traveling

Ancestral Health Symposium

So here’s where I am this weekend:

This is the third year of the symposium, but it’s my first time to go.

The premise is that when we can use an evolutionary prospective, we can develop solutions to our contemporary health challenges. The title Paleo as it applies to nutrition is too vague and is really kind of an inaccurate word, but it’s still a word that gets thrown around and is accepted shorthand within the movement.

Couldn't play it straight. — Couldn’t play it straight.

So first: the demographic of attendees. There are about 600 people here. At any time in a store, or on a street, or at a conference, or on a campus, the folks you see reflect the statistics of America’s population: 35% obese, 69% overweight (including obesity). Not in this room. These are fit people. Fit does not mean slender – these people look strong and healthy. It is a younger group – Eliott and I are in the older 20%, easily – but even the older folks look this way. It’s a refreshing view; I didn’t realize how “normal” it is to see those statistics every day in real life until I was in this conference room.

Most of the speakers are MD’s and PhDs. Check out this detailed schedule. I don’t have a science background, and a few of the presenters today were a smidge over my head. The topics today were:

The Paleolithic Prescription

This was presented by the two MD’s who are considered the “grandfathers” of the modern Paleo movement, who have been researching the hunter-gatherer diet for their entire professional careers. This one was a little sciency, but I hung on the best I could, and took notes on their suggestions for more papers and books to read.

The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature

I loved this one. Dr. Gad Saad examined our modern consumer instinct that has gone awry, and what it reveals about our primal nature. It gives context at least to how we’ve gotten where we are, even if it’s unsettling.

Your ovaries know what I'm talking about. — Your ovaries know what I’m talking about.

Sexual Fitness and Women’s Fertility Cycles

Another great session. This examined sexual selection from an evolutionary standpoint, and how we’re massively altering this with our reliance on synthetic hormones, both for men and women. I’m particularly interested in this because of my 4 young-adult children and their long-term health.

High Fructose Corn Syrup Litigation Status

Fascinating session by the plaintiff’s attorney in the lawsuit filed in New York against the HFCS manufacturers on behalf of a teenage girl w/type 2 diabetes, claiming that HFCS is the cause of her developing the disease. I had an instant flashback to my first year of law school and Torts and Strict Liability/Failure To Warn.

Find Your Why

Highlight of the day. This young man, Kyle Maynard, was born with a congenital amputation who has become a motivational speaker, and is a proponent of the Paleo lifestyle. He recently became the first person to “bear crawl” up Mt. Kilimanjaro. It took 13 days and his presentation today was about that challenge. Please click through to his page and read about this spectacular young person.

Awesome. What's your Why? — Awesome. What’s your Why?

The hall of vendors has been wonderful – sources of grass-fed beef, home-gardening aids, and the newest buzz-product Kombucha (kind of a fermented tea that adds beneficial gut flora). Tomorrow also includes a posters’ session, which are like mini-breakout sessions, I think. In between speakers, we have these little 3-minute movement sessions by Adonis- and Venus-like trainers.

About 3 months ago, Eliott and I did this Whole30 experiment. It’s 30 days of absolute clean eating: local and organic grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, local and organic vegetables and some fruits, and healthy fats. No sugar, no grains, no alcohol. It also include other paleo-lifestlyle pieces regarding sleep, timing of meals, and movement. It was both a lot of fun and a real challenge. It was pricey, of course, to buy all that fresh, local food (and lots of time to prepare and cook it), and it was a new skill, but we LOVED it. We felt fabulous, had huge energy, no physical symptoms of our ages (!). It’s extremely difficult to do while traveling, but we’ve continued to do a modified version at home (like I’m not going to have cocktails at sunset). The authors of the Whole 30 book are here for a presentation and panel tomorrow.

So anyway, that’s what I’m doing til Sunday. My brain’s on overload but I’m lovin it. To my Murfreesboro crowd – I’ll be home in time for Glenda’s moving-to-Vegas-and-selling-her-art party on Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for reading!

August 15, 2013 2

Back home. sigh

My own bed. My own yard. My dogs, my cows, my chickens. I love being back home.

But what a trip. What a delicious pile of memories and pictures to go over and over to remember those precious few days.

I got home around 8:30 this morning, after the redeye last night from Salt Lake City. Glenda’s back in Knoxville, Ben’s back in Loveland, Sam’s still in Salida, and Amy’s still relocating to Orcas Island.

After our adventure in Black Canyon, Amy and I stayed in Grand Junction, Colorado. We had dinner and delightful conversation at a little Italian restaurant right across from our hotel, and a lazy morning the next day.

You knew I'd put this in somewhere. — You knew I’d put this in somewhere.

We headed out toward Dinosaur National Monument, which is located in both Colorado and Utah. I couldn’t find statistics on annual visitors to this park, but I rather expect it’s one of the least-visited, simply because it’s in the middle of Nowhere, Utah, and it takes a big effort to get to it. However, it is by a huge exponent worth the trip.

Friendly little fellow welcoming us to the park.

I can’t resist posting both of these shots – there was an entire wall of drawings of dinosaurs made by visitors to the park of the child variety. So cute.

In the park, the main display is the Quarry itself – a mass concentration of dinosaur fossils formed when the animals’ remains were washed into the area and covered with sediment, which then shifted in mountain-building movements in the Uintas chain about 150 million years ago. The fossils were discovered by a paleontologist, Earl Douglass, in 1909. His thought to have the main dig preserved, covered, and offered for citizens to visit and discover was brilliant.

Here are a couple of pics in the Quarry:

Here’s the big Allosaurus skeleton on the bottom level of the Quarry:

The Quarry building was built in 1957. I visited the park as a teenager with my family in 1977-ish, and I remember being astonished with how many fossils were in one condensed area. The building itself suffered structural problems and was closed in 2006. In 2009, as part of the Obama administration’s stimulus plan, the building was shored up and repaired and opened again in 2011.

We ventured off on a hike loop where we found fossils on our own.

We guessed femur of camarasaurus, because it's the right size, and that's the most common species whose fossils are here. — We guessed femur of camarasaurus, because it’s the right size, and that’s the most common species whose fossils are here.

So many formations like this, with deep, rich colors and textures

Amy and I had a delightful time in this park. She and I travel well together, and we enjoy one another’s company. But the plan was always to go as far as Salt Lake City with her, then head back home to study, while she kept going til she reached the ocean, then go one island farther.

We left the park, headed west, got to visit with Amy’s boyfriend’s sister Laura in Midway, Utah for dinner, then back in the car for the SLC airport. I don’t have to describe the feeling of watching that child drive away for her solo adventure, but it’s a familiar feeling for the mother of 4 Supertramps, and I would not have it any other way. (Thursday night — she just texted me that she’s outside of Teton National Park, sleeping in her car, excited for sunrise so she can see the mountains at first light.)

What a wonderful 6 days with the children. I am so grateful when I get to hang out with them, hearing them laugh, listening to them rant, watching their eyes sparkle as they interact with each other. I am simply never happier than when I’m with them.

Thanks for reading!

May 31, 2013 3

Days # I-have-no-idea

I’m going to try to sort this out. I swear I blogged the day before yesterday, but so much happens, I’m not completely sure.

When we last left our lovely posse, we had arrived in Salida and reunioned with our boys. On day 2 in Salida, we started with, what else: breakfast, including copious amounts of coffee and talk.

This is River's Edge, our breakfast place all 3 mornings. We sat on this big comfy, sunny couch and talked politics, adventure, money, love, family, and kayaking. — This is River’s Edge, our breakfast place all 3 mornings. We sat on this big comfy, sunny couch and talked politics, adventure, money, love, family, and kayaking.

This day included time on the river with River:

a picnic in the park

watching the boys in the playhole (gotta love that river rat term)

and viewing from the Boathouse.

Ben's beautiful girlfriend Kirsten and beautiful sister Amy — Kirsten and Amy

Tuesday morning brought sad goodbyes as we all headed off in different directions:

Ben and Kirsten headed back with their canines to Loveland for school and work. El and Glenda headed to Denver to go back to Murfreesboro and Knoxville. Sam went back to work as an Arkansas River Ranger. Amy and I headed west and north to get Amy ultimately to Orcas Island off the coast of Washington State.

So we now pick up mine and Amy’s adventure through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Best-kept secret in the world of National Parks.

One of these cliffs is over 2200 feet high (taller than the Empire State Building).

Did I mention this park is off the beaten path?

As in any canyon, the ubiquitous Balancing Rock.

Rolled into Grand Junction, Colorado, to a charming little hotel and Italian restaurant. I will go as far as Salt Lake City with Amy tomorrow (via Dinosaur National Monument), and send her off the rest of the way on her own.

Hooooooge shoutout to my house and dogsitters Katie and Elliot. And cow/donkey/chicken sitters. You two rock!

One more day of adventure, then back to Employment Discrimination and Legal Research.

Thanks for reading!

May 29, 2013 0

Sometimes you just get lucky

I’m at the American Atheists convention and I have a blog queue that is about to bubble over. There have been great speakers, big laughs, a costume party, old friends, and I have every intention of posting about all those things.

However, something happened last night that bumped all that down the list. I met Earl Smith.

This American Atheist convention is the 50th anniversary of its founding, and it’s being held in Austin, Texas, where Madalyn Murray O’Hare began the organization in 1963, after the landmark ruling of removing prayer in public schools. It’s 4 days of activism, socializing, speakers – all the usual that go along with conventions. We’re meeting and staying at the Hyatt in Austin, which is one of the subjects I want to post on. I have been astounded at the job they have done in accommodating us is so far beyond what is usually expected. I have tried to express my gratitude to the waiters, check-in staff, and security as the opportunity presents.

Earl Smith is the director of security at the Hyatt hotel in Austin, Texas. He’s a tall, snowy-haired, good-natured African American, and we (Eliott and I) warmed to him immediately. Last night, he shared the following story with us.

Earl was drafted in 1966, and served with the 173rd Airborne brigade. That unit sustained losses of over 10,000 American lives, and Earl returned home weary and lost at 22 years old. He struggled to find his way, and was sent to prison a year later for a 5-year sentence for robbery. He was given clemency in 1977, and when he was released, he set about rebuilding his life at age 25, with a war, a prison term, a broken marriage, and the racism of the south in his past.

Earl started with the Marriott in Chicago, and began working his way through the hospitality industry, finally taking the job as the head of hotel security at the Hyatt hotel in Austin in 1998. In 2008, as you may remember, the final debate of the Democratic primary was held at UT Austin. In a stroke of logistic hilarity, or maybe staff ineptitude, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and their respective debate teams stayed at the Hyatt in Austin. When Earl was telling this story, he couldn’t stop chuckling relating the efforts the hotel staff went through to keep distance and peace between the groups in the hotel.

Earl found himself on an elevator with then-senator Obama. In Earl’s pocket was his military patch from the 173rd Airborne, which he had carried in that pocket for 40 years. Earl asked Mr. Obama if he could give him something, and of course Mr. Obama said he could. Earl handed him the worn, frayed patch, and told him that he wanted to offer it to him on behalf of the American people. When Earl told me this part of the story, using hand gestures that spoke even more than his words, he said, “I just felt so relieved to give it to him”.

The story now has to take a leap through time, to January of 2013. One morning, when Earl arrived at his office, his staff was all atwitter about a phone call he had received – from the White House! President Obama’s assistant chatted with Earl on the phone and via email over the next few days and arranged for him to come to Washington DC for the inauguration. Earl was delighted, and set about arranging his budget and time schedule in order to go. Earl’s employer, surprise surprise!, arranged for him to have a room in the packed and expensive Hyatt Hotel within walking distance of the Washington Mall. When his tickets to the inauguration were delivered to his room, they came with a little more news: President Obama wanted Earl to visit him at the White House the following day. The question was also asked: What else did Earl want to do while he was in our nation’s capitol?

Here was Earl’s list: he wanted to go to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, and the brand new Dr. King Memorial. On a cold January day, Earl Smith attended the second inauguration of the first black president. He said he loved every freezing minute of it. Then the former Army private visited the memorials. In telling this story full of emotional highs, at this point Earl became emotional, describing the feeling he experienced walking that sloping sidewalk, along that cold, reflecting granite, far too full of names. 40 years vanished, he said, and those names and faces came right back to him, reminding him of where he had come from, why he was where he was, who he had lost. When Earl then visited the Dr. King memorial, he said moments from the past – JFK’s assassination, the war, the civil rights struggle – all came to him as he stood there, taking in the monument. But there was still one more highlight.

It was time to go the White House. Earl found himself sitting in a chair in a hallway, not really sure what was in store for him. He said after he returned from a nervous trip to the bathroom, his escort was nowhere to be seen, so he just took a seat in the chair, and just then, walking down the hall, was a tall, thin, African American man extending his hand saying, “I’m so glad to see you again, Earl.” Then, at the end of that hall, Earl walked in to the Oval Office, that iconic rug on the floor, the desk, all of it. Earl and his President chatted for a bit, 20 minutes in fact, and Earl repeated to him the purpose of the patch; that he wanted the president to have it on behalf of the American people.

Please take the time to visit the link and watch the video. What an honor and privilege it was to have met Earl and hear his story. He’s a lovely, kind, gentle man, and if you are ever in Austin, go out of your way, even if you don’t stay here, to visit the Hyatt and ask to meet Earl.

I'm so proud of this picture! — My friend, Earl Smith

Thanks for reading!

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March 30, 2013 0

Where have you been?

Where have you been?! I’ve been waiting and waiting!

From the The-best-defense-is-a-good-offense files…

When I logged in to write today’s post, I was astounded to see I haven’t posted since November! Where did the time go? Maybe the kids coming for Thanksgiving or my best girl and her wife visiting for a few days or taking my finals for the end of my second year of law school or going to Amy’s graduation or moving her to a new apartment or Glenda coming home for the semester break or my parents coming for Christmas or going to Las Vegas for my studybuddy’s 40th birthday or driving nonstop with Son2 from Colorado to Tennessee to reposition a vehicle or starting my third year of law school? Still no excuse, I know.

I do love being stimulated, but this has been a little over the top, even for me.

Starting with kid news:

#1 had better grades than me after fall semester, and I had good grades. That was tough to take, but I’m so proud of him. Ben is a political science major at CU Boulder, home of Ralphie the Buffalo (extra credit if you know the history of the mascot at this school). Kirsten finished her master’s in architecture this year, and they’re trying to get used to NOT living in a resort town.

#2 is in his winter semester as the asst director of the outdoor program at Virginia Commonwealth U. His group of students went on a ski trip to Breckenridge, which is why he ended up there with his Airstream B Van needing to bring it back east. I volunteered, so 24 hours later, we arrived home, where Sam slept, then drove the rest of the way alone, visiting his sisters along the way.

#3 is in what may be her final semester at UT. In a painful twist of irony, she’s having to defend a French class she took IN FRANCE in order to get credit to graduate. The less said about that the better.

#4 graduated from East Tennessee State University in December. She’s applied for a job with the parks department of Johnson City and is eagerly awaiting an answer. She has a kickass plan B, so I’ll wait for that post until she hears the result of her interview.

As for me, I’m now past the halfway point in law school, the bar exam notwithstanding. That’s an entity unto itself. I have 23 more tuition payments, 23 more months of school. If you’re keeping track, this year’s subjects are: Evidence, Corporations and Business Organizations, Professional Responsibility, Legal Analysis and Writing, Legal Research, Employment Discrimination, and Cross Profession Ethics. It is as much work as it appears to be. Do not think, as I did, that law school is top-loaded. I love the topics; the challenge is cramming the daily 12 hours of study into 4 or 6 hours.

In training news, son Sam has decided he wants us to do a triathlon together before one of us gets too old. And of course by triathlon, I mean the big bad one. We’ve decided on the window of Mar-Sept 2014, so we’re looking at races all over the world to find an iron distance we want to do. That gives us the maximum time to train, and before I start my big push studying for the Bar. Stay tuned for details.

I’d like to say here that I’ll do a better job of blogging more regularly, but we all know I’m kidding myself. It’s not that I don’t have a lot to write about, but you already know that. However, it is a nice refuge from the intensity of my academics, so here’s my empty promise to try to do better.

And, for no good reason, here’s a face:

Thanks for reading!

January 25, 2013 1

The Virginia Chronicles

From Thursday at noon til Sunday at noon. In that time, my son and I: rafted the James, explored the art mural scene in Richmond on bike, climbed at the VCU climbing wall (my first experience), cycled to Jamestown (45 miles), explored Jamestown, cycled back to Richmond, ate at the fabulous 821(twice) AND mamazu’s, prepared a meal for our host family, and ate a meal prepared by our host family. Oh, and did I mention the hurricane? Or getting to see, from the window of the gate where I had just landed, Air Force One land and its de-planing passengers? No?

DISCLAIMER: This is not another swag post about my kid. He just happens to have been the coordinator for all we did, and I can’t relate the adventures without telling that. This trip was to have been a visit with him, and a chance to see where he lives and works in Richmond, Virginia. If the splendor of Sam comes through, I can’t help that.

Son #2 is the assistant director of the Outdoor Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Back in the day (’78-’82 for me), these outdoor programs had a couple of backpacks to rent, maybe a bike to check out, and one or two trips per semester to a nearby state park. No more. Here’s a picture of the Center at VCU:

In the Fall 2012 semester alone, the program has taken 75 trips, has bikes (road and mountain), kayaks, paddle boards, climbing wall, backpacks, wetsuits available to students, conducts a student leadership program, has a staff of 40 students, and has its sights set on VCU Qatar , its sister campus, for a recreational trip during the 2013 school year.

Sam began this job in the fall of 2012, and I’ve been trying to get up to see him since then. Regular readers of this blog know with my online law school, and my retired Delta-pilot-father, I take advantage of the pass travel with vigor. When a weekend became available, I leapt at the chance to get this visit in. With the patience and generosity of my ever-devoted partner/boyfriend to watch my high-maintenance dogs for the weekend, off I went.

When I boarded my flight in Atlanta for Richmond, an announcement was made that due to the arrival of the President in Richmond for a campaign event, there was a possibility that we might be delayed. We arrived 7 minutes before the arrival of Air Force One, so I was able to see that occur from a great vantage point:

I missed seeing him in a hallway in a casino in Las Vegas in 2008 by seconds, so I was delighted to be seeing him, even at this distance! Minutes later, I saw my precious boy just past the security point and off to our adventures we went.

First stop: Sam’s “office”, the Outdoor Adventure Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. We had time to grab a quick bite at the 821, a funky little cafe 2 blocks from work.

In my defense, we shared this monstrosity

Then it was back to the office to pack up and head out for an afternoon rafting adventure on the James. The water was way down, which bummed out the kayakers, but suited me fine as Sam and I tackled it R2ing (riverspeak for 2 in a raft). It was so unusual to be whitewater rafting with a city skyline as the backdrop. I’ve got no pics, since I don’t have a waterproof case for my phone – Sam took some, and I’ll try to go back and edit after he posts those shots.

After getting the obligatory drenching (he’s still my son, after all) we changed into dry clothes and met up with Sam’s boss, and roommate couple, and dear friends Joey and Lauren for a dinner at mammazu’s, a high-funk, fabulous, Italian eatery. We feasted upon vegetable lasagna, eggplant parmesan, rockfish, crab, bread, and wine. The food and the conversation were delightful and memorable.

Moving into Friday morning, Sam and I hopped the bikes to his local coffee shop where we had our java and java talk, one of my favorite parts of the whole weekend. From there we headed back to the center where we set out for a day of sightseeing Hollywood cemetery and Richmond’s street mural art scene.

One of two US Presidents buried here. Also, one CSA President. You’ll have to Google to find out. Ever the teacher.

Then it was back to the climbing wall where there was a combination climbing contest/halloween party. You can be sure that the group associated with outdoor adventure is going to come through with the costumes. I went as a cyclist (which was convenient since that’s what I had on…).

Sam went as a banjo player from Tennessee

I knew it was coming. A test of the commitment Pledge. When my kids were little, before they reached adolescence and I lost all credibility with them, I promised that whatever they would let me participate in with them, I would, and the Pledge raised its head again this night. I had avoided the climbing piece for a long time, not being particularly enamored of heights, and not being overly strong in my upper body, and my weight being up a little because I haven’t been training. No allowances, however, so up I went. I at least had on climbing shoes, and of course my own boy at the other end of my harness. I’m not sure where the fear comes from, because my rational mind was aware that I was secure from falling. Maybe because I didn’t want to disappoint my son? Maybe because I didn’t want to wimp out because I wasn’t strong enough to do it? Ultimately it didn’t matter, because I did make it straight to the top, and what a rush that was!

Then it was home to a feast prepared by the lovely Lauren, and fashion modeling by darling Mercks.

Saturday morning saw us up early, gearing up with the 10 students who joined in for the bike ride to Chickahominy Riverfront park, near Jamestown, VA. We had a slight mechanical situation along the way…

…but resolved that and then headed into historic Jamestown for a very quick tour.

Captain Smith. He was too high for me to be obscene with…sorry to disappoint.

After a campground cookout, we hit the tent for a night of sleep hearing Sandy’s first rainfall on the nylon. After a campground breakfast of bacon and eggs, we set out back for Richmond, pinched between the system coming from the southwest and Sandy bearing down from the southeast. We made it back to Richmond without getting too wet, and were glad to get off the bikes and head to Little Mexico for a little cerveza and chips before dinner.

Back home, after the lovely meal Lauren made for us, Sam and I pitched in and made salad, vegetable soup, and cornbread for our family dinner.

Then, just like that, it was Monday, and time to head back home. Out of Richmond. In the middle of Sandy the hurricane. Usually there are 10 or so flights between Richmond and Atlanta; on this day, at least 6 of them were cancelled. All the remaining were oversold. When this happens, there’s nothing to do but try or wait it out. We opted to try, and through some series of fortunate events, I made it to Atlanta, then on home to Nashville.

So, 96 hours with Sammy, and as always, I’m richer for it.

Thanks for reading!

October 30, 2012 3

Albuquerque, Part 2

Well, that took longer than I thought!

To continue, I’ve been in New Mexico with mom and dad for a few days. They are motorhome caravanners, Airstream to be specific, and have been on a southwest caravan for a couple of months. They began in Moab, Utah (after having done the Lewis and Clark caravan the 2 months before that) and are concluding on Sunday. I flew to Albuquerque last Saturday to join them for a few days.

In part I I told about the Balloon Festival, which continued to be spectacular. The motorhome was parked in a lot facing the lift0ff field, and every morning at sunrise there were hundreds of hot air balloons in various stages of ascension. Breathtaking in scope and vision. Truly. And because of the nature of the event, one is free to walk among the aircraft, chatting with the pilots and chase crew as they filled and heated the balloons.

When I last blogged, we were on our way to the Pueblo Indian Culture Center, where we spent most of the morning learning about the 19 tribes. It’s a beautiful center with a courtyard for showcasing the native dances, and both an ancient and contemporary museum of history.

From there we tried to find not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 different restaurants for lunch. We ended up at El Pinto’s restaurant, allegedly a favorite Bushie hangout (I managed to dodge the Republican vibe if that’s true) for their spectacular and spectacularly huge dishes. We opted for enchiladas, quesadillas, and of course sopapillas with honey.

Then it was time for the caravan to move on, so off to Santa Fe we went. Dinner the first night was at the Buffalo Thunder casino, along with a $10 credit, after the buffet, mom and dad hit the penny slots! Wooohooo!!

Gambling away my inheritance, 1¢ at a time.

The next day took us to downtown Santa Fe, where we saw old churches, shops, restaurants, and street vendors. Then, in a dash, all the way up to Taos, where we went to the Taos Pueblo (no photography) and then to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.

Then, to cap off a long day, before dinner we scouted out the Kit Carson Memorial Park where we found the grave we were looking for. That may not sound like everyone’s idea of fun, but when you travel with dad, it’s mandatory. It’s an historian thing.

It was a quick 5 days, now it’s off to Anaheim with daughter Amy for another adventure. She and squeeze Curtis are attending the National Recreation and Park Association Conference. Ames graduates in December with an Outdoor Recreation degree from ETSU, and she’s hoping to make a few job contacts…next post will find me in daughterbliss!

Big shoutout to Glendy for dogsitting while I’m gone:

199958_4731567287981_63834341_n — My human girl is not impressed with my canine girl.

Thanks for reading!

October 12, 2012 5

Albuquerque, part 1

And they are the source of my adventurous spirit.

My parents are on their 4th consecutive month of motor home caravaning of the summer. They first did the Lewis and Clark caravan for the months of June and July. To translate from RVspeak: caravanning is a group of motorhomes, mostly retired folks, who plan and organize trips around the country, anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. My parents have done over 35 of these trips over the last 20 years or so, including the Viking caravan up to New Brunswick, the Canadian trips – Polar Bear sightings included, Alaska, the Yucatan, Baja, numerous Civil War trips, and this one, the Southwest Adventure. Dad serves as the historian on both the Lewis and Clark trips and the Civil War ones too.

Daughter Amy has a conference in California next week, and I’m going to join her for a few days of fun. In the meantime, Mom and Dad knew the Balloon Festival was coming up and had been asking me to join them, so…

This festival is the premier festival in ballooning. There are over 500 balloons, thousands of spectators, and is said to be the most photographed event in the world. It’s a full 8 days, and there are activities all day every day. The liftoff field is adjacent to the brand spanking new Balloon Museum, to which I willingly devoted 3 hours of my life today. Did you know that during WWII Japan sent 10,000 balloon bombs toward the US, 1000 of which have been recovered, and some of which may still be in remote areas?

This morning we spent several hours, beginning predawn, watching what is known as a mass ascension.

First was the spectacular sunrise liftoff, then we enjoyed all the different balloons:

They have to call him Aaron, since “Elvis” is copyrighted

So here’s the deal…the RV is parked in a giant field with several hundred other motor homes (Mom calls it Bonnaroo for retirees), but no hookups – no electricity or water. This isn’t too big of a problem normally for a self-contained motorhome, but generator curfew is coming up in 15 minutes, and I have a couple of hours of studying to do tonight, off my Mac battery, so I’m going to cut this post into two pieces, because there are so many good pictures I want to add.

Tomorrow is several hours at the Indian Pueblo Culture Center in the morning, then a turquoise museum in the afternoon, then another balloon event in the evening.

So til part 2….thanks for reading!

October 7, 2012 1

Moonlight Ride around Cade’s Cove

And following on the heels of the Warrior Dash…crazy, moonlight bicycle ride in Smoky Mountain National Park.

When Sam began college at UT in the fall of 2006, he began work at the UT Outdoor Program (UTOP). I believe that it was through this group that I first heard about this ride.

Cade’s Cove is a beautiful plateau in the Smoky Mountains, protected on all sides by mountains, and according to the site, is one of the most visited place in the National Park. On a pretty fall weekend, the loop is almost entirely filled with cars, creeping along looking at the flora and fauna. Like most state parks, the road closes at dusk, and that’s when it gets interesting. On a full moon, if you’re on a bicycle, you can see well enough to navigate, even without blinkies, on the 11-mile loop. What. A. Rush.

Saturday night’s full moon was occasionally partially occluded by clouds, and sometimes diffused by a heavy fog that gave everything a kind of scary, surreal feeling. There are old buildings along the road, and we stopped to see one of the old churches. It was here that we discovered Eliott’s flat tire. While Amy and I were working to patch it, Eliott scared the poop out of Casey by tossing stones into the woods while Casey tried to figure out what it was. We also got several packs of coyotes to answer back to our howls – pretty scary in the dark and moonlight.

The black bear sighting was the highlight. We try not to use headlamps or white blinkies because you can see more if you let your eyes adjust and dilate to the moonlight, but after watching the large dark figure walk toward us across a field, we finally shown a light, and there he was. We left in haste, with Casey beside me saying he didn’t have to outrun the bear, but just be able to outrun me.

We stopped at the working mill, and the other pioneer structure, seeing bats, and deer, hearing the coyotes, and straining for every bit of road definition out of the shadows of the moon. We stopped at the part of the valley where you can hear an echo bounce back and forth across the ridge, and clapped and whistled and hooted until we needed to get back on the bikes and finish the loop. We didn’t start riding until midnight, and between the flat tire and sightseeing, it was 3am when we got back.

I love this ride. Going without a night’s sleep is a small price to pay for the memory of the experience. It’s become one of my mental happy places to wander to when I need a refuge from stress and life drama. The whisper of my tires on the road, the cool air on my face, the muted outlines of the fields and mountains, all come together to create a unique, unforgettable carpe nocturne event. If you see me post that I’m making the trip again, ask to come along.

Oh, and my daughters and I are apparently 9 years old.