A Man, A Woman, A Harley

Nature Surrounds Us

2012-01-30T08:48:00.000-06:00

We took some time out this past weekend to go Eagle watching again. It was a beautiful day for the hunt and started by spotting this American Blue Bird on the deck railing.

As we drove around LBL (Land Between the Lakes), a herd of deer were spotted by the side of the road. I was able to snap a few pictures of the bucks.

We were definitely in luck when it came to Eagles. There were at least six or more nesting in the trees and gliding through the air from time to time.

We spotted one other rarity that I wanted to share with you . . . this camper trailer is held up by the two piles of cinder blocks in the back and a couple in the front. It beckons to have a sign that goes something like "If this trailer is a knocking - get out of the way cause it's going to come down"!!

Only in Kentucky!

Kentucky bridge destroyed by ship

2012-01-27T22:03:00.000-06:00

We live about 1/2 mile from the Barkley Lake and the bridge that ties the Land Between The Lakes to the Cadiz side of Trigg County. After traveling over the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) you come to KenLake and the bridge over KenLake. This bridge ties LBL to points beyond (i.e. Aurora, Murray, etc). Last night a large ship ran into the bridge destroying a large section of the bridge.

Here is a news video from MSN reporting on the mishap ~

Ship carrying rocket parts, hits Kentucky bridge

To add a personal note to this story, Tim and I were in Murray last night. As we were driving home we had noted how very dark the night was. As we rounded the corner toward the KenLake bridge I noticed that I was unable to see the bridge and it was very difficult to see the lane I needed to be in. As we started up the bridge we noticed that we were only able to see a short distance due to the extreme darkness. We even joked about not knowing if the bridge was out until too late due to the darkness. As we reached the top of the bridge, Tim noticed the huge ship headed toward the bridge. Along with the darkness, it was raining making the road wet. We did make it off the bridge and home safe and sound. Just as we entered the house we heard the sirens heading for the bridge. After hearing the news, we realized what had happened. It took a short second to realize we had just missed being a part of this disaster. The good Lord was watching over us as we were on that bridge! And I believe that HE was watching over the other 4 cars that were caught on the bridge during the accident. Thankfully no one was hurt. Sadly, it may take years to replace this bridge.

Neighborhood Birthday Bash

2012-01-26T16:25:00.000-06:00

We have moved to an awesome neighborhood! The neighbors are fun and very welcoming. The other night we were invited to a birthday party for Dan (a neighbor), put on by his wife Toni. The highlight of the evening was Dan firing his two cannons (yes, you read that correctly, CANNONS!) Here are a few highlights from the party . . . .

As you can see, a great time was had by all! What a fun group!! Can't wait until the next party!

Eagles

2012-01-16T00:45:00.000-06:00

Sunday, January 15, was a perfect day for Eagle viewing. Our neighbors gave us an Eagle tour of LBL on Sunday afternoon. We stopped at several locations close to the water and did not find any Eagles. Our last stop was by a lake on LBL. We were able to see a couple of Eagles enjoying the sunny, yet cold day. Two of the Eagles even performed for us with air-acrobatics.

This picture shows a mature Bald Eagle and an immature Bald Eagle (top)

A few acrobatic moves.

Happy New Year - Welcome 2012

2012-01-04T05:45:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year and Welcome 2012!

The weather here this past weekend was quite pleasurable, close to 60 degrees! Which means we spent the last day of 2011 on the Harley checking out the LBL (Land Between the Lakes). The scenery is not as beautiful as it is during other seasons, however, it is possible to find some areas worthy of a picture or two.

We did happen to see a Bald Eagle, but, I was not able to get a good picture of him. I've seen him around the area several times lately, so I am hoping to catch him on my camera soon!

I am so very anxious for spring and the rebirth of the beautiful landscape that I love taking pictures of. I know, another couple of months . . . I will try to be patient. In the meantime, I will continue to watch the Cardinals and other birds that enjoy the (bird)food I put out on a daily basis.

New Camera - New Year - More Riding

2011-12-27T02:25:00.000-06:00

I have a new camera that I have been playing around with. I'm hoping to become a little knowledgeable before it's time to get back on the road. I have the perfect subject matter to test my skills on . . . Birds! These little guys move around quickly, thus, proving that I need a whole lot of practice. See for yourself . . .

All of these pictures were taken looking out my backdoor and front window. I have a bit of learning on the software for editing and need to focus on steadying my hand with the camera - but, hey, learn as you go - right?

Mistletoe

2011-12-19T06:53:00.000-06:00

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.

We just happen to have several bunches of Mistletoe growing in the trees in our backyard. It seems that, here in the south, the best way to obtain your mistletoe is to get your shotgun out and shoot the mistletoe out of the tree. They actually have parties to do just that. I haven't had the heart to actually get the shotgun out to perform this southern tradition. However, my curiosity may get the better of me at some point.

Mistletoe growing on a top branch of our huge trees.

Birds, Birds, Birds, continued

2011-11-30T04:58:00.000-06:00

During the late afternoon hours I have noticed a few changes in the sky around our home. Around this same time every day, the sky begins to fill with these huge black predator birds. They look like buzzards and I also see a few hawks. They will circle the sky and fly in and out of the trees for an hour or two and then they are gone.

Earlier in the day, I am able to look out my front window and watch the Cardinals playing in the tree or eating the birdseed I have out for them. Right now I have six Cardinals playing in the front yard tree. Can you see the Cardinals?

I still find it amazing that I am fascinated by birds. However, I really appreciate my beautiful surroundings!

Birds, Birds, Birds

2011-11-21T01:01:00.000-06:00

A little gift for birds swings in a tree in our front yard. I am trying to attract colorful birds, like Cardinoles, Blujays, etc. So far, I have 4 Cardinoles, and a couple of what appears to be Blu Birds. We also have a couple of Humming Birds.

On a side note, I have to laugh at myself. As a child, I found birdwatching a very strange and boring passtime of older adults. Perhaps a telltale sign of aging. So, here I am, over 50, and birdwatching! Very funny!

Lola just loves her yard!

As you walk toward the river, the incline becomes a bit steep. We decided to investigate the area a bit more. This is an area called Devils Elbow (Road, Camp Ground, Dock, etc). The Camp Ground and picnic area are no longer taken care of. This land now belongs to the Corp of Engineers. From what we have learned, the Corp of Engineers have no plans on turning this back into a usable recreational sight. Quite a shame. As you can see in the next few pictures, there are solid cement picnic tables, fire rings, electrical hookups, etc.

More birds to come . . .

A Look at Fall from the Harley

2011-11-01T03:52:00.000-05:00

We actually ventured out on the bike this past weekend, braving the cooler temps that we have had here in western Kentucky. To be honest, I'm not really thrilled to ride when I have to wear five layers of clothes. It really gets to be quite cumbersome to get on and off the bike. And trying to take pictures becomes a major pain. But, the sun was out on Sunday and I believe the temp was in the low 60's when we began . . . so here are some pictures of the area between Cadiz and Hopkinsville.

This is my favorite picture from Sunday. Just love those backroads!

Well, that's about it for this ride, we were only gone for a couple of hours and maybe 100 miles. And it seems like the leaves are dropping quickly - which means the bareness of winter is upon us. Hope you have been able to find some beautiful fall colors where you live!!

Fall and the New House

2011-10-29T03:51:00.000-05:00

The view out my front door is so very colorful right now that I wanted to share it with you. We are surrounded by a forest of trees and most of them have turned colors this past week. With the rain and cold we are having, the leaves will probably be short lived.

I am making great strides in clearing my living area of boxes. It is so nice to see an orderly room for a change.

A New Look For Our Home

2011-10-20T00:53:00.000-05:00

I've decided to allow you all into my mess . . . I am still painting and unpacking and trying to find a place for everything. However, I wanted you to see the progress we are making with the painting. I still have one wall in the bedroom and some trim work to do. Oh, and I haven't even began to work on the two spare bedrooms and the two bathrooms. So, here we go . . .

This is the dining room, with one wall painted 'La Fonda Antique Red' and the rest of the room painted 'Cafe Miel'.

The kitchen is surrounded in the red color.

Here is my son, Beau, taking a moment to relieve some tension!

We added the red to the hallways.

This is the Master Bedroom - went with a 'Chocolate Brown' and a 'Jekyll Sans Souci Green' accent wall.

We replaced the dinning room light fixture with the Chrystal Chandelier that my Dad gave my Mom for their 15th Wedding Anniversary.

Trying out some decorating ideas on top of the cupboards.

We have made a great deal of progress - but, I still have days that feel like I am taking two steps forward and one step back! I made it through the last 'unkown' box today and have about half a dozen or so boxes left that I do know the contents of. My garage sale pile is steadily growing and hopefully I will have enough stuff to sale, that it will be worth the hassle.

Fall Ride to Dunlap TN and The Cookie Jar

2011-10-18T10:24:00.000-05:00

WOW, what a beautiful FALL we are having! The temps have stayed in the 70's and 80's during the day, the sun shines brightly with very few clouds in the sky, and we still have a few extra hours in the day before darkness surrounds us. Sunday was one of these perfect FALL days - we just had to take advantage of it!

We headed toward TN and picked up our friends, Gary and Donna. We then headed for Dunlap TN and a great little restaurant that is in the middle of nowhere called The Cookie Jar. We've done this trip several times because it is such a beautiful ride and it combines all types of terrain and views that are spectacular! I am hoping I have a few new views for you to see - I am still working on another PC and do not have access to my pictures. I also do not have access to my software which enhances the pictures. So, what you see is pretty much how it is - not quite as bright and brilliant as my usual pictures, with that said, I hope you enjoy.

The Cookie Jar restaurant sits on a hill with the foothills as a view. It looks like an old farm house with a large wrap-around porch. You may choose to sit inside or outside on the porch. We arrive just before they were ready to close and they still welcomed us in with huge smiles on their faces. All of the food is homemade and delicious. They also have great desserts. Pies, cakes and cupcakes. It just isn't possible to go away hungry from this place.

We spent 12 1/2 hours, traveling 489 miles on Sunday. Wow, was I ever tired! Due to the house purchase and all the hoopla surrounding it, I haven't been on the bike for over a month! Which is a very long time when you need to sit on a seat for that long. However sore I was, I am ready to head out again!!!

Where have you been this FALL?

Inside View of the New Digs

2011-10-06T05:31:00.000-05:00

We are absolutely loving our new home! The space, the layout, the peaceful neighborhood and the beautiful surroundings. We feel so very fortunate to have found what seems like the perfect home for us. Before we went to bed last night, we went outside to check out the big beautiful sky! The moon was so bright you could actually see where you were walking.

As promised, a few pictures of the inside of our new place. Please remember, it's a mess because we are still moving in (or it may just look this way from now on)! We have a few changes and updates to do as time and money allow, but for now, here is our home.

I'm going to start with my favorite room - the living/dining/kitchen room. One huge open room that will allow continual conversation between the cook and the rest of the room. This is the room that sold me on the house.

This is the spare bedroom/den/office area. Plenty of room to sleep and compute.

This is the other spare bedroom/music room. We will put a queen size bed in both spare bedrooms. That way we will be open for business (not a real business - just able to have friends and family come for a visit)!

This is the master bedroom and it is huge. Notice that the picture does not include any of the dressers. The dressers are behind the view of the camera. There is a walk-in closet and a full bath connected to this bedroom. Not sure yet when we will begin on the project.

Can't possibly show pictures without Lola. This is the dining area of the big room.

One last picture of the kitchen. All of the appliances stayed with the house, including a washer/dryer, second refrigerator and a freezer. I foresee a large number of meals being prepared in this part of the house.

Our youngest son is visiting this week and I plan to take full advantage of his presence. The 'honeydoo' list is long and full! I think we have painting at the top of the list. Stay tuned for more . . .

Just a couple more Harleys in the Driveway

2011-10-04T02:04:00.000-05:00

Before I continue with a tour of our new home, I wanted to mention our little luncheon this past Saturday. Our HOG chapter had a Progressive Ride beginning around 9:00am on Saturday. The purpose of this ride was to ride and eat! First stop of this three course day was for breakfast, the second stop was lunch and the final destination would be dessert. Tim and I volunteered to put on the lunch.

For those of you that have not been to my house for a meal, let me enlighten you on my version of hospitality. I believe NO one should ever leave my house hungry. I really enjoy cooking and baking and I firmly believe that it is better to have too much food prepared rather than too little. With that said, here is the menu I had planned for this lunch of unknown number of bikers.
     Hamburgers - grilled
     Potato Salad
     Macaroni Salad
     Baked Beans

Tim called me from the breakfast portion of the ride with a head count of 29 bikers. Yes, you read that right - I did not know how many were coming for lunch until 9:30am the morning of the lunch.

I spent most of the day on Friday preparing my salads. I used a few more than a 10# bag of potatoes and boiled about 2 1/2 dozen eggs for my potato salad. It took nearly an entire large jar of mayo! I used my tried and true recipe that has been in the family forever.

I then decided to add a Macaroni Salad to ensure I had enough food. I had checked online for a great macaroni salad and was unable to find anything, so I came up with a concoction I call the BMT Salad (Bacon, Macaroni, Tomato) and it turned out yummy! I just threw some on-hand ingredients together and I had a great new salad. Ingredients included Cooked Macaroni, cooked Bacon, Fresh Tomatoes. I tossed those three things together and then added Western Dressing, Mayo, Mustard, Sugar, Vinegar, Salt & Pepper until it all tasted like something I would serve to my family and friends.

I also made Baked Beans from scratch which I always love. We served the food buffet style on the front porch and set up tables in the yard for everyone to enjoy the meal. Tim and I really enjoyed having this event and may even volunteer again. I have added a few pictures of all the bikes sitting in our driveway.

It was a bit chilly to begin the day, but the sun was shinning and we hope that everyone had a great time and that they enjoyed the lunch!

A Few More Views of the New Digs

2011-10-03T02:27:00.000-05:00

If you can excuse the messes and the boxes and all the stuff piled up - I have a few pictures of our new home. It's been two weeks and I feel like I have not accomplished a darn thing! You know the feeling . . . two steps forward - one step back . . . however, in my case it's more like one step forward - two steps back! The boxes just never end. Regardless of the mess, we are loving our new home! Lola is so happy with her new home and new yard also. So, without further ado - here are some pictures of the outside and surrounding area.
First up - scenes of the backyard from our deck.

This is the road in front of the house. (Notice our fish mailbox?) This road dead ends into Lake Barkley (aka The Cumberland River). Typically, the traffic is not bad with the exception of just before dawn when the fishing boats fly by trying to get the best fishing spots. We hear this is one of the best fishing spots on the lake and that it is not uncommon to pull out a 50lb Catfish. Yeah, my Walmart fishing pole should be able to handle that!!!

This is our front yard - Lola's favorite part of the new digs.

I am trying to make the entryway a flowering experience. There is a water fountain and different pots of roses, daisies and inpatient's. More to come this spring. The porch seems just perfect for a couple of rocking chairs and a few ferns.

Lola absolutely loves the yard!

This is the back of the house.

Ok, more pictures to come in my next blog. We will move into the interior of the house - yes, the place that has replaced the storage shed. The boxes are not disappearing as fast as I would like them to - but, I continue to work on it!

Since this blog is showing the neighborhood, I have to talk about my new neighbors. We have six homes in our little division. One of which is an abandoned mansion. The other five homes are occupied mostly with retired folks who enjoy the river life. Last weekend, after being overwhelmed with the 26 ft moving truck full of boxes was unloaded, our new neighbor, Toni, stopped by and declared that we were going to go out to eat with them. Although Tim and I were totally exhausted we accepted the invitation. Toni said to be at her house in an hour. We arrived at their beautiful lakeside home to find two other neighbors there and dinner waiting for us. What a lovely way to end a very long day. All of the couples are full of energy and laughter and we had a great time. We have also met one other gentleman, who stopped by on Saturday to introduce himself. They have made us feel very welcomed and I am excited to get to know them all better.

At Last - A Connection To The World!

2011-09-24T03:26:00.000-05:00

It has been 13 days since my last connection with the world wide web! Thirteen days of endless country music radio station music playing the same top 20 songs over and over and over. I honestly believe if I hear Taylor Swift complain about her mean boyfriend one more time - I may just have to visit her in Hendersonville and explain to her that no one really cares!!! Please don't get me wrong, I really like all genres of music, including country/western music. However, there is a limit to how many times you can listen to the same songs over and over again. It seems that we live in a very limited radio wave environment. Not only am I limited on the radio stations I can pull in, but, my Verizon cell phone is dropping my calls right and left.

The Verizon customer service recorded response to my dropped calls inquiry is 'Please hang up and call back on a land line phone'. So, how does a person report their cell phone problem when they do not own a land line? Good question, for which my only answer is to give-in and add a land line. So, two steps forward, one step back. The more this world becomes technically savvy - the more we must resort to the ways of the past.

Well, back to the new house and the move. We have completed the move from our rental house in Cadiz. I have just about finished unpacking my boxes, perhaps there is 2 or 3 left sitting in the spare bedroom. The kicker here is that Tim will be hauling all of our stored possessions from NE down here this weekend. This would include all of my cherished 'hand-me-downs' from my loving family members that are no longer with us. I am so excited to see these missing items that have been out of my sight for nearly 5 years. It will be like Christmas morning and a free shopping spree all in one!!! Just not real sure where I will be storing all of my treasures . . .

I will be posting pictures of the inside of the house next. It will be a sort of before/after blog, I hope. There is a definite lack of color in this house. And the one thing I must have in my life is plenty of color! Bold and 'in yo face' types of color! I have a LOT of painting to do and a little remodeling of a few things here and there. The great thing about this home is that it is built well and arranged well. So, hopefully the few changes I have in mind will be a breeze to complete.

So . . . stay tuned!!

Home Sweet Home ~ At Last!

2011-09-08T15:57:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Home

Not to jinx us, but, I've been so anxious to show off a picture of our new digs! So, even though I am jumping the gun just a smidgen and we don't actually close until tomorrow morning - here is a picture of our new home!

Yes, it's true, Tim will finally have the garage of his dreams! I'm sure he has it totally arranged in his mind already. Our new home is about 1700 sq ft and sits on an acre and a half of Kentucky wonderland. We are less than a quarter of a mile from the Cumberland River. There is a boat dock/launch just down the road and I hear that it is a great place to catch fish, not sure what kind.

The house is all about low maintenance. No stairs, no basement! Plenty of room for visitors in this split 3 bedroom home. So, please plan to visit us in the near future - we would love to see you!!! The Cadiz' Country Ham Festival is coming up in October (14th - 16th) and I hear it is a great weekend of endless eating and fun!

Still here

2011-09-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to check in and let you know that I am still here! I have to put off buying a new computer for a couple more weeks. We have put an offer on a house and we are hoping to close this week. As soon as we get all the paper work signed and the house is ours I will get back to the computer decision.

Meanwhile, we are going a little crazy waiting for all the ducks to line up in their self-appointed rows! We have been through this a few times before, and I have to say, it has never been an easy non-problematic venture! Why? How can something so simple as buying a home become such a nightmare of complicated, overwhelming, unbelievable contradictions! It seems to be a torturous waiting game that the powers that be, love to play with us poor mortals. I will post more about our new nest as soon as we make it through the maze of mortgage hell.
House hint: Our Harley's will finally have a space all their own!!!

Computer's Vacation continues

2011-08-26T22:51:00.000-05:00

I'm afraid my computer may have taken more than just a vacation! Which means I have a huge decision to make - buy a new computer or pay too much money to fix my old one. I guess I am leaning towards the new computer, but wait! What are all these new buzz words they are throwing around? I feel as though I have been living in a cave in the Appalachian mountains. If I remember correctly, there was a time that I actually made a very good living working as a computer analyst. So, I am not new to the show, by any means. Good grief! So far, I am sure of only one thing - I want a laptop. I don't have a lot of needs, I am online a lot, play simple games online, use spreadsheets and word documents. And most importantly, I work on and store a great number of pictures. Now, I ask you, how difficult should that be to find the right machine for my needs?

So, I beseech you, I need some ideas for a reliable machine that is reasonably priced and can handle pictures. Let me know if you have a favorite brand!

Hope to be back soon . . .

Unscheduled Vacation for Computer

2011-08-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

So sorry I haven't posted lately, my computer is taking a long overdue vacation. I say overdue because it has been crawling to this conclusion for some time. Not sure what is wrong, I have no picture on the screen. I am fortunate in that I backed up my hard drive the night before it decided to leave me. So, I am hoping that my 5000+ pictures are safe and sound on an external hard drive I have.

Never fear, I will be back as soon as I can figure out what's going on with my computer. Until then, may you find your way down the roads less traveled.

One Very Hot Day

2011-07-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

It may be steaming hot outside, but, when you get the chance to take off on your Harley - you just have to go!!

And believe me, it sure is HOT in Kentucky and Tennessee!

For this trip, we headed down to Tennessee. I just love riding the TN roads which have been cut out of the hills. Such as the picture below.

We headed south toward the TN/AL border. Our friends, Gary and Donna led the way toward Fayetteville, Petersburg and Kelso TN. Donna's family originated from this area.

The hills and valleys were breath-taking and lush with every shade of green.

This train station is about all that is left of Kelso TN.

Petersburg TN - once a thriving town square, is now
hardly more than old buildings decaying in the hot sun.

Petersburg TN is a very old community.

This area of the state seems to be mostly farming. Which means more barn pictures!

GREEN as far as the eye can see!

Our day began at 7:30am with a temperature of 77 degrees. We arrived home around 9:00pm and the temp was 82 degrees. In between we hit temps as high as 101 degrees or more. We added another 459 miles on our odometer. Very hot and totally exhausted it was shower and veg for the remainder of the evening.

My Mom's Schoo-Fly Pie

2011-07-21T22:42:00.000-05:00

My Mom made the BEST Schoo-Fly Pie . . . Period! It is one of my favorite pies even though most people have never heard of it. I believe it has a Mennonite background, because the only place I ever see it is at food stands ran by the Amish or Mennonites. It is one of those recipes that you are a little bit afraid that it is never going to come out okl

Here is the recipe from my Mom's collection.

Schoo-Fly Pie

Top of Pie:
1 Egg
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Butter
1 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp Soda
1/2 C Sour Milk (Milk w/ 1/2 tsp vinegar added)

Bottom of Pie:
1 Egg
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Karol Syrup
1/2 C Cold Water
1 tsp Vanilla

1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 375°. Use a glass pie plate.
Combine ’Bottom of Pie’ ingredients and pour into an unbaked pie crust.
Combine ’Top of Pie’ ingredients, adding the Sour Milk last.
Drop by tablespoon on top of pie.
Bake at 375° for 10 minutes then lower oven temp to 350° and continue to bake for 30 - 35 minutes (in a glass pie plate). Pie may be a little jiggly in the center. Do not over bake.

My Mom, Nelda and me.

I do find it interesting that my Mom made such good Mennonite meals, even though my Mom was not raised as a Mennonite. Both my Mom and her twin sister were very religious women, even though religion was not an important part of their upbringing. They did, however, come by their honesty, sweetness, hard-working and loving persona's by way of their Mother, my Grandma. I really miss these three women!!!

Just a Ride Around the Neighborhood

2011-07-20T10:40:00.000-05:00

Wow, is it ever hot here in Kentucky! Riding the Harley has become quite a challenge due to the heat. Typically, riding is a great way to stay cool on a hot day, especially when you are riding through the hills. In the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky you will usually find quite a few shaded roads that offer relief from the hot burning sun. However, with the heat index above 100, even the shaded roads offer little relief from the heat. Thus, we find ourselves hiding away in the comfort of our air conditioned home.

Kentucky landscape

Mid July and the bushes are in full bloom

A bad spring storm left many damaged trees
in Trigg county

Earlier this summer it was wheat that dominated the
farming landscape - now it is corn

We took on the heat last Saturday, well at least for a couple of hours. The skies were cloudy when we began, which helped to ease the heat. However, after an hour of riding, the sun was in full body and the heat was on. Before we gave in and went back into summer hibernation, I did get pictures of a few great barns.

A Kentucky barn, most likely used for drying Tobacco

I am really hoping the heat will ease up soon, although the natives here say the worse is yet to come. It seems that traditionally, August in Kentucky is all about heat and dry, gee . . . can't wait!

Taking a Break

2011-07-10T00:47:00.000-05:00

We are taking a break from the Harley this weekend. Once in a while a weekend will slip by without a visit with our bike. I'm sure our bike misses us, especially when we pass it by in the garage. However, like I stated, you just have to take a break.

Actually we are entertaining our youngest son, Beau, who is visiting us for a couple of days. We are giving Beau the Cadiz welcome and letting him see the Cadiz way of life. I'm pretty sure the Cadiz way of life is a bit different than his Houston lifestyle.

Our youngest son Beau.

We will be back on the bike next weekend so please stop back to travel with us, down the road less taken!

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder

2011-07-06T22:31:00.000-05:00

I have been organizing my photos in order to back them up to an external hard drive. I find it amazing that I have over 5,000 photos! I've decided it would probably kill me if I would lose

all those photos - so, time to do a little safeguarding.

I'm sure you are wondering how I have amassed over 5000 photos since the summer of 2008. I thought you might like to know the process I go through. When we are out on the bike, I take about 200 - 300 pictures. I then go through those pictures and delete the really awful ones. Next, I study those pictures left to determine if they are worth keeping and if there are duplicates that are not necessary to keep - and I delete those not making this cut. I am usually left with somewhere between 40 and 100 photos that I like. My next step is to give each picture a file name. Then it's time to run each photo through my software that will enhance the colors and allow me to crop any pictures that need it. (I do not change or edit my photos - only enhance what is already there.) Depending upon the number of photos, this can take up to 3 or 4 days. Finally, I go through the photos again and determine if they are good enough to let others see them. Those that make this cut will be uploaded to my FaceBook page or to this blog. A lot of work - but, something I really enjoy doing.

Back to the backing up story - while I was organizing my photos, I notice a few pictures that I liked and that probably didn't get posted. Here they are ~

TN Frozen Head State Park - August 2009

A small pond along our way - November 2009

Riding thru the Smoky Mtns - June 2009

A stream along a backroad - November 2009

Fall trees - November 2009

A TN barn - November 2009

Riding thru the Smoky Mtns - June 2009

A roadside stream - November 2009

The Fourth Of July, In Cadiz, Kentucky

2011-07-04T09:15:00.000-05:00

The sun breaks early on the 4th of July in Cadiz, KY. It is also short lived as the rain clouds crowd their way in. This day begins cool, whether or not it continues to be cool will have to be seen.

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For "amber waves of grain",

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

Lake Barkley is full of boats enjoying the long weekend. Many boats got here early to stake out their place for the fireworks later in the evening.

After many years of 'spending the 4th in Seward' it is quite different to be where the day goes on as usual with just a little celebration at the end of the day. I can't say I miss the crowds or the traffic jams that go with it. However, the celebration in Seward does have it;s finer points. The craft show on the court house lawn, the entertainment at the Civic Center, the car show, the food alley, the long parade and of course the fireworks. Sometimes you just need a change of venue to make the same old activities look new once again. Happy 4th everyone!!

Another Ride In The Sun

2011-07-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

The oven is ON in the south!

With the temperature in the upper 90's by early in the day, we rode over to Paducah, KY.

The Harley shop in Paducah is another unique shop designed for the area with which it resides.

The name of the shop is Four Rivers Harley Davidson and resembles a steam boat.

T his shop is really fun to visit. It has an extensive retail space with a large inventory of all things Harley. I always find things here that I have never seen at any other Harley shop. The employees are extremely helpful and really act as if they are happy to be there. On this visit, even though they were obviously busy, we were able to get the oil changed in our bike and back on the road in a reasonable amount of time.

Although the heat is on - the landscape remains green!

The roads are simply lush with the color green. Many of the roads appear more narrow due to the growth of the trees and bushes. When the sun is hot, these shaded roads are a Godsend!

I was able to catch a few more barns as we rode along.

The Kentucky dam was flowing at a good rate as we rode by. At this point, the river is actually flowing north, which seems so very strange. However, as it rounds the bend, it goes back to the normal flow and heads south once again.

There still seems to be plenty of water in the small ponds.

We ended up cutting the day short and retreating back to the air conditioned comfort of our home. Yes, we have become total wuss'! And I'm 'OK' with that!

Freebie Web Sites

2011-07-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

I thought I would add a list of Freebie Web Sites that I use to find all my free goodies. Some of these are on FaceBook. Many of these have a Newsletter that you can sign up for and are delivered to your email account daily. Some of them just have coupons for you to print and use. Please note that there are many other sites - I just wanted to give you a taste of the sites I visit daily.

Please note: Many sites use links to identify themselves when they introduce you to other sites. By doing this, they earn points or money or some type of compensation. I did not include hyper-links to these sites to ensure that you get all of your own credit for any sites you join.

So, enjoy and hope you get tons of Freebies and save lots of money!!

Web Sites
Deals@1SaleADay.com

athriftymom@gmail.com

contact@amazingfreebies.com

cellfire.com

savinginmo@aol.com

coupons.com

dealcrown.com

nikki@nikkisfreebiejeebies.com

mandy@freebiepanda.com

FreebiesDeals@mail.vresp.com

gofreebies.com

redplumvalues@bass.duetter.com

SavingMoneyPlan@gmail.com

smartsource.com

todaysfreestuff@yahoo.com

tonsforfree@aweber.com

womanfreebies.com

support@getitfree.us

Freebies - Why I Love My Mailbox

2011-06-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

For several years now, I have entered contests and sweepstakes. My favorite finds are entry forms for 'freebies'. Freebies are from companies willing to give away samples, in the hopes of repeat buyers spreading the word about their products. These freebies can be a small sample or a full size product. And sometimes they are just a fun gift as a bonus for buying their products, these are my very favorites.

There are many websites and newsletters that gather information on these freebies in one place which makes it easier on those who wish to enter. I subscribe to quite a few of these and they are always free. I do spend a couple of hours a day checking all the websites and newsletters for new offerings, so, there is a commitment involved. I have included pictures of some freebies I have received in recent months.

This is one days take. A Swifter Duster, a speaker from Pringles Chips, a billfold and six golf balls. And today I received a minature lock.

In this picture I have a pair of sunglasses and a pair of reading glasses. A couple of edible items, chocolate candy and popcorn. I love my new on-the-go glass and my personalized flask. A couple of free coupons will help with future purchases.

This is quite the collection! There are a few coupons for free purchases and a check that I can cash at my own bank. Edibles in this group are a full size Hamburger Helper and a single serve box of cereal. I have a very nice thermos and two insulated to-go cups. The metal bottles will be great on the bike and a picture book that I created myself online. A few drink mixes, bandaids, a calendar and a few odds and ends round out this group of freebies.

A few other items that I had to pick up at the store (free of charge) were coffee creamer, first aid kits and lighters. And the mailman delivered a hot pad and hankerchief.

This is a good sampling of the freebies I receive. A few other items that I get occasionally would be T-Shirts, books, toys, gift cards, stickers and other items I can't even think of at the moment.

Wouldn't you enjoy getting one of these in your mailbox instead of that bill?

Tennessee Smoky Foothills

2011-06-13T01:39:00.000-05:00

Taking advantage of the beautiful blue skies, we took off on another adventure on Saturday (June 11, 2011). We headed for Tennessee (our favorite riding state). We picked up our good friends and headed for the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.

This is a view as we leave home on Saturday morning. With clear skies like this, I knew we had a fun day ahead of us. How inviting is this scene?

We have learned that sometimes you just have to share the road.

At times during our day we were just on the edge of some type of rain storm. Fortunately, we did not get rained on. A little rain splatter from the road was all that we felt.

With temperatures in the 90's and a 30% chance for rain, the mountains were extremely smoky.

It just amazes me the difference in the season's scenery. During this time of year everything is green green green! You just wouldn't think there could be that many different shades of green.

As the temperature rises, I am always thrilled when we find roads with lots of shade!

On Hwy 111 there is a beautiful scenic overlook of the valley near Dunlap, TN. Our restaurant of choice for Saturday, The Cookie Jar, is in this valley.

On our way home, Tim snaked his way through this awesome valley by Woodbury TN. This is one of those roads that is a must ride for all motorcycles!

I had to add a picture of a wheat field. It must be the crop of choice this year because there are so many wheat fields. They seem to be about a month ahead of Nebraska's harvest, since they are beginning to combine now.

We spent 14 hours riding 499 miles on this day trip. Hot - tired - exhausted would describe us as we dropped off our friends and headed back to Kentucky. We had just made it home, put the Harley in the garage, let Lola out and brought in the mail, when a flash of lightning brought on a very windy thunderstorm. How fortunate we were to make it home and inside before the skies opened up and the winds took off.

An Amish Countryside

2011-06-04T02:30:00.000-05:00

We now live in a community that is rich with Amish settlers. It is common place to see a horse and black buggy running down the highway. We are usually on the bike when we encounter our motorless neighbors.

I just love the farmsteads of the Amish. They are so neat and well maintained. I just had to take a picture of a few of them . . .

We were fortunate to watch one Amish gentleman work his fields. It totally amazes me that they are able to farm the land with one-row or two-row machinery.

We also rode by the Amish school house.

So far, I have not found any Yoder's in this community. I continue to ask any of the Amish I come into contact with. I think it would be so cool to run into a Yoder that I would actually be related to.

Ride to Dale's Hollow on May 22, 2011

2011-05-24T18:34:00.000-05:00

Another fun ride with our HOG friends. Tim lead the ride on Sunday, with a goal of having a sack lunch at Dale's Hollow Dam. But, first a few curvy roads, some beautiful scenery and even a small Ferry ride.

By Lafayette, TN, there is a beautiful valley that goes on for miles. Regarless of the season, it is a very beautiful road to travel.

And now, for the Ferry . . .

This is a really fun ferry to cross.

The water was high - so the
ramps were not near as steep
as we have seen in the past.

Our ride across the Cumberland
River on the Ferry. Short ride
but, fun!

Could be stormy.

Rain getting closer to our picnic.

Time to put on the rain gear.

We rode 382 miles and spent about 11 hours riding around Kentucky and Tennessee. What an awesome day! Maybe you can join us next time?

Oh How Wonderful Waffles

2011-05-20T00:39:00.000-05:00

I know this has nothing to do with travel, Harley's or scenery, however, I made the most fluffy and light waffles I have ever made! You could actually eat a dozen of these and not feel stuffed! So, I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Fluffy Waffles

1¾ c flour
1 tbls sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 eggs, separated
1½ c milk
¼ c butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Beat egg yolks, milk, butter and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into batter.
Before making each waffle, stir batter.
Bake in a preheated waffle iron until golden brown.

Ok - let me know what you think!!!

Mother's Day Ride

2011-05-09T03:48:00.001-05:00

Another beautiful day for riding! We traveled around 300 miles and headed for western Tennessee. The temperature when we started today was around 65 degrees. However, by noon the temperature was around 85 degrees. The sun felt like a ball of fire on my skin. Needless to say, we shed our coats and heavy shirts very early in the day! I always find it difficult to make that first transition into a different season.

Barn surrounded by a sea of yellow.

Another barn

I have seen fields with a small amount of these yellow flowers in them. On today's ride there were entire fields with these yellow flowers.

Some of the fields almost appeared to have been planted with the yellow flowers. They were that thick!

I just haven't been able to find out what these flowers actually are. Are they loved or hated by the farmers who work these fields?

These fields are beautiful and make the landscape quite stunning.

I hope someone will be able to give me a little more information.

The Versatile Blogger Award

2011-05-05T23:43:00.000-05:00

I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from my dear cousin-in-law Toni. Thank you Toni! Toni is writing a blog about a huge change in her and her family's life. If you have not taken the opportunity to enjoy her writing - please do, you will not regret it!!! You can find her blog at Breaking for Big Red

There are three tasks that a recipient must complete:

1. Thank the person who awarded you

2. Share 7 interesting facts about yourself

3. Award 15 blogger's you've recently discovered

So, here we go . . .

Toni, your blog is amazing and I thank you for taking the time to check on my blog, I am honored!

I'm pretty sure I don't know 15 bloggers and other than the 'freebie' web sites that I check on, there are only a few that I follow faithfully. Two of which have already received this award.

So, I award the Versatile Blogger Award to:

Jyls "Family" Life

And now for the 7 interesting facts about me . . .

1. My world, as I knew it, totally stopped on July 16, 1973. And it was never the same from that day forward.

2. I am never 'inside the box' - I only exist 'outside the box'.

3. I totally believe that reincarnation is a real possibility and that I have personally experienced it.

4. I really enjoy listening to people and their stories.

5. I LOVE change.

6. When I awake in the morning, I have a song running through my head and my heart.

7. I love riding a motorcycle, however, I prefer to not wear a helmet while riding. It's all about freedom!

Don't Fence Me In

2011-05-04T02:34:00.000-05:00

FENCES

I love taking pictures of fences.

A plain old fence, not painted and weathered by the years.

One of my first fence pictures taken by
chance. It looks like it is holding back
all the colors of fall.

Color or black & white a fence makes a statement.

Fall pictures of fences seem really dramatic.

This barn sat so majestically that the fence had a tough time containing it all.

Winter views in color and in black & white.

Do the fences beckon you to 'come on over'?

Need for a Change

2011-05-03T07:39:00.000-05:00

I've changed things up a bit on my blog. Which in itself is no small task, I find this site a bit cumbersome when it comes to change. Has anyone else had problems with the format? Anyway, I am going to try and focus on our motorcycle trips and the pictures I take while riding. We plan on doing a lot of weekend travel and perhaps a trip back to Nebraska at some point. We have had so much rain here in Kentucky that we have not been able to make it out on the bike as much as we like. Hopefully, it will start clearing off on the weekends so that we can start having a little fun!!

Leader of the Pack

2011-05-02T22:50:00.007-05:00

On Saturday, the 22nd of April, we lead the H.O.G. members on a ride from the Rivergate Harley Shop to the restaurant '5 Chefs' in Portland TN. This is a great place for a good old meal and you can then shop in their gift shop next door.

5 Chefs restaurant in Portland TN

Although Tim had an afternoon of riding planned, however, the group had other plans. So, Tim and I headed to the back roads of Kentucky. A full day of sun shine and quite a lot of wind.

This is the Jefferson Davis monument in Fairview, KY.

We hadn't noticed this before and will have to come back

and revisit this.

I found a lot of barns today. Most of these barns are Tobacco Barns,
where they hang the tobacco up and allows it to dry.

More barns of all shapes and sizes.

Many barns have a quilt pattern painted on the end - this barn was a little different - more of a patriotic barn.

Stay tuned for more pictures of our trips this summer.

Rainy Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T22:33:00.064-05:00

RAIN ~ RAIN ~ RAIN

That seems to be all we see lately! We had three days to ride and out of those three days we found about 2 hours on Saturday afternoon without rain. So, once the sun came out we took off!

We were able to eat at one of our favorite little cafes in Trigg county, The Fishin' Hole. I love this place, the food is great and the people so friendly!

We rode around Cadiz for a short while, I snapped a few barns while hitting some of the fun roads that are close in.

I could see this barn peeking through the trees ahead of us.

Another barn hiding in the forest. So many barns just waiting to smile for the camera.

This beautiful lonely Iris was just begging to have it's picture taken. All alone!

Kentucky is such a green state, especially this time of year. I even caught a blooming tree sneaking through.

I love the Pine tree on the right - it seemed so very perfect!

Just happened to catch my tour guide in the rear view mirror as we tooled down the road. He looks so serious, doesn't he? Check out our new headphones!

We decided to head for The Land Between The Lakes. This is such a beautiful place and there are so many roads and areas to discover there. However, as we headed deeper into the park, the skies started to get darker and darker. The radio began announcing storm and tornado warnings. I love watching the clouds and Saturday afternoon gave me quite a few clouds to shoot.

The dark clouds were rolling in fast.

All diferent formations forming around us.

Thinking we should be closer to home. Could this be the eye of the storm?

I thought about the storm chasers as we were flying (literally) back to Cadiz. Perhaps in a different form . . . the storm was chasing us!!! We made it home just in the nick of time, we had the bike stowed away and let Lola out for a break and we had no sooner walked in the house and the sky opened up and totally dumped buckets of water on Cadiz. Whew - made it just in time - dry and safe!

Until next time . . .

The Breakfast of Champions

2011-04-22T01:56:00.000-05:00

Last week I decided to try an experiment on the hubby. The saying goes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, however, they really never explain why! I decided to try a week of making breakfast for Tim. Here are the seven meals I made for breakfast . . .

Breakfast Pizza - Eggs, Sausage, Bacon, Cheese and a Country Gravy on top of a Pizza Crust.

Camper's Breakfast Casserole - included Hash Browns, Sausage, Cheese and Eggs.

The German Pancake total hit and so very pretty!

The Omelet Ole was full of flavor and color! Eggs, Sausage and Tortillas are the main ingredients.

And a 'regular joe' breakfast of Eggs, Sausage and Pancakes were a relief from all the new recipes I had sprung on the hubby.

The least favorite - a Quiche. Not sure why anyone makes this more than once - very bland.

Baked Oatmeal - probably the only breakfast that was anywhere near healthy.

The experiment was a success in my book. The lesson learned here was that breakfast is indeed a necessary part of your day. Although I'm usually not a breakfast type of person, eating a big breakfast kept me full and my tummy satisfied for most of the day. This may be an important part of dieting - a way to keep the hunger pains away.

This week I am working on seven days of lunch. I've added a couple of desserts in there also, so stay tuned!

Sunday Ride to Illinois

2011-04-11T00:47:00.000-05:00

Woke up to a bright and beautiful day on Sunday. Perfect time to pack our bike and take off for a day ride. Tim decided to head for Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest. The trees are really starting to green up in Kentucky and also in Illinois. Although the sun was shining and the temperature near perfect - the wind decided to put in an appearance with a roar. It reminded us of Nebraska weather and the many rides that breathing was optional against the wind!.

We did come upon a bridge that was very challenging for a motorcycle rider. The floor of the bridge was a grate. This made driving on a grooved highway, child's play!

Tim planned to follow the Ohio River Scenic route to the Shawnee National Forest.

Instead of going back over the ugly bridge, we had the opportunity to ride another Ferry. This Ferry was out of the town of Cave In Rock, IL.

Another great little restaurant, The Red Onion is in downtown Equality, IL. The Sunday menu is very limited with four special lunch plates. We both enjoyed the fried Chicken, three sides, and the atmostphere of a small town diner.

While waiting for Tim to turn the bike around, I found these pretty violets.

A Ride to Paris

2011-04-04T15:52:00.000-05:00

Yes - that's right - we visited Paris this past Sunday. This was my first time to Paris and to visit the Eiffel Tower. . . it was a little bit smaller than I had imagined. And I couldn't find the elevator or the restaurant everyone talks about. It was a beautiful day in Paris and we totally enjoyed the sights!

As you can see the smaller version of the Eiffel tower is small enough to be lifted by Tim and Gary! Wow - I was so impressed!!

The scenery in Kentucky is still pretty much brown and gray - however, I did get a few new pictures of country barns.

It was so windy on Sunday, the lakes and rivers had white caps. Going over the bridges on either side of LBL was a totally new experience that I am not eager to repeat!

An early Spring ride

2011-03-15T00:17:00.000-05:00

Is it SPRING???

It sure felt like it on Saturday! We heard the early morning call from
our Harley, and were so very excited to comply. We are still searching for
that special home, so we had a list of places to drive by. Beautiful blue
skies and the big yellow sun made for a perfect day of riding.

Wouldn't you know it, Kentucky might just have more old abandoned barns
scattered throughout the countryside than Tennessee. How exciting for me
to be able to add to my collection.

The lakes, rivers and streams are once again full from all the rain we

have had lately. I just love a babbling brook!

We stopped in Princeton at a gas station that sells BBQ, which is made

next door. Heaton's BBQ is the name. We bought our BBQ and headed

for a Kentucky State Park.

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park is an 850+ acre park of

rolling hills, trees, lakes and park ammenities. We stopped and

asked a ranger for a great place to picnic, he had the perfect

suggestion!

This shelter overlooked a small lake and a beautiful landscape.

What a wonderful peaceful place to enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch!!

We logged over 315 miles on

the Harley and enjoyed a very long day on the bike. Alas, none of

the homes we drove by were keepers . . . maybe next time!!!

Kentucky Wildlife

2011-02-27T00:35:00.000-06:00

We are still searching for that perfect home, so we set out on Saturday,
February 26, with that goal in mind. We traveled into Tennessee, around
the Clarksville area and then on to the Dover area. Not really finding
anything that blew us away. Due to the cold weather, we were in the car
and I was driving. The roads from Dover up through Bumpus Mills and
back into Kentucky are winding, curving, up and down crazy! We had printed
out the homes we wanted to drive by, however, driving between areas got
a little interesting. I took a wrong corner before reaching Bumpus Mills
and found a very cool road that we will need to re-ride on the bike.

We also found ourselves lost in a development in Kentucky. I have to say, this
one was a bit scary. . . I think you could call this the 'low-rent' addition. There
was one way in and one way out - and somehow we found our way in but then
turned around and lost the way out!!! We drove around on 'chip & dale' roads
for over half an hour trying to find the road back out of this place. The homes
in this area were mostly trailer houses that have not been cared for. Trash
thrown everywhere and abandoned homes all over. Wow - I was so very
happy to get the heck out of dodge!

We had several sightings of wildlife today. A couple sets of Deer - so I grabbed
my camera and got a few shots off. . .

The Deer seemed to enjoy our visit . . . they really stared us down. We

got a few shots before they left the road. The next three shots were taken

by Tim. Can you find the Deer?

We also came upon a flock of wild Turkeys on the road. I did get a

couple of shots as they went into the trees. Can you see the Turkeys??

The sun finally came out late in the day. All in all it was a very nice

day for a drive.

We did find a couple of homes that we will call and tour. We didn't

see any that took our breath away . . . which makes me sad. We are

really ready to get back into the homeowner status as soon as possible.

More Snow for Kentucky

2011-02-08T01:23:00.000-06:00

More snow for Kentucky!

February 7, 2011 - Cadiz receives 6 inches of snow!

This sure isn't biking weather!!! YIKES!

Winter Blues

2011-01-24T05:26:00.000-06:00

I am truly suffering from the WinterTimeBlues! It is cold and dreary outside. And on the inside I find myself the same, cold and dreary. I need something new to catch my attention. I have a couple of projects that I am working on.

The main project is the Christmas Stocking that I have been working on for Liam. It has taken me a bit longer than I had anticipated. I had hoped to finish it for Christmas 2010 - but, it seems that it will be a Christmas 2011 gift.

My second project is organizing old photos. I purchased a photo converter which will take a negative or a slide and copy it to a digital photo. I have a pile of 30 to 40 year old negatives that I am attempting to digitalize. The pictures are not perfect, however, they will be a nice addition to my other photos. And it will be nice to actually be able to view these pictures since I no longer have the originals. Here are a few examples:

My cousins and my Grandma Less (holding me). Notice the huge laugh my Grandma is having - I love this picture!!

This is the Stutzman side of the family on one of many holiday gatherings.

My brother and I with our Great Grandma Stutzman.

Dad, Mom and me.

My Mom and Aunt Wilma at the cafe.

I also continue to work on the familiy tree project. I still need to decide what type of medium I want to put my finished work on. . . paper, disc, etc.

I am so very anxious for the weather to warm up and we are able to get out on the bike and check out the great roads here in Kentucky.

Our New Diggs

2011-01-11T23:47:00.001-06:00

We begin the new year with a new home. This is the second time we have
spent the New Year holiday moving. The first time was moving out of our
family home after nearly 20 years at our big old house in Seward. It was
quite a change of life - but, it was a really good move.

Enter 2011 ~ a new job for Tim ~ a new city and state for both of us. We
are now residing in Cadiz, Kentucky. It is only about 75 miles from
Gallatin, TN. Cadiz lays by the Land Between the Lakes, a huge
recreational area. The landscape is rolling hills, lakes, streams and of
course winding roads. We are so excited to hit the roads with the Harley
as soon as the weather allows.

We are renting a cute little house until we are able to find a home to
purchase. I have included a couple of pictures of our rental house. It is
so very nice to NOT have someone walking on our heads for a change!!
I'm sure this will be a great transition home for us. . . .
Front of House Living/Dining

Kitchen

Bedroom 1 of 2

Like Father, Like Son, Like Grandson

2011-01-03T06:46:00.000-06:00

After checking out the pictures of our Grandson that I took during the
holidays - I found two similar kids in my photo storage bin . . .

This is a picture of Tim about age 2.

This is a picture of Eric, our son, about age 2.

This is a picture of Liam, our grandson, about age 2.

I think there might be some family resemblance going on!!

Late Fall Ride - November 2010

2010-11-23T10:57:00.000-06:00

Back on the road this past Sunday (November 21, 2010) enjoying the most
beautiful fall weather. The sun was shinning, the sky so very blue
and the weather was lovely.

Most of the leaves are now ground coverage, like a wall-to-wall
carpet outside.

I love crossing the riverbeds!

We headed for Kentucky and rode the backroads and through the
Amish community. I noticed that they had gathered the corn stalks into
mounds in the fields.

I found a few more barns to add to my collection.

This is the second 'sun dog' I have seen in the past month. I

must be storing up the 'luck'!

I am hoping we have a few more weekends like this left in 2010!!!

Fall 2010

2010-10-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

We are truly enjoying the beautiful weather this Fall in Middle Tennessee.
Which means we have been out on the bike every weekend. We even packed
a sack lunch and enjoyed lunch by the lake at Dale's Hollow. Hope you enjoy
a few of the pictures I have snapped along the way.

The Cookie Jar Cafe

2010-10-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we headed east for a day of riding the mountain curves.

We heard about a restaurant by Dunlap, TN called
the Cookie Jar Cafe. This restuarant was out in the
middle of a valley off Hwy 111.

The Cookie Jar Cafe is in the center of this picture.

A great place to eat and to take in the view from the front porch

dining room.

The view we enjoyed as we ate our 'home-cooked' meal.

A Progressive Ride

2010-10-12T10:24:00.000-05:00

We spent Saturday, October 9, 2010, on the bike searching
for the beautiful Fall colors.

We were actually on a 'Progressive Ride' with our
Harley Owner's Group.

On the 'Progressive Ride' we had three stops. The first

stop was in Hendersonville, where we stopped at a

fellow member's home and had breakfast.

After a three hour ride, our second stop was in

Farview at another member's home where we

had lunch.

Back on the bike and headed for White House where we

ended the day with dessert at yet another member's home.

We put on another 210 miles of sun, fun and a sore bum!

Freebies

2010-08-31T00:17:00.000-05:00

I am always on the lookout for FREE stuff. Yes, I fill out surveys and contest
forms when I come across them. And I subscribe to the 'freebie' newsletters.

I have had a variety of freebies arrive in the mail the last couple of weeks.
I especially enjoy getting the reuseable things, such as the thermos, cups,
water bottles and data storage device. (You too can have such wonderful
junk - just do some searches online for "freebies", "free stuff", etc. Sign up
for the "freebie" newsletters that are all over the web.)

Just a few of my freebies

Visiting the Past

2010-08-13T22:56:00.000-05:00

I have recently uploaded two old pictures that just made me stop and think.

Let me explain a little about my upbringing. I am the oldest Granddaughter

on both sides of my family. Everyone else was having boys - so I was

surrounded by 'tough guys' from the beginning. However, I come from

a family of very strong women. And by strong, I mean that these women

were the key to the happiness, success and survival of their families. They

were never afraid of hard work or tough love, yet they were the most

gentle women I have ever known. I can not remember a time that I did

not feel total and complete love from each one. When I think of the most

influencial women in my life, I think of my Mother (Nelda), her twin

sister (Elda) and their Mother, my Grandmother (Lesley).

Now, back to the pictures . . .

The first picture is of my Grandmother, Lesley, holding me with two of my male

cousins beside me. It was probably taken in 1960.

Grandma was a totally 'hip' Granny that never seemed to be Grandmotherly.

She had so many talents and took great pride in her family and her

accomplishments.

In this picture I see the deep connection that she and I had throughout our lives.

The second picture (1962) really tells the tale of my childhood. This

picture depicts my feelings of my mother and her twin sister who

seemed to be interchangable. Between the two of them, I believe

I had the most complete mother anyone could ever have.

The first thing I noticed with this picture was how I had a hand

on both of 'my moms'!

What wonderful memories these pictures brought to mind.

All three of these women are now missing in my life.

It is with the strong foundation they built for me, that I

am able to go on without them!

In my heart forever - Mom, Elda and Grandma Les.

Visit to Kentucky

2010-08-04T01:57:00.000-05:00

We took off for Amish country on Sunday (Aug 1). It was clear blue skies

and hot, humid weather.

We've been in Kentucky several times over the past three years that we have

lived in Middle Tennessee. And I can always tell when we have left TN and

entered KY. As soon as you get to Kentucky, you begin to see alot more

horses and if seems the country side is so very 'green'!

We wanted to check out the Amish markets, however, I believe we should have realized that they Amish do not work on the Sabbath. So, no markets, just a lot of riding and taking in the beautiful countryside.

We did drive by an Amish church/meeting place. The horse and buggy's were

all lined up outside.

Since the weather has turned to unbearably hot, many of the small

creeks have all but dried up.

Of course the tobacco is getting tall in the fields. I just love these fields!

FREE Download

2010-08-01T02:57:00.000-05:00

My daughter is offering a FREE download to one of her songs. Check it out at
web site www.reverbnation.com/jackieheyen

"Let It Rain" by Jaclyn Heyen

June 2010 visit to Nebraska to see Grandson

2010-07-09T23:38:00.000-05:00

This is my grandson, Liam. He is such a happy active kiddo.

Liam's aunt Jenny took some great action shots of Liam's

favorite past-time - water play!

What a joy!!

June 2010 went by way too fast

2010-07-09T23:25:00.001-05:00

I took a little time in June to head back to Nebraska and do some
visiting. I stayed with my good friend Sue and we trekked up to
"God's Country", aka Hartington, NE to visit with her family. Always
a treat to see Sue's family!
Sue and her Mom, Jeanette.

I had my camera with me, of course, and found some senery that I

just had to snap.

Back to Lincoln in time to catch a great thunder storm roll in.

I enjoyed the rest of my time in NE visiting friends and relatives

that I haven't seen for the past three years.

The highlight of the visit was seeing my 18-month old grandson Liam.

He has grown so very much since December and is such a delight!

Pictures to follow in next blog . . .

2010-04-14T01:28:00.000-05:00

April 11, 2010
Perfect spring weather for riding! The beauty of God's hand
is everywhere. Here are a few examples:

While riding the backroads of TN, I was able to see my pictures

before I even snapped the camera.

Highway 85 was an example of the motorcyclist dream road.

Curves, switchbacks and elevation - what more could we ask for . . .

well, perhaps a guardrail here or there.

WOW - finally the light at the end of the tunnel . . . so to speak!

A Taste of Spring

2010-02-23T09:57:00.000-06:00

The weather was screaming 'SPRING' this past weekend. The
sun was out and the sky was blue, the temperature on Sunday
hit 70 degrees. We were so ready to get on the bike and ride!
Tim has been plotting and planning new routes for us all winter.

As usual, Tim found a few new roads that we had not yet discovered. We

will have to return to these spots to see them in their glory - the winter

backdrop does not do them justice.

The rivers and lakes still look very cold.

TN Barn Collection continues . . .

2010-02-23T09:38:00.000-06:00

While out on the bike this past weekend, I had the opportunity
to shoot a few more barn pictures.
The scenery is quite dismal this time of year.

Thought the green barn was a little different.

Can you find the barn in this picture?

I've Been Tagged

2010-02-09T00:12:00.000-06:00

I've been tagged to do the following:
1) Open your first picture folder
2) Upload the 10th picture in that folder
3) Tell the story

So . . . Hilary - here's my picture and story . . . .

This is our 2008 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic. We have owned this bike

since the Spring of 2008 and have over 40,000 miles on it. Last summer (2009)

we took on a challenge to visit every TN State Park. We visited every State

Park in TN between March and September of 2009. Since we had to

document each visit - I took this picture of our bike resting by some very

pretty daisys. We had an awesome time traveling the back roads of TN and

met alot of really nice people. The beauty of this state still amazes me and we

never tire of traveling the backroads, highways, hills, valleys and mountains that

we have come to call 'HOME'.

We are just wondering what our challenge for 2010 will be???

Thanks Hilary!!!

Winter Snow Storm in January for Middle Tennessee

2010-01-30T18:32:00.000-06:00

For the first time since we moved to middle TN, a 'real' snow storm hit. With
an accumulation of about 3", snow slowly began to cover the ground.

The snow started slowly late Friday (1/29/10). By Saturday morning there
was snow that you could actually track through. Someone in the apartment
complex even made a snowman.

I braved the freezing temperatures to walk around the complex to get a

few pictures of the area.

We have a few Holly bushes by our patio. The bushes are full of beautiful

berries this time of year.

I was able to catch Lola enjoying the snow, you can notice just a bit of

snow on the end of her nose.

Lola - such a sweet face!

We have enjoyed this snow fall . . . it reminded us of our roots in Nebraska.

It also reminds us that we are thrilled to live in Tennesse, since this is a rarity,

rather than the usual.

Lola, our Yellow Lab, as Goldilocks

2010-01-29T00:39:00.000-06:00

A short video of actress and comedian, Lola, the Yellow Lab!

We have quite the creative dog on our hands.

Each time we left the apartment and then came home, I would find our bed a mess. It was totally obvious that Lola had been sleeping on it. Now, there is only one rule that Lola must follow in my house and that is "No Dogs on the Bed'! I just had to see what Lola was up to while we were away.

I set up my video camera in the bedroom. We told Lola we would be back in a bit. We were gone for about 45 mintues. According to the video, Lola waited approximately 3 minutes before she headed into the bedroom. Lola made herself at home, on the bed, the whole time we were gone. You can tell that she is never quite comfortable enough to actually fall asleep. She is too nervous that we will catch her on the bed. As you can see from the video, she can see our car pull up and see us walking into the apartment. By the time we unlock the door and enter, Lola is waiting for us at the door as if she had been there all the time.

What an actress!! And the statue goes to . . . . Lola!!!

Finding Beauty in the Winter 'Blahs'

2010-01-19T19:41:00.000-06:00

More adventures for the Heyen's . . .

The temps were in the 50's today with a partly cloudy sky. The best

way to waste away the day, we figured, was to get on the bike and RIDE!

After a couple of times around the parking lot to make sure the weird

noise we heard was not a future mechanical problem - we were off.

I've wanted to go back to some of our Fall Rides and take pictures now -

while all of the leaves are gone and the colors have faded.

Tim is great at finding a new route to an old destination - so, we were

weaving around some very back TN roads. Actually, we found ourselves

running off of the hard surface roads onto rock and mud roads - not a

biker's idea of a good time. Which meant we did quite a few U-Turns

today - but, according to Tim, how else are you suppose to learn unless you try?

Along the way I found a few more TN Barns to add to my list - - -

While driving down the back roads - we found ourselves in a more

dense forest type landscape. I found so much to photograph,

here are a few of the hillsides, streams and trees . . .

Pretty interesting landscape, huh?

We never did make it back to any of the original sites - guess that

will have to be a quest for another day.

TN Barns in Winter

2010-01-17T23:06:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, January 16th, we had the opportunity to get back on
the bike for a Polar Bear ride with our H.O.G. chapter. Along our
trip I found a few more TN Barns to add to my collection. Here are
a few of the barns I photographed. Hope you enjoy!

Winter in Middle Tennessee

2010-01-17T22:57:00.000-06:00

What a drastic change the scenery has made since this past fall. The
beautiful colors have been replaced with the dull colors of winter.

The one change that is very interesting is the icicles that form on
the hillsides. It is quite amazing that the formation of said icicles
appears in places you would never expect. Who knew so much water
was running out of these hills!

Snow and Cold in Tennessee

2010-01-12T00:56:00.000-06:00

We have lived in Middle Tennessee for almost three years,
and this is the first time we have seen this much snow here.
The temperatures have been in the single digits, which means
it is extremely cold!

This is looking out our patio doors. The dusting of snow stayed

for more than a day!

Our daughter, Jackie, stopped by to

visit us on her move to New York.

After living in south Florida for many years - Jackie had to

purchase winter wear for her new life in New York.

Look out New York - here she comes!!!

Jackie's bike, 'Blue', had to suffer

the cold all night. I doubt that Blue was very happy! However,

Blue may have to just get use to the cold!

Hello Nebraska

2009-12-19T19:20:00.001-06:00

We had the opportunity to travel back to Nebraska last week.

Nebraska was recovering from a snow storm that dropped up to

10 inches of snow.

I must say that I was anxious to see the snow. However, after about

a day of the freezing temperatures, I was ready to head south!

The morning we were to leave for Tennessee, an ice storm hit. It

took several hours of red knuckle driving before we had driven out

of the ice.

We brought our dear 'Lola' back to Tennessee with us.

Lola is our 9 year old Yellow Lab.

She did quite well for her first 12 hour car trip.

The highlight of our Nebraska visit was our Grandson, Liam. Liam

turns 1 year old on the 20th. He has grown so very much since last

we visited. He is such a happy kid and just warms my heart!

November Rides in Middle Tennessee

2009-11-16T21:20:00.000-06:00

November has given us ample opportunity to travel around the
local countryside. The November weather here in Middle
Tennessee has been beautiful, with temperatures reaching
into the 70's.

Along with my nature pictures, I have also included the barns
and other structures that blot the countryside. Here is a scattering
of the structures I have seen . . .

Railroad Bridge

Fall Colors in Technicolor

2009-10-29T12:20:00.000-05:00

Simply put - I took these pictures with a $100 Kodak digital camera while
riding on the back of the Harley.

When you ride on the back, you don't see the scenery until you are a

part of the scenery. Which means I don't have a great deal of time

to decide what scene will make a great picture. I guess you could say

that I am 'shooting from the hip' when I take pictures.

My wonderful and very talented cousin, Hilary, is a professional

photographer and from the goodness of her heart, she took a few

of my pictures and enhanced them to make the colors 'pop'. The

result was unbelievable! (Thanks Hilary!)

Let me know what you think!

TN Fall Colors Trip

2009-10-23T13:38:00.001-05:00

Waiting for a day of sunshine seemed endless here in Middle Tennessee

this fall. We kept a daily watch on the Weather Channel for a forecasted

sunny day. Finally, we were excited to have a day to investigate the

‘fall colors’ in the TN hills.

We met our friends, Gary and Donna at 8:30am in Gallatin. Tim had

mapped out several excellent highways to fill our need of ‘fall color’

viewing. I thought I would highlight our route for anyone interested in

riding a scenic trail.

We headed south on TN-109 out of Gallatin. We

followed TN-109 -> TN-265 -> TN-231 -> TN-266

-> TN-96 to a small village called Auburntown,

where we took TN-145, aka Goat Highway.
Goat Highway (TN-145) is a “must take” road

for all bikers. This road has many twists and turns

and great scenery. There is a huge surprise down

this road . . . you will find a mammoth overpass in

what seems like the middle of nowhere. When given

the time, you will want to take a short detour from

TN-145 and check out where this overpass will take you.

At the end of TN-145, you will be in Woodbury, a

quaint small town that has a great town square. We have been through

this town several times and the town square seems to be the hub of this

community. If you are lucky, they may have a car show, BBQ, or other fun

activity to check out.Heading east out of Woodbury on TN-70S we continued

on our ‘fall color’ quest -> TN-380 -> TN-8 -> TN-111.

TN-111 is where the “awe” in this awesome trip takes place. On TN-111 there is a scenic overlook that is simply beautiful. Make sure you pull over and take in the view.

Overlook view

After the breathtaking view we continue

on TN-111 -> TN-27 -> TN-30.

Now, I would be remised to not point out a comparison between TN-30 and the Dragon’s Tail. I didn’t count the number of curves on this highway; however, for me, the decline in the terrain on this road outweighs the extra curves on the Tail. WOW, what a road this is!
TN-30 merges with TN-127N at Pikeville and then back to TN-30. As we turn back on TN-30 in Pikeville we stopped at a small diner on the side of the road and had a great cheeseburger! Sorry, I can’t remember the name of this diner; however it was just off of TN-30 as we returned from the merge.

Following TN-30 out of Pikeville we made our way through more curves and passed by Fall Creek Falls. If you have time, you may want to check out this great TN State Park. TN-30 then returns us to TN-111 and where we found our way back to Gallatin. We had traveled 344 miles and had spent over 10 hours on the bike.

(Gary & Donna on our 'tail')

Sadly, the leaves have not turned into their fiery colors thus far.

Perhaps we were too early and the best is yet to come. We may

have to retrace this route in a couple of weeks.

The Last Ten State Parks On Our List

2009-10-01T20:20:00.000-05:00

Last April, a challenge was made to the members of our H.O.G. group. The challenge; visit every State Park in Tennessee. We feel very fortunate to have moved to Tennessee and equally privileged to rediscover this fine state by the rumble of our Harley. Thus, the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with this historical state was too good to pass up. This journey seemed tailored made just for us.

On April 5, 2009, we began our expedition. We started with Middle Tennessee State Parks, we then added the West Tennessee State Parks and finally finishing our quest with Parks in East Tennessee. We began our last adventure for this cause on September 29, 2009.

We took off early on Tuesday morning. The temperature was in the 50’s, but, we had a forecast of sun and 70’s to look forward to. Little did we know that the mountains had different plans for the weather. The sun went into hiding, only to peek out at us during the day, taunting and laughing at us as the temperature dropped throughout the day instead of rise.

Tim had our venture planned from the get-go. We headed for the Cumberland Parkway in Kentucky as our gateway to the Smoky Mountains. What a beautiful throughway this is. We had hoped to find the leaves of fall turning on this trip, however, the majority of the trees are still very green and lush.

We made a quick detour from our destination as we passed the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Kentucky. This turned out to be a scenic park not to be missed. The waterfall at this park is a roaring rush of water on the Cumberland River. The thrashing fall of rushing water was mesmerizing and fascinating to behold. This is the only waterfall in the Western Hemisphere to have had a Moon Bow witnessed. An arch of white light only appears under very specific circumstances. A full moon and clear sky are two of the scenarios that are necessary in order to witness a Moon Bow.

Back to the task at hand, TN State Parks. We visited 5 parks on Tuesday:
47) Indian Mountain State Park – 9/29/09
48) Cove Lake State Park – 9/29/09
49) Norris Damn State Park – 9/29/09
50) Big Ridge State Park – 9/29/09
51) House Mountain State Park – 9/29/09

It was dark and getting chilly by the time we finished our 5th park for the day. Twelve hours and 345 miles of twisting, turning, uphill, downhill, around and rolling roads, we ended our day in Jefferson City.

On Wednesday, we were up and out the door before 8:30a.m. The temperature was a cool 53 with a riding temperature of 42 degrees according to the Harley. So, we layered ourselves with as much warmth as we could take and headed, once again, for the hills.
Our schedule for the day was another five State Parks.

52) Panther Creek State Park – 9/30/09
53) Davey Crockett Birthplace State Park – 9/30/09
54) Roan Mountain State Park – 9/30/09
55) Sycamore Shoals State Park – 9/30/09
56) Warrior’s Path State Park – 9/30/09

Our last five parks were a delightful ending to our adventure. There were many scenic views filled with rivers, mountains and valleys. All parks seemed to be getting plenty of use from school age field trips, senior’s exercising and fellowship, quilting groups displaying their completed crafts and many other activities.

Knoxville was our ending for another long day, we added another 330 miles to our beloved bike.

Rising for another day of fresh mountain air we made our way toward home. With a temperature of 52 degrees and a riding air temperature of 35 degrees, I had to question our mental stability at the thought of riding in such frigid weather. However, the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. How could I argue riding with a view such as this? We added another 183 miles to the speedometer and a deep chill to our bones.

We made a lot of good memories, met a lot of nice people and experienced a touch of God’s creative beauty on this adventure. The state of Tennessee is bursting with an abundance of beauty and majesty. We were truly blessed to experience this splendor on the back of our Harley.

Big Cypress Tree State Park

2009-09-28T07:57:00.000-05:00

TN State Park #46 - Big Cypress Tree

Finally, the sun decided to return to Tennessee! We had to take in as much of this rarity as possible. We jumped on the Harley on a beautiful Sunday morning and headed for West Tennessee.
Before I begin this entry, I would like to remind you that while riding a Harley it is important to know that it is NOT about the destination rather the ride itself that entices a biker to take to the road. Not even the scenery can make or break the ride – for the opportunity to experience God’s creations first hand is truly a blessing and the ‘Call to the Open Road’.
Now on to our day . . .
West Tennessee is such a contrast to the rest of the state. It lacks the intense beauty of the hills and all their majesty. The communities seem to be smaller and more economically challenged. Many businesses are simply a ghost of their former selves leaving main street USA looking barren and forgotten.
We had been in this area before; however, we missed one State Park during that trip. When we left this morning we had high expectations for this park, due mainly to the name of the park, Big Cypress Tree State Park and partially due to the memory of the Reelfoot Lake State Park and the beautiful Cypress trees we had seen there. Were we in for a shocker . . .
Big Cypress Tree State Park is over 300 acres of land; yet, the only part of that territory you will be able to see is a small (maybe 1 acre) park like setting. I’m not even sure I can compare this ‘park’ to the small community park in Milford, NE. I suppose it fits all the necessary qualifications for a park, picnic tables, playground, and open field. That would have to be the extent of this public attraction. I believe I might have spotted one or two Cypress Trees although very young and not quite the “Big Cypress Tree” experience I had hoped to find.
All in all, this park was quite a disappointment. We traveled 385 miles to see a . . . birdhouse? Well, mark this off our ‘to do’ list. Next . . . back to the Smoky's!!

September Travels with Friends

2009-09-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, we headed for the Great Smoky Mountains. We had

beautiful weather and great roads and blue skies.

We checked out the Cumberland Mountain State Park. This was a

very small park with few amenities.

True to Tim’s reputation for finding the most obscure roads to ride,

he led us up the Mount Roosevelt Scenic Overlook. There is nothing

like traveling upward at a 35 degree angle to make you glad lunch has

not been served! But, the reward for this perilous road was a beautiful

scenic view from the top – if only I could have stopped thinking about

the trip down!

After a quick lunch we made our way into the Great Smoky Mountain

National Park. This is so beautiful and contains some of the coolest

roads a motorcyclist could ever ask for. Since this is a National

Park – we will not be able to count it as an additional park for our list.

We made our way to Pigeon Forge and checked out the Harley shop in

town. We found our motel and discovered an overpopulated town with

a huge car show going on. We did venture out for BBQ (Tom’s favorite)

later in the evening.

Thursday’s mileage 246.

On Friday, September 11th, we took a break from the State Park

search long enough to take on the Dragon’s Tail at Deal’s Gap. It

was a very busy place for motorcycles that day. I was not overly

impressed with this ride. We have definitely been on more

treacherous roads. The danger here is the other motorcycles on

the road.

And wouldn’t you know, at the end of this trek is a BBQ

place – Tom was in heaven.

Our next state park was Fort Loudoun State Historic Area. This

was a small park with some camping and boat ramps for the lake.

Our last State Park stop was the Hiwassee State Scenic River Park. We

did not make it to this park in time to visit the office and there really

wasn’t much too see.

We ended our day by Chattanooga.

Friday’s mileage 192.

Saturday morning we headed for the Chickamauga Battlefield.

Chickamauga is the second largest battlefield (Gettysburg is the largest)

and took place September 18 – 20, 1863. There is a large museum

located on the property which offers a great little movie for you to

watch and a huge collection of Civil War guns. We were very fortunate

to have a guide relate stories of the battle and demonstrate the firing

of a Civil War gun. (He would not let me try it.)

There are monuments all over the grounds of this battlefield, placed

there in memory of the fallen soldiers. One of these monuments is

an 85 foot tower that you can actually walk to the top of. Our NE

friends were breathing rather heavy when they were back on solid ground.

We trekked upward to the Lookout Mountain Battlefield. This is located by Rock City and in Point Park. Not a lot to see here except for the view from the mountain.

Tim was able to include ‘Goat Highway’ (Hwy 145) on the way home. This is a favorite road of ours and we do like to share our favorite routes.

Saturday’s mileage 416.

There is a great view of the Smoky

Mountains behind us!

Here we are at the end of the Dragon's Tail.

September 10 - 12, 2009 State Parks

2009-09-14T10:18:00.000-05:00

On Friday, September 11th, we took a break from the State Park
search long enough to take on the Dragon’s Tail at Deal’s Gap. It
was a very busy place for motorcycles that day. I was not overly
impressed with this ride. We have definitely been on more treacherous
roads. The danger here is the other motorcycles on the road. And
wouldn’t you know, at the end of this trek is a BBQ place – Tom was
in heaven.

Our next state park was Fort Loudoun State Historic Area. This was
a small park with some camping and boat ramps for the lake.

Our last State Park stop was the Hiwassee State Scenic River Park. We
did not make it to this park in time to visit the office and there really
wasn’t much too see. We ended our day by Chattanooga.

Friday’s mileage 192.

Saturday morning we headed for the Chickamauga Battlefield.

Chickamauga is the second largest battlefield (Gettysburg is the

largest) and took place September 18 – 20, 1863. There is a large

museum located on the property which offers a great little movie

for you to watch and a huge collection of Civil War guns. We were

very fortunate to have a guide relate stories of the battle and

demonstrate the firing of a Civil War gun. (He would not let me try it.)

There are monuments all over the grounds of this battlefield, placed

there in memory of the fallen soldiers. One of these monuments is

an 85 foot tower that you can actually walk to the top of. Our NE

friends were breathing rather heavy when they were back on solid ground.

We trekked upward to the Lookout Mountain Battlefield. This is

located by Rock City and in Point Park. Not a lot to see here except

for the view from the mountain.

Tim was able to include ‘Goat Highway’ (Hwy 145) on the way home.

This is a favorite road of ours and we do like to share our favorite routes.

Saturday’s mileage 416.