in the final packing phase. We are at the point where we need to decide what is essential. The one cup coffee maker is essential. Other than that I am negotiable. Beau isn't willing to give up much of his sleeping space so we have to pack conservatively. But I think we will be able to get everything in the van that we need to take. So Friday we will be leaving for a visit with the East Coast kids and grandkids and then Monday, May 12th we hit the trail so to speak. So the next post will be when we leave. Only 4 more packing days left. This is like the Christmas shopping count down.

Equipment Test

We all tried on our packs to make sure they still fit. At first Beau wasn't so sure but once he realized that were dog treats in it for him he was ready to go. So now we are starting to make lists so we won't forget anything. Does anyone want to bet if we do or not, forget anything that is?? Next week we will start to pack everything in the van and go over the list once more. Beau said as long as we don't forget the dog food he is ready to go. It must be nice to work from such a short list. Until the next post, keep on truckin.

The Begining

We are getting ready to start our hiking/camping adventure. We will be leaving in a couple of weeks to spend approximately 5 weeks in the Appalachian Trail area to do some hiking and some camping. We will be bringing Beau, our 11 year old Basset Hound with us so one of us may need to stay behind with him until he gets used to staying at the camp site by himself and knowing that we will be back for him. He sleeps a good part of the day so that should not be a problem. But we are not completely sure of this yet. We did a 2 day test camp at a local park and he was pretty good. He really did like it at the campsite when he was outside with us. But we really did not leave him for very long because there was limited shade and even in the Spring the Florida heat can become overwhelming very quickly. So we shall see how he does in the mountains. We will use this site to let family and friends know how we are doing. We will try to post something at least every couple of days so you will know we didn't get eaten by a bear. So that's it for now. Keep on truckin.

Test Post

I am new at this and so this is my test post.