PIC OF THE WEEK - (CAPTION ??)

I thought it would be fun to get my readers to help me with this one.  I've been trying to come up with a clever caption for this picture, and all I can think of are smart ass observances that would probably make the woman in this picture knock me into next week! 

What do you think?  What comes to YOUR mind when you see this...

(CAPTION ???...)


Have a nice week everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - THE ROAD... FROM HERE... TO THERE

Just a couple of road pics today. Enjoy!

THE ROAD... 
 
 

FROM HERE...

TO THERE...

View while on the Blue Ridge Parkway

View while in the Smokey National Park

 Ahhhhh... Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

WHO NEEDS ROADS?

During one of our rest stops while riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I was in the right place at the right time when a fellow rider cruised passed us.  I heard him before I saw him, so I got my camera ready, thinking I would try to get a shot of him as he rode by. This is what I ended up with.  Hmmm...

WHO NEEDS ROADS?

What the... ??

OH... THAT ROAD.

As you can see... there really was a road there, but I had fun thinking this dude decided to abandon the asphalt to play in the grass. That was one of the nice attributes of riding on the Parkway.  There were many curvy surprises that delivered the illusion and split second thought that you were going to ride right off the side of the mountain out into the open air. What a rush!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

I have lots of pics to sort through after our week long adventure, and I'm going to start the week with a couple of my favorite shots.

THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

North Carolina

Virginia

Virginia

Riding in mountains like these are a riders dream!  One minute you're climbing and reaching until you feel like you're on top of the world, the next you know, you're cruising and coasting down, down, down, into Mother Nature's beautiful bosom. All the while, trying to keep your eyes on the road! There is so much to enjoy!

Looking out over the horizon, I kept thinking how blue everything looked. Ya think that's why they call them... the Blue Ridge Mountains?

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

LOOKING BACK

Gone... another year. My, how time flies!

Looking back on 2011 leaves me savoring in thoughts wrought with highs and lows. Even though the year brought about a few unexpected surprises, I have much to be thankful for, all of which makes the memories and experiences of these last 12 months that much more valuable.  I would like to say things were perfect but, I figured out a long time ago; life is what you make of it... imperfections and all.

Looking back on County Rd. 29 in Coosa County.

So, here's to looking back! Looking back is good for reflection, however, I plan to use that reflection to embrace the New Year with vigor and determination.  I have a mental checklist of behaviors I plan to change, memories I need keep, and baggage I need to throw away... for good!

I think turning the page on the calendar is going to feel good this year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

Lady R

Author's Note: I know I missed my posts this week, but I had some wonderful family time in Iowa and enjoyed my trip back home immensely (even though I didn't get to experience even the first snow flake!).

GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS... A TALE OF BLIZZARDS, PUPPY LOVE AND BROWN SPOTS IN THE GRASS

Going home for Christmas!

For the last 30 something years, that expression has brought it's share of joy, excitement, anticipation and stress!  Don't get me wrong... I love Christmas, and I love going home... but when the two events are happening simultaneously, the stress meter definitely gets a bit of a work out.  Making sure you have everything you need for the trip, as well as not forgetting anybody's Christmas... well, you get my drift.

And speaking of drifts, the news of our heartland being under heavy snow and blizzard conditions, makes me drift back in time to another "going home for Christmas" trip... a trip that left scars and will live in our minds forever!

It was the Christmas of  1981. Harley and I had just bought our first new car as a married couple and we thought we were the shit.  A silver 1980 Datsun 200 SX. We might have been married, but we still wanted to hold on to some cool factor, and that quick little 5 speed fed our need for play. The only trouble with our awesome SX is, it was a bit small when it came to loading up the family... with all our luggage.

Our "family" during that time, consisted of us and two English Shepherds, Molly and Keiva. They were male and female litter mates and each weighed in at about 75 and 90 lbs. respectively.  Not the largest shepherds we've ever had, but when you're putting them in the back seat of a small compact car, they seemed much larger. Complicate that arrangement with a 16 hour drive, that turned into a 24 hour nightmare during blizzard conditions... well, hold on a minute... it gets worse.

The very morning we were to leave, I noticed a small blood spot on Molly's leg and wondered what she had done to hurt herself.  After looking her over, I was baffled, until I noticed that she kept licking herself.  Looking under her belly, I discovered her "love spot" was swollen and... YEP! You guessed it... she just went into "heat".  Yay us!!  Now what?  We've heard of doggie diapers so we decided to stop by the pet store on our way out of town to see if this would help our situation. Our biggest thought at that moment was how we were going to keep her from making a mess out of our new car! I mean come on...  really??

After procuring some diapers, we headed north to Iowa.  We thought the problem was solved, but unfortunately, Keiva had other plans. Dogs don't care if you're their sister. I could see it in his eyes. He was thinking it was his duty...  if you're ready to f*#k, than by golly Miss Molly,  I'm ready to oblige ya!!

So went the circling... and the panting... and the hunching... and the scolding... all while in the confines of the small compact back seat of the Datsun.  I kept thinking that we need to hurry up and get there so we can let these poor creatures out of this tiny little cage. Molly kept giving Keiva those sideways glances as she kept her "love spot" planted firmly to the seat, all while he was trying to persuade her to do otherwise. He hunched and hunched, to the point that I was afraid the poor dog was going to throw his back out before we could get him out of this car!

In addition to enduring the backseat ballet, the further north we got, the more volatile the weather became.  We've been warned that there may be a storm during our drive up, but we figured as long we stayed on the interstate, we should be pretty good.  About the time we turned west onto I-75 in Indianapolis, the snow and ice storm made driving extremely difficult and dangerous. We trekked on, but the speedometer never went over 30 mph, taking us over 5 hours to travel 150 miles.  We noticed that most vehicles we encountered were either creeping along like us, or hanging off the edge of the road, having slipped into the loose stuff enough to remain trapped there. In spite of all that... we continued on.

Stopping to stretch legs and pee became something of an event also.  The first time the dogs hopped out of the car and there was snow on the ground, you would have thought their paws were on fire.  Picking up their feet and prancing around trying to figure how to move about without stepping in this very strange new stuff, was a comical site indeed.  Every time Molly squatted to pee, (yes... the snow was deep!) she stood back up and kept searching for a clear spot.  (I guess if I sat my "love spot" in the snow, it would give me a start also).  Eventually, she figured out that if you dribble just a little bit out, you can melt a hole in the snow, which then allowed her to squat all the way down and finish her business. Smart girl!

We got to mom and dad's house much later than expected, but we made it safe and sound.  After preparing a nice comfy place in the basement for the pups, (separated!) we officially commenced our Christmas holiday.  The dogs got used to, and actually enjoyed playing in the snow and Molly's "condition" eventually waned.  Everything seemed to settle down, but as all good vacations go, it was over too quick.   Before you knew it, we were headed back south  Our very large family... in our little compact car.

We made it back to our southern home without issue.  The weather stayed good and thank God, we didn't deliver any puppies in February. Time passed and it wasn't until Spring came along before our Christmas trip to Iowa came back up as a hot topic of conversation. My dad was pissed! It seems, during our stay, Keiva (and Molly) left him many large presents in his yard.  I guess when a big dog drops a turd bomb (or pees a lake the size of Erie) onto frozen ground, it freezes and stays there until Spring.  When April came around and thawed out dad's yard, it was laden with very large brown dead spots, a sure result of lots and lots of Keiva bombs! Oh my!

About three seasons later, his bare spots filled in and his yard finally started to look nice again. He eventually saw the humor in Keiva's fertilization efforts, but the "NO VACANCY" sign went up for puppies, and never came back down. I'm sure if he were here today, he'd have something funny to say about it, and he really did love his Granddogs... as long as they stayed home!

So many Christmases have come and gone now, and there have been many trips back home share them. Today our family consists of two small dogs, referred to as "the boys", and a trio of felines.  My moms thinks they're pretty good little guys, so she's decided it was time to take down the "NO VACANCY" sign and welcome them home for Christmas.  Yay us!

Bandit and Joker are as excited as two little kids in a candy store. They're going home for Christmas and can't wait to go see Grandma!  We have since learned many valuable lessons in regards to traveling with animals, and we tried to make life easier with our downsized "family".  Little dogs equals little turds and trust me when I say... we'll have plenty of potty pads.

Merry Christmas everybody! Have a great holiday!

Lady R

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

Lookout Mountain is located in the northeast corner of Alabama, the northwest corner of Georgia and along the southern border of Tennessee near Chattanooga. There's a lot of interesting things to see and do up in this area, and riding along the Lookout Mountain Parkway is awesome! During our stay in Ft. Payne over the 4th of July holiday, we spent one day riding north to explore this beautiful area and visit a few of the attractions that make Lookout Mountain a great vacation spot.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the air felt cooler as we encroached deeper into the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. For me, riding on a Scenic Parkway (wherever it may be) is always my first choice of travel. I think it gives me a better feel for the landscape and terrain of the area we're riding in. Besides, most parkways provide overlooks, allowing for safe stops, and that's always a big plus!

High on the bluffs, overlooking the city of Chattanooga, the residential community of Lookout Mountain is a twisted maze of tight curvy roads and steep hills winding throughout a fairy tale like neighborhood of grand houses and lovely cottages. Large or small, they all took on a storybook feel, as they were nestled in by it's lush mountain foliage and gardens in full bloom that were rich in color. The "streets" were identified with signs boasting of Snow White's Lane, Aladdin's Avenue, or Cinderella Circle. It was very unusual indeed to see mailboxes and driveways in an area that seemed like it was a perfect home for billy goats. The interesting attractions we seek are also nestled into this community like a welcome and pleasant neighbor.

ROCK CITY
High on the ridge of Lookout Mountain was Rock City, a site known for it's massive ancient rock formations and beautiful gardens laden with over 400 native plant species. I remember as a child, seeing large barns dappled along the countryside advertising "SEE ROCK CITY" on their rooftops. I've always wondered about it and now I can say... everyone should see this amazing place!


Rock City has an overlook where you can see seven states at once: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. The view was breathtaking to say the least.

(postcard)
(postcard)

There's also a really cool spot for romantic suicides called Lovers Leap, just in case anyone feels the need to bond their eternal love into the life beyond. Fortunately, no one took advantage of the opportunity while we were there.


POINT PARK
As part of the Chickamauga - Chattanooga Military Park, Point Park is where General Joseph Hooker launched an attack 0n November 24th, 1868 that would become known as the "Battle Above The Clouds". The mountain, more than 1200 feet above the valley floor beneath it is surrounded on three sides by a near vertical rock wall that has afforded protection to the occupants of the top for hundreds of years. Although no fighting actually took place in Point Park, a Confederate artillery battery fired on Union soldiers, who were sweeping the mountainside. The view from up here is spectacular as I posted in my previous Pic Of The Week "An Eagle's View".

Erected by the state of New York to honor those soldiers who fought and died on this Civil War Battlefield, this ninety five foot high monument is the largest monument in the Chickamauga-Chattanooga Military Park and can be seen for miles.

Sitting high on top, is a bronze statue of a Federal soldier clasping the hand of a Confederate soldier as they stand beside the Stars and Stripes. On one facade of the monument are the words of President McKinley... "REUNITED - ONE COUNTRY AGAIN AND FOREVER".

THE INCLINE RAILWAY
On November 16, 1895 the railroad known today as "The Incline" opened, rising up the steepest part of Lookout Mountain. This railway boasted of a 72.7% incline at one point, making it the steepest passenger Incline in the world.


RUBY FALLS
At 145 feet tall Ruby Falls is one of the largest underground waterfalls accessible to the public. This remarkable beauty located deep inside Lookout Mountain has been a shared memory for generations of travelers to and through the Chattanooga area. We did not go into Ruby Falls Cave during this trip, but we've been through it a few years back. You really need a few hours to fully enjoy this awesome spectacle. There are several tours a day.

(postcard)

As the daylight began to fade, I was relieved to find ourselves cruising on back to Ft. Payne for the evening. Walking around in jeans and boots when the sun is shinning and the wind's not blowing on ya... it gets pretty darn hot. I was looking forward to a nice cool shower and a tasty steak dinner at the Golden Rule BBQ and Grill across the street from our hotel.

Spending the day playing tourist was sure a tiresome job! I'm just glad there were plenty of rest stops for an aging ol' gal like myself! I'll be back with more of our North Alabama stay-cay.

In the meantime... ride safe and ride on!!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - VICKSBURG MILITARY PARK

Author's note: I had a small problem posting this Monday, and I just noticed that the Google reader didn't pick it up. I'm just re-posting my Monday's post with a new date and time to see if it works. Just an experiment... sorry to bother you. ;)

VICKSBURG, MS... In honor of today being Memorial Day, I've decided to share my Vicksburg experience with you, so I created a slide show for today's Pic of the Week. I hope you all are having a safe and happy holiday weekend!

"See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the key... Let us get Vicksburg and all that country is ours. The war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket." ~ Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America

Last summer, Harley and I spent a few glorious days riding the Glides along the entire length of the Natchez Trace Parkway. During that awesome historical adventure, we took a small detour over to Vicksburg to visit the Vicksburg Military Park.

This awesome park was 16 miles of somber grandeur as we gazed upon 1,325 historic monuments and markers identifying the different States and Companies who fought and died on these very grounds. That historic 47 day siege sprawled across 1,800 acres of trenches and hills that would challenge even the strongest of men, without considering the fact there were so many who were sick and wounded.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Vicksburg Military Park is a place that should be on everyone's bucket list. I will visit there again when I can find myself in that area. I was humbled to realize the magnitude of life lost in order to mold and shape our country toward what it is today. It really makes you appreciate those who still do that... sacrifice their life for our freedom. To them I say... THANK YOU and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

RIDIN' THROUGH HISTORY ON THE NATCHEZ TRACE

Now that I've teased you all long enough about riding on the trace, I figured it's time I actually take you there. After my excitement with the trucks and turkeys, things settled down for us and we enjoyed the rest of our trip without further peril. The weather was great as we spent our next three days meandering down this beautiful road, taking in the awesome sights and learning a little history along the way.

Crossing the Double Arch Bridge within the first few miles of entering the Natchez Trace Parkway, was a great way to start our adventure. It provided a spectacular site and set the tone for the amazing scenery yet to come. As I took the lead, it felt like we entered into a private sanctuary for natures beauty, untouched by 21st Century distractions. No telephone poles... no power lines... no mailboxes and best of all... the absence of trash.

In typical Tennessee fashion, this end of the trace was very hilly and the road a little curvy, allowing for a very playful and relaxing ride. The green grass was groomed and clean cut while providing a colorful contrast to the earthy tones of rock bluffs that lined parts of the roadway. At times, the hills would open up to deliver a sensational view of a valley below, teasing the onlooker with hints of farm life complete with country houses and old barns surrounded by fields of cotton, corn, soy beans and sweet potatoes.

THE HISTORY...
There are several places of historic interest along this scenic parkway and even though we stopped at many of them, I'll highlight just a few of my favorites.

Small brown arrowhead shaped signs along the side of the road would warn the traveler of a... "Historic Site 1/2 mile", so there was ample time to get ready to stop. Each time we came upon one of these historic sites we would be rewarded with a very informative large wooden billboard explaining the significance of that particular area (you can read the sign if you click on the image to make it bigger). These stops provided a pull off with ample parking room so you can spend as much time as you want taking in a waterfall, hiking on a remnant of the original trail, or just reading about the lives of the people who once made this place their home.

Sometimes a little physical activity was required and some hiking was involved to reach the actual "site" area. The sign describing some falls warned of a very steep 900 foot incline to get to them. Going down wasn't bad... it was the coming back up that I thought I'd need some serious oxygen resuscitation! Shew! This picture doesn't do it justice, but take it from me, it's not for the weak of heart. Harley waited at the top for me and when he saw how red my face was when I got back, he said, "I hope you got a good picture!"

JACKSON FALLS
Named for Andrew Jackson, the falls are on the intermittent Jackson Branch that empties into the Duck River. As I explored around this area, snapping some pics, I put my hands under some falling water to rinse them off. It was at that moment that I wondered how many other Indian or Pioneer women stood in this very spot and bathed or washed clothing. Very shady and private... hmmm.

THE GORDON HOUSE
This house was built in 1818. John Gordon and his wife Dorathea lived here and ran a ferry that ran across the Duck River. I wished we could've gone inside to have a closer look around but it was all boarded up. A nice brick two story... it appears that the Gordons did pretty well for themselves.

GRINDER'S STAND
Meriwhether Lewis, (one half of the Lewis and Clark expedition team), evolved from explorer to Governor, but his untimely death still remains a mystery. While traveling along the trace, he stopped at Grinder's Stand, an inn run by the Grinder family. Later that evening, October 11, 1809, he was found with two gunshot wounds, one to the head and one to the chest. He died shortly after sunrise.

MERIWETHER LEWIS MONUMENT
This monument was erected in his honor by the state of Tennessee in 1848. The design is a broken column to represent a life cut short.

CONFEDERATE GRAVESITES
Even though much of the trace had been abandoned by the time the Civil War started, soldiers still marched, camped and fought along portions of this old road. This is the site where 13 unknown Confederate soldiers are buried. Who were they?

Did they serve under the daring General Nathan Forest who passed this way in 1864? Or were they guarding the Tupelo Headquarters of J. B. Hood's Army of Tennessee near the end of the war?
Perhaps they died of their wounds, lingering hunger, or sickness in their camps, but their simple grave markers face backwards - towards the trace - so travelers might read and remember.

MOUNT LOCUST
Mount Locust served as an inn on the trace and is one of the oldest structures still standing.

William Ferguson and his wife Paulina purchased Mt. Locust in 1784 and operated the farm until William's death in 1801. A short time later Paulina married James Chamberlain and continued life on the growing farm.

While we were looking around, absorbing a sense of life in the 1800's, the Park Ranger told us "Grandma Polly" outlived her second husband and raised 11 children in this house.
Can you imagine that? Night, John Boy!

Not every stop rewarded you with actual structure, relics or exhibits. Sometimes, the sign depicting whatever was historic about that particular spot was all there was to see. You had to be satisfied with the revelation that you're standing on the same ground "Sheboss Place" once stood; an inn that once served travelers on the trace. Or just knowing that Hernando de Soto, the Spanish Explorer of the Mississippi River area spent the winter of 1540 -41 there. This in itself is pretty cool. Or... you can do your best Chevy Chase impression with your hands on your hips and say, "Okay then!" and move on.

OLD TRACE ROAD
We took the opportunity to travel back into history ourselves and rode on the "Old Trace Road", a 2.5 mile one way road that follows the original trace route (You'll find this at mile post 375.8 near the Dogwood Mudhole). It was pretty awesome to be riding the Glide on this "old" road and thinking of the others who traveled this same path before me.

THE RIDE...
Aside from all the enlightenment of the trace's history, riding the Parkway itself was proving to be relaxing and fun. Sometimes, the road carried you into the thickness of the wilderness where the trees would provide a cool dark canopy from the hot summer sun. The temperature would actually drop 5 degrees cooler as soon as you went under this blanket of foliage.

Just when you felt cooled and comfortable, you would burst into a giant field of bright sunshine and wide open space with nothing but tall green grass on both sides of you. This is where you'd see the colorful array of purple, blue, yellow and pink splashed about the area as the wild flowers bloom.

We rounded a nice sweeping curve one time and saw large jagged rocks punched through the earth giving the illusion of giant stone claws... (something prehistorically large perhaps?).
These odd protrusions were on both sides of the road for a half mile or more. Very cool! Seeing this is what makes riding even more rewarding. This was definitely one of my chin dropping, "holy cow" moments.

As we progressed further south, the changes in the Mississippi terrain became more evident with the increasing presence of water. The hills flattened out and all but disappeared while the large prairie like fields slowly turned into wetlands. I could look to either side of me and see the glistening remnants of water, whether it be a fully defined creek, large pond or simply the saturated shine of swamp land.

THE CYPRESS SWAMP
The eerie silence that surrounded these cypress trees made my little hike down the trail a quick one. I was worried about the logs with eyes, so I definitely kept mine peeled. There was a thick blanket of bright green algae laying across the still and murky water, which I'm sure had a lot to do with my heightened itch factor.

This place was very pretty, but it gave me a bad case of the heebie jeebies! I was glad to get back in the wind and blow the bugs off!

I think the biggest gasp factor of all came with the shoreline view of the Ross Barnett Reservoir on the Pearl River that parallels the parkway for 8 miles. I was so taken in by it's prominent size and how close to the asphalt it was in some places that it was very hard to keep my eyes on the road. I thought it was absolutely beautiful!

ROSS BARNETT RESERVOIR
We took about a 10 mile detour off the trace and circled around this reservoir before we continued on. I loved looking at the blooming water lilies!

One day we met several other riders heading north. So many in fact that I was getting the feeling we were going the wrong way! That's when I remembered our waitress the night before talking about the "Little Sturgis" Bike Rally. It was that same weekend, in Sturgis, MS, about 40 miles east from where we were. And yes... there was a wave or two.

When we arrived in Natchez, we rode around the historic district and looked at some of the exquisite old mansions. My batteries in our camera were getting really low by now, so I pinched a couple of pics off the American Towns website. Even though I didn't take them myself, I still wanted to show you just a couple of the gorgeous old mansions that grace this historic little town.

STANTON HALL

MONMOUTH PLANTATION

LONGWOODSome of the homes are open for tours, but we didn't go into any of them. I'll save that for another day when we come back. I think this trip was extremely gratifying and I would encourage any rider to plan their own ride on the Natchez Trace.

Remember to bring good maps of the surrounding area. There's no commercial business of any kind on the trace and even though exits for towns and communities are well marked, you may have to travel 20 miles or more to reach any business activity. This is very important when planning your gas stops.

It seems our Natchez Trace adventure was coming to an end. All that's left now is to head east toward Alabama and make our way back home to Montgomery. I felt very satisfied with everything so far, but I wanted to prolong our departure from this ancient city for just a little while longer.

So... I went to say hello to an old friend.

THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
I always felt a bond with the Mississippi River because it was a big part of my growing up while I lived in Dubuque, Iowa. Standing on the bank, over a thousand miles downstream in Nathchez, MS... I wondered how long it took the water to travel from my home to here?

Ride on!

Lady R

(There's more to come! I'm working on a slide show to share even more of the trace scenery. Also, while on our adventure, we detoured off the Parkway to visit the Vicksburg Battlefield Military Park and Museum. I'll devote an entire post to it and I hope to have up soon.)