"Probably lost in Appalachia, but ... it is not too late"

I know that a lot of people envision only a small holler in the boonies when they think of Appalachia, but the mountainous region stretches through 13 states from New York to Mississippi. Over the summer, we worked our way up in elevation at various spots within the lengthy range. We began with a low point, literally and figuratively, near Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which encompasses part of the Appalachian Plateau. We had already explored part of the park in a previous trip, so this time we spent a sunny afternoon at O'Neill Woods Summit Metro Park (left), strolling along Deer Run Trail (right). 

 

But then the thunderstorms and bad luck rolled in. We got back to our Hipcamp lodging just as the raindrops started coming down (top left). Luckily, our little cabin was well-protected by leafy canopy, and it was cozy listening to the pattering of precipitation (top right). Eventually we set out from our snug shelter for The Cure concert at Blossom Music Center, which was the whole reason for our visit. Unfortunately, due to some misinformation about a cancellation due to inclement weather, while Robert Smith and friends were performing, we were obliviously enjoying the neighborhood bar vibe at Bailey Road Tavern (bottom left). We didn't find out that we missed an impressive three-hour show until after we awoke in an arboreal haze the next morning (bottom right).

  

But there was no time for crying because two days later we were off to another point along the Appalachians. Jonesborough, Tennessee's oldest town, has a complicated past as a Union blip in the middle of Confederate country. It was home to the first abolitionist newspaper, The Emancipator, and a progressive women's school (left). But then again, the country's slave-owning seventh president, Andrew Jackson, served as an attorney there, living in a Revolutionary War-era cabin (right). 

 

Presidents James Polk (11th) and Andrew Johnson (17th) are said to have spent nights at the historical Chester Inn (top). Perhaps some day a historical marker will be erected where we stayed down the road at another Hipcamp (bottom left). There's not much nightlife in the sleepy village, so we found some fun in the nearby college town of Johnson City. We had some drinks at Tipton Street Pub and Yee-Haw Brewing Co. (bottom right) before dinner at Numan's Cafe and Sports Bar, an institution with two stories of pool tables, one of which I lost on more than five times.

 

The next morning, we perked ourselves up at The Corner Cup before taking on some nearby peaks. The Buffalo Mountain Park loop trail was a captivating but challenging hike (top left). Despite what the sign says (top right), we did not take the "wimp shortcut" to the highlight of the trek: an overlook with a view of three states (bottom). I think I can confidently say I saw Tennessee and North Carolina, but I really can't be sure about Virginia.

I am sure about North Carolina because after our hike it was only a short drive to our next stop in Appalachia: Asheville (top). The city is a gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a province of the Eastern mountain range and home to black bears. As proof, we spied a haggard mom and her two cubs shortly after arrival and less than a mile from where we were staying (bottom left). We did not see any two days later when we hiked along the Blue Ridge Parkway because we obeyed signs to turn around because of an aggressive bear on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. On the other hand, the humans at the city's Downtown After 5 event were hardly hostile, but they were still fun to watch (bottom right).

 

The monthly festival, with its live music and beverage tents, was a fitting interlude in a trip full of culture and craft beer. Our first night in town, we headed to Biltmore Village to hit up Burial Beer Co. and Hi-Wire Brewing, where we won trivia. The next day, we started by focusing on the arts at Marquee in the River Arts District (top left), but we quickly got distracted by food and booze. We ate lunch at the surprisingly vegetarian-friendly 12 Bones Smokehouse. Barack Obama is a big fan, I'm assuming because of the delicious sides, including smoked potato salad (top right). We countered those calories by walking down to New Belgium Brewing, a massive hoppy playground for adults on the French Broad River (middle). After some digestion and relaxation, we headed downtown, where we made more malty stops at Wicked Weed Brewing, One World Brewing, and Foggy Mountain Brewpub and scoped out the start of the weekly drum circle.

 

About a month later, we ported off to the Poconos for another family trip amid the Appalachians. The cousin crew was staying at a cabin, but we decided to camp at Hickory Run State Park (top left). This gave them more space and us the opportunity to bring Bowie, who settled right in with a bone while we at breakfast (top right). He was not nearly as comfortable as we walked along the Delaware & Lehigh Trail, named after the two rivers it follows (bottom left). Recent rains meant rapids were racing for some brave rafters (bottom right). For us, the high waters meant Buttermilk and Luke's Falls, both a short walk from the Rockport Trailhead of Lehigh Gorge State Park, were way more than a trickle. 

 

  

On a less damp day, we might have biked from Rockport to Glen Onoko Trailhead, but instead, we drove to Turn Hole Tunnel (top left). We heeded the trespassing signs in front of the old train shaft, but some rulebreakers braved the fallen rocks to reach the river overlook (top right). The tunnel is located right outside Jim Thorpe, a town formerly called Mauch Chunk, which means Bear Place in in the native Munsee Lenape language (bottom left). Residents changed the name in honor of the NFL player and Olympian of Native American descent, who is buried on its outskirts. The grave and memorial is built on soil taken from his native Oklahoma and the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm, Sweden (bottom right). The half of the city on the west side of the river was overrun with tourists, so we stayed on the east side, with a visit to Bright Path Brewing. The establishment is a nod to Thorpe's birth name: He was brought up in the Sac and Fox Nation under the name Wa-Tho-Huk, which means “Bright Path."

 

  

The clouds, but not the water, receded the next day, which created perfect conditions for hiking to and gawking at Hawk Falls (top). We took advantage of the photo op then continued on the Orchard Loop Trail. Its switchbacks were more challenging than anticipated, so once we got back to the creek, both Scott and Bowie seized the chance to cool off (bottom left and right).  

 

The clouds rolled back in as we drove over to Boulder Field, a vast eerie opening amid a forest (top). Bowie's paws and our footwear weren't made for scrambling over the rocks, so we admired the lithological anomaly from the sidelines (bottom left). Some claim the formation is connected to aliens, but the only unusual creatures we saw there were butterflies (bottom right). In actuality, the phenomenon is the result of a post-glacial freeze-thaw cycle that chipped bedrock into stones over centuries -- similar to the slow march of geological time that created the entire Appalachian range.

 

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“Pittsburgh Catholic, Volume 122, Number 5, 29 March 1974.” Pittsburgh Catholic, Mar. 1974. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.32162064. Accessed 17 November 2023.

"It’s not my scene exactly"

For some people, Nashville is a country-music mecca, so when we were looking for a weekend getaway, the Tennessee capital became a top contender for a weekend pilgrimage. Upon arrival, we circumvented party central for the moment and headed to the neighborhood near our AirBnB, uphill from the state fairgrounds, which hosts a monthly Flea Market (top). The many vendors set up on a vast footprint both inside and outside peddled a variety of products. We considered some wall art of a taxidermic and honky-tonk nature (bottom left and right), but all we brought home were some subdued kitchen rugs.

 

Although we had a snack at the flea market, it was time for a more substantial meal, so we headed to Dicey's Tavern, across from The Outfield, where we snapped a touristy selfie (top). The pizza parlor distinguishes itself by featuring party-cut pies, the typical style found in central Ohio; the Calabrian Vodka specialty pizza made us feel right at home (bottom left). The bathroom at Jackalope Brewing Company (bottom right), where we had a flight before we checked in for a nap after our long drive, was also quite homey.

 

It was easy to get some shut-eye in our stylish room, which featured a canopy bed with near-blackout curtains, photos and paintings by local artists, and a cowhide rug (top left). It was located right off Rains Avenue, within walking distance (if you're willing and able) of the Broadway strip. The area is being redeveloped, although relics of its history remain (top right). In no mood for an all-nighter, we hit up a couple hipsterish bars just blocks from our bed. I had a delicious cocktail that fused watermelon with hot sauce at Never Never Bar, housed in a former welding shop, before we downed some beers and pool balls at the bowling-alley-vibe Lucky's 3 Stars Bar (bottom).

  

With a good night's rest, we were ready to dive into downtown. We had hoped to fuel up at Sun Diner, but the line wrapped around the counters of the former record store, so we headed to the converted grocery at Puckett's Restaurant instead. By the time we finished breakfast, it was just after noon, so we decided we could start drinking. On a street packed with options, it's difficult to pick in which institution to imbibe, so we based our first stop, Layla's Honky Tonk (top left), on the appeal of the band set up right by the front door, like in most establishments on the strip. Once its morning gospel session was over, we headed next door to Robert's Western World (top right). Since we had already eaten, we didn't order the "Recession Special": a fried bologna sandwich served with chips, a moon pie, and an ice-cold PBR. But we did enjoy some Pabsts with the live music (bottom), and we even got a free moon pie with the check. 

 

Since we had plans for the evening, we didn't want to get too wild early in the day. So besides getting a taste of the mobile-party scene -- we saw so, so many people dancing on assorted vehicles (top) -- we took in a few Nashville sights, such as Ryman Auditorium (bottom left) and the waterfront park along the Cumberland River (bottom right). We thought we would escape the madness by getting off the beaten path at the Batter's Box Bar and Grill, but even there, we ended up sharing shots with a birthday-girl bunch from Wisconsin.

 

It was fitting that we stop at a sports bar, considering that sportsball was a primary impetus for our road trip -- we had come to venerate the Columbus Crew. We pre-gamed at Santa's Pub, a dive bar across from the stadium (top). Unfortunately, Kriss Kringle wasn't on hand to hear our wish list, so we weren't able to ask for a win. Despite a promising goal in the first minute of play, Columbus lost 3-1 (bottom left). This was quite a disappointment compared to the 6 goals accrued at the Crew opener (bottom right). However, Ol' Saint Nick came through with a 2-0 win against Nashville on our home field later in the year.

'

 

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“Berkeley Barb.” Berkeley Barb, vol. 12, no. 21(303), June 1971. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.28033329. Accessed 31 May 2023.