On one of our days off, Tom and I explored Pine Mountain State Resort Park, about 10 miles north of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Pine Mountain was the first state park in Kentucky, opening in 1924. The state park benefited from construction projects by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s. They built an office building, cabins, …
From Happy Trails
Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, Virginia
Our destination for Thursday was Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, Virginia. We have been exploring the things that are around Cumberland Gap. When we work at the Visitors Center we are often asked about other things in the area, so we try to visit as many as we can. Natural Tunnel was a surprise …
Wilderness Road State Park in Ewing, Virginia
Tom and I explored Wilderness Road State Park on one of our days off last week. Wilderness Road State Park is part of the Virginia State Park system and is just south of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The park and the Visitors Center is open every day, but Tom and I were most interested …
Life Is Too Short to Be Miserable
Life is too short. Tom and I are dogsitting at John and Jackie’s house. John and Jackie are in Hawaii and we are glad they are enjoying a vacation in a beautiful spot. When we are at John and Jackie’s I like to put together jigsaw puzzles. I have a hard time focusing on anything …
Susan and Greg Come to Visit
Last week we had our first visitors of the year when Susan and Greg came to St. Simons Island. Susan Ross and Greg Clark got married February 4 but Tom and I were not able to go to the wedding. Instead, Susan and Greg came to see us on their honeymoon. They had spent a …
Best Thing About Ohio
The very best thing about Ohio is all the people we love that live there. When we are in Ohio we are always rushing to see as many of them as we can. Sometimes we get to see the people we love in new places and they get a separate blog post. But, most of …
Trail Improvements at Char-Mar Ridge Park
When Tom and I returned to Ohio from our trip to Michigan and Wisconsin, I noticed trail improvements on my morning walk. I especially noticed them because, at the beginning of the trail, was a sign that said “Caution: Trail improvements ahead.” The trail at Char-Mar Ridge Park is part of my three-mile morning walk …
Devils Lake State Park: Grand Canyon of Wisconsin
Is Devils Lake State Park the Grand Canyon of Wisconsin? Unlike many other states, Wisconsin doesn’t have a place that is commonly referred to as “the Grand Canyon of Wisconsin.” There is an excellent website that talks about 11 canyons in Wisconsin, no canyon is singled out as being grander than the others. As I …
Copper Harbor, Tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula
As soon as I saw Copper Harbor, Michigan, on a map, I wanted to go there. I love to follow a road to its furthest point and imagine living there. What must it be like to, literally, live at the end of the road? Copper Harbor is as far north as you can go in …
Canyon Falls, the Grand Canyon of Michigan
Canyon Falls is the Grand Canyon of Michigan. If you have been reading the blog for a while, you knew I would get to it eventually. There is no way I would spend almost a month in a state without telling you about the Grand Canyon of that state. Unfortunately, our travel time in Michigan …