On our way to Asheville, Tom and I swung by Candler, North Carolina to visit Blacksmiths Depot. Tom has been a blacksmith at different national park sites since 2017 when we worked at San Juan Island English Camp. Most of the time, he has to build a bellows and furnish his own equipment. Over time …
From August 2025
Asheville, North Carolina
Last week Tom and I went to Asheville, North Carolina. We had not been there in a very long time and certainly not since the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Asheville is only 2.5 hours from Cumberland Gap, so we decided to drive down and check it out. Hurricane Helene was really hard on the …
Hanging Out in the Tri-State Area
One of the things that Tom and I really enjoy about the Tri-State Area is all the opportunities we have for hanging out. We recently had a ranger who left because of “Appalachian Isolation.” He had some reasons to feel that way, but it isn’t something that Tom and I have experienced. We are more …
Lils Coin Laundry in New Tazewell
Tom and I have been doing our laundry at Lils Coin Laundry in New Tazewell, Tennessee. A couple of weeks ago, I was working at the desk when a call came through on the radio, “Maintenance, this is campground. Maintenance, this is campground emergency.” Maintenance responded they were on their way, and that was the …
Haymaker Barbeque in Harrogate, Tennessee
In our constant search for great BBQ, Tom and I recently ate at Haymaker Barbeque in Harrogate, Tennessee. We drive by it all the time, but the rangers have never had anything good to say about it. Hearing that it was under new management, Tom and I decided to try it. I couldn’t find any …
Teacher Workshop and a Busy Weekend
Last weekend we had a teacher workshop on Saturday at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. That, alone, would have made the weekend busy, but there were many other things going on as well. On Thursday the Levitt Concerts in Middlesboro returned. This is a 10-week series of free concerts held in downtown Middlesboro. This first …
Little Congress Bicycle Museum
Last week Tom and I visited Little Congress Bicycle Museum. The weather has been so stinking hot that I haven’t been willing to take long hikes during the day. Instead, we decided to have a local museum day, hitting up two that we haven’t been to before. Little Congress Bicycle Museum is located in the …
Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza
Back in July, Tom and I met some friends at Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza in Harrogate, Tennessee, for dinner. We met Sherry and Paul Downing and Karen and Larry Blondell. This combined two of our favorite things: spending time with friends and trying a new restaurant. Gondolier Italian Restaurant is a small chain of …
Cumberlands Everywhere
I recently had a visitor tell me she was so glad to be here in Cumberland. Could I please tell her how to get to the tunnel that had a canal through it? This part of the world isn’t known for its canals, so I asked a few questions, hoping to understand what she wanted. …
Tri-State Outdoor Fest
In July, Tom and I worked at the Tri-State Outdoor Fest as representatives of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. We had done this two years ago, but our job was a little different this time. The Tri-State Outdoor Fest is a celebration of all the things there are to do outdoors in the Tri-State Area. …