Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (a little late)

Upon leaving Texas, we traveled as fast as we could through the cold South and finally arrived in Englewood, Florida at Libby’s parents winter house where we settled in for a couple of days. This is the same place we came to last year to get warm. We did some of our favorites hikes and runs, yoga on the beach, and even caught up with a friend from Colorado. Pat happened to be visiting his mom, who lives nearby so we were able to have lunch with them.

We flew to IL for the holidays with family. Leo & Gemini did great on the plane. They traveled inside their little crates and didn’t bark or make a peep. That’s was a huge relief. We spent most of our time in IL with Brad’s family but did have time for a couple of our favorite local beers at the White Oak Brewery Christmas party. We enjoyed baking and being in a kitchen again with tons of awesome gadgets. It was a busy festive time of food and presents and more food.

We got to spend time with most of our nieces and nephews, including Caelin and Joey who we got to see on our way back down to Florida. Our return trip was by car – or actually a truck. Since the Whalen’s were making their annual drive down, we hopped in the truck to hitch a ride. We stopped at Libby’s sister’s house in KY to break up the drive. It was good to get to see her as we knew she wasn’t going to make it to Florida for New Year’s like we thought. There was a ton of traffic all heading to warmer weather and it took us longer getting back down to Florida than we expected.

Kate and Rich were able to join us for the weekend to celebrate the New Year. We did more yoga on the beach and took a boat ride to see some Holiday lights.

There was many days of golfing for the boys and exploring the area for the gals. Aunt Jane and Uncle Terry just moved to Fort Myers, so we got to spend time with them as well. It was a fun filled weekend minus a couple sisters.

We rang in the New Year by replacing the doors Leo and Gemini ate at Libby’s parents home. Apparently, we left them alone with a lizard who had snuck into the house, and between that and the fireworks they went into a wild rage of door biting fury. A little elbow grease and some paint and the hallway looks normal again! That poor lizard!

On our way back to Boone

We left IL and headed toward Boone, NC. Our first stop on this journey was Shelbyville, KY. It’s a great pit stopping place and it’s always good to see family- even though we were just with them. We made it in time for Libby to attend one of Nel’s Jazzercise classes and finally got to try the local street tacos.

We made a pit stop in Versailles, KY to see the progress of our friends at Spark Cafe! They are coming right along!

Next, we hit Knoxville again. If you’ve been reading our blog from the beginning, you know that our good friends Mary, Josh and Emory live here. They relocated from Denver and we were so excited to get to see them again. It’s almost like they never left Denver! Each time we visit, we get to see another part of this adorable town. If it wasn’t so hot and humid here, we might relocate too!

Our plan from there was to head to our favorite lake that we discovered the last time through this area; however, we had to make a pit stop in Johnson City for a brewery. We found out this was a great weekend to be in JC and decided to stay. We hit the farmers market, One Acre Cafe (which was supposed to be closed but we hit it just right), two breweries, the town-wide garage sales and the Umoja Festival. We also went for a hike and got monsooned on!

Progress Update

It has been a couple of weeks since our last progress update! We have been so busy having fun that we hadn’t taken the time to break it all down.  We have tacked on another 1800 miles since Shelbyville which means we have driven over 4500 miles since we left Denver. That’s over 100 hours of windshield time!

Other fun numbers: tarantula sightings is still at 2, but we have now seen more dead armadillos than we can count; We have visited 13 states (some more than once!) and most noteably have not stopped for fast food even one time!

Community Cafes we have visited on this trip:

1. Karma Cafe, Albuquerque NM
2. 580 Coffeehouse, Enid OK
3. ComeUnity Cafe, Jackson TN
4. One Acre Cafe, Johnson City TN
5. Rosetta’s Kitchen, Asheville, NC
6. F.A.R.M. Cafe, Boone NC
7. Grace Cafe, Danville, KY
8. The Table, Louisville, KY
9. Take Root, Kirksville MO
10. The Kitchen Table, Rochelle, IL
11. Tricklebee Cafe, Milwaukee, WI

Breweries/Wineries/Distilleries visited:

1. Downtown Brewery, Knoxville TN
2. Appalachian Mountain Brewing, Boone NC
3. Booneshine Brewery, Boone NC
4. Blind Squirrel Brewing, Plumtree NC
5. New Belgium Brewing, Asheville NC
6. Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville NC
7. Bhramari Brewing, Asheville NC
8. One World Brewing, Asheville NC
9. Angel’s Envy Distillery, Louisville KY
10. Against the Grain Brewing, Louisville KY
11. Maker’s Mark Distillery, Loretto KY
12. Public House Brewery, Rolla MO
13. Great Dane Brewing, Madison WI
14. Fisher King Winery, Madison WI
15. Wisconsin Brewing Company, Madison WI
16. Hop Haus Brewing, Madison WI
17. New Glarus Brewery, Madison WI
18. Grays Tied House (Brewery), Madison WI

Shelbyville Shenanigans

For the first time since we left Denver we watched some TV last night.  But only because we were eating Pizza and it was Monday Night Football, which is almost required viewing around these parts.

This morning we woke up at our usual 8AM.  Libby and her sisters all went to Jazzercise class (Nel runs Jazzercise Shelbyville) and Brad stayed back to walk the dogs and make sure he had more than enough caffeine to get the day started. After they all returned from class and cleaned up, we loaded in the car and made the short drive to Louisville to have lunch at The Table Cafe.

The Table is located on Louisville’s somewhat notorious West Side, and has been in operation since 2015.  They serve a seasonal menu of soups, salads and sandwiches; most with a Southern twist, to approximately 100 customers each day.  It is a very clean and trendy looking space.  Nel, Joey and Katie all joined us, so we were able to try nearly everything on the menu.  We ordered soup of the day (a.k.a. the soup du jour!), the pumpkin chili, and lots of other delicious bites.  We ended the meal with an amazing piece of chocolate cake.  Each of us went to the counter to pay and were given the total suggested price.  Nel asked about volunteering and donating extra.  When it was our turn, I asked if the person running the register was a founder and he said he’d been there since the beginning and introduced us to Kathy.  She was gracious and visited with us for quite a while and then gave us a tour of the place.  We even got to see the enormous upstairs and heard some of their dreams of what they could do with the 20,000+ square feet.

 

This afternoon we each received much needed haircuts from the multi-talented Nel, and then went to Drake’s in Louisville for dinner and to try some local brews.  Shelbyville is a nice little city, but their dining choices are a little limited.  Drake’s is a sushi/burger place, which sounds like a strange combination but they did a pretty good job with all of the items we tried.

It’s still colder than normal here — the weather is mocking us!

Good-bye Boone

Our estimated time of departure was 9:00 a.m.  We were trying to get out early because of the Wooly Worm festival that would cause traffic.  While we were intrigued by this unique event, we didn’t plan on stopping.  We didn’t end up leaving Kim’s until about 9:25 which put us in Wooly worm territory right in time for a traffic jam.  This must be the most fun thing around because everyone was there!  As we crept through town, there was a huge line for fried pretzels and kids carrying those clear plastic containers filled with wooly worms, we expect.  We heard there are races but not sure if we believe the rumors.  

Once past the worm fest, we made progress towards our goal for the day, which was another stretch of the AT.  Katie, a friend of Rene’s, wrote some tips on a napkin and we planned to follow them to a B&B where we were supposed to be able to get on the trail.  While we had great advice, we thought we saw on the map a spot where we could get on the trail without going to the B&b.  We followed google maps up the side of this mountain for about 4 miles on a one lane gravel road.  We got some weird looks from the folks who live in this neck of the woods.  It was a little backwoods and creepy – especially the one truck we “passed” who gave us the stare down.  We knew we were not in the right location but thought we could make it work – based on the map.  We pushed on, only to find this road dead end at a cemetery.  It was a tight turn around and we were both feeling a little defeated.  While turning around, Leo & Gemini decided that there was something a little sinister out there and started growling and barking.  We were totally spooked and beelined it out of there- back the exact way we came.  

Once back down the scary mountain, we pulled in to the B&b to try and find the trail.  The general store there wasn’t open yet – it opened at 1:00 and there weren’t a whole lot of people around to ask although the parking lot was fairly full.  Feeling a little defeated again, we left without any direction.  Libby got out her cell phone, which hasn’t been working much, and found what she thought might be the trail.  We’ve both tried several time to read maps on this trip and use the compass in our car, but often we find we have to do a u-turn or two before we finally figure it out.  After a few of those and a couple of missteps, we finally set foot again on the AT.  

Today’s stretch felt even more remote than yesterday’s.  We came quickly to a bridge that Leo did not enjoy crossing.  We hiked for a good long time enjoying the terrain and wondering about the markings on this stretch of the trail.  There were still the small white rectangles but on some trees there were two rectangles.  We both commented that if we were serious thru hikers, we’d have to do tons more research to feel confident out there. It’s hard to imagine someone sleeping out on these portions of trail.  We know the trial is over 2,000 miles from start to finish and we only covered a tiny portion but we saw no clearings where one might camp, if tired.  It is so densely covered and extremely narrow filled with trees and brush.  

Back at the car, we decided to try and find the Blue Ridge Parkway and use it to get back to Asheville.  While traveling, we stumbled upon the perfect after hiking spot.  Blind Squirrel Brewery made some excellent beer and food.  Anything would have tasted good after getting off the trail but this was especially tasty!  Lib had a beet burger and Brad a  trout po’boy with buffalo blue cheese tots. Too bad we don’t live closer to here!

We knew the rest of the drive would be slow going but totally worth it and it was – once we finally found it! Today was a navigationally challenging day!  This route is well traveled with tons of overlooks to stop and enjoy the view.  We kept taking all these pictures but we know they aren’t translating the beauty of what we are seeing daily.  This area is SO beautiful.  Almost as pretty as Colorado.  

We pulled into Asheville hoping to hit some more breweries and exchange some shoes Brad purchased on our way through the first time that turned out to be too big.  We thought Asheville was busy the last time we came through-yikes!  This town was juiced.  We got out as quickly as we could and headed towards Sierra Nevada brewery a little outside of town.  It is huge!  Tommy (our friend from Boone) described it as Disneyland for beer lovers and I can see why.  It’s is immaculate and enormous with a huge backyard area.  It was also just as crowded as Asheville.  We did taste a beer that is named after our car!  We realized we are gettin old – we are heading back to Knoxville to hang out with our friends Mary and Emory.  They are a little more our speed these days.  If we could have our way, we would share the same bedtime as Emory.  😜

At the end of week two: 2,900 miles, 61 hours in the car, 8 states, 6 community cafes, 8 breweries, 13 stops for gas – whew!  

Elk Knob

8AM Eastern Time. We woke up to a cool and almost frosty morning here in rural Boone. Even though no light comes through the fleece curtains that Libby sewed – it seems like we always wake up right around the same time. On our agenda today was taking the dogs on a morning hike up Elk Knob in the State Park of the same name, followed by lunch at F.A.R.M. Cafe.

We made it to the trailhead by 9AM and were glad to see the temps had already climbed to nearly 50 from the low 30’s that we had experienced overnight.

The overlook trail is a 2 mile winding trail up to the peak of the Knob where you can see mountains from several different ranges and into the neighboring states of Tennessee and Virginia. It took us nearly an hour to make  it to the peak, and we only saw a few people on their way back down after their morning ascents.  The pups did a great job of leaving their version of breadcrumbs along the sides of the trail, just in case we got lost. The fall colors were vibrant and beautiful along the way. Once  near the top, the tree lined path gave way to a dense scrub brush for the last bit, and the winds picked up considerably. We met a few other hikers and dogs but mostly we had this trail to ourselves.   The dogs continue to amaze us with their hiking and climbing abilities.  They are such troopers. At the top you can look out to the North and South and see for miles and miles.

Upon returning to the house, we did a load of laundry and headed in to town for patty melt reubens at F.A.R.M. Cafe.

We got a chance to consult with Kim on a nearby restaurant space that has recently closed.  She wants to open a pizza-by-the-slice space in downtown Boone, not far from F.A.R.M.  We thought the space was going to horrible right off the bat but it was pleasantly surprising, although, there are lots of unanswered questions.  It is a very skinny and long space – only about 500 square feet with an interesting entrance to the basement which made us worry later on.  Also, there is no gas to the space.  All the equipment is electric. Kim is going to consult with her contractor, health department, and fire marshal to see what potential is in the space.

Beer was next on the agenda, as it seems to be a theme with us.  We tried Appalachian Mountain Brewery with Rene and Tommy once all the work was wrapped up at F.A.R.M.  They have a brewery right on a creek and we were able to sit outside with the dogs and enjoy some good and crazy beers (Libby tried a cucumber one-interesting!)  Having time to visit with these two amazing people is energizing.  We solved all of the worlds problems right there at the picnic table.

Habitat for Humanity was having a fundraiser in town so we decided to hang out with the gang while they supported another amazing organization.  It was fun to see a different fundraising event than what we have traditionally done at SAME and exciting to get to see how much money they raised.

After another fun day, we all piled into the teardrop and thought about what’s on the agenda for tomorrow.  We want to get on the Appalachian Trail at some point – keeping my fingers crossed that it is tomorrow.

Knoxville a.k.a. Emoryville

Emory was in bed when we arrived in Knoxville at Josh and Mary’s beautiful house.  They are gracious hosts and had dinner waiting for us and allowed our dogs to run amuck all over their house!  Dinner and conversation was amazing.  It feels like old times with these friends.  They moved from Denver to Knoxville months ago and it’s so good to reconnect.  We stayed up and visited until we couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore.

Today we got to wake up to Emory’s noises from the living room.  He wasn’t that excited to see us even though I was his first official babysitter back in the day. We had pumpkin scones and scrambled eggs-both delish!

Mary, Emory, Brad, Leo, Gem and I loaded into her car and drove to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It was about a two hour drive in Mary’s new car.  We parked at the visitors center and walked the Gatlinburg Trail.  It’s one of the only trails in the park that allow pups.  It was relatively flat but had this great river that ran along side of it. We saw foundations and chimneys of several old homesites along the way.  We thought we’d see the leaves changing colors but they were still pretty green.  There was evidence of the recent fire in the forest with burned trees down every few feet.  It was interesting to see the difference between a burn area in Colorado and this.  In Colorado, burn areas are sparse and every tree is affected.  This area had many trees still standing with no evidence of the fire whatsoever.  Maybe because this area isn’t dry like Colorado, fire doesn’t cause as much damage here?

We had a great chance to decompress with Mary on our hike and drive.  Mary was involved with the cafe from the beginning and even worked for SAME as one of our very first employees.  She worked Saturdays for us for a good long while.  She shared many of her favorite stories and even still uses a leather key chain a guest of SAME custom made for her.  We talked about Carol S. and John just how much we have learned from so many amazing people.

We had dinner in downtown Knoxville at a brewery.  We got to try all different kinds of beer.  Emory was a trooper even though we kept him up past his bed time.  We ended the night with another round of visiting in the living room.

After another restful night, we finally made a plan to check out Asheville today.  So we spent the morning visiting with Mary and Emory and packing up the car.  Sam dog has been patiently hanging on out the sun porch this whole time.  She is not so happy to have to share her house with dog visitors but she handled it well.  I am sure she was glad to see Leo & Gem get in the car this morning.