Blue Ridge Parkway

Last Labor Day, Lee and I and a couple of our friends decided to go camping up in the Smoky Mountain National Park.  We packed up my car and headed out with our camping supplies.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is famous for its scenic drive.  It has SEVERAL stops for overlooks. 

One place we stopped was Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River (as you can see in the picture).  It was chilly during Labor Day weekend, but the short hike up to the top of the peak will warm you up slightly.  The observation deck at the top offers a wonderful view. 

We drove around to all the campsites, trying to find an open spot.  We definitely made a mistake in not reserving a campsite ahead of time.  Usually, we have no problems finding places to put up our tents, but this was not the case.  We looked everywhere until it got dark.  We ended up getting a hotel room instead.  While we were upset about not getting to camp, we weren't too upset.  We were glad to have a nice bed to sleep in after a long day of driving and hiking.  We even took pictures jumping on the bed.  We probably have more pictures of us diving on the bed than we do of the parkway. 

After exploring the mountains, we headed home.  It was a great way to spend a weekend and not a lot of money.  It would have been cheaper if we had camped as planned, but the hotel was fine. 

If you want more information about that area, go here: http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/index.php

Geocaching

Last weekend Lee and I went Geocaching with my cousins and a couple of their friends.  For those of you who don't know, Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online.  At each cache, there are small items in a container and also a log.  If you take an item, you have to replace it with something else.

We just signed the log with our team name and the date.  If you go to geocaching.com and become a member, you can search for caches in your area.  The cache llist contains GPS coordinates and hints on where to find the cache. My cousin printed out a list of caches for us to find and we just took turns picking spots.  This was my first time going, and we went at night.  I think it would be easier during the day.  My flashlight was pretty dim and it was hard to find the caches.  Also, some caches are hidden in places that are closed at night like public parks.  Keep that in mind when deciding whether you want to go during the day or at night.

We used our cell phones to find the GPS locations.  Anyone with an android phone could use google.  We went to 7 locations and found 4 caches.  One place was closed, the other two we just couldn't find.  I found the cache at the last location we went to.  It was under a rock, in a little tube.  It just had a log in it.  The piece of paper in this picture is the log that was rolled up in the cache.  So, if you like the hunting part of a treasure hunt, geocaching could be the thing for you!

Nashville Zoo

Lee and I went to the Nashville Zoo for our 1 year anniversary of dating.  Parking is free at the zoo, and we went on a family day or something and got our tickets free or deeply discounted.  Keep an eye on the website and I'm sure you'll find discounted days as well.  The zoo was fun, but there is a lot of walking between animals  I definitely recommend wearing tennis shoes.  Some were hard to see, some were inside sleeping where you couldn't see them. 

There's a reptile house that has all sorts of critters and even alligators.  There's an aviary with many birds flying around.  You can hear all the birds, but it takes time to spot them. 

Overall, I would recommend visiting this zoo.  It's not the best in the country, but it's fun to see all the animals!  For more information go to:  http://www.nashvillezoo.org/index.asp

Bee Rock

Bee Rock is a really cool overlook in Monterey, TN.  The property is privately owned, but the family is nice enough to let people use it (like Cummins Falls).  The family actually owns a bed and breakfast on the property if you want to make it an overnight trip.  No camping is allowed and only guests at the ed and breakfast are allowed there after dark.

The walk to the bluff isn't that far from the car.  It's not a rough hike at all, basically just a straight walk.  I wouldn't bring small children out there because come on, it's a cliff.  Sometimes groups will come and climb up it from the bottom.  I have never been in one of those groups, nor seen them.

Going there in the fall is wonderful.  To look around and see all the trees changing colors is breathtaking.

Directions can be found here:
http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/ outdoors/climbing/bee-rock.html

Lookout Towers

  One of Lee's favorite things to do is explore firetowers. They are scattered all over the state and are free to climb. Some lookout towers (firetowers) are in good condition and easy to climb, some are in poor condition. This website should help you find good ones to climb: http://www.cs.utk.edu/ ~dunigan/towers/

This tower is in Celina, TN. It's about 2 hours from Nashville, near Dale Hollow lake. We took a day trip there from Cookeville.

The view from the top of the tower is amazing. This tower is locked at the top, as most are. The highest you can get is the base of the room.  I always find it peaceful at the top. Everything is quiet except for the wind and maybe a barking dog nearby.

Not far from the tower is the Dale Hollow Dam.  Lee also loves dams.  He pretty much loves anything structural.  So, if you are in the mood for heights and dams, Celina is the place for you to visit!