Tag: nature

The Long Stretch Home

Here we were, on midday Friday (or evening Friday if tracking our “home time”) and 2000 miles from home. We had done the math when planning this trip and knew it would be ridiculously hard to get home in 2.5 days. So, we made our bosses super happy by taking six days off of work, instead of just a solid week. Even with the extra day, we had some hard driving ahead. The previous driving had some cumulative effects…and we were about to lose all those hours we’d gained through the time changes. We still had some beautiful scenery to get us through the drive, including a view of the Colorado River heading towards the Grand Canyon.

Since we didn’t picnic at Lake Mead, we headed over to Route 66 in Kingman for a bite to eat at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. We’ll call it lunch, but time was in flux; we lost an hour going into Arizona by moving to mountain time, but then the state didn’t recognize daylight savings time (but then some reservation lands did follow it). Whatever meal you want to call it, our meal was so good. They made in-house root beer which I had. Thom upped the ante by having a root beer float, which also featured their homemade ice cream. I had a Harley Davidson Dog, which was topped more like a hamburger, including some special sauce. The diner was themed with all your typical Route 66 memorabilia, but we were also there during the Route 66 Centennial celebration. So, we got to watch all sorts of awesome cars drive by while eating.

We thought we’d be able to catch the sunset from our spot for the night, but the sunset was an hour earlier than expected due to the time shenanigans. We enjoyed watching the colors change ahead of us instead, and then we watched the moon rise as the clouds built up.

Our stop for the night was in Winslow AZ. No, we didn’t go to the corner, but we did that on our last big trip…you can go check out those obligatory (but fun) pictures from then. We arrived to La Posada in the pitch black evening, but even so, it was a beautiful property. It was part hotel, part history museum, part art museum, and (still) a train depot. Our room even had a bookshelf with all sorts of old books, so we wound down that night perusing books and reading poetry. Such a sweet moment.

The next morning, we had breakfast in the highly-rated Turquoise Room while watching trains come and go. We got to check the property out a little more and I lamented that we couldn’t stay longer. Nothing new there, I wish I could stay longer and explore more just about everywhere we go. But, at this point in life, we just get snippets of time available to travel. We try to hit the big points, and I always hope to someday circle back and savor things a bit more.

Speaking of circling back, our next stop WAS somewhere we went in the past. We were going past the Petrified Forest National Park (aka the Painted Desert), which we had thoroughly enjoyed a few years back. I think it’s still my favorite NP of all that I’ve been to. It doesn’t translate at all in my pictures, but this place is magical. This is one of those places where you have to get out and let the view soak into you. We didn’t have time to drive the whole route, but we got to see a little of it and stop in the visitor’s center. On my first trip there, I had no idea you could purchase some of the petrified wood. I lamented not getting any, but didn’t want to just order some online…I wanted to get the real thing from a source I trusted to harvest it responsibly and sustainably–the national park. So, I finally have a little piece of petrified wood. :)

As always, I took delight in not just the land, but also in the trains. I can’t really explain my train fascination, but it’s just somehow magical to watch them wind through the land. As we crossed from Arizona to New Mexico, we once again crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas (aka the Great Divide). We first crossed it in Yellowstone, near Old Faithful. This time we were in Thoreau NM…quite ironic since we were reading Thoreau’s poetry just the night before. Seems like I must take a moment to share one of his poems: “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” We certainly experienced that truth on this trip.

Traveling through New Mexico, we stopped in Santa Fe this time. This stop was so I could see Claudia!! She’s one of those friends that transcend time or location. We’ve been friends since 1995, and she’s one of those people you can never have enough time with. Sadly (for me but great for her), she moved to New Mexico last year. We had a delightful lunch together…with the cherry on top being that the restaurant had those amazing Navajo tacos. Lunch flew by too fast, and soon we had to say our goodbyes. ‘Til next time!

After leaving Route 66 for the interstate, we zipped through the rest of New Mexico, enjoying the last of the unique, desert landscape. Entering Texas, we also entered the land of windmills. Our long lunch meant another night arriving after dark. Thom blessed me with a quick pull-off at sunset just before we entered Texas. After the sunset, we were entertained by the synchronized blinking red lights (as far as the eye could see) of windmill aviation reflection lights. It was a little cool and a little bit spooky.

I hate to say that we smelled our next stop as we approached. I don’t know what was going on in Amarillo TX but it smelled awful. It was an oppressive concentration of cow poo smell. We certainly didn’t recall this experience from coming through here before, but that had been during the day (stopping briefly at Cadillac Ranch), so maybe it was a night thing. We thought we had a really fun stop planned, as we were spending the night at the very touristy Big Texan Motel. It turned out to just be a run down old motel with fun paint outside. The old toilet screeched off and on all night, the air conditioner wheezed and rattled, the bed was most-assuredly the lowest price point mattress available in bulk, and we had the soundtrack of semis on I-40 a mere 100 feet from the door. Maybe don’t pick a hotel by it’s fun online appearance.

We survived the night but certainly weren’t rested. Breakfast saved things a little as we devoured steak and eggs at the adjoining Big Texan Steak Ranch. That place was wildly themed, much like the outside of the motel. Thom remarked that he felt like we were at the Hoop-Dee-Doo-Revue at Disney. I thought it was quite funny that the theming had guns everywhere and we were in Texas of all places, yet there were several signs stating the no patrons were allowed to carry guns on the property (open or concealed). Well, while we were visiting over-the-top places, we topped off gas at the new-to-us Buc-ee’s Amarillo. Then we high-tailed it out of (the still stinky) town.

We were set on making time, so Oklahoma only held one real stop for a picnic at Wes Watkins Reservoir. Fun fact, it was near Zelda Lane (but I didn’t find any triforce pieces). It was a beautiful day, and we mostly had the place to ourselves. We didn’t take advantage of the picnic table since it was surrounded by tall grass…but we also needed to stretch our legs anyway.

Arkansas was all about making time. We’d had a good drive through the Ozarks last time we drove through, but this time was all about making the miles home. It’s a pretty flat landscape along the interstate, but I did enjoy the view going over Lake Dardanelle.

Our last hotel stay was supposed to be an upscale, nice last night on the road. Well, I believe the pictures of this place were from a decade ago and under a different owner. The Hu Hotel in Memphis was a worn out, dirty, disappointing stay. The on-site $22 parking was not on-site and was $37. The $10 breakfast was the typical hotel chain breakfast (that comes free in the typical hotel). The free drink was somehow no good. The rooftop was dirty and tattered…but the nighttime view was nice at least. The best I can say about this stay is that the staff was friendly and the bed was comfortable. It was just such a bummer to end on this note. Should’ve stayed at the Peabody…

Our last stretch home was a southern-style scenic drive. The blue skies in Tennessee reminded us of the classic skies of Montana and Oklahoma. The lush greenery through Mississippi was a stark contrast to the rocky landscape out west. As we crisscrossed the Tennessee River in Alabama, we were reminded of the other big rivers we crossed on the trip (particularly the Ohio, Mississippi, Yellowstone, & Colorado). We did have an amazing last meal in Alabama at a Michelin recommended BBQ restaurant called Salt Smokehouse. It was simply amazing! And last, but definitely not least, we felt at home seeing those rolling Georgia hills and roads that hinted at our memories of the stunning mountains and roads we experienced during the trip. While we spent many days and nights remarking that we could envision just staying wherever we were, it is certainly true that there is no place like home.

It’s almost hard to fathom that in our 10 (plus a little) days, we traveled through 21 states, all four continental time zones (plus the nonsense time stuff in AZ), 9 national parks/monuments, 85 hours of drive time, and over 5200 miles. We experienced so much on this trip: temperature extremes from icy mountain roads to dangerously hot desert trails, valleys and mountains and caves and all the in-betweens, tornado warnings to snow showers to blue skies, the only super volcano on land (that also features hundreds of geysers), the highest concentration of hoodoos in any one place, a modern marvel of sound and visual technology (paired with an amazing concert), and last but certainly not least…an amazing time together with the love of my life.

I can never find a good ending when writing about a journey like this. So, instead, I’ll just quote Rocky: “Amaze Amaze Amaze!!!”

Viva Nevada

After an amazing day in Utah, we made a brief dip through Arizona before officially entering Nevada. We were somehow shocked to discover that we went back another hour into Pacific time, so the day was getting longer! The beautiful views continued into the state, but we also saw some unusual man-made views. We passed a field with hundreds of silver metal triangles packed side by side. I tried to do some quick internet research, but that just plopped me into a wild rabbithole of alien conspiracy triangle lore. Sometimes things should just stay a mystery! As we rolled into Vegas, we saw the new Hard Rock Hotel under construction; looks like it will be super cool once complete. Driving onto the strip and finding the right entrance was quite challenging.

We finally found our way to the Venetian property and dealt with the typical valet and bell hop. We had additional check-in adventure with security though. The property sent me information noting that no weapons are allowed on property (including in your car). In being prepared for getting stuck in the wilderness (or in any other bad situation), we had a gun with us. So we had the long walk with security to go check Thom’s gun into the Venetian armory. We sort of got a behind-the-scenes tour, lol. Back up in the hotel, we couldn’t help but be in awe of how exquisite this place was. Funny enough, this stay wasn’t any more expensive than any of our other stays along the trip. It did, however, have the longest walk to the room. After checking in, we walked to the hotel tower elevators, but had to travel a winding path around the casino, stores, and restaurants. Once up and off the elevator, we laughed at the fact that there was a big bench in the hallway…as if you needed a break between the elevator and your room. But then we proceeded to walk a hallway that seemed like a quarter mile long. (We ended up in the 40th room of the left…there were SO many rooms here!) Our room was comically big, and I enjoyed marveling at the luxury. I must also admit that it’s pretty delightful to walk into a room where the screen welcomes you by name. I guess I just love the little details. While we both could’ve easily crashed for the night, I’m pretty sure it’s against the law to go to bed early in this town. So we unpacked, showered, downed some 5 Hour Energy, and headed out to explore.

Dinner was at the top of our to-do list, but we had to traverse the casino maze to get anywhere. Our internet research had pointed us to Noodle Asia, and it was, in fact, quite excellent. I had thought we might do some sort of gambling in the casino, but it turned out that both of us absolutely hated the casino area. It was chaotic, loud, and smoky. Neither of us make enough money to be wasting it, nor do we know much about any of the games…so we figured that whole place was a fool’s bet for us. We found our way out and went to see a bit of the strip. Alternating between strolling and sitting, we just savored the view and the conversation.

We also had plans for the night to meet up with our friend, Michael, who’d moved to Vegas this past year. He didn’t even get off work until after 10; he (and his friend, Joel) picked us up around 11, and we went for a cruise along the strip followed by drinks at a local bar. By the time we made it back to our room, we’d been up pretty dang close to 24 hours. I felt like I had lived two days within one–getting up for sunrise in the desert, traversing scenic roads and three national parks, and then a night in Vegas.

Needless to say, we didn’t wake up until afternoon the next day. Since we didn’t waste money at the casino, we wasted it on room service breakfast in the middle of the day. I had some writing to do as well as some work that couldn’t wait for my return. (Yeah, I know, I’m on vacation…but some of my duties are time sensitive. Other than a few emails and texts, I didn’t work much outside of these few hours in Vegas.) Thom enjoyed stretching out and decompressing a little from the intense driving we’d been doing. To do a trip as crazy as this one, it’s pretty essential to build in at least a half-day of recovery.

As evening approached, we got ready for the highlight of the whole trip–the Phish concert. We had a delectable dinner before the show at SushiSamba (a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisine). The atmosphere was super cool, the drinks were delightful, and the dinner was delicious. I got the chef’s choice vegan sushi assortment. All of the rolls were great, but the highlight roll was downright spectacular: it had portobello mushroom, takuwan, cucumber, avocado, and a wasabi onion all wrapped in rice and a collard green wrapper.

Then, finally, the piece-de-resistance…we made it to the Sphere. Tonight instead of giant mountains, we had a giant venue. This place features a 160,000 square foot display that wraps over and around you. We chose seats up high so we take it all in. It also touts immersive sound with 167,000 programmable speakers. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also a 4D experience with infrasound haptic seats. I have to say, I didn’t make use of the 4D sensation as I didn’t sit down except during the intermission. However, Thom said it was fantastic to feel the music in the seats.

I hadn’t been reading the reviews of this show, as I didn’t want any spoilers. Plus, they were doing three weeks of three night sets, so there was no telling which sets we would get on a given night. (Oh how I wish we could’ve stayed for all three nights!) We got two great sets plus an awesome encore. I loved that some of the visuals included desert formations and starry nights, it tied in so perfectly with our trip. Here’s the set list for those who love Phish:
Set 1: The Wedge, Nicu, Halfway to the Moon, Leaves, 555, Dirt, Punch you in the Eye, Golgi
Set 2: I Heard the Ocean Sing, Wave of Hope, Prince Caspian, Lonely Trip, Runaway Jim, Sneaking Sally, Drift While Sleeping
Encore: The Sloth, Squirming Coil

They utilized every possible visual and sound effect throughout the emtirety of the show. Photos don’t really show the visual effects well, as every scene moved and flowed with the music. One of the audio effect highlights was Wave of Hope. The music traveled around the stadium, much like “the wave” would physically travel around a stadium. I don’t understand the music science here (like how they kept the sound so clean in such a large place, with no echo and the ability to have this kind of specific-location sound). All the visual effects were cool, but my favorites were the sky lanterns and an Escher-like maze of rooms, doors, and staircases. While I love Phish music from all eras, I was delightfully surprised to find that the majority was from my favorite era…the early jam songs plus the some soaring melodic tunes from the Rift/Billy Breathes era. They still sound amazing live despite touring for four decades. So glad we got to see them again.

It felt like I had just put my head on the pillow when the alarm went off, but it was time to hit the road again. Lines were long at all the fast breakfast places, so we decided to get breakfast on the road. After navigating security, baggage, and valet, we headed out of town and stopped at In & Out for breakfast. Or so we thought. At 10:30, they were open and busy, so we just assumed there would be breakfast. Turns out they serve burgers around the clock. So, a hamburger for breakfast; this definitely wasn’t helping my ever-sliding grasp of what time it was. I was doing so good with the time changes until Vegas; then we went into Pacific time, stayed up all night one night, slept part of the next day, and stayed up late again. So burgers for breakfast kinda broke my mind.

After food, we zoomed off towards the desert to the Valley of Fire State Park. We took all three scenic roads through the area: The Valley of Fire Highway, White Domes Road, and the Northshore Road. The roads in, through, and out were all filled with red sandstone and limestone formations.

Turns out, most of the trails were closed from May to September because of the heat…and here we arrived on May 1st. We spent the earlier part of our trip dealing with areas closed from September to May because of snow/ice, so this heat-based closure was quite ironic. The heat is so problematic that they have covered parking for all vehicles. We did stop at one of the trails that was open (the Fire Waves trail), so I could take a short walk. The warning signs everywhere were a little daunting (“Heat Warming. You Might Die.”). Temps were only in the low 90s, so I wasn’t too concerned. Soon, even on my short walk, I understood the warning a little more. The sun was brutal and oppressive. And the heat not only came from overhead, but was also emanating up from the hot sand. There was a little breeze, but it felt like when you open the over door…dry and hot. I got to see some cool arches, a few lizards darting from shrub-to-shrub, and one of the beehive formations.

Feeling like I’d gotten a taste of the desert trail, I turned back to continue our scenic route through the park. Fun fact: Star Trek Generations was partly filmed here. As we rounded one corner, I saw in the far distance a herd of Big Horn Sheep up on a rock in the shade. Finally! We’d seen signs for Big Horn Sheep ever since South Dakota, but I had given up on seeing one at this point.

The route out of the park was still scenic, with some great winding roads. We weren’t tired of the ever-changing scenery, and Thom wasn’t tired of driving…so it was a delightful drive. While it was no match to Scenic Byway 12 in Utah, this is still a great driving road if you’re ever in this part of Nevada.

Our next stop was Lake Mead. The route gradually approached the lake, allowing us several spectacular views along the way. Honestly, the driving views were better than the view from the Visitor Center. We enjoyed all the exhibits, movie, and shopping before heading off again. We were originally going to picnic there, but it was oppressively hot outside.

Next stop, Hoover Dam. Somehow, we got turned around leaving Lake Mead and headed west instead of east for a minute. We ended up with a brief driving tour of Boulder City NV before correcting course. (Honestly, we’ve done pretty good to not get lost before this point in the trip!) We got onto the access road that would take us to see Hoover Dam. We weren’t on the road long before we caught up to other cars and then signs for the security area we would have to pass through. It referenced car searches and K9 dog searches. We didn’t want to sit in traffic or deal with a search of our very full/tightly packed car…plus I really didn’t want to deal with dogs. So, we abandoned our plan and figured we’d see it from afar, while passing by it or from a lookout point on the other side of the road. Turned out, there are big walls on the road going by (so you can’t see anything while passing). We crossed the dam area and tried to get to the viewpoint marked on the map, but that little road was closed. During this pointless journey in our last moments of Nevada, we did see some wild donkeys, so maybe that’s cooler than a dam.

Life Elevated in Utah

Our departure route was also altered from our original plans, also due to snowy weather. We planned to leave through the south exit, but instead had to go north and then west to get out. Saying goodbye to Wyoming, we entered another section of Montana. We weren’t on the road before long before we crossed over into Idaho. (I sadly don’t have a pic of the Idaho welcome sign because it was covered in stickers, which might have been cool if it wasn’t for the winter sludge remnant all over it.) The drive featured valleys peppered by mountains in the distance with the occasional town thrown in for flavor.

We searched for a local lunch spot along the way and found the oh-so-charming Rusty Lantern in Ucon. Stepping out of the car was a thrill because we had finally reached warmer temps. After spending days in the 20s-30s, it was glorious to step outside into the upper 50s. The restaurant was family-owned, and everyone was friendly. Better yet, the food was amazing. Seems like beef in this part of the country just tastes so much better. I don’t know if it’s fresher (being that there’s a lot of cattle up here) or if they just know how to cook it well.

Time flew by after lunch and soon we were in Utah. We pretty much zipped through the state, and the mountains started getting bigger again. South of Salt Lake City, we veered off the interstate towards the little town of Torrey. Every mountain view you can imagine was part of this drive: snow-capped mountains, lush green mountains, finger-like hills, desert mounds, and stone wall-like mountains streaked with color. Every color of the rainbow was present, and it was particulary beautiful late in the afternoon. I didn’t even try to take a picture; choosing just to soak it up in the moment. Plus, pictures (or at least my pictures) never do justice to these grand vistas–it’s so hard to capture the vastness, the scale, or even the vibrancy of colors. Just before landing for the night, we stopped for dinner at a little make-shift restaurant at a nearby campground. It was pretty unassuming, but served almost gourmet level food. I had a salad that looked like it jumped straight out of the garden, along with smoked chicken that could’ve come from a famous BBQ place. It can be a gamble with local places, but we lucked out twice in one day.

We ended our day at the Skyview Resort, which are glamping domes that are clear on one side so you’re comfortably sleeping under the stars. We’d stayed in something similar on our Grand Canyon trip years back, and it was just the right compromise for us. Thom prefers the comforts of a hotel and I prefer to be immersed in nature. In these domes, you get a comfortable bed and climate control. We had to walk the gravel paths to the bathrooms, so it might have been a little more camping than Thom desires, but it wasn’t a super long walk. After unpacking and setting up, we sat around the communal campfire to have s’mores and visit with all the other travelers. I usually feel like we are a pretty average couple, with typical middle-class jobs living the average suburban life. But I believe our fellow campers thought we were the craziest people they’d ever met. They thought it was crazy that we took a week of to drive to a concert in Vegas (instead of just flying). They couldn’t believe how many miles we’d driven in such a short time and how much we were packing in. However, we all connected–talking about the beauty of our country. We loved sitting by the warm fire and soaking up both nature and comraderie.

I was so wishing for a clear, starry night out in the desert. However, it was somewhat cloudy and the nearly full moon was up bright in the sky. We were able to see a few stars before tucking in for the night. I got up in the middle of the night to see if the skies had cleared, but it was actually more cloudy. I enjoyed the moon with the clouds nonetheless, until the cold sent me back to bed.

Even though we were the last to bed, I was the first up, as I had to see the desert sunrise. There was a pretty good cloudbank, so it took a little longer to come up. I intended to stay past the initial appearance of the sun and watch as the light streaked across the rock formations. However, the cold got me again. I went back to bed to warm up for a half hour before officially starting the day.

After packing up and having a camping breakfast (granola and dried fruits…plus coffee), we hit the road for another busy day. We were only traveling 400 miles, but had three big stops before getting to Vegas. We were set for a trifecta of Utah National Parks: Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. On the way to our first stop, we continued our games of “Rock or Bison” or “Shrub or Cow”–it’s funny how far you can see across some of these valleys, and it can take a minute to figure out if the tiny blips on the landscape are animals or not.

Capitol Reef National Park was pretty close by, so we were already camping around the “Red Rocks”. Capitol Reef had some amazing red rock formations, with some fun stand-out features like The Chimney and The Castle. We enjoyed the visitor center and took in the view at Panorama Point. I really found this park to be enchanting, as it had dry canyons creating dynamic views below you while also having beautiful cliffs and formations above. We didn’t go on the driving tour of the park, as we didn’t have the two hours to spare. So, unfortunately, we didn’t see the namesakes of this park–the Capitol Dome rock formation or the Waterpocket Fold (folded rock formations that look like a barrier reef). But the entrance area and the Fruita Region were super cool.

Onward, we took the longer way from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon, on Scenic Byway 12. This 100ish mile road was noted as being one of the best scenic drives in the United States. I was a little skeptical about that claim, as we’ve driven some fantastic roads across the country. However, I stand corrected. This was hands-down the best driving road we’ve been on. We climbed up and down through the mountains, going up to 9800 feet at the peak. We went through Slot Canyon and parts of the Dixie National Forest as well as the Escalante region. Some of the roads were merely a path across the top of a ridge, with nothing around you on either side (unless you looked way down). The curves and the switchbacks were grand and sweeping, much of the way. In many sections, it was like our own personal rollercoaster! (Side note: those poles you occasionally see along the road’s edge are snow markers, so you know where the road is during winter. No way on earth would I be on a road like this in winter…trying to stay on the road by watching the poles!!!)

Our next stop was Bryce Canyon National Park. Although only two hours from Capitol Reef, it was a different landscape. There were still the classic canyon views and arches, yet upon a closer look you could see the unique formations in the area–the hoodoos. Bryce has the largest collection of the hoodoos (irregular rock spires) in the world. We traveled the Bryce Amphitheater section of the scenic drive and picniced at Sunset Point. It was nowhere near sunset and we would be nowhere near by at sunset, but considering we love a good sunset, this seemed like the perfect picnic spot for us. We soaked up the sun and just marveled at this spectacular spread of nature’s art. From our vantage point, we could see some of the classic formations: Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, and Thor’s Hammer. We could have stood there all day, as every single hoodoo looked different from the one next to it. It was truly mesmerizing.

We left Bryce and headed towards Zion. We thought the best drives and the best parks were behind us, but we were wrong. We drove through the Red Canyon out of Bryce, and it was a really cool road with some good curves and several rock tunnels.

Out of nowhere, we reached Zion National Park and couldn’t believe our eyes. We were in the land of giants. Thom remarked how it was cosmic in scale…reminding you just how small you are. It truly was a jaw-dropping experience. We wound our way through the park with insane views at every corner. Halfway through, we went through one of the longest tunnels in the United States at over a mile long. Every so often, there would be a “tease” of the grandeur awaiting you with gallery-styled “windows” carved into the rock so you could have periodic glimpses of the canyon. Our stop at the visitor center was brief, as this was definitely the most crowded national park I’ve ever been to. It was cool how many of the museum exhibits and signs were actually outside under small tree canopies, but it didn’t eliminate the obvious feeling of crowding. We didn’t linger long, but did get to see a lovely mule deer on the way out. As we saw the last bit of Zion, we just couldn’t get over how exhilarating it was. It was an unreal day to see so many amazing sights…ones that just seemed to get better and better. We’re beyond blessed!

Georgia Snow Day

If you live where snowfall is measured in feet and not inches, you’re probably tired of the snow by January. But living in the Deep South, snow is a magical event that only shows up every few years. Mind you, we get flurries and dustings of snow a few times each year. That’s always delightful, but the real magic happens when we get measurable snow. It’s not just the rarity that makes it magical. There’s lots to treasure about a Georgia Snow Day.

Part of the magic is that everything shuts down, well except Waffle House. I live within a few hundred feet of an interstate, so vehicle noise pollution is an unfortunate part of my daily life. All hours of the day, you can hear revving, honking, emergency sirens, and general vehicle noise. On days like today, you might get the occasional ATV or truck testing out the road or an emergency vehicle, but for the most part the roads are empty and it’s amazingly still and silent.

Another piece of the magic happens within the neighborhood. Beyond the quiet of the snow-laden land, you get the muffled sounds of laughter from children young and old. Some are trying southern sledding (where you use anything flat-ish from your house…most often an old packing box or a boogie board). Some are throwing half-made snowballs at anything and everything. Some are building snowmen. As my children are all grown, I didn’t have anyone to play with but made my own snowman (or maybe a gnomeman) and enjoyed a walk around the neighborhood and beyond. I chatted with families on their own walks, made a few snowballs for the “underdog” at one yard, smiled at the footprint evidence of some fun, and cheered on several kids as they made their own snowmen.

Another part of the magic (for me at least), is your pets’ reactions to the snow. My cats both stared out the window this morning and promptly moved to warmer spots in the house to curl up. My dog, Padme, had quite the opposite reaction. She was so excited that she ran out prancing and jumping with delight.

Last, but certainly not least, is the beauty of nature. All the trees and shrubs covered in the fluffy snow look like something out of a fairytale. It’s a rare and enchanting sight to see the glistening frost and stillness, only disturbed by the occasional bird landing on a branch.

By this point, I was cold and wet but fulfilled. 2024 was a rough season, and nothing feels quite right most of the time these days. I needed some of that magic tucked inside a Georgia snow day to be refreshed and reminded of God’s love through the beautiful little things. As I came back towards home, I even got one last little piece of magic…someone built a little snowman next to my driveway for me. :)

Backpacking – Cumberland Island Part 2

I’m not gonna lie, our first morning waking up in camp was rough. The fitful bouts of sleep had not been restorative in the slightest. I didn’t want to lay in the tent a moment longer, but I didn’t want to move either. I spent more time than I should have, just laying there being grumpy. I was irritated that the forecast had changed on us. I was annoyed that my bones hurt. Every blast of wind through the well-ventilated tent made me frustrated that we were using an “all season” tent (which I then discovered means all seasons but cold). I was defeated by the mere thought of having to go start the day using the bathroom in the forest. When I finally forced myself up and out, I again became sad that we couldn’t make a campfire and angry that there was so much tree canopy that we couldn’t get the sun. 

While we didn’t speak our feelings much in that moment, Brandon’s face told me he felt similarly. That actually made it slightly better…at least I wasn’t alone in my suffering! We had the same campsite for another night, so we didn’t have to break camp. However, we knew that movement and a change of scenery was the only thing that would help our demeanor. So, I got busy packing up day packs and he got busy making us oatmeal. We had breakfast sitting on our little camp log, and discovered some fragile little mushrooms growing out of one end of the log. That sight made us both laugh about our mushroom adventure and broke the angst we were holding on to. We cleaned up and heading out on a new trail.

We headed west on the Willow Pond trail and quickly came to an enchanting boardwalk over swamps and under many low-hanging branches covered in moss. It was freeing just to wander without the backpacks on and it was nice to warm up some from the sheer act of moving. Our only firm plan for the day was to head to Plum Orchard. My brother Christian told me we should take the tour there, so we were heeding his advice. Brandon wasn’t terribly excited about touring a mansion, but was happy to go along. We knew the beach was too windy, we weren’t sure of how much hiking we could accomplish, and we knew staying around camp wasn’t a good option. On the plus side, we knew Plum Orchard would have real restrooms, potable water, and (hopefully) a little bit of sun.

Our trail ended into the service road, which we promptly decided was the Jurassic Park tour road. It was still beautiful and lush, but with such a wide clearance that it felt a little more mundane than the trails. Just as we thought it was predictable terrain, we turned a corner and crossed over White Branch. This looked like more than just a branch or even a creek in my estimation; it looked more like a small river. It was also interesting how different it was on the two sides of the road. On the east, it seemed still and brackish with moss-covered trees leaning over and into the water. On the west, it seemed to be moving with clearer water and was open and sunny. Although the sun was finally shining on our faces, the open wind countered any sort of warming effect the sun had. So on we went towards our destination.

Soon we turned onto Table Point Road, which was a shell road leading alongside the Brickhill River and up to the beautiful grounds surrounding the Plum Orchard Mansion. It was so bizarre to see this big, ornate mansion in the middle of this wild, natural island. We took in the view and watched some horses go by before getting to the important business of water and restrooms.

Ready for more walking, lol, we set out on the tour with the park service volunteers. The first piece of information was quite disappointing–there are no plums to be found. No one knows why it was called Plum Orchard as there’s no evidence of ever having an orchard, much less plums. Apparently it was named that from the earliest land maps and so the name stuck. I’m bad at recalling details (even when I’m fascinated in the moment), so you should at least read the basics on the NPS site. Basically, we learned a lot about early feminism (as I see it) through stories of the formidable Lucy Carnegie. She enforced her will but was also giving, yet made sure you remembered who buttered your toast (like with her pictures up in the homes she gave to the favorites of her children).

The Carnegies obviously liked to flaunt their wealth in every facet of this mansion. The original burlap wallpaper is still there, with the stamped Gryphon as their symbol of power (yet not a true coat-of-arms…simply a crest they chose and placed on many of their items). The hand-painted linen ceiling tiles are incomprehensibly intricate. The Tiffany lamps are surprisingly bright and beautiful. They flaunted the ability to have indoor plumbing by having all the pipes exposed and displayed. The bathroom even had a special device that would mix your shampoo and water together so you wouldn’t have to make the extra effort. Original menus showed that there was always a cold menu item, to show the wealth in having refrigeration. They had their own bell stamped and inserted into the home to signify the start of fancy parties and exquisite meals. They had an indoor squash court and a huge impractical indoor pool that had to be drained and cleaned by hand frequently. It’s mind-boggling to think how things like indoor plumbing were a luxury while also funny to think about how things we take for granted were once flaunted as a status symbol. It’s downright crazy to think about how much money was spent on some of the most opulent luxuries. As you might say, “they spared no expense.”

One uncomfortable, but interesting, part of the tour was discovering the systems in place for servants (slaves at one point, then as indentured servants, then as paid labor). I couldn’t believe it when we saw that the front section of the house was for family life and entertaining, while the back section (across the entire house) was an elaborate way to keep servants accessible but hidden. There were multiple series of hallways and rooms with hidden doors into much of the house. The secret entrances extended under the house and there was even an elevator (run by water) so no servant would be seen on the grand staircases. Even more bizarre, the side of the house for servants was built differently: bland paint instead of wallpaper, raw wood around the doors instead of ornately carved wood on the other side, and even different doorknobs on each side of the same door. Everything was set to make it clear which side everyone belonged on. The expectation of being waited on in all ways at all hours is so inconceivable. They developed an inter-island phone line so items or services could be called to any of the mansions at a moments notice. They created an intercom of sorts that was staffed 24 hours in case the family suddenly wanted something. Even a French pastry chef was on call in case someone “needed” a macaron at some random time of day. The picture this painted in my mind was a stark reality compared to the world I know. I was so surprised by this way of life, that I didn’t even take pictures of half of what I’m describing. I’m not here to judge how people were in a different era; I just can’t fathom a life like that.

Suffice it to say, this tour was way more interesting that either of us expected. It gave us a lot to think about and discuss for the rest of the day. We got pictures of several Carnegie recipes and meal plans, so we talked about what we would make at a later date. (Brandon owes me some Icebox Cookies.) After the tour, we sought out a sunny spot to have a picnic lunch. We found such a spot, but the wind beat down on us as we wolfed down some delicious bagel sandwiches. After eating, we quickly gave up the spot and looked for somewhere sunny yet protected from the wind. We found our place right on the front steps of the mansion. The Carnegies would’ve been aghast as we pulled off our shoes to stretch ourselves out right there on the steps. Never has concrete been so comfortable. We talked about hiking up the Table Point Trail loop, but doing that (and working our way back) would’ve added 8 miles to our already 3 mile hike back to camp. Ultimately, we decided that sun, a comfortable spot, clean water, and restrooms was our plan for the afternoon. We sat there for a solid two hours: talking to each other, meeting people coming and going from the tours, and watching the horses graze & frolic. It was simple yet glorious. It got up to a whopping 50 degrees, so we never got completely warm, but the sun made for a great reset on the trip.

We finally had to start heading back towards camp, as we didn’t want to run the risk of hiking those trails in the dark. Never wanting to duplicate our walks, we headed out on Duck House Trail. As you may have guessed, we found some more varieties of mushrooms and came across more horses on the trail. We even found the sign pointing to water “near” our camp, despite it’s best efforts at camouflage.

Once we reached the Yankee Paradise Campground (just as deluxe as our campground), we headed south on a new section of the Parallel Trail that would take us back to camp. Although this last trail was only a mile and a half, it was quite challenging. The terrain was still flat, but the trail would “go missing” in spots. The palmettos, ferns, and underbrush were quite thick on this trail and there were many leaning or downed limbs. There were some spots that were hard to navigate just hiking, so once again I was quite thankful not to have the large backpack on during this trek. There were more mushrooms (of course!) and even a tree that looked like it was shedding. We were adjusting to this difficult trail and starting to enjoy the puzzle of finding the trail when suddenly we came to a wall of jumbled, downed trees. We couldn’t figure out if the trail turned or was simply blocked. We worked together, keeping our orientation on the way we came but walking around the jumble (through dense forest)…encountering one obstacle after another for a long five minutes. Brandon finally was able to spot what seemed like the trail further down. We nervously took it and hoped for the best. If it was wrong, we would have to backtrack many miles to take another route. Onward we went, in silence, until we were finally relieved to find our site.

We got back to camp and celebrated our six mile trip with snacks. We sat on our little camp log and marveled at simple things such as the birds in the trees and the ants on the ground. We made a little impromptu D&D game with our natural materials at hand. A whelk shell was our die (it only rolled to three positions, so we called those a 1, 10, or 20). Playing with mostly critical ones or natural twenties leads to a wholly unbalanced adventure, by the way. We fought a stick monster and then a moss monster and won easily. However, we lost to the ant army. Ah, such silliness in the moment that will bring a smile to both of us for a long time. After fooling around awhile, the sun was once again low, we were thoroughly cold again, and it was time to cook dinner. While Brandon was getting down the bear bag, a horse wandered right past our site! It paused a minute (not ten feet away), looked at me, and moved along. It was both scary and mesmerizing, as it didn’t make a noise. If I hadn’t the last bit on video, I might would think I had hallucinated in my tired state. Back to dinner…all blessings to Brandon for taking care of us, but we both agreed our macaroni and spam meal, while technically filling, was not a hit. All good-we had our little portion of Raisinets to end the day before quickly getting into the slightly warmer tent. I had packed cards, so we played cards for as long as we could sit cross-legged and then we climbed into our sleeping bags for long conversations and and even longer night.