Homeschooling families are invited to attend the environmental education programs that are exclusively for homeschooling families (you do not need to be a resident of Georgia to participate).

These hands-on programs offer experiential learning for the whole family. Families stay on site in dorms or cabins, eat in the dining halls and attend the programs designed for 5-17 year olds (children grouped with children of similar ages) together.

Topics vary by location but may include marsh ecology, herpetology, beach ecology, pioneer studies, etc. The aim of the 4-H centers inspire students to develop a love of learning in a “classroom without walls” by introducing them to unique learning opportunities. Sounds pretty incredible, doesn’t it?

You’ll find a list of 2012 scheduled Homeschool Days at each of the various facilities below. If you’d like more information on any of the programs offered, simply click on the link provided. Remember, classes, prices and schedules vary depending upon location. If you , have questions that aren’t answered by following the links, please call the 4-H Center directly at the provided number. 

• September 8-10; 11-13, 2012 – Homeschool Days at Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island, 912.786.5534

• October 17-18, 2012 – Homeschool Days at Rock Eagle 4-H Center, 706.484.2862

• November 18-20, 2012 – Homeschool Days at Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island, 912.786.5534

If those dates or events don’t work for you, there is another option. If you have a group of ten or more friends (children and adults), you can plan your own trip to any of the following Georgia 4-H Centers. You work with a coordinator to pick the classes and schedule that work for you for either an overnight or day field study.

Wahsega 4-H Center, Dahlonega 706.864.2050

Fortson 4-H Center, Hampton 770.946.3276

Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Eatonton 706.484.2862

Burton 4-H Center, Tybee Island 912.786.5534

Jekyll Island 4-H Center,  Jekyll Island 912.635.4117

Tidelands Nature Center (day programs only), Jekyll Island  912.635.5032

The Georgia 4-H Environmental Education Programs has provided high-quality educational experiences for over 800,000 students since 1979 through their day and residential programs. The five 4-H Centers operate yearly from May through September, serving over 30,000 southeast students annually. Operating September through May, each 4-H Centers provides opportunities throughout the state for high-quality day and residential educational experiences.

Interested in attending one of the scheduled programs or want to schedule something for a private group? Contact the Program Coordinator, David Weber from Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island, at 912-786-5534.

Have you participated in a homeschool program offered by a Georgia 4-H Center? Leave a comment and tell me about your experience.

I’m a planner. I like to know what we’re doing, where we’re going, when we’re going, how we are going to get there, blah, blah, blah…I guess you could say that there are times that I can be a bit anal and Mother’s Day was one of those days.

It was MY day and I was able to plan whatever I wanted. Normally, I’d have known months in advance what I wanted but this time around, I was clueless. There was plenty I wanted to do, like hop in the truck and drive to Niagara Falls since two of our kids have never been there, or drive to Cincinnati for the Pompeii exhibit or head back to Hocking Hills. I thought they were all great ideas, but the people I live with, a.k.a. “the family”, just weren’t budging. They wanted something close to home. I have to admit, there isn’t a shortage of places to go in Ohio, my problem this particular day was narrowing down my options. So, I wracked my brain, settled on three possibilities that I thought would appeal to my husband and kids and took a vote.

I wrote my Top Three ideas on Post-it Notes and posted them in the hallway for the kids to look over. There may have been a teeny, tiny chance that I rigged the vote to swing towards my top choice.  I’m not proud, but one of those top three choices includes ice cream and my kids and husband LOVE ice cream. Adding their favorite food to the mix pretty much guaranteed the deck falling in the direction of my choice. Of course, they may not fall for it again, so I’ll have to be a bit sneakier next time around.

We set off for Southeast Ohio to visit The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio and to break up the trip, we stopped for ice cream at Ye Olde Mill- where Velvet ice cream is made. I had also planned to stop at Dawes Arboretum but it began to rain so we pressed on towards our destination.

I should mention that the roads leading to The Wilds get a little bit curvy. I have one teen prone to car sickness so if you, or your child, have the same problem, you may want to take precautions and pack your motion sickness meds.

After 2 1/2 hours, we arrived …about the same time as the rain really cut loose.

When you arrive at The Wilds, you pay $5 (unless you are a member and then there is no charge) to park in the bottom parking lot. You will then catch a shuttle for a quick ride to the top of the hill.

The shuttles run pretty often so we basically stepped out of our truck, grabbed our sweatshirts, rain jackets or ponchos and hopped on board.

The shuttle driver welcomed us on board and dropped us off at the Johnson Visitor Center, where you can determine what tour you’d like to take, purchase tickets, go to the restroom, buy and eat snacks and hang out until it’s time for your tour to depart. Most tours run every 10 to 30 minutes, depending on which one you select.

We didn’t have to wait long for our tour to begin, but while we waited, my son couldn’t help but imagine that he’d chosen a different tour…

..the zipline…2 hours…10 platforms…zipping over wild animals…how much fun would that be?!

We’ve been to The Wilds several times, the first time was in 1996 when I was pregnant for my daughter. We’ve always gone on a regular tour in a closed bus so this time we decided to take an Open Air Tour- which I would highly suggest. It does cost a bit more, but it is well worth it. Even in the cold and the rain, we had a great time.

Just look at my daughter’s face, it’s got “This is awesome” written all over it.

When I say open-air bus- that is exactly what I mean. It does have a covered roof, but the sides are open so you have a great view (perfect for picture taking) of the open range.

Of course, open sides also mean that you need to dress appropriately. If it’s chilly, pack a jacket or sweatshirt and when it’s raining, you are going to get wet, so you need to be prepared. In addition to your raincoat or poncho, it’d also be handy if you had a towel to wipe down the seats before sitting down. I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but I’ll certainly be better prepared next time.

Looking at it now, it’s hard to imagine that this land was once ugly, and barren as a result from years of strip mining.  With over 9,100 acres donated by American Electric Power, this reclaimed land is now home to endangered species of animals from around the world, making The Wilds the largest wildlife conservation center in North America.

To access the pastures, the bus must first go through one gate and close the gate (remote controlled) behind the vehicle before entering a second gate which ensures that no animals escape. The area between these two gates is known as the perimeter and totals nearly 1,000 acres. You will find white-tailed deer “from the outside” in the perimeter and on occasion the bison will pasture in the perimeter.

Entering the pasture, feels as though you’re setting off on a grand adventure in another country. Looking around it’s hard to believe that you’re even in Ohio.

We glimpsed Bactrian camels and the tour bus pulled alongside, stopping, so we could get some great shots of these magnificent creatures.

Did you know there are less than 1,000 left in the wild? That’s why the conservation and breeding efforts they are undertaking at The Wilds is so important. Scientists from The Wilds have even been working in Mongolia, surveying the remaining wild camels.

Our tour guide was Dixie and she did a great job navigating around most of the puddles while introducing us to the wonders of The Wilds. On occasion we did happen to hit a bump or two and even managed to hit one rather unexpectedly that lifted our rumps right out of the seat- something to consider if you have back problems.

There are 31 species of endangered animals at The Wilds and we saw many of them on our 2- 2 1/2 hour drive thru tour.

There may be less than 700 Persian Onager in wild but at The Wilds, one of three places within the US that breeds them, they seem to roam abundantly.

These Przewalski’s Wild Horses were the first animal to be introduced to The Wilds. The horses were actually extinct in the wild but thanks to conservation and breeding programs, 400 have been reintroduced in to Mongolia and China. As you can see from this picture, these creatures certainly aren’t afraid of the tour buses. I wonder how long this bus was delayed before the horses finally moved out of its path and allowed it to pass.

There are two stops along the route, the Lake Trail and the Mid-Sized Carnivore Conservation Center. Each stop adds about a half hour to your tour.  The lake stop allows you to get off the bus, stretch your legs and view Trumpeter Swan, catfish and wildflowers. Since it was raining, our group elected not to stop but pressed on to view the carnivores.

The mid-size carnivore post is located about midway on the tour (depending on the location of the animals), has rest rooms, a snack bar and a short walking trail where you can see African Wild Dogs and Cheetahs.

Leaving the carnivore outpost and making our way back towards the visitor center, we were surprised to see an ostrich lay an egg (sorry, I missed that shot).

We saw dozens of Sichuan Takin- which we were told aren’t always so easy to find. It appears the answer to viewing lots of Takin’s is to visit when it is cold and rainy. We saw a few takin babies which was a special treat.

The baby Southern White Rhinos are adorable. And interestingly, The Wilds can boast that four generations of rhinos have born on their grounds.

Our tour guide was certain that it would be too cold for the giraffe to come out, they like weather in the 70’s. I was pleasantly surprised to see them out and excited to see baby Masai giraffe!

I’d been told that the best time to visit The Wilds would be in cooler, rainy weather. Though we certainly saw a lot of creatures, including the Common Elands, Fringe-Eared Oryx, Sable Antelope, Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Indochina Sika Deer, Pere David’s Deer, the Greater One-Horned Asian Rhino, American Bison, and Grevy’s Zebra, I’ve never been disappointed on a trip to The Wilds. I’ve found there is always something to see! I did learn that if it’s raining, you’ll get the best view by far on the open air bus, as the windows on the closed bus tend to fog.

Your tour at The Wilds will wrap up with a stop at the gift shop where you can browse for as long as you like before hopping on a shuttle to take you back up or down the hill to your awaiting car. In nice weather, we may have walked across the street to the butterfly habitat but we were eager to drive home and get out of our wet clothes.

Because we love The Wilds, we bought an annual pass so we can go again and again. After all, my son may never forgive us if we don’t fit in that zipline tour and my husband is thinking that he and I need to have a romantic getaway, renting one of the 4 and 5 star Nomad Ridge yurts that overlook the property. I certainly won’t argue with that!

The mission of the Wilds is to advance conservation through science, education and personal experience and they do a great job of educating you, making The Wilds a perfect family field trip- and don’t forget homeschool field trip!

Important Information:

You’ll find The Wilds at 14000 International Road, Cumberland, Ohio 43732, but it’s best to follow the online driving directions and not trust your GPS this time.

The Wilds is open 7 days a week during June, July, and August; weekends in May, September and October, as well as Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The first tours depart at 10 a.m. and the last tour departs at 4 p.m.

Most Popular Safaris:

The Safari Transport Pass departs every 10 to 20 minutes.

Cost: Adults: $20  Seniors: $19  Children ages 4-12: $15  Children 3 and under: Free  Military and Wilds Members: Free

The Open- Air Safari (the one my family enjoyed)

Cost: $30 per person

TIP: The membership we purchased was only $125, saving us $25 off what it would have cost us for tickets. That will allow us free tours for a year, an opportunity to take two guests with our pass, a discount on the Nomad Ridge rental, ability to rent the lodge and discount on other safari options like the Wildside Tour, Wild Animal Encounter and Sunset Safari Tour.

The Wilds also offers Fishing Safaris on the lakes at The Wilds, Horseback Safari and as previously mentioned, Wild Zipline Safaris.

Questions? Visit The Wilds online or call 740-638-5030.

This week I’m joining R We There Yet, Mom? for Friday Daydreamin’.

I’ve found that when I’m on the road and actively traveling, those posts flow pretty freely.  I can write about the hotel we slept in the night before- how the housekeeper mistakenly walked in on us three times (until I learned to bolt the door- let that be a lesson to you), the great hike we took with the magnificent views or how we missed our flight on the way home from Seattle. Those posts come easily.

It’s when I’m home for weeks at a time or stuck behind a desk working part-time that I don’t have as much to write about and after awhile it may be hard to wrap my mind around creating fresh content.

Enter Blog Write Party an e-book written by Honey Brown which is chock full of ideas for any type of blogger to get you over that hump and have your fingers flying over your keyboard in no time.

Blog Write Party is full of writing prompts that any blogger can use to get their creative juices flowing. Your purchase even includes a 224-page accompanying workbook, allowing you a place to brainstorm any/all prompts that appeal to you.

Are you stuck? Not sure how to get out of the rut that you’re in? For the low price of $2.99 you can download both the Blog Write Party book and workbook and get a jump start on producing fresh content for your site today.

What are you waiting for? Hop on over to Blog Write Party and get started today.

Believe it or not, I snapped this picture while on safari in………drum roll please…dum…dum…dum…O…HI…O!

Any one want to guess where this awesome family-friendly outing is located?

Leave me a comment and take a guess.

Then check back Monday to find out more…

This post is linked to Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Traveler’s Sandbox, Friday Daydreaming on R We There Yet, Mom?  Photo Friday on Delicious Baby.

We had a great time in America’s first city visiting historic attractions like Fort Matanzas and Castillo de San Marcos. The kids loved walking through the St. Augustine Alligator Zoological Park and seeing the 1,200 pound Maximo. But more than anything, my kids loved the beach.

Bring on the surf and sand and you’ll find some happy traveler’s.

My kids may love the beach, but as a mom, I’m always concerned about skin damage that can be caused by extended exposure to the sun and there is a bit of controversy over the chemicals that are used in some sun care products. That’s why I was thrilled to find out about the natural sun care products offered by Beyond Coastal Sun Care and excited to receive a selection of their products so my active, outdoor loving family could try the products themselves.

Unfortunately, right when the products arrived, we got a cold spell and didn’t really venture out. However, my husband is a contractor and has no choice but to work outside most of the day, so I passed on the Active Sunscreen SPF 30, the Citrus Grove Lip Balm SPF 15 and the Active Facestick SPF 30 to try for us. He appreciates that the products are light, non-greasy and easily absorbed when applied.

The wife and mom in me appreciates that the sport sunscreens are ranked as some of the best non-mineral sunscreens by the Environmental Working Group.

I also learned that while SPF measures against UVB rays, many sunscreens fail to protect the skin from UVA rays, which cause skin damage that may contribute to skin cancer. Beyond Coastal sunscreens and lip balms provide broad spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

Beyond Coastal products also nourish, repair and hydrate the skin with inactive ingredients like Green Tea Leaf Extract, Coconut Oil, Vitamins C & E, Yerba Mate Leaf Extract, Aloe Vera and Algae Extract. If that isn’t enough, all Beyond Coastal products are Gluten Free, Cruelty Free, Fragrance Free, Oxybenzone Free, Paraben Free, Oil Free and made in the USA.

When it comes to selecting sun care for my active teenagers I’m happy to learn of quality natural products.

Want to place an order for Beyond Coastal products right now? Here are a couple deals that may interest you. If you sign up for the Beyond Coastal newsletter, you’ll receive 25% off your next online order. Plus, Beyond Coastal is offering free shipping for the month of May in honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

You can learn more about Beyond Coastal products and stay up to date with any specials they offer by visiting their website or following Beyond Coastal on Facebook.

Beyond Coastal Giveaway

Not only did I get to try some of the Beyond Coastal products, one lucky winner will receive the prize pack featured in the photo below.  To enter, just leave a comment, telling me what your family’s favorite fun in the sun activity is. Easy-peasy.

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on Sunday, May 19th at midnight and notified by email on Monday so make sure I can contact you.  

So, how about it? What’s your family’s favorite fun in the sun activity?

Disclosure: I received this product to review and to giveaway. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

The Upper Falls along the Old Man’s Cave trail in Hocking Hills State Park

Several weeks ago, I traveled to Hocking Hills State Park, in Southeast Ohio, to participate in the Shoot the Hills Photography competition with two of my teens. Well, I guess that’s not entirely true. I was entered in the competition because I won a contest (thanks to Hocking Hills Tourism Association)- my teens just tagged along because…well… I hate to say it… I MADE THEM.

It’s not like I knew they wouldn’t have fun. And since they are both taking a Digital Photography class at home, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for them to snap some great shots to add to their portfolios. Besides, I know there may be some homeschooled students that will work diligently on their assignments without supervision, mine aren’t always so diligent. Rather than waste the day with them watching the History Channel and pretending it’s school or playing on Facebook, I figured they may as well tag along and get some elective credit.

I had hoped to visit Cantwell Cliffs, an area we hadn’t previously seen, but I was vetoed. The kids both wanted to start at the ever popular Old Man’s Cave. They really got serious once we hit the trail. In fact, I had fun snapping some shots of them as we followed the trail through Old Man’s Cave to the Upper Falls.

It took us nearly two hours to walk the short trail because we kept stopping to take pictures. The kids posing for pictures, snapping pictures, me taking pictures of them in action.

Somehow I’m the one that was labeled the slow poke on this hike, even though they kept stopping to share and critique their work along the way.

I’d love to show you some of their pictures, but I’ve been forbidden from sharing their work. They both have very different, unique styles. My daughter loves to photograph landscapes and flowers. My son has an eye for detail and takes macro shots of the coolest things.

Unfortunately, we were called away and had to cut our stay short, but we can’t wait to participate in the contest next year. My two budding photographers (who are much more talented then me, by the way) can’t wait to participate “for real” next time. We’ve already marked our calendars for April 19th – 21st, 2013 so we can join in the the 24 hour Shoot the Hills Photography competition. I can’t wait to head back to Hocking Hills State Park for some fun and relaxation with my entire family.

Anyone care to join us?

I’m joining Budget Traveler’s Sandbox for Travel Photo Thursday, Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday and R We There Yet Mom’s Friday Daydreaming.  

I’ve been thinking about attending a couple conferences for bloggers this year and I’d really like to have some new business cards made. I printed my own for the last conference I attended and to say that the results were less than stellar is an understatement.

This time around, I’m going to have my business cards printed by UPrinting. I’m thinking that the  sturdy cardstock, high gloss finish and die-cut design options will compliment my design perfectly.  I can’t wait to receive my new business cards and this time around, I’m sure that I’ll pass them out with pride.

I’m excited to announce that one reader will win a giveaway for 250 business cards.

How to Enter

Mandatory Entry: Visit UPrinting Business Cards Page and leave a blog post comment telling me which die-cut shape is your favorite.

Optional Entries:

• Like UPrinting on Facebook.
• Follow UPrinting on Twitter.
• Add UPrinting to your Google Plus Circle. Important: Leave a separate comment for each optional entry.

The Fine Print

What You’ll Get:

250pcs Customizable Die-cut Business Cards for one winner

2×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners,

2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, 2.5″ Circle

14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated

6 Business Days Turnaround time

Free US shipping only

Restrictions and Other Information:

1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.
5. This giveaway will end on Thursday, May 10th at midnight EST.
6. The winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to respond. 

Disclaimer: You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.

Note: This giveaway has ended.

Meet Alexandria, my five year old niece, who we call Ali, for short.

In many ways, Ali is a typical 5 year old little girl. She loves Hello Kitty, coloring with crayons, playing in her sandbox and yelling at my husband, her Uncle Rod, because he gave her permission to dump a bazillion and one Lego bricks on our shag carpet and it took Ali and I over an hour to pick them up. Of course, it was his fault, ya know.

Ali holds a pretty special place in my heart and those that have been blessed to meet this happy, smiling, precious little girl feel the same way I do because Ali is pretty special.

What you don’t know, is that Ali is not your typical 5 year old. Ali has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare and debilitating genetic disorder called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, commonly referred by its abbreviations FOP.

What is FOP

FOP is a genetic disorder that causes bone to form in muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue. This devastating, progressive disorder causes extra bone to form over joints, essentially forming a second skeleton, leading to the horrific nickname, Stone Man’s Disease. Those affected by FOP are literally trapped within their own bodies, encased in bone. There is no cure and at this time there are very little treatment options- though there are very dedicated doctors working diligently to change that.

Signs of FOP

At birth, there is only one outward indicator of FOP- the big toe will be malformed. It may be short, bent or sometimes curved inward. This serves as an early sign of what is to come.

Inflammation and swelling on the body will appear. These swellings often clear up, but leave new bone behind. Since huge bumps can appear overnight, FOP is often misdiagnosed as cancer.

Waiting for a Diagnosis

This disorder is so rare that many doctors either don’t know about it, or simply overlook it. Only one in 2 million people worldwide are known to be affected with FOP. Though researchers believe there may be over 3,000 people worldwide with this disorder, approximately only 700 have been diagnosed.

Right now, it takes 5 years on average for a typical diagnosis of FOP and it is misdiagnosed 90% of the time. Each misdiagnosis can lead to another and another, becoming a vicious cycle. The scary thing is that the treatment for each misdiagnosis- testing, surgeries and even chemotherapy- can cause more tissue trauma, resulting in more flare-ups, leading to further deformation, loss of mobility and irreversible harm. It is imperative that this disorder is diagnosed as soon as possible.

Join Ali in the Fight Against FOP- how you can Make a Difference

You may be wondering how you can make a difference. There are several things that you can do to help Ali and other’s diagnosed with FOP.

Educate yourself. The International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association website is full of information about this crippling disorder. You can watch videos that explain what FOP is, find out what help is available and meet the doctors that are working so hard to find a cure for Ali and those that suffer worldwide from FOP.

Give it forward. As much as 75% off the money received to aid FOP research is given as a result of awareness through FOP families and friends. That is huge! You can donate directly to IFOPA or you can help Ali get some of the medical equipment that she needs by donating to Ali’s online fundraiser.

Join www.goodsearch.com and designate the International FOP Association as your charity of choice and next time you search to see what time the movies start in your area, where to go on vacation or what the best brand of dog food is, you’ll donate money for research to help children like Ali.

Become an advocate. Spread the word about this terrifying disease. Share this post. Tweet it. Facebook it. Pin it. Write to your elected officials and tell them why continued research and funding is so necessary. The FOP gene was recently discovered in 2006- with that discovery comes hope. Hope in quicker diagnosis. Hope that treatment will be available. Hope that a cure will be found.       

I’ll close with a few words from my brother, Ali’s Daddy.

“For the past 5 years it has been one of my life’s greatest joys watching Ali grow and play and turn into the spirited little hooligan that she is. But with all that joy there has also been great pain as we had to sit idly by and watch this disorder start to take a hold on her. I love my baby girl and the thought that someday she won’t be able to play, or run, or even walk breaks my heart. Seeing her play and hearing her laugh, even with everything that she is going through is why I fight. If she can continue to be strong with everything she has already gone through, than so can I. I AM ALI’S ARMY!” ~ Ali’s Daddy (Gabe)

Will you join Ali’s Army and the battle against FOP?

Read more about Ali and this disabling disorder at Ali’s Army, a site designed to keep family and friends abreast of Ali’s disorder and to educate EVERYONE about the effects of FOP.

Join me at the Homeschool Classroom as I share how My Heart is Preparing for the Road Ahead.

Here’s a snippet of that post:

I’ve never forgotten a discussion that took place at one of the first homeschool support group meetings I attended. A veteran homeschool mom stood up and announced that she no longer wanted to homeschool. After homeschooling for 20+ years, graduating three students, and serving as mentor and encourager to hundreds of homeschool moms in our community and beyond, she was done. With one student left at home, she was nearing the end. At the time, this new homeschooling mama just couldn’t understand her heart, until 12 years later, when I became her.

Read the rest of my post My Heart is Preparing for the Road Ahead

Swann Covered Bridge Blount County, Alabama

Have you ever experienced one of those perfect road trips where everything just falls into place?

Last spring, my parents’ traveled from Ohio to Alabama so my family could show them some of the reasons we had grown to love Alabama (and why we miss it now)- keeping in mind the interests of both my mom and dad. Not necessarily an easy feat, but the day fell together perfectly and turned into one of those amazing days that I’ll cherish forever.

I planned to take the day and travel to Blount County, northeast of Birmingham, where three of the thirty covered bridges in the state can be found.

Our favorite, Swann Covered Bridge, was built in 1933 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge, with a total span of nearly 330 feet, stretches above the Locust Fork River, making it the longest surviving bridge in the state of Alabama as well as one of the longest in the United States.

Though the bridge is easy to find off State Route 79, just outside Cleveland, the road is closed at the top of the hill, making the bridge inaccessible. Since I had followed the directions printed on the brochure that I’d picked up at the visitor’s center, I did park my van with a couple other vehicles and we walked down the hill to the bridge. The walk to the bridge was about a half mile or so and though the view approaching the bridge was beautiful, I was uncomfortable leaving my van behind so we didn’t linger and enjoy it as much as we could have.

I did find a website (after our visit) that stated that the bridge is accessible from the west. You can find the directions and read more about the Swann Covered Bridge – Blount County, Alabama at their site.

Have you visited Swann Covered Bridge in Blount County, Alabama? Maybe you can share the directions you followed?

This post is linked to Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom?