Gambles Rogers State Park

Just a short drive south we landed along Flagler Beach in the next state park, Gamble Rogers. What a change a few miles can make, the sand is now a glimmering gold color and the waves large enough to support surfing. While the sites are closer together, not as good for cat walks, we are on the beach with the sound of the waves crashing into the dunes. Ahhhhh, four fabulous days.

Faver Dykes State Park and St. Augustine

Just south of St. Augustine sits the quietest park we have ever stayed in. Between the Manatanazs River (part of the intracoastal water way) and the Atlantic the park was a great place to stay with several nice walks for Blue through the palm and pine forest. At night as we sat by the fire we had a visit from a group of raccoons that kept our cat up most of the first night. There were several large spiders along the nature trail as seen in the one photo. Our second day was spent in our favorite FL town, St. Augustine. Our second visit, we enjoy the history of the oldest city in the US, even the local resting spot which is the start of the ghost tour in this charming little city. Along the white sand beaches are some nice places to walk along the shore and see how the other half lives.

St Marys Georgia and Walkabout Campground

We found a nice little campground (Passport America) near the sleepy little town of St. Marys Georgia. Our ritual when we pull into a new place is to stop at the checkin, pull into the site and I go outside to watch as Gary backs in and drops the levelers. As soon as this happens, Blue pokes head head out from under my chair to see if it is secure for him to venture out. ALL CLEAR BLUE! The town of St. Marys sits at the southern most point of Georgia, protected by the barrier island known as Cumberland Island National Seashore, the largest of Georgia's barrier islands. St. Marys is the second oldest continuously inhabited city in the US, next to St. Augustine in FL. The Cumberland Island is protected and can be visited by ferry for walks and bike rides around the island to enjoy nature and a few wild horses. The area is filled with legends of historic battles, daring pirates, antebellum mansions, live oaks dripping with moss and succulent native rock shrimp.

Sunrise on Hunting Beach with Blue

Blue and I woke a little early our last day at Hunting beach, so I captured this shot as the two of us watched the sunrise. Our site was one of the best we've enjoyed in our travels. I'm afraid that site 48 will be gone in two years as we head this way again with the erosion that is consuming the campground. Sad, but true as many of the once beach front sites are already gone including a few of the cabins and this site already has waves at high tide entering the site.

Hunting Island Holiday

As we move into the low country we experience the warmer weather that makes sleeping so much better and the warmth of the local hospitality as we had our thanksgiving on the beach with 200 of our close camping friends. A few days on Hunting Island in a great campsite gives us lots to do over the Thanksgiving holiday. Walks on the beach, a visit to the historic town of Beaufort with its antebellum mansions and exploring the lighthouse, well almost, it was closed for painting. Over the Thanksgiving holiday? Really?

Condo at Myrtle Beach

Our trip to Columbia SC provided a homecoming with my brother and his family. We took a drive to their condo in Myrtle Beach. Unfortunately our weather was not the best so we took advantage of a clearing to walk to the beach and take a photo before the clouds delivered a drenching rain. We still had a great time together and I'm thankful for the every minute.

The Grove Park Inn

While Asheville NC is known for the Biltmore house, there is another property that is majestic with breathtaking views of the mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway. The Grove Park Inn was built in 1913 by E. W. Grove. While the tonic he created to help people with malaria vanished long ago, the Inn he built using his wealth, lives on. From 10 presidents to F. Scott Fitzgerald to George Gershwin, the halls have been graced by many note-worthy people. It has the feel of the great lodges found in the national parks. The exterior and large walk-in fireplaces have boulders form the local quarries. And the great room has panoramic views of the Smokies and community in the valley below.

The leaves are still falling in the Smokies

Even though it is weeks past prime color, there are lots of leaves still on the trees, especially in the low areas of the Smokies. There are more unique tree species in the Smokies than in all of Europe, so I'm amazed by the variety leaves, especially the large leaves that look like they're from Oaks and Maples but I'm not certain if that is correct. With bad weather approaching I took the opportunity to go for a ride near Gatlinburg on what ended up the best day so far for warm weather. How ever, even if the weather had not been so good, it is always a good day when I get to go horse back riding in a national park.

Over the Newfound Gap

Today's drive in the Smokies took us over the top (Newfound Gap), leaving Tennessee entering into North Carolina. At the higher elevations, we experienced the remnants of Sandy's wrath which dropped 3 feet of snow, stranding one hiker walking the Appalachian Trail. Our day was much warmer than the hikers with temps in the 60's. The views from Clingmans Dome at the top were breathtaking and the clear air provided views for miles. Once we reached the bottom and the park entrance at the southeast corner we stopped at the visitors center which has a nice example of a typical farm that was found 100 years ago in the region.

Cades Cove Great Smoky Mountains National Park

36 deer, 1 black bear, 3 turkeys and a flat opossum. No shortage of wildlife spotting's today as we drove up into the Smoky's.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg

If you have a family and like the crazy adventures of the Midway at the state fair, with a pancake house on every block, these are the towns for you. Not for us except for the fact that they sit on the edge of the Great Smoky National Park. Both towns are best viewed from the mountains.

Misty Morning

We found a nice campground at Indian Mountain State Park TN and woke in the morning to a heavy fog.

Touring the Bourbon Trail.

Just a short drive south of Louisville is the beginning of the Bourbon Trail in what was voted the most beautiful town in America, Bardstown. In fact the song, “My old Kentucky Home” was written for a house in Bardstown. The town hosts two smaller distilleries, Barton 1792. We toured Barton and enjoyed a tasting at the tour completion, best of all, it was free. We took a short trip to the Jim Beam facility for a totally different experience. Jim Beam is the largest Bourbon Distillery in the USA and the tour reflected this in it’s scale and new Stillhouse. The cost was minimal and worth it.

The process is not as simple as one would imagine given the tails of moonshine and bootlegging throughout this region for many years. While the Barton facility is much smaller and a lot older, it was interesting to see that much has remained the same for 100 years. Like the barrel barns built in sway (note the plum bob in the photo) to handle the areas instability to the charred white oak barrels that house the bourbon to the distillation process itself. Why Kentucky? As we say back home, it’s the water. The area is limestone which filters the iron out of the water which insures a clear pour liquid after distillation. Barton still uses coal to cook the mash because natural gas is not piped into the area yet.

While all bourbon is whiskey, not all whiskey is bourbon. By law, bourbon must be:

1. Produced in the US. 2. Made of a grain mix with at least 50% corn 3. Distilled at less than 160 proof 4. Free from additives except water to cut the proof 5. Aged in new charred white oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years

Our last stop for the day was to Heaven Hill near our campground. It has a very nice gift shop but the tasting was only available with a tour and at this time, we had enough tours for one day.

As you travel the area you are aware when you get close to a distillery by the sweet smell of the cooked mask and the dark color on all the trees and buildings. In fact, when Gary asked why the buildings were painted black, we learned that the process creates a fungus that turns everything in the area black. From the tree bark to the buildings, there is a darkness to the process of creating bourbon beyond the obvious.