Heading towards the state of Georgia, we passed acres of cotton fields. Their bright white color was hard to miss. One of these days it would be fascinating to learn how cotton goes from a puff on a stem to the cotton we use for our clothing

Shaefer Heard, COE was the best campsite ever! So glad we were here for two weeks. The site was huge, with ample and distinct space for the 5th wheel, truck, and patio area. Being right on the lake made it extra special. We enjoyed beautiful sunsets and rolling fog over the water in the mornings. At night, the stars adorned the black sky. It was picture-perfect. I didn’t want to leave.

We took a lake-side trail hike to the dam. There is no elevation to speak of, but it is a nice day hike, never less. We leave this wonderful campground to head home for Thanksgiving and visit family.

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We are getting closer to seeing fall leaves. The temperature has dropped, and a chill is in the air. Our first hike, House Mountain Trail, tempted us with hints of fall colors. I love hiking when the weather is brisk.

We visited the Tennesse Theater to see Lewis Black. This theater was built in 1928 and was considered the city’s first “skyscraper.” As I walked into the lobby, I was in awe of its grandeur, beautiful decor, and the feeling of luxury. It truly is a hidden gem, and Mr. Black’s humor made me smile.

Our next adventure took us to Meade Quarry. We put in the kayak, and the atmosphere was serene, and the stone walls were amazing. We couldn’t believe our luck as we were the only ones on the water. As we were dragging our kayak out of the water, we noticed a sign indicating personal watercraft are prohibited. Oops! We were glad there was no one patrolling the area, as we are sure a ticket would have been in our future.

Finally, fall colors! Our hike to Observation Point was everything I wanted to remind me of fall. Gold, yellow, red, and copper colors lined the trail as our boots swished through the fallen leaves. I wanted to jump in the leave pile again like a kid. Each wind brought a shower of leaves as they gently floated to the ground. The top of the mountain led us to a spectacular view of the Norris Dam. I couldn’t have asked for a better hike. Thanks, Tennesse, for bringing back memories of my favorite time of the year, fall.

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Seven Point COE Campground

Another fabulous campground by the lake. So far, Mitch has done a fantastic job of picking our camping spots so they are either on the lake or have a bird’s eye view of one. He will openly admit some of the sites are much better than the posted pictures they have on the website.

Day Loop Trail and Stone River Greenway Trail

This 3.7-mile hike went around the lake, and the weather was perfect for a day hike. We rode our bikes on the Stone River Greenway Trail the following day. This would have been a terrific trail to go for a long ride, but the bugs were in full swing, and it started to get uncomfortable. This was the first time we had to turn around due to bugs swarming on the trail. At least we could get in fourteen miles before we said enough, and glad we saw several turkeys along the way.

At night, temperatures drop, and sweaters and long pants are needed. Perfect weather for nightly fires and very encouraging that the night place will bring my autumn leaves.

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Canal COE Campground

We enjoyed our stay at this campground. The big appeal here was Patti’s 1800 Settlement. It offers a restaurant surrounded by little shops throughout the settlement. It wasn’t our type of entertainment, but we did stop across the street to snap a quick picture of the lighthouse.

Mitch found a spot to put in our kayak. He thought it might be interesting to see how easy it is to assemble. When we started, the sun shone brightly, and when we hit the water, it became overcast. We met other kayakers who were out to enjoy some fishing. Luck was with them as they did have a catch.

Still waiting to see those vibrant colors of yellow, orange, and red. Hopefully, continuing our journey will not disappoint.

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Axel COE Campground

It is another great campground. I love camping at those campgrounds created by the Corp. of Engineers. Thank you for creating dams and the most beautiful campgrounds scattered along the lakeside. We love watching the sunset over the water.

Mammoth Cave – Historic Tour

To get to the National Park, we had to drive 55 minutes. GPS took us in a direction that led to a road being closed. Panic set in since we had timed reservations. A quick call and the operator directed us correctly and said we shouldn’t have used the GPS to get there. We made it on time to take a two-hour tour. Touring the cave, we had to pass through Fat Man’s misery as the passageway was narrow. The next hurdle was Tall Man’s Agony. I stand 5 feet tall; you can imagine this passage’s height if I have to crouch down. The park has several tours with varying difficulty, but the ride was too long to return for more tours.

Jeffrey Cliffs Hike

The massive cliffs were awe-inspiring. You can see the magnitude of these cliffs when Mitch stands in the middle of one. When we began to ascend the stairs to the top of the cliff, we met a woman native to the area. When she was younger, there were no stairs, just a rope where you had to pull yourself up to the top. Thank goodness the stairs were built, or Mitch would be climbing alone.

We ended the day with a glowing fire as the nights were getting a bit more chilly. That is a good sign, as I may get to enjoy the changing of the leaves.

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