Posts Tagged ‘Travels’

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Look What Got Between Betsy and Me

October 26, 2009
The rock slide on I-40, October 25, 2009. Photo by wpsa.com

The rock slide on I-40, October 25, 2009. Photo by wpsa.com

Yesterday (Sunday) started at an early hour for me.  I knew Betsy had to check out of the cabin in Maggie Valley at 9 o’clock (ignoring the time change).  I also know that it took three hours to get from Maggie Valley to the house on Tuesday.  So I set the alarm for 4 o’clock and was on the road before five.  I would get there to Maggie Valley with an hour to spare.

Everything went well until about 7 o’clock , as I was approaching Newport, Tennessee.  Flashing lights, a police car and a fire truck announced that there was a problem up ahead.  It turns out that there had been a major rock slide on I-40 at about 2 o’clock Sunday morning.  The rock slide caused about 30 miles of the interstate to be closed.  The closed section runs through the Pigeon River Gorge and is just about the only way to get through that part of the mountains.

There were volunteers giving directions, but unfortunately they didn’t agree on the way to get from where I was to Maggie Valley.  Following one set of directions took me in a circle and brought me back to the exit where I had to get off.  Our GPS can select a route by the shortest distance or by the faster time.  Both routes used the closed section of the interstate.  I finally gave up and took a route that I knew would get me there — eventually.  To make a long story (and trip) short, I finally got to the cabin just before 11 o’clock.  That three hour trip took six hours.

Fortunately Betsy hadn’t given up on me and I got reunited with my Beautiful Bride.  Since  the interstate was closed we decided to go back home over the Cherohala Parkway.  The autumn colors were gorgeous, but I’ll save that for tomorrow.

Sunday night they were reporting that the interstate will be closed for at least two months.  We might not be traveling east for the next couple of months.

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Posted in Travels | 19 Comments »

Memories of Atlanta

October 22, 2009
Betsy at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, Georgia. June 2, 2001.

Betsy at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, Georgia. June 2, 2001.

Since my bride is away for most of this week, I’ve been looking over some pictures of our life together.  (Can you tell that I miss her?)

Three weeks before we were married in June, 2001, Betsy and I were invited to the wedding of the son of Betsy’s friend, Susan.  Susan is one of the Get-Away Gang that is with Betsy in Maggie Valley this week, and she and Betsy have been friends since grade school.  The wedding was in Atlanta and we were invited to the rehearsal dinner Friday night as well as the wedding on Saturday.

Since we were free for most of the day on Saturday, Betsy and I took advantage of the opportunity to visit Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, which is where the picture above was taken.  In addition to admiring the carving on the mountain and the covered bridge, we took the tram to the top of the mountain.  (That was before we got serious about hiking — I’m sure Betsy would insist on hiking to the top nowadays.)

If you would like to see more of our weekend in Atlanta click HERE.

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Posted in Betsy | 8 Comments »

Stupid Camera

October 16, 2009
Cheoah Dam and Lake, Tennessee. October 13, 2009.

Cheoah Dam and Lake, Tennessee. October 13, 2009.

Betsy and I were home for about 12 hours Thursday evening and early this (Friday) morning.  That gave us just enough time to repack for Ray’s memorial service and to do a quick post to let you know we survived the first of our quick trips.  By the time you read this we will be on the road to Jacksonville, Florida.

As you know, we went to Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia to see what the waterfalls looked like when water was released from the dam above the gorge.  We hiked a new trail (for us) and the views were wonderful.  There was a light rain most of the day, but that didn’t stop us from our quest to enjoy the waterfalls.

Unfortunately about half way through our hike my camera decided to start acting up.  For the rest of the hike I could only take wide-angle shots if I could get any at all.  That was definitely a bummer, but as Betsy said, that just gives us another excuse to go back.

Now that Betsy has her laptop, I’m hoping Santa will bring me a new camera.  I’ve been wanting one with interchangeable lenses so I could get closer to waterfalls we can’t reach on foot.  I would also like to be able to get macros of our flowers.

I know many of you are great photographers.  I would appreciate any advice you may be able to give me regarding a camera that will fit my needs.  Thanks.

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Posted in Travels | 15 Comments »

My World: Iris in Bloom

October 13, 2009
Floor Show Iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. Octoer 12, 2009.

Floor Show Iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. Octoer 12, 2009.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We woke up to rain Monday morning and a nice surprise in our garden — the iris in the picture above, Floor Show, was blooming.  We have several reblooming iris and their colorful blooms are a nice addition to this time of the year.

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Betsy and I are leaving this morning for a couple of days in northern Georgia.  They are releasing water from the dam above Tallulah Gorge on Wednesday and we want to be there to see what the waterfalls looked like before the dam was built.  We’ve had this trip planned for several weeks.

Then on Friday we are going to Jacksonville for Ray’s (Betsy’s brother) memorial service.  We will get back home on Sunday and then on the following Tuesday I will take Betsy to Maggie Valley, North Carolina, for her getaway with her grade school girlfriends.

I can visit you using my iPod Touch, but unless I can pry Betsy’s laptop from her, I don’t think I’ll be able to post for much of that time.  But don’t give up on me — I’ll be back as soon as possible.

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Posted in My World | 16 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 65: Bali

October 11, 2009
A beach on Bali. June, 1987.

A beach on Bali. June, 1987.

This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world.  To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.

I’m basically a farm boy from Indiana who has been blessed in many ways.  I was able to go to college, became a high school mathematics teacher, get a Master’s degree, teach mathematics in college and then switch to computer science.

In 1985 I began teaching computer science at Heidelberg College in Ohio, and in 1987 I was chosen to be part of an exchange program with a college in China.  The Heidelberg team was to teach during summer in China, but due to a difference in academic calendars we Americans had a couple of free weeks at the beginning of summer.  Since we were to enter China through Hong Kong, it was decided to spend part of that free time in Hong Kong and on the island of Bali in Indonesia.

The picture above is a scan made from a slide which was taken one morning on Bali.  I had gotten up early and walked along the beach past the place we were staying.  I rounded a point and entered a small cove.  This little collection of huts was on the beach across the cove.  I felt as if I had stumbled upon the set of South Pacific!

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 9 Comments »

Bali Sunset

October 9, 2009
Sunset at Kunta Beach, Bali. June, 1987.

Sunset at Kunta Beach, Bali. June, 1987.

This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world.  To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

The picture above is a scan from a slide made at Kunta Beach on the island of Bali.  The sun had already dropped below the horizon when the resort turned on lights along the beach.  The green of the lights provided an interesting contrast with the blue of the Pacific and the sky.  The orange glow on the horizon is just an added bonus.

The silhouette on the left is a figurine of a Hindu goddess.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 15 Comments »

Yorktown, Virginia

October 3, 2009

On a sad note we learned that Betsy’s brother, Ray, died yesterday (Friday) afternoon.  Please keep Betsy and Ray’s family in your prayers.  Our posting and visiting your blogs are likely going to be hit and miss for the next few days.

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Betsy in Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown, Virginia. June 22, 2007.

Betsy in Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown, Virginia. June 22, 2007.

While we were in Virginia in 2007, we visited the town of Yorktown, Virginia as well as the battlefield there.  The town was formed in 1691, and was a thriving port at the time of the Revolution.

There were three things that we found to be of particular interest in Yorktown.  The first was Grace Episcopal Church, which was built in 1697 and is still in use.  The churchyard contains the grave of Thomas Nelson, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Nelson’s home is still standing and we were able to go inside.  Thomas Nelson was  a general in the American army during the Siege of Yorktown.  When he heard that Lord Cornwallis was using his house as headquarters, Nelson directed the artillery that was firing on the house.  There is still a cannonball in the outer wall of the house on the side facing the American siege lines.

The third interesting thing for us about the town was the Ballard House.  Betsy’s mother was a Ballard and Betsy thought there might be a connection between her and John Ballard, the owner of the house.  She has since learned that John Ballard was an ancestor.

To see more of our visit to Yorktown click HERE.

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Posted in Travels | 10 Comments »

St. Lucia

October 1, 2009
Betsy on board our ship with Gran Piton, St. Lucia, in the background. September 13, 2001.

Betsy on board our ship with Gran Piton, St. Lucia, in the background. September 13, 2001.

The fourth port of call on our honeymoon cruise was Castries, St. Lucia.  St. Lucia was probably our favorite island.  It really did present itself as a tropical paradise.

We got to enjoy St. Lucia by taking a catamaran cruise along the coast from Castries to Soufriere.  That cruise gave us a wonderful view of the coast, including the Twin Pitons, one of the most prominent landmarks on the island.  We went ashore at Soufriere and visited Soufriere volcano and the plantation museum at Morne Coubaril Estate.

The first European to settle on St. Lucia was a French pirate, Francois Le Clerc known as Wooden Leg, who used the island as a base to attack Spanish ships.  The Dutch arrived around 1600, the English settled in 1605 and the French in 1651.  Fighting broke out between the British and the French in 1651 and continued off and on for 150 years.  The island changed hands fourteen times during that time before the French ceded the island to the British in 1814.  Today St. Lucia is independent, but remains a member of the British Commonwealth.

If you would like to see more of this beautiful island click HERE.

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My World # 51: In Their World

September 29, 2009
Chinese family at the Great Wall. July, 1987.

Chinese family at the Great Wall. July, 1987.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

I went to China for the first time in 1987, and our hosts took us to the Great Wall near Beijing.  Back then there weren’t a great many foreigners visiting the wall, and there were relatively few of what I would call ordinary Chinese there.

But then I saw the young family in the picture above.  They were very simply dressed, but they took in the Great Wall with the same mixture of awe and amazement that we foreigners did.  They were obviously proud of China, its history, and its accomplishments.  On that day I was happy to be a part of their world.

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Posted in My World | 16 Comments »

Antigua

September 28, 2009
Betsy at St. John's, Antigua. September 12, 2001.

Betsy at St. John's, Antigua. September 12, 2001.

The third port of call on out honeymoon cruise was St. John’s, Antigua.  Antigua was an island we thoroughly enjoyed visiting.  We especially liked the beautiful coastline of the island.

Antigua was a major sugar-producing colony for Great Britain and, because of it’s strategic location, it became Britain’s most important base in the  Caribbean.  In 1784 Admiral Horatio Nelson sailed to Antigua and established a naval base at English Harbor.  We visited Nelson’s Dockyard, the restoration of dockyard Nelson commanded.

We also visited Shirley Heights, which offered panoramic views of English Harbor.  Shirley Heights were fortified by the British for the protection of their base and contains the remains of gun emplacements and military buildings.  One of the unusual sights along the heights was cactus — parts of the island are arid.

To see more of Antigua click HERE.

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Posted in Travels | 7 Comments »

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