US Travels – Where Have We Been

Tomorrow we start making our way back to Boulder to spend a few weeks with family and friends. By the way, the plan is actually to stay in the Casa, parked in our son Erik’s driveway, where the temperature the other day reached -11F, -24C for our Swedish friends – we shall see how well that works out…

Our friend Chase pointed out that even though internet access should be easier in the US than S America, we haven’t been blogging much. True. Part of the reason is that traveling in the US just isn’t cool enough to blog about: who hasn’t been to Gettysburg? But shame on us, in addition to many well-known spots, we’ve also been to a few that are lesser known, and we should have been writing about them, because they truly deserve it.

Our travels, so far…

With that, a few pics from a places that, in addition to Miami, Everglades, Savannah, Charleston, Gettysburg, DC, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, …,  you should go to…

Wilmington, NC. Battleships may be obsolete, but big guns are cool.

The USS North Carolina

Anywhere along the Outer Banks, although it’s less crowded further south. And visiting in early fall was brilliant: weather was great, water was warm, and campgrounds were less than 1/4 full.

A beach on the OBX

The stroll from the beach to the Casa

A decent sunset as a background to our grilled shrimp dinner

Shenandoah National Park. Yeah, I know, a lot of people have been here. But, try going in the early fall. We missed the peak of the leaves changing color by about 2 weeks; it was still gorgeous.

The Appalachian Trail. K and I are now experienced AT hikers. Eat your hearts out Peni and Jan.

Bourbon country, KY. I could spend a lot more time there…

The pantry in the Casa after visiting Woodford

The Maker’s Mark 46 bottle that Karen had hand-dipped into the signature red wax. It didn’t last long.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I know, a great number of people have been here – it’s actually the most visited national park in the US. But no one is there in late fall.

We needed the fire, it was cold at night

Rock City, Chattanooga, TN. A super-cheesy, yet cool at the same time attraction which took to heart the Swedish saying “Allting går att sälja med mördande reklam”

Cheesy – yes. Pretty – certainly.

Huntsville, AL. A much better Apollo museum than the Air and Space in DC. And some great info on Wernher von Braun (this link takes you to the song…)

The Saturn V. Enough said.

Shiloh battlefield, TN. We’ve been to several battlefields, and read numerous civil war books during our travels. Finally feel like I have a solid understanding of the war. Shiloh is powerful, and undisturbed.

Quiet, contemplative.

Mountain View, AR. One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip: The folk music capital of the US; great trout fishing – brown trout for dinner; the amazing Blanchard Springs Caverns – we went twice, once for the regular tour, and then an evening show for caroling on the caverns. Memorable!

Folk music being played as we wait in line for the Thanksgiving buffet at the Ozark Folk Center.

Blanchard Springs Cavern

Pictures don’t do it justice.

Little Rock, AR. The Clinton Library is well worth a visit, and the river front of the town is pretty cool and hip.

View from our campsite.

Little Rock High School – a working high school, but also a National Historic Site. Good museum.

Redneck sledding.

Vicksburg, MS. One of the two most important Civil War battlefields. Beautiful city as well. And Natchez is right down the road.

Federal gun-boat sunk during the battle of Vicksburg.

Austin, TX. Home of University of Texas, the LBJ Library, known as the Live Music Capital fo the World, and home to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Pour a bourbon, turn up the volume and click on the link! . Not a bad ending to this episode 1 of our US travels.

Stevie Ray Vaughn. Bow down everyone, bow down.