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Bryce Canyon National Park

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Our nation has some incredible national parks and Bryce Canyon ranks up there as one of the most unique and naturally beautiful that we’ve visited so far. Punctuated by hoodoos, massive, beautifully-colored stone columns sculpted from thousands of years of erosion, Bryce in places reminded us of the man-madeTerra Cotta warriors we saw in China. Lined up one after the other, the fluted walls can be seen from the roadside but are best explored on foot. We did both.

First we drove the length of the park using this cool app called Just Ahead, which provides GPS-guided audio narration that plays automatically as you travel down the road. We’ve used this tool before, and it really helps provide an introduction to the park and its history.

From Rainbow Point in the south we worked our way back north stopping at ten overlooks along the way. Each viewpoint was different from the last. One included a massive stone arch; another provided sweeping views all the way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The drive was a great way to get oriented to the park, and it helped us plan the next two days.

The next morning we were in the park by 6:00 a.m. in an attempt to avoid the heat and the crowds. We succeeded and were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise and cooler weather.

The premier hike in Bryce Canyon National Park is the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop Trail. The three mile walk took us through massive hoodoo “forests,” stone arches, and snaking switchbacks which provided incredible views of the landscape.

The hike culminates in the climb up Wall Street, a steep, narrow canyon which has been fortified with stones to support the trail. It’s a popular spot in the park, so we were glad to get in and out relatively early.

Even though it was very dry we found water at Mossy Cave. The short hike to small waterfall featured a large cave that is covered with icicles in the winter. No ice this time of year, however. In fact, many people were playing in the water. We skipped that.

One of the most appealing features in Bryce Canyon is the five mile shared-use path that runs from outside the park to Inspiration Point. We loaded up the bikes, hitched up the dogs, and pedaled the path through the forest and into the park to see the sights from another perspective.

Along the way we could see the canyon rim, the lodge, and other park features. The dogs really seemed to enjoy it. Mia, in fact, slept most of the way!

Bryce Canyon National Park is one not to miss, even though it’s not massive. You can probably do the park in a day or two, but don’t rush. The incredible views change with the time of day and with the weather. That’s why we hope to return during a different season to see it again.

2021 Tampa RV Supershow

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RV shows and rallys are where RVers learn about the latest new products, swap stories about time on the road, and connect with others who share the passion for road living. The Florida RV Supershow, held every January in Tampa, FL is the big daddy of all the shows, so it’s been on our agenda since we bought our first rig. The 2021 show was probably not as big and crazy as in the past due to the pandemic, but we still enjoyed the experience.

For five days we had full access to the Florida State Fairgrounds and the over 1500 RVs and hundreds of related-vendors. There was roving entertainment, fair food, and lots of opportunities to learn, shop, and gawk.

We toured big, million dollar Class As, truck campers, lots of fifth wheels, and even camper vans. No, we didn’t buy a new RV, though we looked at plenty!

We did, however, buy a bunch of stuff to make our lives on the road a little easier.  Here are a few of our fun finds, including a sign for the rig, a new rug, a garden flag stand, a new Garmin 890 RV GPS, and a new travel journal. Not pictured is a new Blackstone griddle which is still in the box, but sure to produce some great dinners in our future.

We also participated in our first RV rally during the show as part of Lippert Scouts. Lippert is a major RV and marine component company, and we are part of their Lippert Scouts ambassador group. Along with about 20 other Scouts, we camped on the grounds of the show, had easy in and out access for the entire time, and met a bunch of other fun, like-minded people. 

Being part of the group really enhanced our experience and we loved the nightly campfires. Around the fire we shared ideas for living on the road, campgrounds to visit, national parks to explore, and strategies for navigating in a big rig. We now have a group of friends from around the country who completely understand our current way of life.

The show and rally required masks inside and outside, had hand sanitizer available everywhere, and limited the number of people inside each rig at a time. We were careful to follow all the protocols and are feeling great. We know there is a risk to traveling during the pandemic and the risk is increased by attending events like this. However, we are determined to stay active and continue our explorations, with as much care as possible. So far, so good.

And the verdict on RV shows and rallys? We’re already planning to attend next year’s show, hopefully again as part of Lippert Scouts.

Thanksgiving and Whiskey

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You can’t come to middle Tennessee and not visit Lynchburg and the Jack Daniels distillery. After leaving Nashville we drove south about an hour and a half to the little town that is home to the country’s most popular whiskey.

The town itself is tiny, with a square lined with shops that sell Jack Daniels souvenirs. The official Jack Daniels store is housed in the Lynchburg Hardware and General Store. There’s no hardware sold there…only more Jack Daniels stuff. Steve bought, what else, but a hat.

The tour itself took us into the actual distillery to follow the production process. As we walked through the beautiful grounds we learned about the production of the special charcoal that makes this whiskey so smooth. The whiskey is filtered through the charcoal before it is put into toasted oak barrels. Did you know that Jack Daniels has its own fire brigade to protect the 92 barrel houses that dot the nearby countryside?

We learned that when Jack established the distillery back in the 1860s, he chose Cave Spring Hollow, the current location, to take advantage of the iron-free, mineral rich water in the spring. The water has turned out to be one of the ingredients that makes Jack’s whiskey so good. We met Jack at the spring and took some photos. The Jack Daniels distillery registered with the federal government in 1866, making it the oldest distillery in the U.S.

After the tour we were treated to a tasting of six Jack Daniels products including the traditional Old No. 7, Gentleman Jack’s, and several of the newer, flavored varieties. Of course we walked away with a few bottles to enjoy at home!

The day started off wet and rainy but we ended up with clear skies and cool temperatures. It was a perfect day to explore this cute little town.

On Thanksgiving morning we took the short drive from Lynchburg to Lawrenceburg, TN and set up camp at the beautiful David Crockett State Park. The campsite was the perfect place to enjoy our socially-distanced Thanksgiving meal, complete with turkey, stuffing, and of course, our first homemade Jack Daniels pecan pie!

The park has some nice trails and historical information that we got to explore. Davy Crockett and his family settled here in 1817. An old mill, a lake, waterfalls, and historical stuff makes it easy to hang out for a few days.

This week I was cleared for regular shoes and am no longer wearing the surgical shoe that has been plaguing me. We commemorated the occasion with a short 1/2 mile hike on the nearby Trail of Tears. Seemed appropriate. My foot is still swollen and sore if I’m on it much, but it is getting better.

The other feature that drew us to this area is the nearby Ethridge, home of the South’s largest “Old Order” Amish settlement. “Old Order” means they have no modern conveniences, no cars, no tractors, no electricity, and no running water. We did learn that they have a lot of kids!! We toured a portion of the community, which has approximately 250 families. You can stop at most farms and buy their wares including fresh eggs, preserves, hats, rugs, furniture, saddles, caskets, and a bunch of other things. We bought a few yummies and really enjoyed our short but cordial conversations with the community members we met. They don’t believe in having their photographs taken, but we snuck in a few of the countryside.

We’re continuing our trek south and should be on the gulf coast within a week. We’ll share more updates as we have news to report.