Just Meandering Along

At Last

2010-10-06T14:27:00.000-05:00

Finally, I have news for you. Has the suspense been killing you!? :) Well, it's been even worse on me. First I had to make a decision, with backups; then I had to find reasonably priced housing. Due to the weather dropping, I've had to stay in motels for nearly 2 weeks, which has really killed the billfold. Well, everything came together today - in very fine form.

Choice Number 2 was Tellico Plains, TN. I really like that little town. In fact, just today, I found some reasonably-priced housing up the mountain in the next town. I held that in reserve as a backup to what I was working on. Tellico Plains came in at Number 2 really because of its disadvantages: little available housing, little or no employment (though a good job is coming open in the future), and no church possibility within an hour's drive. I felt I needed one or two of those possibilities for it to make any sense moving there.

Choice Number 1 is (a little drum roll here) Dahlonega, Georgia! I wrote about this only a couple of blogs ago (you can back up and review that). The Square is the coolest I've encountered, even though I realize it is really for the tourists and not the locals. The terrain, foothills to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is hilly and woodsy. Very beautiful. I almost had to give up finding reasonably-priced housing until today. I have rented a small 2-bedroom apartment (walkout basement) about 5 miles north of town. I only have to pay electricity (electric heat) in addition to the rent. No deposit, no last month, even reduced first month. As part of the rent, I get cable TV, a washer and dryer, water, septic and trash pickup. It's really quite a steal. I love being out in the country. My nearest off-the-property neighbor is a vineyard and winery. A couple live next door to me and a single, older man above me. I couldn't turn down all of this for a low rent. I got the apartment without a lease (I promised to stay for a minimum of 6 months). Compared with everything I looked at, I know I did very well. I'm a pleased pup tonight.

I spent the afternoon setting up accounts (electric and mail delivery). I've checked out the library, but can't get a card for at least a month with local ID. The library is okay (1950s?); it'll have to due. I'll try to get some pictures taken when I've gotten settled in. Must now go buy sheets and some cleaning supplies. The start of a new life. I'm excited.

Kicking Around North Georgia

2010-10-04T14:57:00.001-05:00

I've been spending time in North Georgia, having looked forward to this part of the country for sometime (I've otherwise only known Savannah). This is gorgeous country, rolling hills and mountains primarily, all foothills to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I was in and out of Clayton for about 4 days. This old town has had mushroom growth recently due to a Harrah's casino up the road in North Carolina. I'm told that once that casino went in, the traffic coming from Atlanta and Greenville, SC, increased phenomenally, so that now all the franchise businesses are located along the highway (with the real town in about 2 blocks). Clayton has a lovely new books store which I visited a couple of times.

In 1966, students in Rabun County began raising money for their schooling. They did this by interviewing oldtimers and writing up their interviews. The result of these writings is now the famous set of Foxfire books. Foxfire is now a rather famous museum and preserver of Appalachian folk arts. The weekend I was in Clayton was the date for the Foxfire Fall Festival at the Community Center and grounds. How lucky could I be? There were hands-on demonstrations of the classic arts of candlemaking and weaving, and the not-so-classic arts of wrestling a greased pig and climbing a greased pole. Needless to say, these last were for the children. Other exhibits were musical instrument making, carving and lots of banjo music. I was pleased to be able to attend, though disappointed that most of the exhibits were contemporary vendors of general items.
I made appointments to see several rental units that were available, but none of them appealed to me. I even went to church, where both parking and seating were at a premium -- I haven't had that experience in years. In the end, I decided that Clayton was just too busy for me to be really comfortable. So it was back on the road again.

Yesterday, Sunday, I started traveling across the top of Georgia. This area is far more mountainous than I had realized. I traveled along the Hiawassee River and town of that name: a beautiful area with no focus.

I then dipped down into Dahlonega, the site of America's first major gold rush. The town name is a corruption of a Cherokee word meaning golden. The gold rush here occurred just before the more famous California Gold Rush. Some official, trying to keep the miners from fleeing to California, spoke the line now famous: There's gold in them thar hills. This is quite a town, with the most active town square I've seen to date. At the center of the square is the old court house, now a gold museum; quaint shops surround the square, mostly restaurants. You can take a horse-drawn carriage ride or visit a wine tasting room (there are quite a few wineries in N. Georgia). Contiguous to the square is North Georgia College and State University (2 schools rolled into one: the former being the state's military college). Very hilly country with lush vegetation; probably too touristy for my likes, though the town has possibilities. It even needs a bookstore. Dare I? Probably not. I got back to the Square this morning about 10:00. Almost nothing was open.

So I proceeded on to Ellijay/East Ellijay, another town built around a square and finally have landed in Murphy, North Carolina. This is a bigger town than I expected, without a square. Lot of

Cherokee history here.

Murphy is town number LAST on my travels. When I wake up tomorrow (Tuesday), my trip will be over. What do I do then? I have about 16 hours to figure this out. Stay tuned.

Georgia on my Mind

2010-10-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, I drove down to Athens, Georgia, home of the University but, for me, more importantly, home of Jackson Street Books. My friend Tony operates this store. Tony and I met in 1993 at a booksellers' training course and have had a little email contact over the years. I wanted to renew our acquaintance and see his store. He operates a wonderful used book store, 50,000 volumes nestled on high shelves, spread throughout the building. I fear I talked his head off for two hours, but we had a good time together. Please visit Tony whenever you are in Athens.

Tony told me that if he could live anywhere in the state he could, he would chose Lake Rabun and that I should go see it. The Lake is just above Clarkesville, so back I went to the area I had just left. Tony has good taste, but beer budgets won't quite make it here. The Lake is densely surrounded by expensive homes. It very much reminded me of a summer community on the coast of Maine. There was a Forest Service campground there, so I was able to stay overnight. There are two other similar lakes in the region. The Lake Rabun Hotel is a national treasure with very high rankings. I wandered in, but a wedding luncheon was just ending, so it was a bit crazy. Pictured here is one of maybe two other commercial operations on this part of the lake and is for sale

for the intrepid entrepenuer.

3 States, 1 Day

2010-10-03T08:30:00.001-05:00

I continued traveling in Tennessee as far east as Erwin (for you map followers). This is the mountainous part of the state and the scenery is beautiful. The towns, however, are older, industrial towns, often a bit ragged around the edges. I decided I had probably seen what I wanted to see in Tennessee, so I headed south to North Carolina. The scenery in the western mountainous part of the state even beats Tennessee. I drove onto the Blue Ridge Parkway at Asheville. This is a 45-mph road running from Virginia to North Carolina. You travel above towns and places, attain great heights (6000 feet) and have incredible views. Here is a picture taken at about 3800 feet. At about 4000 feet, I was in the clouds (so to speak). Actually, I was fogged in and the drive became very dangerous: I couldn't see but a couple of feet around me; I was trying to contend with other cars and bicyclists; and it was very cold. So, I decided to turn back and go down to a blue highway going west across this portion of the state. This was windy, mountainous driving, but gorgeous. A lot of people have found the beauty of this region, as the population is pretty dense. Big-time money is here, evidenced even by an office/gallery of Sotheby's along the road. I ended in Highlands, an artsy community dripping in dollars. I got out of there pretty quickly.

My third state that day was Georgia. I arrived in the old town of Clarkesville, which has a rectangular town square of old shops. I must go back there someday. Instead, I headed to the library to check my email. Coming out, I discovered I was only a block from the Episcopal Church whose last priest had been Barbara Bradford Taylor, so I had to go see it. I've written about Barbara before and how much I have appreciated her writings. The church is so New England Unitarian, that I can't believe it could have been built for an Episcopal church. It has a very high center pulpit, boxed pews, and a Henry Erban (New York City mid-1800s) one-manual pipe organ in the rear gallery. I'd like to go there someday to see how worship works in such a space. I then found a lovely private RV camp for the night. I think I'd seen a lot that day.

Is That All There Is?

2010-09-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

I made it to the Great Smoky National Park on Sunday/Monday. The roads I chose to get there were not as interesting as most I've taken. I went in at Townsend, TN. I tried to get a camping spot outside the Park, but costs for sleeping in my truck (and a shower) ran $27 to $37. Heck, No! I went into the Park and got a primitive spot (no shower) for $10. Unfortunately, it was another day of much rain. I was miserable and got out of there by 9 the next morning.
The Park is very lovely. There seem to be only 2 entrances with a second loop road. The Park is much bigger than what you can see from the road. There are a lot of hiking trails that go into the interior - but not in the rain. One thing I really liked were seeing the entrances to the Quiet Trails. These are likely the less strenuous. I would like to go back and try some of these, as well as make the 11-mile Cades Cove loop (an old historic community in the Park, no longer a community; one woman I met said she thought it was the most beautiful spot in the country!). The Park has no entrance fee. I thought all National Parks charged.
Given the weather, I didn't want to do anything. Also, I think I'm on scenery overload. I've always hated that Peggy Lee song (the title of this blog) because one, it's an ugly song, and two, it is so negative. Yet, I kind of felt that way with the Park. I've been seeing this same scenery for weeks. Yet, I'm glad the Park has been preserved, as who knows what could become of such property.
I left by the second entrance and had to go down the main street of Gatlinburg. There was no way to avoid it. What a tacky town! Sort of a Coney Island atmosphere. The main street is 4 lanes; there is no parking in the downtown. Instead, you are invited to park in secondary parking lots for from $5 to $8. One smart entrepenuer opened a restaurant with a free parking lot. Guess where I and many others ate? I went through midmorning on a Tuesday, so traffic wasn't bad.
When I got to the quiet side of the Park, driving through Cosby, TN, I spotted a sign telling me of a book sale. Well, of course, I turned back and went in. What a place! Books everywhere, good books, 2 for 1 outside the store. I could have stayed there for hours, though there are so many books it's impossible to see them all. I did buy three, two of which I've been looking for and couldn't find. I'd love to go back. A portion of their inventory can be found on Amazon.com, as well as there own website: www.booksatourplace.com.
I made it to a well-off-the-beaten-track campsite quite some miles beyond Newport, TN. I was the only one there. No showers, but it only cost me $3.50. However, more rain! When I left, I dipped into the mountains of Western North Carolina. Even more breathtaking than Tennessee. NC is a high-cost-of-living state, so it's not on my radar.
I went on to Erwin Tuesday (today), found a beautiful campsite, but I froze as soon as I got out of the car. All trees, no sun, everything soaking wet. I left and checked into a motel. I had to. I've been sick with fevers and pain from all this rain camping. I got to soak in a hot bathtub, sleep in a real bed (my shoulders and hips are starting to hurt from the hard surface on which my futon rests. I may investigate an air mattress, if I can get a smaller on to fit into my space).
I don't think I can go on much longer in this kind of weather. I'm getting on an Interstate tomorrow and heading back into North Carolina to take the western portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, then into Northern Georgia. Push is coming to shove and I need to make a decision about the winter. My favorite spot so far is Tellico Plains, TN. However, there's almost no housing available there, not even a motel to stay in temporarily, no employment (though I do have a lead on a position which will open in the near future). There are no mainline churches within 30 minutes to an hour. Don't know what I'm going to do.
I apologize I have no pictures for this blog. Between my health and all the rain, I really couldn't take any. They would only have been of more trees, anyway.
For those who know Bill F., it's his birthday tomorrow. Surprise him with a greeting.

Not Yet Gentrified

2010-09-28T17:08:00.000-05:00

I have just finished a hot shower; an omelet, toast and coffee; sitting among the tall trees with a babbling brook along my side. What more could a man ask for? I have spent the last three days in the Cherokee National Forest, a prelude to the Smoky Mountains. I have another day here until entering the foothills of the Smokies.

Getting here, I conquered my first big town traffic scramble: Chattanooga. Because I like the back roads, I have been able to avoid all big towns since leaving Oregon. Given the mountains and the highway configurations, I couldn’t avoid Chattanooga. Actually, I would have liked to have seen the city. It sits in a beautiful area. One of my nephews told me recently that he thinks it’s a very nice town. Later that day, I made a stop in Cleveland, TN and was impressed with the stately homes and lovely historic downtown. Leaving in another direction, I could see evidence of downturn and poverty. Still, a nice small city.

Then, it was into the Cherokee Mountains. My drives on the small, twisty back roads through this area are really inspiring. I keep wondering how people living there support themselves. I believe they either brought money with them or never had it to begin with. It appears to be a two-class society. I did one overnight 20 miles up in the Mountains. Pictured here is a waterfall I passed going up and down. It was near-primitive camping: the only thing provided was a vault toilet. The lack of water is a hindrance. I had enough to last me a few days, but I had to come back down to make a promised phone call. Once down, I decided to wander the area.

I discovered the small hamlet of Tellico Plains. I was very attracted to the town. Its main industry is tourism and I’ve said I don’t want to live in another town with that as its major industry. I might need to reconsider that. The name of the town is redundant; Tellico is a Cherokee derivative of the word meaning plains. So, it could be called Plains Plains or Tellico Tellico; sort of like Walla Walla, WA. All but one commercial building was lost in a fire in 1914. Still, today’s buildings are about 100 years old, filled with a mixture of quaint little stores and everyday shops. It’s not yet been gentrified. When I pulled in, I found a parking place right in front of a bookstore! That’s the last thing I expected to find there. It’s small, very full, but organized and kept orderly. I left 2 boxes of books there for their consideration and I need to return on Saturday to see if they want to keep any of them. Awe, shucks; I have to go back there; what a pity. I’ve been carrying these books since the beginning of my travels and have only been able to trade 6 of them. I’m hoping I can leave a bunch with this store.

The two major tourist focii are the Cherohala Skyway, a 27-mile drive over the mountains to North Carolina.Really beautiful. The other is motocycles. The motorcycle drives in the area are considered some of the best in the county. This brings many bikers to the area. I stayed in a cabin in a biker campground one night to get out of the rain. I met three very nice bikers. also, down the road maybe 30 miles is the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics for whitewater rafting. This is a primo spot for such in the country. I can see why. Really beautiful.

I expect to get into the Smokies for the weekend. I’ll let you know.

Sewanee, TN

2010-09-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

My recent 5 days on the Cumberland Plateau were mostly spent hanging around The University of the South and its School of Theology. Wow! What a place. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven; I had trouble leaving and wished I could have stayed on.
The U. of the South is Sewanee, TN. It's 13,000 acres incorporate the school and small downtown; the remaining land is left wild for preservation and scientific research. The whole is called The Domain. Nobody owns property within the 13,000 acres. Houses scattered throughout the campus can be owned but the property is on a 99-year lease; same for the businesses downtown.

The University, generally known as Sewanee, rivals any of the Ivy League colleges for beauty and academic achievement (this school has produced the 4th highest number of Rhoades scholars in the country). The University was started just before the Civil War and was almost immediately closed, to open again after the War. The University is modeled after Cambridge and Oxford. This can still be seen by the faculty and the students, who have earned the right, who wear the black academic robes daily.

The University was started by Episcopalians in the Southeast US to bring an Anglican presence to this part of the country. It's core was The School of Theology, the only school which offers advanced degrees. The remainder of the University is undergraduate (1400 students). It is the only Episcopal university in the country.

By shear accident, I nearly bumped into a man wearing a collar at a restaurant in the next town. I knew he had to be an Episcopal priest. Turned out, he was the University's Chaplain and he invited me to his office the next day. When I arrived, he took me to the School of Theology's main Eucharist of the week, followed by lunch with the students and faculty. What a wonderful experience. I got to meet faculty in my areas of interest and the author of the new Newman book. I had some meetings with the School to see about entering their Doctoral program, but I didn't qualify, so I couldn't be considered. Sunday, I attended the service in the University's main chapel. This building is a medieval, French-inspired cathedral. What a trip! A wonderful service, excellently done; formal, for Southern standards. I went away very regretful that I couldn't spend the rest of my live there. [The first building pictured is a student dining hall; the second The School of Theology's Chapel; the third the main Chapel of the University.]

Heading South

2010-09-22T11:21:00.001-05:00

I've been in campgrounds and away from computer connections, so I'm behind in my posting. Sorry. I left Central Middle Tennessee heading down to the greater Chattanooga area. On the way, I passed through what must be the nation's largest nursery growing area, as there were nurseries next to each other and across the road from each other for probably 100 miles. I've never seen such a cluster of anything before. These were predominately wholesale nurseries, so the next time you buy a plant in the grocery store, see if it doesn't come from Tennessee.

I found a really wonderful campground outside Tracy City up on the Cumberland Plateau. This is a large mountain with a flat top. I liked this campground because it was entirely in the woods, nothing manicured about it. It was not primitive, however, as it had a very nice bathhouse. This is a Tennessee Valley Authority campground which they actually run (as opposed to leasing it out). I ended up staying here 5 out of 7 nights. [I went away for a weekend to avoid the crowds and ended up in a very bad campground which was way overpriced, crowded and noisy. I should have stayed where I was.] Running alongside this campground is a very large gorge (actually a series of gorges) which has other camps located along it. The area is very popular with rock climbers. Unfortunately, the falls was barely a trickle this time of year, but I did climb down to the bottom (and up!) to view the massive walls. I had to go across a somewhat long swinging bridge. It was an adventure. I would love to stay here again.

More from Middle Tennessee

2010-09-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm still hanging out in Tennessee on another Corps of Engineers campground. This one is on Center Hill Lake. Notice the homes and condos on the hills overlooking the lake. It's south of I40 out from Smithville, TN. I'm leaving Tuesday for Southern Tennessee and a TVA site. I trust that will be as nice as the COE campgrounds have been. I don't think I'll be in another COE campground again until Georgia.

So far, Tennessee gets my vote for the most beautiful state I've visited on this trip. Now, if only a town would equal my vote, I would consider staying.

Yesterday was an awful day. The night before I checked another guy's converter in my car (it didn't work) and I learned the next day that I had blown the fuse in my cigarette lighter. I got that replaced. Then I couldn't get either my cell phone or my computer to work. I'm not sure what happened to the computer, but it went blank on me. Windows did not shut down (I couldn't even turn the thing off). I removed the battery pack and put it back in and, after a couple of tries, got it to work. The cell phone started to work in the afternoon. I took an electric site at the campground and spent the afternoon recharging both. I also spilled half of my lunch on the ground (working off my tailgate). I also discovered I had picked up a little bit of poison ivy. I would have sworn it was the 13th, but it was only the 12th.

I endured two days of real downpours. They just added interest to my days. I got my bed wet at the end, so I took it out and pulled it all apart, laying it in the sun to dry out. I just got it back in the truck before the second downpour started. I'm enjoying nature, getting to learn the birds and the bees (really) and the squirrels and the turkeys. I love living out of doors so much, I'm going to be frustrated being cooped up in a house again.

Middle Tennessee

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-05:00

For the last several days, I've been in Middle Tennessee (sounds like a place in Tolkien) staying on the riverways feeding into Cordell Hull Lake. Cordell Hull was Secretary of State under Franklin Roosevelt and from Tennessee. This is another Corps of Engineers lake and river system. I've stayed in both developed and primitive sites. None of the COE sites seem to be the same; they all have a plan (or no plan) of development. Some are spacious, others crammed in. The primitive sites may just have port-a-potties and no water: these are usually free, so I take them when I can find them.
It's been gray, rainy or overcast for several days. I've even had several 3-blanket nights, so I have to keep heading south as I only brought 4 blankets with me. I find that without the sun, I lose sense of direction. I'm going to get a compass for my truck. And, speaking of what I have in my truck, I'm impressed that I seem to lack for nothing. Everytime I need something, it's in the truck. I'm doing more cooking and making up meals which are usually fun to do.
Now I'm on to another lake/riverway area south of Carthage, TN. I will be staying in two more COE camps. Maybe they will be worth photographing.

On the Road, Again

2010-09-03T14:41:00.001-05:00

I left Missouri, the first time, last Tuesday and headed for Cairo, IL. I wanted to stay at the campground at Fort Defiance, the point where the Ohio River joins the Mississippi. To my distress, I couldn't find the entrance. Once past, I found myself on a bridge going over the Mississippi back into Missouri. So, I turned around, went back to try again, and found myself on another bridge into Kentucky. I could see the park over my shoulder and was determined to get there. So back I went, again. (I think I crossed the Mississippi seven times that day!) This time, I figured out how to get into the campground. Unfortunately, this campground has not been maintained and no one was staying there - couldn't stay there. The CG was overgrown and littered; it had no restrooms, which is a requirement for me. I was very disappointed. As I was with Cairo. This town could match Nuremburg after the war. The whole downtown is one big slum: all the old brick buildings have fallen in, with trees growing out of them. I saw only one store of some kind and bar operating - nothing else.
What I didn't see were any white people. I never saw anything but a convenience store. I'm sure you could buy the whole city for a dime.

So, I went onto Metropolis, Illinois, the home of Superman. I really liked this town, other than the tourism. I must apologize to my friends Mark and Kathy who were there last year and sent pictures. I think I have different readers, so I have to add a couple of my own pictures.

I think I didn't want to show you that Superman needed a haricut!

And, of course, we can't leave out Lois Lane. Poor Lois just didn't get her due. [However, the next day I passed a church sign board which said, "First God created man, then He had a better idea!]

Yes, that next day was on to Kentucky. I went through Paducah and down an Interstate for longer than I like, but I eventually got to the smaller roads. A sign drew me into a discount grocery/health food store which was operated by some Amish people. I see a lot of Amish in Kentucky. The next turn took me into Fairview, the home of Jefferson Davis. There is a large obelisk there; maybe it marks the site, as there is no longer a home there. The next town was the birth place of Robert Penn Warren, but I couldn't find his home. These last finds were not planned; I just happened upon them. That's the joy of traveling this way.

My final destination on Thursday was Scottsville, Kentucky because I knew there were several camping places there. I am staying in a beautiful Corps of Engineers campground (a dammed river resulting in a very large lake - flood control). I'm here for 5 days, as I don't want to venture on to my next free camping spots on the Labor Day weekend - I am sure they are full. I really like this town. It has an interesting town square without a square: it's a four-way stop in the middle. On the square is a beautiful new library, where I'm writing this. I could move here just for the library alone. Just came from the Post Office, which is also new. Now I'm on to find a grocery store.

Some minor matters. I have noticed since I arrived in Missouri the proliferation of black butterflies. I don't remember seeing these before. Sometimes they have a little color on the edge of their wings near the body; sometimes on the tips of their wings. Some other observations. I knew I had arrived in Kentucky as soon as I began to see the white board fences -- everywhere. I think the blue grass is hiding behind them. Then I knew I was in the South when I passed a guy in a sleeveless T-shirt sitting outside a restaurant. Tattooed on his right arm was the word pride, and I wondered of what he was proud. When I walked by and looked back at his left arm, I saw the word white. Oh, yuck. I probably don't fit here. Monday I head for Tennessee.

A New Book Report

2010-08-28T10:29:00.000-05:00

Having little to do this month, I have done a lot of reading. Some of you are interested in seeing what I read. I believe I've read 9 books this month. It's a great way to live, though not always the most exciting.
My number 1 find is Kent Haruf's Plainsong. Although I had known of the book, I had never read it. I put this book in par with To Kill a Mockingbird, for it has character writing at it's best. These characters remain with you long after you have finished the book. Most authors never achieve this. Seven characters make up this book, set on the plains of Eastern Colorado: two pre-teen brothers, two old bachelors, two teachers and one lone pregnant teenager. How they intertwine left me not wanting to put the book down
An author who I never thought I would want to read greatly surprised me: Jean Auel. She appeared on the Fantasy shelves in my bookstore, a category that did not hold any fascination for me. Trying not to confuse these books with Science Fiction, this time of pre-history very much held my attention. I have now read the first 3 (of 5) books in the series; no small task, as these are 500-800 page books. Some of the writing could be left out, as it is redundant, which would make a more normal read and not have kept readers waiting 10 years for the next volume. The books are The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of Horses and The Mammoth Hunters. I will have to tackle the last two, of course.
I also read the highly acclaimed Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. For whatever reason, this book is all the rage right now, even having been made into a movie. This is the true story of a young divorced woman and her travels to Italy, India and Indonesia. Some musings have been made about her going to “I” countries. I think the book is over hyped, though I'm glad I read it.
Michael Ondaatje, the author of the popular The English Patient, also wrote Divisadero. I'm sure to this point in his life, he will be best known for the former title.
An old book that I've never read is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. This was another long book about a Southern Baptist preacher who, with his wife and daughters, moved to Africa to Christianize the natives. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes frightening, this preacher was not in tune with his village. His wife and daughters abandoned him to the jungles. The book should have ended with their departure, but Kingsolver continued to tell the lives of each of these women. The book is probably overated. I have appreciated her later writings.
Out of desperation, I picked up the book A Gathering of Angels by Katherine Valentine. I had read through the fiction section of my local library alphabetically and when I got near the end, nothing appealed. This was a charming book, though not a great book. The story line takes place in a small southern community, revolved around the local Roman Catholic church and their home for retired religious. There are so many antics in this town, that it all becomes rather unbelievable – well, it is fiction, of course. The concept rather reminded me of Jan Karon's Mitford series with Father Joe.
Having been forced to do some trading at a bookstore in Mountain Home, I'm now reading Be Buried in the Rain by Barbara Michaels. This author also writes under the name of Elizbeth Peters. Another Southern setting, this seems to be a very droll mystery concerning some old bones found on a roadway, dressed in woman's clothing. I'm half done with it, so I'll finish it this weekend. I'm reading it mostly as a break from the Jean Auel series.
I wonder what books there will be down the road. With summer ending, I should probably get back to some good nonfiction!

Lake Norfolk

2010-08-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

I'm just back from three days of camping on Lake Norfolk in Arkansas. I camped at a Corps of Engineers park, larger than other camps I've used this summer. This camp had 51 sites and was probably about 75% full on the weekend. I was on the top of a hill looking down at the lake in three directions, nestled among ash and two kinds of pine trees. I loved the pine smell in the warm weather (it got to be 98 degrees); it reminded me of the California pine smell. I did, though, have my first allergy reaction of the season, probably due to these pine trees, new to my system.

The camp was too noisy and too crowded for my tastes. I think I've been spoiled. However, there were no people behind me, just a children's play area, seldomly used. I drank gallons of water and took showers 2 or 3 times a day. My first day there, I went swimming in the lake and learned that I'm no longer 10 years old, when I was swimming every day. I did an exuberant kick and immediately had a muscle cramp in my leg. I could hardly walk the next day; stooping down was nearly impossible. I was able to use my propane cooking stove for the first time, and that was really nice to prepare meals. Without it, I could not have stayed out three days.

So, I had a rather sedentary weekend, due to the leg. Now back home, I went for my five-mile walk this morning, but I only did four miles, as the leg is still not quite right. Bengay has done virtually nothing for the muscle, but I'm sure it will work its way back to normal.

I leave here in a week and I'm getting excited to be on the road again. I'll be heading for Kentucky and Tennessee, with a short visit in Southern Illinois. Come along for the ride.

A Literary Tour

2010-08-10T10:53:00.000-05:00

I have just returned from a short, two-day trip through the Northern Missouri Ozarks (my definition). I headed east, making a large rectangle, just to see what I could see. I had a number of towns in mind which I wanted to visit and a few other sites.

I camped in the Mark Twain National Forest on the Jacks Ford river. I was the only person in the camp ground. Most campers seem to be weekenders and, now with schools starting, it's a great time to camp.

Beyond the freedom of just being in the woods, my most fun was being in the water. I actually took a bar of soap with me in the morning and had my first-ever river bath. I can't wait to do that again.

I spent an hour at the agricultural campus of Missouri State University in Mountain Grove. This is a post-graduate school, one hundred years old, which has specialized in fruit education and sometime ago added an enology and viticultural component. They have 180 acres of fields for all crops and have their own winery. They also offer their wine program online and have students registered from all 50 states. Quite a number of foreign students come to the campus for two years of study. Their library was fascinating to visit.

Most of the towns I saw were disappointing. It's sad to see what the economy has done to small town/rural life in the US. Many, many vacant store fronts; run down town centers; trash and abandoned homes. One town which was really growing in the Clinton years now has two looking-recently-built shopping centers (why recent?) totally abandoned. I was fascinated by the town of Summersville because time seemed to have passed it by.

I visited the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder as the last stop on my trip. Mrs. Wilder is the author of the Little House books (Little House on the Prairie, etc.). The museum was fascinating. About half of it was devoted to her author daughter Rose Wilder Lane. I was surprised to find that the highway leading to the home was designated the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Highway because a highway starting in my hometown (Mankato, Minnesota) which leads out to DeSmet, South Dakota (the site of the little house) also has the same designation. I learned that there is a third such highway at Independence, MO.

I can only hope that "bumping up against these authors" might rub off on me one day.

A Periodic Report

2010-08-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

I have no traveling information to pass on since I haven't been traveling, in part due to the hot weather here in the Ozarks. We've had 102F and 104F this week, with fluctuating humidity. However, I am hoping to take off Sunday to see some more of the Ozarks and I will report on that later.

I have reached my summer goal and am now walking 5.1 miles most mornings. I can only do part of that on the days of high temperatures and high humidity. Hopefully, I will be able to keep this up most days for the remainder of the month.

I'd like to include here some pictures I've held back on publishing. Two are of grist mills in the area. The Ozarks used to have many such mills, but I believe that only one is still operating. Most of the mills are tourist attractions; a few are now privately owned.

Also, I'll post here a picture of the church I'm attending.

This is a mishmash report until I can get some more traveling done.

The Ozarks

2010-07-30T13:28:00.000-05:00

The Ozarks are a region in the central US covering Southern Missouri and North Central/North Western Arkansas. Sometimes extreme Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas are included in this definition. Having traveled the latter two, I would not include them. NE Oklahoma does have the large lake around Grove which is very similar to the lakes bordering Missouri and Arkansas, but to me the terrain doesn't quite match.
At 1772 feet elevation, the St. Francois Mountains in SE Missouri are the highest point in the Ozarks; the remainder of the area is a plateau around these mountains. That may be true from an airplane, but we land lubbers would more likely agree with the old folk saying here: "It's not that the mountains are so high, it's just that the valleys are so deep."
It's true. The Ozarks are a heavily eroded plateau, pushed up eons ago and carved out by hundreds of streams over thousands of years. Nature worked wonders, and today the diversity of these highlands is endless. The Ozark Mountains were formed 1.485 billion years ago, compared with the Appalachian Mountains 460 million years ago and the Rockies 140 million years ago. They are therefore the granddaddy of US mountains. North and South America were originally two continents. The Ozarks were pushed up when these two continents collided.
The terrain is made up of limestone. My water has a lot of lime in it, evidenced by the white coloring left after boiling. I'm told the lime is not harmful, that Gainesville actually has very good water, but the appearance is a little off putting. There is very little soil here. Gardening is accomplished by bringing in soil and fertilizers. Cattle is a big industry here, though I've actually seen very little of it
The area is probably the oldest in the US. I've never seen so many valleys. Driving is a challenge with old, narrow roads, but the scenery is spectacular. I hope to get out into more of it in early August and will share that with you then.

Life in Gainesville, MO

2010-07-18T16:18:00.001-05:00

My life seems to be on hold currently as I bide my time in the Ozarks. I haven't had the opportunity to do much exploring, partly because the weather has been too hot. Wed have many days of 90 degrees, lasting on into the evenings. Some days the humidity is high; other days is isn't – so that isn't a big complaint with me. If it cools down some so that I can sleep in the back of my truck, I will get out to see what all is here.

In the meantime, I have little to do but read, so I'll give you one of my periodic book reports. I have read a lot of fiction this summer, so I thought it was time to fire up the synapses and get back to reading some nonfiction.

I have recently finished Michael Christensen's C.S. Lewis on Scripture and N.T. Wright's Paul. Both are heavy going and I probably missed a lot of understanding, but they were both good to dig into.

I'm currently finishing H.M. Tomlinson's The Sea and the Jungle, a 1909 voyage from England to and up the Amazon. After 100 years, the language is a little stilted, but the Amazon portion is very interesting.

I am about to start Rabbi Harold J. Kushner's Living a Life that Matters to participate in a group at my church. I have found a wonderful church in Mountain Home, AR and am very happy to worship there.

I should add a comment about my exercise routine. I ended last week at 4.2 miles (I started at .9). I feel pretty good about that.

That's about all the excitement I have going here. I trust that your summer is a little more upbeat.

Off the Square

2010-07-15T13:18:00.001-05:00

I have not been keeping up my blog and I apologize for that. What's been holding me up is trying to get a good image of the best looking building in Gainesville (MO). That building is the Post Office, a renovation of the old schoolhouse, with the addition of a savings bank. I think a wonderful job was done with this building.

The Post Office sits on the side of a hill looking out over the valley. A closeup of the building does not do it justice; a long distance doesn't really give you a good view. I will offer here both shots until I can do a better job.

Also attractive is the local Roman Catholic Church. It is a larger building than it appears, as it has another wing behind it. The building uses native stone inside and out; the inside is particularly attractive. Stone here is limestone of various hues.

The picture with trees is a local park, another piece of property built on a hillside. I go to this park most every morning and walk its circular drive. I'm up to 3.6 miles a day. That's not so impressive on flat land, but this course is up and down the hillside. It's great exercise and I'm trying to lose some weight.

Yesterday, I traveled east to visit a house on one of the many arms sticking into Bull Shoals Lake. This house is for sale and, although I liked the house, its rehab is too far from complete and its location is 35 miles from the nearest town. Not real practical for me.

Bull Shoals Lake, like all the lakes in Missouri, are man made. Rivers have been damned and the water made its own course. Consequently, every low place was flooded, creating an abstract picture of a multi-armed octopus. I believe these lakes are maintained by the Corps of Engineers. They are very beautiful. This lake is shared by Arkansas and Missouri.

On the Square - Gainesville, MO

2010-07-04T15:26:00.000-05:00

Ozark County Courthouse in the center of the Square

The Square is under reconstruction. New sidewalks with bubbles and parking are being constructed.

This last picture is an Ozark Outhouse, sitting right on the square. It's there as advertising for Gainesville's major yearly event: Hootin' and Hollerin'. This festival will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this September. It includes a hillbilly queen contest and hog calling. Just a little local color.

Wrapped Up in Words

2010-07-03T11:51:00.000-05:00

I'm celebrating the Fourth of July in the best way I know how: reading. I have little to do but read, and what a joy it is, making up for the years when I couldn't.

I discovered a book that came out last year that really moved me. I don't know when I've cried so much at the end of a book. It is Jamie Ford's Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. This is a story of a 12-year old Chinese boy who falls in love with a 12-year old Japanese girl. The story is set in Seattle in 1942, at the height of World War II and the forced encampment of the Japanese and the conflict of the Chinese with the Japanese. The action of the story is also set in 1968, relating events of the Chinese boy's 58^th year. Did these lovers survive the atrocity of the war and their separation? This is a must read for historical fiction readers!

I just finished a touching animal/nature story, Peg Leg Pete by Mel Ellis. This is an old book, but one I'd never read. Pete is a one-legged duck who adopts and is adopted by a family in Wisconsin. Read it to find out how an impaired duck can survive life, escape being shot, fall in love and father more ducks.

It should be no surprise that I'm currently drawn to American travel books. Following Charles Kuralt's A Life on the Road, I have just started the first volume of Peter Jenkins' A Walk Across America. I'm enjoying this and will be searching for a copy of the second volume. Next in my pile of books to read are the six volumes in the Starbridge series by Susan Howatch. These are fictional stories concerning the history of the Anglican Church in England.

All for a summer celebration.

Whose Woods These Are, I Think I Know

2010-06-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

Missouri is a long way from the woods of Robert Frost in New Hampshire. However, there are a lot of woods in Missouri. Just 5 miles up the road from me is the Caney Mountain Conservation Area. This contains just under 8,000 acres of public lands and another 1330 of non-public lands. I drove graveled roads through the area in an auto tour, which took about an hour, and didn't see another person. The long distance views from the top are fantastic.

My plan was to do some hiking. There seemed to be only a few trails which had been created by road maintenance equipment, not by feet. They are quite far into the area, so driving in is necessary. I started one hike only to realize I should have brought bug spray with me. You'd think I'd know by now. I will go back prepared to do some exploring another time.

There are two small cabins in the Conservation Area. One of these was built for A. Starker Leopold who prepared the first wildlife management plan. He was the son of Aldo Leopold, the pioneer of modern wildlife conservation. One of his goals was to replenish the population of turkeys and deer which had earlier been decimated. There are also a couple of campgrounds for those who might want to spend some time there. So, now I know whose woods these are. Perhaps I'll adopt them. ee 106' Tall Black Gum Tr

Where Am I - North or South?

2010-06-29T12:26:00.000-05:00

The Mason-Dixon Line
Are the Ozarks in the North or the South? Perhaps both. I've been reading about the Mason-Dixon line and the Missouri Compromise, knowledge of which I've not retained from my school days. The Mason-Dixon line was established during the Colonial period to settle disputes between Pennsylvania and Maryland. By the time of the Civil War, it had, at least theoretically, been extended west. It hit the southeast corner of Missouri which, if extended further, should have divided the state.
This division of the state is always how I've thought of Missouri(ee) (north) and Missoura (south). The Ozarks run along the bottom of Missouri, so these hills should be in the South. My next door neighbor, a native here, pronounces the state as Missouri(ee). I trapped myself with the expression you all recently. I asked a man if he, his wife and another couple had a matter in common: you all. His answer only referred to himself. That would be the Southern take.
The Missouri Compromise came about in 1820, long before the Civil War, to create a balance of free and slave states. When Missouri applied for statehood in 1819, the balance was even. The question was what to do with Missouri. The answer was to take in Maine as a free state and allow Missouri to come in as a slave state. That was probably more important than the Mason-Dixon line.
My sense here is that I'm in a northern state. However, the South does make its presence known. I just finished reading Charles Karault's A Life on the Road, which I found to be an excellent book. In it, he relates a southern story from Texas, which could be argued to be western state. A couple stop in Mexia, Texas for hamburgers. Having never been there before, they guessed at three pronunciations for the town. To find out, they asked the waitress how to pronounce the name of the place. She replied, Dee-ray Queen. I laughed for hours on that one. Coming further north, I saw a fundamentalist church signboard which announced: We are not the Dairy Queen but we do have good Sundays. I think we need the South in the North for a complete treat.

On Nature

2010-06-26T09:14:00.001-05:00

I've become reacquainted with fireflies during my travels. The luminescent fireflies or lightning bugs appear only in the evening and night. They are delightful to watch. Why am I becoming reacquainted? Where have these bugs been in my adult life? I remember them only as a child in the upper Midwest. I rediscovered these little lights in Kansas and now see them in Missouri. Where were they hiding in my East Coast/West Coast days? Does anyone know?
There is this summer at least one striking difference between Kansas and Missouri: water and the lack of water. Of course this isn't divisible by state line, but so much of Kansas was flooded the last two weeks, and Missourians are crying out for water. I had two tornado scares in Kansas but, so far, none in Missouri. Temperatures in Arkansas were from 100F to 106F. So far, in Missouri, we've only been in the 90s. Humidity is low: 50% to 60%. Still, it doesn't seem as dry as Eastern Oregon.
I'm told this is an exceptional year in Missouri for ants. I've been overrun by them, but I think I have them licked now. Yet, it will be an ongoing problem. We also have a lot of chiggers here. That's evident on anyone wearing shorts: our legs are loaded with the evidence. I guess I'll have to take up spraying my legs as well has around my windows and doorways.
The beauty of nature is that it isn't the same everywhere. Variety is the spice of life.

Unbelievable

2010-06-24T10:02:00.000-05:00

Temporary Home in Gainesville
Yesterday, I left my motel and Mountain Home, AR to head back up to the Missouri Ozarks. I have been in touch with a real estate agent for many months about a particular property outside Gainesville. I took a circuitous route to Gainesville to see some of the country to the east of there and later that day I drove some distance to the west. It was clear to me that Gainesville was the place to be for awhile. I met the realtor and viewed the property. This was a wonderful 11-acre tract of wooded land, but the house needed more work than I could take on. Tempting, but not practical.
I went to the local library to use their Wi-Fi and met a volunteer who had been to Joseph, OR many times. She had lived in Ontario, OR for 16 years and had seriously considered buying in Joseph. Small world. They gave me an appointment for today to meet the chair of the library board to consider doing an appraisal on some old books and possibly selling them on the Internet for the library. Unintentionally, there I was doing business within two hours of arriving in town.
These Ozarks are as beautiful as I thought they might be: narrow, windy highways (with no shoulders); very hilly with long distance views; heavily wooded. I find myself attracted to the area. So, yesterday afternoon, I rented a duplex so I could have a base to further explore the area and possibly consider buying property. Of course, after the work on my truck and 4 nights in a classy motel, I'm broke. I'm going to have to lay low for awhile.
Gainesville is a funky little town of maybe 650 people. Geographically, it's quite large. I'm a good mile from the downtown, but I pass through undeveloped, wooded land getting there. The town is in a valley, to some extent built up on the hills above it. It's the county seat, with the courthouse in the town square. There's pretty much one of every kind of store needed. Regular gas is $2.49/gallon. The most amazing thing is, I just discovered I have free Internet at home through the local telephone company. I don't know why, since I have no account with them. What a joy to work on the computer at home and not have to go to the library everyday. I got a good deal on the duplex, with only a five-week commitment (which can be extended), a very nice neighbor in the other half of the building, a landlord who has been helpful. Life is quite nice at the moment.
I'm off to explore more of the town and to try to settle in. I'll give you an update tomorrow.

I Have Wheels Again

2010-06-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

My truck has a new clutch as of today. Along with the servicing I had done last week and 4 nights in a motel now, I have spent $1000 I hadn't counted on, in Arkansas, a state I hadn't expected to visit yet! Ouch! I drove around some of Mountain Home to see what it was like. This retirement town has a small downtown built around three sides of a square housing the county courthouse. The rest of the town seems to be strip malls and fast cars. Here, I have encountered the rudest drivers of my trip. I didn't seen any residential areas, but the general area seems to be quite beautiful.
Tomorrow, I will travel my last 25 miles to Gainesville, Missouri and try to set up "camp" for awhile to recoup some of this money spent. There, in the heart of the Ozarks, I expect to find some peace and quiet - at least I hope so. I will let you know.